medical types - siatic nerve pain - advice

[rehmwa 2]

So anyway, tunnel is coming up in three days, been doing quite a bit of stretching and lower back and ab work....

I have terrible siatic in my left gluts/thigh/leg now which was kicked off from likely the above and some rollerblading.

I get this at every tunnel camp and also after and during hard training weekends.

The doctor gave me a course of a prednisone-like medication last week, but that only eliminated the pain when the dose was high. When it got low and then finished, it's back.

I don't want to treat the pain (I'm not a fan of any kind of meds), I want to have exercises and stretches to eliminate the problem...

(I'm bringing a strong med to the camp, I'm more concern with the chronic problem and fixing it for the future).

Bring on the advice, I'm a lab experiment waiting to happen....

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[JohnRich 4]

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I have terrible siatic in my left gluts/thigh/leg ...

I had a bout with that about 10 years ago. It just hit me one night in my sleep, and I could barely get out of bed in the morning. I had no explanation for what caused it.

It's supposedly caused by a pinched nerve in the spine. They can operate on your back to relieve it, but prefer to try less drastic measures first.

Meanwhile, it hurts like a sum-bitch. A really big one.

I just toughed mine out, and it took over a month before it went away. It hasn't been back since. Go figure.

It ain't fun putting up with it. Just getting out of a chair becomes excruciating. I had two techniques; one was to get up very slowly, stretching gently, enduring the pain all the time. The second method was just to jerk upright quickly, scream in pain, and get it over with quickly.

Fun stuff. "I feel your pain".

[RkyMtnHigh 0]

Massage and Aleve help.

_________________________________________

[skybytch 259]

I had three vertebrae fused to fix my sciatic pain. Not much fun and I still get the occasional flare up, but I'm glad I did it - surgery gave me my life back.

Had my problem (blown out discs) been caught and treated earlier it may have been fixable - or at least made livable - without surgery. I know riggerrob improved his sciatic pain with a lot of exercise and stretching.

What is causing yours? If it's disc related, how far gone are they? Have you seen a physical therapist yet?
.

[lawrocket 3]

Why NOT treat the pain. Mot of the steroids are designed to stop the soft-tissue inflammation. The inflammation is what causes impingement of the nerve.

You should get an MRI done, if a doctor will prescribe it. It can show what can be causing it, like a bulging disc or spondylolisthesis. That's the only way to treat something other than the symptoms.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[Lindsey 0]

I believe in Chiropractic care for those kinds of things. If you don't like chiropractors, you might try to find a D.O. who does manipulations--their training is more along the lines of an MD's with an emphasis on musculo-skeletal problems. MD's don't measure up in this area, IMHO.

Peace~
Lindsey

--
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

[lawrocket 3]

Chiropractic care is not necessarily a bad thing. I don't think it would bee too contraindicated. Still, I think that MD care is entirely suitable for this. Why not find an MD that can prescribe some chiropractic care and physical therapy?

Still, it'd be nice to get some pictures of what's goign on to treat that.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[Rainbo 0]

I feel for you, I am suffering from that also because of my other condition. If it is your sciatic most likely you will wake up one day and it will be gone. Steriods and other antiinflammitories are about all you can do, unless your MD recommends more drastic measures. When the inflammation goes down whether it is in the bone or the soft tissue the pain will leave.

I made a skydive this weekend and got bent wrong launching a five way, lost 3-4 weeks of improvements in one second. Hang in there.

Rainbo
TheSpeedTriple - Speed is everything
"Blessed are those who can give without remembering, and take without forgetting."

[TheAnvil 0]

Go to an accupuncturist. That stuff works. Accupressure works too. Just make sure the dude has a good rep.

Vinny the Anvil

Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

[Dagny 0]

So sorry to hear about your sciatic pain! You're right, it most likely initiated due to the repetition of movement from rollerblading. For now, the best medicine that I can recommend is rest and anti-inflammatory meds.

I would like to agree with Lindsey here...if possible, seek a D.O. who specializes in osteopathic manipulative therapy. Here are some websites that might help. Sorry, I have no clue how to make them "clicky".

For an information on osteopathy: www.osteopathic.org

To find a D.O. in your area: http://www.osteopathic.org/directory.cfm

There are a number of factors which need to be evaluated concerning your sciatica. For example: is the pain originating from a degenation of the disks in your back or spondylolisthesis, basically a misalignment of the disks? The sciatic nerve courses under the piriformis muscle on it's path down the back of the leg and pain can also originate from this area due to muscle spasm among other things.

