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Sciatic (type) pain, muscle spasms
Any of you have Sciatic type pain or been dx w/ sciatia but had NO relief w/ treatments? I had 15 procedures last yr in the pain clinic where they used radio waves to burn nerves. It took care of the pain in my tail bone, but the pain across my pelvic area and muscle spasms in my rt. buttocks and down my rt leg are worse today than they have been in weeks, but have never left me alone for a min! I had PT and the main thing they taught me was to stretch the pyrafomas (sp?) muscle. A couple of mo. ago I had a shot in the SI joint and it just made it worse. All of this treatment was before the MRI that showed the brain lesions, that has now lead to a million tests while we wait dx. So, while I am waiting (and currently monitor free:) I thought I would ask you guys. Thank you
Go to an acupuncturist.. I had the same pain went to the chiro for 3 weeks..helped for a short time..went to the acupuncturist 1time has not been a problem since.
When I was 23, was the first time I had that sciatic pain on my left side. I took one wrong step and went right down to the floor. That type of pain was excruciating. Ever since then, I have had the same problem but I am very careful not to put too much pressure when I take a step on stairs, or leaning into a step
I've had sciatic type pain and general back pain in the past (ok, some now too sometimes).
One cause was muscle spasticity (from yet-to-be-diagnosed MS) following a knee replacement. I didn't realize it at the time and neither did the docs or PTherapists. This pain was sciatic in location but would shoot UP into my back when I bent my knee. Directionaly, it didn't make sense but they kept looking for a back problem that wasn't there (yet). The only relief was to slow way down on the therapy. Water exercise and walking was my only positive therapy experience.
Recent instruction in full, slow, sustained stretching of my muscles has helped quite a bit with the MS spasticity. Massage helps sometimes. Other times it takes carefully controlled heat application and baclofen. Sometimes only full payment of a random amount of suffering will stop the pain.
Way before I became my mother's age, my vertebrae developed degenerative arthritic changes and the discs between them started to dry out and bulge. The arthritis narrows the space in the facet joints betwee vertebrae where nerve roots exit from the spinal cord to the body. That causes a (apparently classic) type of pain that is a deep ache and pressure relieved somewhat by sitting with the knees bent and spread -- like I do in my recliner so often.
Here are a few things I have found helpful.
**Using an inversion chair with only a mild degree of tilt (NOT hanging upside down) for a few minutes each day helped keep my back muscles stretched out and maintains the spacing in my back.
**Using an exercise ball to sit on at the computer or desk. This improves posture and keeps causes me to make constant muscle adjustments. Muscles move instead of becoming stagnate and stiff or seizing.
**Self hypnosis tapes for pain control, mindful meditation, and progressive relaxation. These helped for daytime pain and to help get a good nights sleep. Sleeping well always helps with pain control IMO.
**Series of epidural injections with various steroids administered by pain specialist over period of many weeks. This relief was gained gradually although I have known others to have more immediate relief.
**Sleeping in a recliner to avoid the fully extended hip position that feels good initially but leaves me unable to move without severe pain upon awakening a few hours later.
I took oxycontin daily at one time with little relief and still remained very limited in activity. I found out that pain meds are only helpful for short term relief. Tolerance builds up quickly and they can cause you to become SENSITIVE to pain sensation. Ironic isn't it!!!
I'm now as active as the MS will allow (amount varies from day to day) but take NO narcotic pain relief. I have some trouble deciding which condition is causing my pain at times but all causes have remained manageable on a day to day basis. The treatments work now even when used as irregular reinforcement when I start to get uncomfortable. I no longer have to work so hard at relief.
THERE IS HOPE FOR LONG TERM RELIEF!!!
Keep working at it - all of you.
Mary
One cause was muscle spasticity (from yet-to-be-diagnosed MS) following a knee replacement. I didn't realize it at the time and neither did the docs or PTherapists. This pain was sciatic in location but would shoot UP into my back when I bent my knee. Directionaly, it didn't make sense but they kept looking for a back problem that wasn't there (yet). The only relief was to slow way down on the therapy. Water exercise and walking was my only positive therapy experience.
