Newly diagnosed sciatica ... what to expect ?

tenacioust123

I'm the other side of the coin....

I had surgical intervention, and I wish I never had I am now permenaently disabled and further damage was done during surgery. The fusion I had did not work and it now seems I will have to have further surgery. I have problems with my bowel and bladder also.

If I had my time again I would wait longer before I had surgery and exhaust everything else.

shykins

i have had injections as i said and yes they did help but they just stopped working after 8 of them (apparently this is not uncommon)

i have been offered the op but am worried about something like what has happened to tenacious so have refused it for now and instead work on keeping my core strength up for support

tenacious i do feel for u., hope something can be done to help

pipkin71

tenacioust123 wrote: »

I'm the other side of the coin....

I had surgical intervention, and I wish I never had I am now permenaently disabled and further damage was done during surgery. The fusion I had did not work and it now seems I will have to have further surgery. I have problems with my bowel and bladder also.

If I had my time again I would wait longer before I had surgery and exhaust everything else.

I've also previously had surgical intervention and suffer more now.

I have prolapsed discs but an operation now is very risky and an extremely high chance that any further surgery will result in permanent paralysis.

An mri is useful to rule out other problems but for sciatic pain surgery isn't always an option and I think most people were discussing sciatic pain rather than anything else hence the opinion of rest and painkillers.

jamsandwhich

My oh put his back out about seven years ago which caused sciatica (pushing my old mini in the cold one morning to get it started:o ).

He was in such agony and would walk into the house after work stooped over because he couldn't straighten up, he bypassed the doctors and paid for a physio. After a few months it started to improve but he has found that the best thing for it was going to the gym and strengthening his back muscles which helps hold everything in place. When we go on holiday and he doesn't get to the gym he finds it starts to twinge again and he gets stiff around the bootom of his back. We also have one of those pull up bars which fix into the top of your doorframe which he hangs from for a few minutes each day which also helps.

I don't know if any of this would work for anyone else but thought I would pass it on as - touch wood - he hasn't been troubled badly by it for five years.

baccyman

to the OP you mention that you are interested in a tens machine and you mentioned Llyods the chemist, I know that they have a promotion going at the moment where you can buy a tens machine for approx £14 it could be cheaper,
i bought one from them years ago and they can be helpfull and the ones that Lloyds are selling have a variety of setting and instructions for the best setting for different parts of the body,
i would try one of these cheaper versions before you buy an expensive one this will give you some idea if it will be helpfull to you.
i hope you are not in too much pain now.

RAGSTORICHES

I too am a sufferer. Apart from normal painkillers etc I find those wheat bags that you put in microwave take the edge of a bit.I also find sitting on my side on settee helps. If I have to sit upright I always use coccyx cushion(has piece cut out of back) to relieve pressure on spine.Also if you have to stand at sink etc, keep one foot higher than the other (I use one of those plastic things toddlers stand on to reach sink)not sure why it helps but it does.

seven-day-weekend

I had sciatica for four months in my mid-forties, it was like you said, a painful disability - I couldn't even carry my library book to the library, couldn't stand, sit or walk other than a hobble - the only comfortable position was lying flat on my back.

After four months of painkillers and physiotherapy, it got better, I was able to return to work and I've neve had it since and I'm now 59.

The physio is important, make sure you get some.

I agree the pain is excruciating, worse than giving birth imho.

susiesue_2

ok im going to offer a different suggestion from physio. ask for a referral to a biomechanics specialist podiatrist. there will be one in your local hospital. they will asses the way you walk from your head down to your feet. treatment is with a view to providing orthoses and exersices.

so many back problems are caused by the way we walk. OR a leg length difference. its a very common un-diagnosed problem that causes un-told damage to ankles, knees, hips, backs and shoulders.

podiatry (chiropody) is a sort of hidden profession-no one knoes what we do and what we can treat. it isn't just for old ladies who can't cut their toe nails.

daska

I can vouch for the effectiveness of a podiatrist, I haven't had anywhere near as many problems with my shoulders/back/legs/ankles/feet since I got my orthotics.

Poppy9

[quote=pookienoodle;20063595
be very careful using a corset,my husband was told to use one of these by boots the chemist when he had back pain 5 years ago,he now has serious back problems(soon to have spinal fusion surgery,2nd surgery) his consultant says the corset almost certainly made the condition worse as it weakens your core musclesand theey must never be used with out careful monitoring.[/quote]
Thanks for your concern.:) I know that medical advice is not to use but I find it helps me get better sooner rather than later. I only use it when I have a muscle spasm which has pulled my spine out of alignment and then only during the day not at night. I actually got if from an osteopath!

Still recomend the book more though which should be available through your library:)