Sciatic nerve / Bulging Disk- recovery Questions

Hi Folks,

            I`m commenting from Australia,based on our Health system providers.I had a coughing fit late 2012,and strained my back.Not serious to start with,but by the time it had gotten worse I could not get an appointment with my doctor.Went to a Chiropractor on recommend of a friend.Worse thing I could have done.They completely focussed on pelvic tilt, and the "corrections" made my condition worse [similar to a previous post I have read here].They disregarded the fact that there was still pain on every visit.Very narrow minded in their thinking.When their "5 week plan"was over and condition was worse,they then said maybe I`d better get an MRI done!I was not impressed but had no comeback.My fault for trusting the treatment,and not realizing how limited Chiro treatment really is.You should trust your gut feeling when dealing with Health Care specialists,sometimes they do get it wrong.

MRI showed significant L4/L5 disc damage.My physical feelings were strong "pins and needles"from my hip to my ankle,plus an ache like a bad cramp in similar areas.

I went back to my Doctor who recommended a great Physiotherapist who included traction,tens stimulation and core stretches/exercises.Doc gave me anti-inflammatories and pain pills to help settle the injury. He also suggested a spinal injection under CT guidance,of cortisone [anti-inflam]and nerve blocker.When I had this I went from about 20% function,to about 70% function,it was great.Cost over here was $630,but our health care took care of most of it,meant my out of pocket cost was $150.

Progress has been good since then.Pool work every second day [walking in deep water with floatation belt,flexibility and core exercises],plus walking on flat surfaces has been rehab.Also gentle core strength exercises.

After 5 weeks I had a second injection last week to try and get most of the other 30% back.

If you`ve had the injection,don`t go crazy with the relief it brings.Full effect is after 4 to 5 weeks,and remember the injection may have nerve blocker in it which decreases the pain,but apparently only time will allow the body to heal the disc damage.

Tried a neoprene [wet suit material],lumbar back support [velcro at front],which is of some help.

Also when possible,slow your walk stride and try to take "normal" strides.I know how difficult this is after hobbling with back pain for a long time,but in the long run it is good for recovery.

Luckily I had so much sick leave with my job,but I am looking forward to getting back to work as I can wholeheartedly relate to all your posts and the pain and discomfort you have all felt.Even going to work is better than suffering the type of back pain we have had.

Best wishes to you all.

My bio: 52 year old male, amateur bodybuilder, teacher, back pain since youth...hurt back at 8years of age, 13, then 18...tore both lats at 28..mri done showed lat tear and l4, l5 degeneration...took it easy for 9 years...decided to work out hard...back pain has flared up since then..did prolotherapy for 1 year-helped immensely..back to 90%...2 years ago, back flared up badly, couldnt tolerate prolotherapy so did chiro care for 1 year...improved until hit the weights hard and rode motorcycle. Worse case since 1988: two weeks ago, worked out, spent the rest of the week in bed, went to chiro twice, urgent care twice, on muscle relaxants and anitinflammatories...improved a bit, still can't stand or sit without out pain. Goign to dr. mon-request another mri, last one 2 years ago and epidural made my back worse...considering full on back surgery for bulging discs and sciatica. Will keep you posted on progress: I'm in good bodybuilding shape and quite flexible for size ( 5'11, 235 lbs)..eat healthy, sleep 8 hrs daily, smoke 2-5 cigs a day, drink 1x month, drive 3 hours daily (this put me over the top this time) for work...also have bad plantar fassciitis...okay..i'll continue to read your progressess and ill post mine. Take care, stay positive.

(Australia) So I was 22 (2011) and running at least 3 times a week, one day I remember running and then my leg just wouldn't move so I hobbled back to my running group and mainly ignored the pain. A few weeks later I was running again and then I felt something weird shoot from my foot to my back (thinking, oh that didn't feel right) I went home in pain and attempted to roll it out...then drove to TAFE, by the time I got there I felt like my back had rusted, I was so stiff and could barely move. After seeing a physio, not moving for 4 days  and taking voltaren pain killers for 14 days the pain went from an 8.5/10 to 5/10...I tried to exercise but I just wanted to run again...I couldn't- so for months I stopped exercisng because everything hurt, I got so depressed, then I slowly started training again. I was slow but then got back into it And then it happened again (not as painful) so I stopped AGAIn changed from my useless physio (no private health insurance, uunable to work & starting uni) to another who initially helped me. I also started  clinical pilates and reformer which made a huge difference but just recently I've started an office job, have leslos time to go to classes and my back is screwed AGAIN, I'm going crazy. What work can I do with this injury? PLEASE HELP. 