I am in medical school, specifically osteopathic medicine, and I can vouch for the effectiveness of the therapy on musculo-skeletal disorders. While it may not absolutely control your sciatica, it may relieve your pain and it is another, viable option for treatment. Especially if you are not interested in pain control through prescriptions.

Lawrocket - as for finding an M.D., that is a definite option for traditional treatment modalities. However, a D.O. would be able to provide both osteopathic manipulative treatment initially. And, if his pain was unrelieved, a D.O. could follow with the surgical options that might be necessary in the future.

RkyMtnHigh - Aleve helps because it is an anti-inflammatory medication (containing naprosyn). Sciatica is due to inflammation of the sciatic nerve, so any medication with these properties is beneficial. Ibuprofen is another anti-inflammatory that can be used. As for massage, it may help relieve pain from muscles which are stressed, but will not be effective for the sciatica. However, sciatica often causes changes in gait (the way we walk and even maintain our posture) that may cause some tightness in other muscles which massage will help. Again, a D.O. can offer treatment similar to this, via muscle energy treatment, myofascial release, and soft tissue techniques. That is part of what full treatment would involve - repairing the somatic dysfunctions which arise from sciatica.

And, as for acupuncture...I have seen a lot of people have relief of pain from these treatments. I, personally, have never had it done, but there are D.O.'s who use this as part of their arsenal so I have witnessed acupuncture therapy. It's definitely another option, but I'd recommend sticking with a D.O. or M.D. for more definitive care, at least in the beginning.

Good luck with your pain! Oh, and have fun at the tunnel!

Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic.
-Salvador Dali

[skybytch 259]

Something I forgot to mention regarding non-med pain control... I found that meditation breathing, relaxation exercises and visualization helped me deal with the mental aspects of the pain.

[b1jercat 0]

I'll relate my experience and you can take it for what it's worth. My ordeal begin over a two month period and got to the point where I couldn't hardly walk.
I later determined my problem was caused by uneven shoe wear. A doctor put me on vicoden and 3200 millagram of Ibpropen a day, after two months I weaned myself off the vicoden and started getting off the Ibpropen it took nearly a year. pain free.

OTOH I got a friend that went under the knife and after 5 operations it never got better and never will.

Try and work it out first, and be prepared for it to take a while.

good luck

jerry

[d_squared431 0]

Instead of going to a MD go see a DO. A DO specializes in sports medicine and will work out that area of pain, give you the propper stretches, and some anti inflamatories you need to get through this flair up. They are great and you will see big difference in just few days.

TPM Sister#130ONTIG#1
I love vodka.I love vodka cause it rhymes with Tuaca~LisaH
You having a clean thought is like billyvance having a clean post.iluvtofly

[JUDYJ 0]

ALEVE...naprosyn works great when taken twice a day with food...round the clock for a few days...need to build some levels of the drug up to do it's best.

Other RX available from DR.... PM me I can get you a list if you need suggestions.

SUSPENSION BOOTS...or lay flat on an inverted table. TAKE the pressure off and allow that which is causing the problem to rest. If you can't do that then lay flat on the floor, scoot your butt up to a chair that you can lay your legs in..so that you have a 90 degree angle from your hips to the chair and the another 90 degrees from your knees to your feet.

MRI is also about the only way you will ever know for sure what is the cause~~

IF you are going to be Stupid - you better be tough!

[Billy 0]

I like Dagny's advice.. (Good luck in school!)
I have a friend in an OM program in AZ and love to be her practice dummy whenever I can,,, & an MRI is the only way to see the soft tissues that are giving you problems. I avoid pain meds if possible except to help sleep when my back acts up,, like to know if anything I'm doing aggravates the injury, which then just prolongues healing, and these injuries just flat take time to heal!
So is there a differance between a chiropracter and an DO??

Natural Born FlyerZ.com

[ltdiver 3]

Which tunnel camp are you attending? FL or CA?

If you're coming to Perris I can take a look and help you out.

Have you had x-rays and/or MRI done yet?

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[wingnut 0]

i have also had sme pretty extream nerve pain (couldn't sit down for 3 months) (search for my "ass updates") and it turned out to be a prodruding disc.. had some spinal injections wich helped alot but didn't rally clear up the pain.... then had a "micro discectomy" done and it helped so much... it's a micro surgery i think my scar is maybe 2 inches long.... was up the same night to go to the bathroom and out the next morning at home.... heck i even jumped (even though i shouldn't have 2 weeks later at wffc) i still have som lingering back pain but i atibute it more to the incision than anything and stil have permenant nerve damage going from just under my butox to just below my knee on the back side of my leg..... but i would gladly have the numbness instead of the constant pain... it got so bad at one point that i was doing shots of JD to try and pass out cuz the pain meds just didn't work..........

