Newly diagnosed sciatica ... what to expect ?

funguy · 24 March 2009 at 10:53PM

Poppy9 wrote: »

GPs are useless when it comes to back pain and just try to manage it as diagnosing the problem through scans makes little difference to treatment and outcome according to doc.!

Actually - what the GP did was probably listen to what exact symptoms you had, how it happened and made a judgement of whether it was likely to be a neurosurgical problem (serious) or simple mechanical back pain (the most common and usually self limiting).

The use of analgesia and physio is usually all that is needed in mechanical back pain. About 75% of people get back pain in their lifetime and if they all had scans and xrays, the system would fall apart.

If you have worsening symptoms or those that seem to be causing other problems such as with your bowels/bladder/leg muscles then you need to see your doctor again.

Have a look at the following site which is quite useful :

http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/23068686/

looby75 · 24 March 2009 at 11:08PM

zappster1966 wrote: »

Aww listen, cheers folks. Thanks for helping me out with some useful information, appreciated. I'm going to investigate this tens machine, I'm sure our local Lloyds chemist sells them.

I'd heard of sciatica before, didn't even know it was a back problem ! I thought it was a skin condition haha. Am such an ignoramus.

How do you find coping with it mentally ?

Even though I've only recently just got over the acute pain, I find I'm instinctively thinking twice before I go anywhere ... in case it goes "bang" when I'm away from home and I'm left stranded somewhere in absolute agony. That's actually my greatest fear, it's not the pain, it's being stuck somewhere or having it happen at work. Dunno what the heck I'd do ... call an ambulance I guess & rely on their charity to get me home, I wouldn't even be able to sit in the passenger seat of a colleagues car.

So hope it clears up soon, it's driving me nuts. Your advice is invaluable, cheers :-)

Apols if this is me, me, me. Don't mean it that way. I'm trying to find out how real people cope with it & the medical jargon on the internet sites either confuse me or put the fear of God in me !

No apologies needed, until you've experienced the true pain of a "bad back" it's really easy to dismiss it as a cop out and not take any notice of the bad back brigade :rolleyes: (not that I'm saying you have but I'm sure you know what I mean).

As for the TENS machine, tbh unless you can buy one very cheaply I would hire one first, they do work for some people but they don't work for everyone. I used a TENS in both my labours and they worked fantastically well for me then, but I borrowed one from a friend who used in for severe period pains to try to help with my sciatica and it did nothing at all to help the pain. It's well worth trying as long as you don't spend a fortune on it (this is MSE after all

)

The mental side, well that's the hardest part. It's very easy to end up never going far from home, and thats something I've found myself doing recently after a couple of bad falls. Planning is the key IME, if you are going anywhere alone make sure you take your mobile with you, even if it's just to the corner shop. Plan shopping trips so that you know there are places you can sit down regularly, a list of people you can call to help you if you need them. And finally accept that if you end up in a situation where find yourself in such pain you can't move then that's the time to call the emergency services, which is exactly what they are there for. It's isn't charity at all its what they do.

It's a very steep learning curve but hopefully it's only going to be temporary for you

tenacioust123 · 24 March 2009 at 11:17PM

Hi Zapster

It is very hard to get your head round it, but you do adapt. Up until 3 years ago I was very well and fit (I ran 4 marathons) and had a great job I really enjoyed, everything more or less changed over night. I did a diary, I wrote down what my pain level was, what I had done that day and what medication I took. It helped me work out what triggered my pain and the best way to deal with it.

You learn very quickly to use your back properly, I remember my physio saying to me Have you ever seen a toddler bending over to pick something up, NO they always bend their knees. As adults we become very lazy.

Learn all you can about your back problems. I used to go to the doctor and just take what he said as gospel, I now ask plenty of questions,write a list before you go. I am one of the lucky ones my doctor is great. If you are not happy with yours then see a different one.

Sometimes things do go wrong, but you will get through it and maybe even laugh about it. I fell down the stairs about a month ago ended up at the bottom for 3 hours as I could not get up, my partner was at work and my daughter that lives next door but one was at college. I got through it and I'm ok.

I wish you all the best and hope that things get better for you.

TT

Poppy9 · 24 March 2009 at 11:23PM

funguy wrote: »

Actually - what the GP did was probably listen to what exact symptoms you had, how it happened and made a judgement of whether it was likely to be a neurosurgical problem (serious) or simple mechanical back pain (the most common and usually self limiting).

The use of analgesia and physio is usually all that is needed in mechanical back pain. About 75% of people get back pain in their lifetime and if they all had scans and xrays, the system would fall apart.

If you have worsening symptoms or those that seem to be causing other problems such as with your bowels/bladder/leg muscles then you need to see your doctor again.

Have a look at the following site which is quite useful :

http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/23068686/

I think my main issue is I have over 15 doctors in my practise and have seen most of them as it's extremely difficult to get to see the same doctor when I have a flare up. I've been coping since I was 14 and I've worked all my life so I'm obviously doing okay.

I know how my back was injured, a ford fiesta (red!) went into it and I was flung up in the air and landed back on the car hitting the back of my head on the windscreen.