I am a 20 year old female with a bulged disk at the L4 & L5. I am otherwise very healthy and so far, epidurals have been the best relief! RELIEF is the key word here! They helped me because I had so much inflammation and tightness that I had very limited movement. My back was so fragile to any type of aggravation--that at one point I was completely slouched over and leaning to the right! I couldn't do PT exercises without getting constant setbacks. Epidurals decrease inflammation around the disk. Without therapy, they aren't as effective. You want to take epidurals so that you can physically do strengthening workouts and stretching. They aren't miracle treatments though. Even with all my PT I still never got rid of that pulling sensation in my back (when I sneeze or try to stretch my legs out all the way). But overall my flexibility improved and my sciatica wasn't so bad. The first didn't work. But the doc then gave a second one soon after (tranversal that time) and it worked! A third was done and I was 5 months with very mild sciatica. Two months later (now, it being 7 months since the 3rd) I am scheduled for a 4th epidural. I am hoping that with water therapy and different strength training--that it will be my last one for a very long while! Maybe someday and with strength building, I can get back to running, even if it is just a mile a day. There is no miracle. I am strarting to realize this. Ultimately, it's just about putting the puzzle together--try different things. See what works best for YOU. Don't give up. I am 20 and have this, so I know it sucks to have chronic back pain!

I am in the same boat. I am the 20 year old that replied in the following post. You are young and can't give up! Don't be depressed. Keep your head up. I know it is hard. I am a full time student and also work in an office. Sitting sucks, and aggravates your bulged disk to press further on the nerve. SO you have to get up every 30 minutes or so and stretch. It will do a great deal to help relieve the sciatica. As far as running goes, I have yet been able to run. I have an L4/L5 bulged disk and compression fracture at my t9-t11, most likely due to uneven vertebrae spacing that showed in my MRI. So, running isn't so much an option for me YET. I am not giving up! Talk to your doc about epidurals and following it with PT. Then slowly, try to get back into running. Epidurals are cortisone shots that relieve inflammation and for me, they have helped.

I have same injury...L5 S1 causing similar pain...swimming with a float (pull bouy) between your thighs/knees so only using arms no legs or kicking...gave me great relief ...and stretch overall. Best of luck...

Hi , my name is Robin,Clive Bracey .I can understand how you feel having had the same trouble at one time . But I get the feeling the us army take a different stand on your problem than the British of French . Well in the uk I served in the prison service for 27 years and also held a TA commission ( lieutenant ) training young army cadets and at times training with full time soldiers. Treatment in uk....pain killers and rest ( in my case ) after a time complete recovery . I realise we are all different and I may not have been as bad as you . Now I was due to retire at age 55 , but was invalided out with very bad PTSD at 47 and unfit for any work as my memory has gaps in it and I cannot remember things from 10 mins ago at times . However being retired I stopped speed marching and running and most fitness things , then I developed very bad pains in lower back could not stand not alone walk. After some days I was in front of a French docteur and bone cruncher having moved to France and being placed under French med care because of my on going PTSD .The terrible pain was due to nerves being pinched by spinal discs due to muscle reduction because of lack of exercise . Both docteurs advised me to return to all the exercise training I carried out while serving , to rebuild muscle to get the skeletal frame back in place .Not a easy task. That was around 2008 or about that time . Well I started slowly small walks ,swimming , light weights building to jogging and then running . Today 30 oct 2013 I still suffer with PTSD but I run with back pack or assault webbing and boots on average 36 to 42 miles a week around my mountain . I was 61 last 5 oct 2013 . My advice to you , listen to your doctor he knows you better than I.....but sometimes just sometimes different approaches do work . And always keep a positive mind set

Dear,
i have a problem in my back disc L4/S1 disc moved and touch the nerve and makes me heavy pain Dr said to do the immeidate surgery, but i go for Ayurvedic treatment for 21days and my pain also reduced and start walking and doing exercise. As ayurveda Dr said after completing the treatment post treatment is must for 45days and all other pain will gone in this 45days. But now i complete my post treatment 25days but still i have only butt pain and all other pain will gone,
Can you please advice me how to cure my butt pain and stretch pain?

After the Sandy hurricane and carrying food from the church instead of putting it in a valise with wheels , I hurt my back by tilting my spine and it caused a bulging disc. After therapy & stretching and no more bending ( w/o bending my knees} I'm better now. Use an ice cold gel pack on your lower back w/ a thick belt and once a week a motrin before bedtime if really uncomfortable especially before it's going to rain, & you'll be just fine!!

