Pinched Sciatic Nerve

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I think you would benefit from visiting www.microspine.com.

I hope this fits into the "no medical advice" rule.

First of all.. I'm so sorry.. I know how horrible that is. The pain is so overwhelming to the point where you can't focus on practically anything but trying to make it go away. Obviously I can't give advice, but I will tell you my story.

I had a pinched sciatic nerve 17 years ago when I was 24. The pain down my right leg was so intense. The kind of pain that makes you light headed. My foot would go numb for weeks at a time. This went on for over a year and it got to the point of severe nightmares and utter depression and hopelessness. I know I waited a lot longer than I should have to see a doctor but I was young and kept thinking it would get better. It didn't. Merely lifting my foot towards my calf was excruciating and walking was murder.

After one particularly painful, horrible weekend of back spasms along with the sciatica, I saw a general practice doctor who told me I had a "hamstring injury". I was begging him to give me something for the pain but I think he thought I was "seeking" and told me to take ibuprofen and prescribed physical therapy. I took his advice and the ibuprofen did squat, and the therapy made it worse.

Needless to say, I went for a second opinion to a back specialist and after filling out a diagram they had for the pain and telling him my symptoms and duration he said, "you have a herniated L5,S1. We'll do a CT scan to verify it and go from there." Sure enough, right on the money. I scheduled surgery for the following week, and the same Doctor I saw that day performed the surgery. I remember waking up in the PACU sooooo happy because I knew immediately that pain was gone even though I had a surgical wound in my back that hurt. He just went in and freed that nerve and I still have most of the disc intact. I have never again felt that pain since and have no limitations to my activities after 17 years. I was up walking sciatica free just a few hours after surgery and was fully healed within 2 months. It saved my life. :)

I was told by my doctor/surgeon that if something like that doesn't heal and improve within' 6 weeks, it's not likely going to, and could very well keep getting worse and cause permanent nerve damage. Like you, all I wanted was the problem/pain gone, and fortunately it has been since that day. :)

I have so much empathy for you, someone who has never experienced that could understand how debilitating it is. I would seriously have rather had my leg amputated if it meant I didn't have to feel that pain anymore.

Sending my best wishes for your recovery however you choose to handle it. *huge hugs

I have been having what I think is sciatic pain since I started working nights about 6 wks ago. I don't have any numbness, just horrible shooting pain in my lower back/upper buttock on one side. I am fine when standing but when I try to bend down or stand up/sit down it hurts really bad. I am trying to figure out if I need to see a regular doctor or a chiropractor. It doesn't seem to be going away so I think I need to get it checked out.

Hello everyone! :) What is the best way to treat a pinched sciatic nerve? Mine has been pinched sine May 11 and my left foot is still numb! Seems like all the doc does is give me pills and more pill, and I want this problem gone! I don't want to go to clinical with this problem and not to mention the pain! Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Wow, if someone really did know the answer to this, they could open up a practice right now and become a billionaire.

I've had some back problems myself. The only thing that ever helped was exercise and stretching. About 10 years ago, I started walking a few miles a day from 2-7 times a week. I also worked in some stretching and some yoga and my severe back problems went away. No running, no "power walking" just sustained walking at a brisk pace - as if you were late for a meeting at work or something.

I still get sore every so often (ibuprofen helps), by my back has made it through 2 years at a crappy nursing home and 6 months as a Home Health Aide with no spasms or other problems. I hardly believe it myself.

I finally got over compressed sciatic symptoms after 6 months of failed attempts to fix it on my own. Ibuprofen, tylenol, and basic stretching did nothing. I finally broke down and saw my Dr, who started me on naproxen which I found to be completely different from the other NSAIDS I tried. I also went to Physical Therapy, which I didn't have alot faith in but it turned out to what ended up fixing me. The right stretches and exercises in the right order with the right intensity is key. Bight the bullet, go see your doctor, and don't doubt the PT if that is what they suggest.