Since then I have twice fallen down the stairs, both times leaving me virtually unable to walk. Everytime I've been to hospital and only the first time did they Xray me but at the time my head was the main priority.

Now, like other die hard back pain suffers, I just live with it and manage it as best I can. I try to keep mobile by stretching even when not having flare ups. I only visit the GP when I'm absolutely desperate for better pain killers or some physio though I don't think all them have faith in their own Physio as I have been slipped the number of a "chap I use"!

The worst times are when the back muscles go into a spasm. Against medical advice I use a corset as it's the only way I can cope with the pain on moving. I do this until I get the crunching feeling/sound of my spine moving back into place (it goes into a C shape when pulled by muscle spasm). This has worked for me as it's reduced the amount of time my back is typically in spasm from 2 weeks to about 10 days.

OP, if you are unable to sleep and have to wake to take pain killers ask the doctor to consider time release ones if possible as I find if you can't sleep it can really get you down. You can always log on here on a bad night as there are a few of us night owls here with moral support.

shykins · 25 March 2009 at 9:34AM

another fellow sufferer here. used t ohave epidural injections but they stpped working after about 8 of them.... i had to give up work about 4yrs ago as i simply could not sit at a computer to work

the thing i have found best for me is going to a chiropractor who also does acupuncture on my back... this usually gets me from not walking to being able to walk reasonably within a week, yes i have to pay but as u all know the pain if indescribable when u have a bad attack

personally i dont find painkillers very effective and i cant take ipubrofen unfortunately.... i do use a TENS which i find helps, in poundland they have these little muscle massagers (shaped like a butterfly) and they are incredibly good for travelling (not as strong as my proper TENS but hey a pound!!)

i know its hard but try and keep a little mobile if u can, i go to a gym and swim even if its very slowly, the stronger u make yr core muscles the more they are able to support yr back

HTH and do hope u feel better soon

robpw2 · 25 March 2009 at 9:52AM

i cant take ibruprofen im allergic to it althought the amount of doctors who have tried to ignore te flashing warning on their screen and prescribe it anyway,,

i usually get so what happens when you take it and im like id rather not take it just to find out lol

i have been allergic to it since i was a child

pookienoodle · 25 March 2009 at 10:25AM

Poppy9 wrote: »

I think my main issue is I have over 15 doctors in my practise and have seen most of them as it's extremely difficult to get to see the same doctor when I have a flare up. I've been coping since I was 14 and I've worked all my life so I'm obviously doing okay.

I know how my back was injured, a ford fiesta (red!) went into it and I was flung up in the air and landed back on the car hitting the back of my head on the windscreen.

Since then I have twice fallen down the stairs, both times leaving me virtually unable to walk. Everytime I've been to hospital and only the first time did they Xray me but at the time my head was the main priority.

Now, like other die hard back pain suffers, I just live with it and manage it as best I can. I try to keep mobile by stretching even when not having flare ups. I only visit the GP when I'm absolutely desperate for better pain killers or some physio though I don't think all them have faith in their own Physio as I have been slipped the number of a "chap I use"!

The worst times are when the back muscles go into a spasm. Against medical advice I use a corset as it's the only way I can cope with the pain on moving. I do this until I get the crunching feeling/sound of my spine moving back into place (it goes into a C shape when pulled by muscle spasm). This has worked for me as it's reduced the amount of time my back is typically in spasm from 2 weeks to about 10 days.

POPPY

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.

pipkin71 · 25 March 2009 at 11:24AM

looby75 wrote: »

The mental side, well that's the hardest part. It's very easy to end up never going far from home, and thats something I've found myself doing recently after a couple of bad falls. Planning is the key

Couldn't agree more looby.

It is very difficult dealing with the mental side and perhaps why depression and chronic pain are often linked.

Definitely plan when you are going out OP.

Again, the TENs works for some people, not everyone though. With mine it helps on occassions so for that it's worth having. If you're referred for physio you can loan them short term from the outpatients. I bought mine from boots.

olias · 25 March 2009 at 11:33AM

I find it odd that so many posters seem to be just saying 'pain killers, rest, chiroprator/osteopath + live with it'! I personally would keep pushing for an MRI scan.

This sort of pain can be caused by the disc bulging out and pressing on a nerve in your back. It can be treated, by either a microdistectomy (cutting off the offending bit of disc) or by a procedure whereby they inject the spine to 'deaden' the nerve endings which cause the pain.

these procedures don't 'cure' you as you still have to be careful with heavy lifting etc etc, but they do relieve you of pain and allow you to get around relatively normally.

I know someone who has had both treatments and although they have had to have repeat injections and alter their lifestyle, they have been virtually pain free for 9 years now

Olias

daska · 25 March 2009 at 12:05PM

Yep, and I have a friend who is now confined to a wheelchair because cord compression was ignored (despite classic symptoms) while the hospital explained the pain away as functional overlay and refused her an x-ray or MRI scan. N.B. These cases are very rare but they do happen.

Newly diagnosed sciatica ... what to expect ?

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