pain and lump in left buttock cheek paired withleft ankle sciatic pain

[varunous]

Two weeks ago I had a back injury by lifting something, which I didn't think much of and worked couple days with the pain. I ended up with a limp and a misaligned back. the next morning I woke up in severe back pain and could not get out of the back. smallest movement would pain like hell. I had to crawl out of bed on all fours and use the door knob to lift my self up straight. I rushed to emergency, They gave me NSADs and muscle relaxants and referred me to a chiropractor. An MRI was done at the chiropractor and it was found that :

L5-S1:Diffuse disc degeneration with extruded fragment causing anterior indentation of the thecal sac and
compressing left S1 root .
L4-L5: Degenerative disc disease seen with diffused disc protrusion causing mild anterior indentation of
the thecal sac and narrowing of left lateral recesses and left neural foramina causing exiting left L4 nerve
root compression.

Chiropractor adjusted the back couple times.

Its been two weeks now. I don't have any pain in the back and have no symptoms when i am lying down or sitting, but I have severe Sciatica pain in my left ankle  when I walk or stand which flares up when I bend backwards. I also feel pain, tenderness and a lump in left buttock cheek. It feels like a stiff muscle in the buttock.

Any advice???

Do I also have piriformis syndrome in addition to herniated disc?

What can I do about it?

[varunous]

its been 2 months since my injury. I am absolutely fine now. no sciatica, no foot fall, nothing. I have started light work outs again and feels amazing. Thanks for every one who offered support and advice, My final advice is " herniated disc is a bone injury and like any other bone injury it does take time to heal, 2-3 months, So give your body time to heal and don't try and do too many things to disturb your back and get in the way of its natural healing process"

[bigsissie]

Glad the therapy is working out for you. It is always better than surgery. Just remember to go easy on your back for a while. Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Sissie

[varunous]

been 7 weeks now....sciatica is almost completely gone as well now. Only feel sciatica if i bend backwards. still have the foot drop and weakness in left foot. Overall I am happy with the way recovery is going so far

[varunous]

been six weeks now.. been doing some physio....did 4 sessions of traction... pain in the buttock is gone.....but the sciatica in foot is still there when I walk....its not very painful 1-3 on the scale of 1 to 10....gonna give it another two weeks and then will see a spinal surgeon I guess to get his consult

[bigsissie]

I would see a surgeon before you try anything else. If there is anything else he could recommend try it before surgery. I have just gone through my first round of decompression therapy and loved it but just because it worked for me does not mean it will work for you. Also avoid a straight chiropractor and see if there is one in your area that practices osteopathy. They do not force your bones and joints back together. Best of luck to you, Sissie

[shinty]

Sorry, don't know anything about decompression, etc...........

[varunous]

thanks for the reply guys.What do u think about non surgical decompression using a traction machine?

[shinty]

.

[shinty]

The "extra" cracking your hearing is probably the result of being manipulated by the chiropractor (I think manipulated is an excellent descriptive, as I'm not fond of chiropractic--a long story for another time). Sciatica is very tricky to get relief from sometimes. Some people respond with physical therapy (stretching, massages, heat wraps, etc.), while others respond with both PT and nerve pain medications. I had a terrible case of sciatica which started my chronic pain problems. My sciatica feels like a knife is constantly stuck to the hilt in my calves. Spinal fusions ended up helping a lot, but didn't eliminate it completely, but in my case was very much worth it. It sounds to me like whatever your doing just might be working and I recommend you do PT, and all the exercises they teach you on a regular basis. Be patient and make sure to speak up if the pain persists or worsens. Good Luck to you,
                                                         Shinty

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi there!

Well, the MRI describes compression of the L4 and S1 nerve roots due to degenerative disc disease, which is unlikely to respond well to conservative management and would probably require a decompression surgery. I would suggest considering seeing a neurologist or a neurosurgeon for a detailed evaluation and suggestion of an appropriate management plan. Meanwhile I would advise rest. Warm compresses and NSAIDS may be helpful for pain relief.
Hope this is helpful.

Take care!

[varunous]

also wanted to add that joints in my lower body and back are cracking much more now compared to before the injury. that included my ankles and knee joints