Recent instruction in full, slow, sustained stretching of my muscles has helped quite a bit with the MS spasticity. Massage helps sometimes. Other times it takes carefully controlled heat application and baclofen. Sometimes only full payment of a random amount of suffering will stop the pain.
Way before I became my mother's age, my vertebrae developed degenerative arthritic changes and the discs between them started to dry out and bulge. The arthritis narrows the space in the facet joints betwee vertebrae where nerve roots exit from the spinal cord to the body. That causes a (apparently classic) type of pain that is a deep ache and pressure relieved somewhat by sitting with the knees bent and spread -- like I do in my recliner so often.
Here are a few things I have found helpful.
**Using an inversion chair with only a mild degree of tilt (NOT hanging upside down) for a few minutes each day helped keep my back muscles stretched out and maintains the spacing in my back.
**Using an exercise ball to sit on at the computer or desk. This improves posture and keeps causes me to make constant muscle adjustments. Muscles move instead of becoming stagnate and stiff or seizing.
**Self hypnosis tapes for pain control, mindful meditation, and progressive relaxation. These helped for daytime pain and to help get a good nights sleep. Sleeping well always helps with pain control IMO.
**Series of epidural injections with various steroids administered by pain specialist over period of many weeks. This relief was gained gradually although I have known others to have more immediate relief.
**Sleeping in a recliner to avoid the fully extended hip position that feels good initially but leaves me unable to move without severe pain upon awakening a few hours later.
I took oxycontin daily at one time with little relief and still remained very limited in activity. I found out that pain meds are only helpful for short term relief. Tolerance builds up quickly and they can cause you to become SENSITIVE to pain sensation. Ironic isn't it!!!
I'm now as active as the MS will allow (amount varies from day to day) but take NO narcotic pain relief. I have some trouble deciding which condition is causing my pain at times but all causes have remained manageable on a day to day basis. The treatments work now even when used as irregular reinforcement when I start to get uncomfortable. I no longer have to work so hard at relief.
THERE IS HOPE FOR LONG TERM RELIEF!!!
Keep working at it - all of you.
Mary
Hi there. I am having the same problem. I've been to 9 doctors with no clear answers. Just on a lot of pain medications, and trying to survive. It's tough. I hope both of us find relief soon.
For the last several years, chiro adjustments bring on sciatica for me. I do have a problem with periodic, long-lasting SI joint inflammation. My sciatica for years was along the L2/L3 dermatomes, which confused the first chiro because it's a very unusual place to have nerve impingement. Four years ago I had another bad case of it (always seems to come on in the summertime) that last for months along with back spasms so bad I could hardly go from sitting to standing for a couple of weeks. The chiro ordered a lumbar MRI which showed nothing in the way of musculoskeletal problems - it was perfect. After that, the thing was dropped. It went away on it's own.
These days, the radiculopathy is in all the sacral dermatomes on the other side. Somewhere along the line, maybe eight years ago or so, it switched sides and I almost never get it on the right in the L2/L3 anymore. But that leg is very wobbly when I walk and there was some nerve damage detected along those dermatomes.
Nobody has ever done a thoracic MRI. I'm hoping someone decides to order one in the near future. What I need to do is get all of my past chiro records sent over to the neuro. That maybe will help him figure this thing out.
As far as I know, a lumber MRI won't show nerve damage because the spinal cord itself doesn't go down that far. It ends in the thoracic region.
These days, the radiculopathy is in all the sacral dermatomes on the other side. Somewhere along the line, maybe eight years ago or so, it switched sides and I almost never get it on the right in the L2/L3 anymore. But that leg is very wobbly when I walk and there was some nerve damage detected along those dermatomes.
Nobody has ever done a thoracic MRI. I'm hoping someone decides to order one in the near future. What I need to do is get all of my past chiro records sent over to the neuro. That maybe will help him figure this thing out.
