Sciatica: 1st-hand experience

this is really kicking my butt over the last several weeks. It's been
coming on for a while now (1st hints several years ago), but not really much
of a problem. Then, like BOOM, i'm in near constant pain in the lower
back/right butt area. funny thing is, I can spit out a metric+ with no
problems - no pain on the bike. I seem to recall others here making similar
comments which is the reason for this post. My GF, who is an MD, is pushing
me to get an MRI, and then work from there. I'll probably end up doing
that, but I first I want to consider some alternatives solutions that don't
involve surgery. So, if anyone has any 1st hand experience, I'd appreciate
hearing about it.

Oh, obviously, one solution is to stay on the bike....but I do have to eat
and pay rent....

Roger Zoul wrote:
this is really kicking my butt over the last several weeks. It's been
coming on for a while now (1st hints several years ago), but not
really much of a problem. Then, like BOOM, i'm in near constant pain
in the lower back/right butt area. funny thing is, I can spit out a
metric+ with no problems - no pain on the bike. I seem to recall
others here making similar comments which is the reason for this
post. My GF, who is an MD, is pushing me to get an MRI, and then
work from there. I'll probably end up doing that, but I first I want
to consider some alternatives solutions that don't involve surgery.
So, if anyone has any 1st hand experience, I'd appreciate hearing
about it.
Oh, obviously, one solution is to stay on the bike....but I do have
to eat and pay rent....

Listen to your g/f (and why haven't you married her yet?!? )

Get the MRI and at least try to pin down /what/ is wrong; THEN you can
decide on treatment options.

Bill "surgery last resort IMO" S.

Bill Sornson wrote:
:: Roger Zoul wrote:
::: this is really kicking my butt over the last several weeks. It's
::: been coming on for a while now (1st hints several years ago), but
::: not really much of a problem. Then, like BOOM, i'm in near
::: constant pain in the lower back/right butt area. funny thing is, I
::: can spit out a metric+ with no problems - no pain on the bike. I
::: seem to recall others here making similar comments which is the
::: reason for this post. My GF, who is an MD, is pushing me to get an
::: MRI, and then work from there. I'll probably end up doing that,
::: but I first I want to consider some alternatives solutions that
::: don't involve surgery. So, if anyone has any 1st hand experience,
::: I'd appreciate hearing about it.
::: Oh, obviously, one solution is to stay on the bike....but I do have
::: to eat and pay rent....
::
:: Listen to your g/f (and why haven't you married her yet?!? )

I will. I just met her this past May....gotta give me some time, man!

::
:: Get the MRI and at least try to pin down /what/ is wrong; THEN you
:: can decide on treatment options.
::
:: Bill "surgery last resort IMO" S.

Well, that's what I gonna do...but I can't get an MRI this minute, so I'm
educating myself at the moment.

In article ,
Roger Zoul wrote:
this is really kicking my butt over the last several weeks. It's been
coming on for a while now (1st hints several years ago), but not really much
of a problem. Then, like BOOM, i'm in near constant pain in the lower
back/right butt area. funny thing is, I can spit out a metric+ with no
problems - no pain on the bike. I seem to recall others here making similar
comments which is the reason for this post. My GF, who is an MD, is pushing
me to get an MRI, and then work from there. I'll probably end up doing
that, but I first I want to consider some alternatives solutions that don't
involve surgery. So, if anyone has any 1st hand experience, I'd appreciate
hearing about it.

Oh, obviously, one solution is to stay on the bike....but I do have to eat
and pay rent....

Fortunately, as she probably told you, in most people these problems
"resolve themselves" over a period of weeks to months.

It would be smart to get the MRI to rule out the kinds of problems for which
MDs and surgeons and the like are the only solution.

While some MDs don't always agree, there are a lot of people who have found
chiropractors to be of benefit. IMHE their care substantially reduces the
duration and depth of these episodes. Ask around your area, try to find
a good one. If there's nothing obviously "organic" wrong with you -- even,
lets say, a partially crushed disk (like mine) -- you may be better off
with some 'back cracking' and an improved exercise regimen than getting
under the knife.

My $0.02.

-frank
--

Roger:

I had/have sciatica and had an incident that precipitated an amazing
episode of pain.

Standard medicine had nothing to offer but opiates and a spinal
cortisone shot to be named in the future.

Chiropracter had me off the vicodin (had been taking 12/day, the max
allowable for the dosage) in two days.

Give it a whirl. I've been essentially pain free for over a year.

D'ohBoy

I had sciatica which reoccurred over a period of ~10 years. In my
experience the MD's wanted to solve it via surgery. I woulnd up going
to both chiropracter and a physical therapist and the problem resolved
to a very manageable state. By that I mean I have a flare up that lasts
a couple of days every couple of years.

I have nothing against MD's and it may happen that that is where you
will wind up but as others have noted there may be some less intrusive
approaches that work well and are worth exploring.

Wed, 2 Nov 2005 09:47:04 -0500, ,
"Roger Zoul" wrote:

So, if anyone has any 1st hand experience, I'd appreciate
hearing about it.

My former spouse suffered sciatica. She got relief with acupuncture.

Beware of the "new age" style acupuncturists who like connecting wires
and some stupid buzz box to the needles. Find a practitioner of
traditional Chinese medicine. Don't let them go overboard with their
special herbal preparations since most of that stuff is readily
available over-the-counter from a Chinese apothecary and will cost
less than if you buy it from the doctor.
--
zk

Roger Zoul wrote:
this is really kicking my butt over the last several weeks. It's been
coming on for a while now (1st hints several years ago), but not really much
of a problem. Then, like BOOM, i'm in near constant pain in the lower
back/right butt area. funny thing is, I can spit out a metric+ with no
problems - no pain on the bike. I seem to recall others here making similar
comments which is the reason for this post. My GF, who is an MD, is pushing
me to get an MRI, and then work from there. I'll probably end up doing
that, but I first I want to consider some alternatives solutions that don't
involve surgery. So, if anyone has any 1st hand experience, I'd appreciate
hearing about it.

Oh, obviously, one solution is to stay on the bike....but I do have to eat
and pay rent....

Have you tried any basic piriformis stretches? There are a lot of
variations, but an extremely simple on is to simply stand on one foot,
grab the heel of your other foot and pull it gently up toward your
crotchticular region while letting your knee relax and press toward the
ground. Yoga can also be helpful for some people, though there's a lot
of different flavors and I can't tell you which is better.

Roger Zoul wrote:
this is really kicking my butt over the last several weeks. It's been
coming on for a while now (1st hints several years ago), but not really much
of a problem. Then, like BOOM, i'm in near constant pain in the lower
back/right butt area.

Another thing that won't hurt and that may help is the standard copper
bracelet, also called a golfer's bracelet. I had rheumatism and runner's
knee problems that disappeared since I've been wearing mine, and a
sciatica sufferer to whom I gave a similar bracelet last December has
had no recurrences since.

EFR
Ile de France

Elisa Francesca Roselli wrote:
:: Roger Zoul wrote:
::: this is really kicking my butt over the last several weeks. It's
::: been coming on for a while now (1st hints several years ago), but
::: not really much of a problem. Then, like BOOM, i'm in near
::: constant pain in the lower back/right butt area.
::
:: Another thing that won't hurt and that may help is the standard
:: copper bracelet, also called a golfer's bracelet. I had rheumatism
:: and runner's knee problems that disappeared since I've been wearing
:: mine, and a sciatica sufferer to whom I gave a similar bracelet last
:: December has had no recurrences since.

Curious....any idea why this helps? I'll google it. Thanks.