i reinjured it a few months ago and it "flared up" and i went to see the doctor.. she refered me to the physical therepypeople and they gave me some exersise to strenghten my back and also some streches to help with the tension i have in my hamstrings from the nerve damage... it has helped alot........ getting to beabl;e to get close to toching my toes and i couldn't even do that before the surgery.!!!!

have you goten am mri to see if it is anything deeling with your spine and a disc???? if it is you might beable to corect it now before it gets worse..... and as for the bytch and her 3 fused vertebre... i had a older gentalman in the hostital bed next to mine that had that done... he was not in any kind of happy mood..... it looked like it sucked.. well it loked the like the drainage tube in his backand the catheter in his you know what and the insicion from his hip where they took bone from was not at all funn..i though i was very lucky to be up and waling around the very night.. he couldn't get up if he wanted to.....

______________________________________
"i have no reader's digest version"

[rehmwa 2]

Thanks for all the responses - they've pretty well run the gambit from acupuncture to surgery. I kind of expected that But I appreciate this from you guys.

Of course it subsided yesterday and all that's left is some stiffness.. Tunnel starts Thursday morning in Orlando - so I can see if that restarts it.

I'm bringing some Vicoden (spelling?) samples the doc gave me for symptoms on the trip. If it recurs, I'll go find an osteopath and have the disc alignment looked at as well - I'm a big believer in whole body treatment so I like DOs - likely also look up muscle anatomy and see which large muscle groups are 'upstream' of the hamstrings and gluts......

As far as working out, I'm in great shape and stretching and core strengenthing every day, so at least that's squared away.

I'm liking the idea of the hanging boots, at times, something seems out of joint and the more limber I'm becoming, the more often I seem to be able to make things pop in place. Maybe I can find a way to see a chiropractor on the insurance plan - I don't think that's covered though.

good stuff - THANKS

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[freakyrat 1]

I had a very bad bout with it last year. I went to a Chiropractor here in The Woodlands who is board certified etc and woks here at Sadler Clinic. it took about 13 sessions but he fixed it. I had no ruptured discs but a x-ray showed I did not have the proper space between L4 and L5. Heat and stretching it out on his table fixed it. There are stretching exercises for it that Physical Therapists, DO's, MD's that specialize in Sports Medicine and Chiroprators can give you that help releive this.

Chris
Skydive Houston

[crwmike 0]

Quote

Instead of going to a MD go see a DO. A DO specializes in sports medicine and will work out that area of pain, give you the propper stretches, and some anti inflamatories you need to get through this flair up. They are great and you will see big difference in just few days.

DO's aren't specialists in sports medicine ...they're just DO's and as far as legal practice are eqivalent to MD's (it was all part of a political agreement some years back). Despite their initial training, my experience is that DO's practice of medicine is exactly the same as MD's so choosing one over the other based on the historical basis of the school is not a good method.

Michael

[rehmwa 2]

Hi Mike - maybe d-squared was was confusing Osteopaths with Orthopedists.....(Orthopedists are usually sports focused, DOs are Osteopaths) Even so, I still think the DO or a Orthopedic specialists are both decent recommendations.

I know some good DOs and they do treat the whole body. I find MDs to be relatively more focused on just the symptoms. (i.e., I expect a good DO to give me a pain killer, show me stretches, explain the musculature and recommend foods that help limit muscle cramping. I expect a MD to proscribe the pain killer and send me home).

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[chuckbrown 0]

I had this horror 6 months ago. Lasted 3-4 weeks. Talk about wanting to f***ing die. Aleve, nope. Advil, nothing. Alcohol, a littleThe only thing that helped was a prescription pain patch (lidocaine? some sort of "caine"). A buddy who had back surgery gave me some spares. Did wonders, but would seriously dehydrate me. Good luck. I think rest is the best answer (unless you've got a serious condition).

[Dagny 0]

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Despite their initial training, my experience is that DO's practice of medicine is exactly the same as MD's so choosing one over the other based on the historical basis of the school is not a good method.

D.O.'s can function as "regular" physicians, just as M.D.'s do, or they can utilize osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) as part or all of their practice. I see a D.O. for my orthopedic/sports related injuries. This doctor, along with the others in the practice, provide OMM therapy as their primary function.

If you would like to see a D.O. who is a family physician or internal medicine or ob/gyn doctor who uses OMM regularly, it would be good to go to an osteopathic hospital or practice/group. Or, call and ask if they provide those treatments. The doctors I have shadowed in my training use a mix of "regular" medicine and OMM on a daily basis.