As far as I know, a lumber MRI won't show nerve damage because the spinal cord itself doesn't go down that far. It ends in the thoracic region.
Wow, I think I will pass on the body alignment, I have such bad osteoperosis, I would not be willing to take the risk.
Jensequitur, you are over my head with the Tesla stuff. I will ask the neuro! Thanks for the info:)
Jensequitur, you are over my head with the Tesla stuff. I will ask the neuro! Thanks for the info:)
I've known about the lesions in my spine for some time. I finally had a 3T MRI done, which proved to my neuro that I actually do have lesions in there.
What did the MRI show? And what strength was the magnet? I had two MRIs of the spine previously, but they were a waste of time, because the Tesla was so low (1.5 and .7)
What did the MRI show? And what strength was the magnet? I had two MRIs of the spine previously, but they were a waste of time, because the Tesla was so low (1.5 and .7)
Have you ruled out piriformis syndrome? Tried a therapy other than chiro?
I have had chronic problems in my SI joint including the sciatic type pain down the back of the leg for many years - it started in my early teens and was finally fixed when I was 35 with a full (and rather brutal) realignment of my pelvis and spine by a somewhat unorthodox body therapist. This was after many years of chiro, osteo and physio treatments, but no one could fix it for longer than a week.
I walked into the appointment with the bodywork guy relying heavily on a cane to take the weight of my right leg, unable to lie flat on my back, or stand on one foot, having to walk up and down stairs sideways to keep the weight off the "bad" side.
After the appointment, I drove home, got out of the car and RAN up the stairs into my house! It was an instant and total fix and I've had two years now without the sciatic pain.
I do still get occasional spasms and pain localised in the piriformis muscle and it always hurts like heck to touch (luckily it's not a muscle that gets touched in the normal course of a day, so I only ever notice it when I get a massage), but the original SI pain has never returned.
I have had chronic problems in my SI joint including the sciatic type pain down the back of the leg for many years - it started in my early teens and was finally fixed when I was 35 with a full (and rather brutal) realignment of my pelvis and spine by a somewhat unorthodox body therapist. This was after many years of chiro, osteo and physio treatments, but no one could fix it for longer than a week.
I walked into the appointment with the bodywork guy relying heavily on a cane to take the weight of my right leg, unable to lie flat on my back, or stand on one foot, having to walk up and down stairs sideways to keep the weight off the "bad" side.
After the appointment, I drove home, got out of the car and RAN up the stairs into my house! It was an instant and total fix and I've had two years now without the sciatic pain.
I do still get occasional spasms and pain localised in the piriformis muscle and it always hurts like heck to touch (luckily it's not a muscle that gets touched in the normal course of a day, so I only ever notice it when I get a massage), but the original SI pain has never returned.
@jensequitur: how did you fine out about the lesions in your spine? They did an MRI on my spine 3 yrs go, then again the next yr w/ no real changes. Thank you
I thought that my leg pain was because of sciatica, but it turns out that I have lesions in the spine causing spasticity and spasms.
Thank you for sharing that with me! I have not tried the B1. I went to a Chiro for the first 2 yrs this surfaced. I would get very temp relief..could not go more that 1 wk between visits. I was willing to do that, exc. my bone density scan came back w/ pretty severe osteoperosis and all of my drs advised against continuing w/ my chiro:( I will look into the B1. I drove truck over the road off and on for 18 yrs, taking my children w/me and homeschooling them. No power steering or air bags for the first part of that career. Lots of heavy lifting, prying and pulling. I suspect it is nerve compression/damage. I have 1 leg slightly shorter bc of a childhood accident, so really thought the SI joint shot would help. Some things I guess we just have to learn to live w/.
It seems to me that there are three possible causes for sciatica, nerve compression, nerve damage, or vitamin B1 deficiency. My sciatica was miraculously cured 20 years ago when I tried B1. But the B1 did not work for my brother and now he will try chiropracty.
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