I will try to make it as short as possible. I guess the most important question is what works best. So here's some info on what worked for me: Ice pack. Ice your back every 2-3 hours for 20 mins. This helps to calm the inflammation. Stretches. I was really disappointed when I stretched foe the first few days and it didn't work. Well the problem is (I found out through different online papers written on sciatica) that stretches dont really help you with sciatica right away. Its for the core strengthening of the muscles and the bones. For the long run its good. Percocet. Muscle relaxant did help me when I had a back pain. But it won't work for sciatica because its not the muscle thats in pain. When you have a herniated disc it will pinch on your nerve and send wrong signals to the brain saying you feet is hurt. So what Percocet does is it blocks these signals for 4 to 6 hours. Before I used to sleep for only couple of hours. The problem with percocet is that you wouldn't want to do the light exercise because it will put you to a nice sleep. Remember excessive sleeping has negative impact on your body as you are not able to circulate blood, enzymes and hormones on your body. Its also a heavy drug. Light walking. Light walking is always good because you are not putting a lot of pressure on your back. It also helps to circulate chemicals hormones or liquid on your body. It will be a little painful at first. Water. I am not sure whether drinking lots of water has helped me or not but what I've read is that it will keep your body hydrated so that the nerves and bones can get some nutrients. Stress management. Stress is one of the contributing factor in sciatica. When you're stressed the muscles and bones in your body are cramped thus putting more pressure not the back. For this I looked at some of the deep breathing exercise in youtube. It doesn't help right away, rakes sometime. Epidural shot. Its been 4 days since I took my shot. At first it worsened the condition (which is normal) just now I am starting to feel a huge pain relief. And NO the shot didn't hurt. What didn't work for me chiropractic adjustment ibuprofen 800mg Muscle relaxant Heat (it actually made it worse) Thanks Pradeep S

Hi, February 2013 I suffered bulged discs L2-L3, L3-L4, L4-L5 and L5-S1 with protrusion on the Sciatic nerve. June 2013 I was back at work. The answer to your prayers is " THE McKENZIE METHOD" google back care McKenzie or McKenzie Institute International. You will be off the pain killers within 1 week and starting to get you life back again. The only limits will be your guts, drive and determination to recover. I highly recommend their book "TREAT YOUR OWN BACK" (cost is about AU$28) read it cover to cover for a better understanding of what your doing, and most importantly what causes bulged discs, It is an education every bulged disc sufferer should know. Importantly, once you have realised McKenzies' Method works consult a McKenzie Accredited chiro/physio (a list is on the McKenzie website) to give you an assessment (ROM), coaching in the correct technique in applying the exercises and when to apply each individual exercise.

You all are wonderful to share! I am 64, swimmer, active, previous runner, horse rider -- the gamut. Woke up one day ( sound familiar) w/nerve pain in the butt and along the leg. (November '13) X-rays show bulging L-5 w/adjunct crooked discs(!) with compressed nerve. MRI this week coming up. My chiropracter works out of a sports gym and have been seeing him on and off for 15 years. He treats sports people and is one great dude! Helped my 62 yrs. husband hugely (husb. is jiu jitsu, etc) My research has shown regular bouts with this practitioner will put the spine straighter (?) to unhinge the compression. I'm feeling better, can sleep finally, but can't swim (flutter kick and breast stroke is out) so I do front crawl w/stationary legs w/floater between my thighs. THAT hurts my butt. Bike machine (where the final injury occured) that irritates the nerve/ butt but I am trying to take it really slow. Stretching to touch toes is my only salvation. Everything else hurts.(strained hamstring really started the downward spiral originally) MD help is in short supply. My suggestion based on the past few months above all else is: sports chiropractic and rest. I'm hoping after the MRI to start pilates (ouch!) I think I can ride my horse again later but just walks. And ibuprofen is my only relief but I'm finally showing signs of increased blood pressure (google gave me a heads up on that) and developing an allergy to it (swelling in the face). I'm going to aspirin. My chiropracter Dr. advised the inversion table. I'm going toCostco after this to get that. I'm going to try knitting upside down. I'll keep following the suggestion s you all have.

I am 24 and have had the lower back pain for about 2 years. I have done pt 2 times a week. I had to get out of the military because of the pain. Atleast once a week my right leg gets stiff and hurts to where I cant walk for about 10 min. I go to the va and they just give me more pain killers inflammation and sleeping pills.

If it's bulged discs, PLEASE, very seriously consider and use the McKenzie Method.

I am crawling on the floor with sciatica. if you need a friend on line I will be one and maybe see each other through .