However, if you have encountered D.O.'s who don't utilize OMM therapy in their practice, it is most likely due to either the physician's personal attitude toward the efficacy of OMM treatment or difficulties getting insurance coverage of the treatments.

Anyway, I know that's a bit off topic, just thought I'd throw it out there...

Oh, and as for the difference between D.O.'s and chiropractors....well, D.O.'s are doctors. LOL, but don't tell that to the chiros! Seriously, though there are many similarities between OMM and chiropractors and even physical therapists, DO's are physicians first and foremost. They can provide a more comprehensive treatment as their focus is not limited to musculoskeletal manipulations. Chiros like to do a lot of "cracking", techniques that DO's also utilize, but DO"s also use soft tissue techniques, medications, and sometimes invasive therapy in conjunction with those techniques. They are trained to consider all aspects of a patient in preparing a treatment plan for them...lifestyle, medical condition, etc....

Of course, I'm biased!

Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic.
-Salvador Dali

[Billy 0]

Thanks for clarifying that Dagny,
As far as insurance, most require a referral from your regular doc to a specialist before they will cover them, so getting your primary doc to give you the referall to an OD, OMM doc should do the trick, and don't ask him either, tell him you want the refferal. A good doc shouldn't hassle you about giving you one.
Again, I've only had the OMM stuff done twice, but really liked the gentle correction and counterforce as opposed to the chiropactic method. They are MD's and know there shit when it comes to anatomy. I was amazed at my friend telling what she was feeling and doing at the same time. Way cool...

Natural Born FlyerZ.com

[crwmike 0]

Quote

quote]Despite their initial training, my experience is that DO's practice of medicine is exactly the same as MD's so choosing one over the other based on the historical basis of the school is not a good method.

D.O.'s can function as "regular" physicians, just as M.D.'s do, or they can utilize osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) as part or all of their practice. I see a D.O. for my orthopedic/sports related injuries. This doctor, along with the others in the practice, provide OMM therapy as their primary function.

If you would like to see a D.O. who is a family physician or internal medicine or ob/gyn doctor who uses OMM regularly, it would be good to go to an osteopathic hospital or practice/group. Or, call and ask if they provide those treatments. The doctors I have shadowed in my training use a mix of "regular" medicine and OMM on a daily basis.

However, if you have encountered D.O.'s who don't utilize OMM therapy in their practice, it is most likely due to either the physician's personal attitude toward the efficacy of OMM treatment or difficulties getting insurance coverage of the treatments.

I've never encountered a DO who pays any attention whatsoever to OMM. Of course, my associations with them are hospital based as opposed to family practice. Money is probably the great equalizer here. Not only is is tough reimbursement, it is time consuming. In short (sadly) there ain't no money in it, so it gets play in the academic setting (hey, it's your historical reason for existence ;) and dropped by the vast majority soon after (except for the ones who teach, apparently).

Quote

Anyway, I know that's a bit off topic, just thought I'd throw it out there...

Oh, and as for the difference between D.O.'s and chiropractors....well, D.O.'s are doctors. LOL, but don't tell that to the chiros! Seriously, though there are many similarities between OMM and chiropractors and even physical therapists, DO's are physicians first and foremost. They can provide a more comprehensive treatment as their focus is not limited to musculoskeletal manipulations. Chiros like to do a lot of "cracking", techniques that DO's also utilize, but DO"s also use soft tissue techniques, medications, and sometimes invasive therapy in conjunction with those techniques. They are trained to consider all aspects of a patient in preparing a treatment plan for them...lifestyle, medical condition, etc....

Of course, I'm biased!

Problem with chiropractors is there is a lot of stuff that is just plain NUTS in the evolution of the trade. They can do good but they ain't doctors in my book. A good number of them today are pretty much in line with the 'snake oil' salesmen of the last century. If they claim to do anything other than manipulating the body to ease musculoskeletal discomfort ....TURN AND RUN (HOBBLE?) OUT THE DOOR.

The history of chiro/osteopath split is bordering on the incredible, with many colorful players. Once that was pretty much accomplished, with the osteos more or less abandoning the cultist and spiritualist origins of chiro (the founder, D.D. Palmer claims he got the idea from communing with a dead physician), they filed an antitrust suit with the AMA being found guily of supressing trade, then it was overturned, went back tro trial ...yada, yada, yada. Compromises were reached and DO's were granted full, legal status as physicians. In my hospital based experience, I can't tell the difference between the two and many times have no idea which is which. It's a rare MD or DO that takes the time to know patients and treat the whole person.

http://www.ncahf.org/articles/c-d/chiro.html

Michael