Sciatica?

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Discussion

oldbanger

Original Poster:

4,316 posts

237 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
quotequote all
Obviously, I will have to make time to see the doc sometime soon, however in the meantime you lot will do smile

I've had pains in my left hip for the last 3 weeks. At times the pain has gone right down the outside edge of my leg - worse when sitting rather than walking. It's not a sharp pain, more of a dull but persistent ache. I also have pins and needles in my left toes. I've had a bit of a weakness in that side for years, not 100% sure why but I did fall down the stairs a couple of times in my 20s due to stupid footwear choices and I also sit with left leg over the other and leaning to the right so it might be poor posture. However 3 weeks ago I ended up trying to sit cross-legged for over an hour and this is where it all started - my hip basically siezed up.

On top of that I've started falling over - 5 times in 3 weeks now. I'm not just spontaneously falling - I'm slipping/tripping and it's always the left foot that's going. It's as if my left leg/foot isn't quite where I think it is.

Could this be sciatica? Is my leg going to fall off?

I hate getting old


JumboBeef

3,772 posts

176 months

Friday 28th September 2012
quotequote all
It does sound like a nervous issue.

How old is old? wink

P_J_R

252 posts

204 months

oldbanger

Original Poster:

4,316 posts

237 months

Friday 28th September 2012
quotequote all
Aww thanks guys - only another 30 yrs to retirement left

Simon Brooks

1,517 posts

250 months

Friday 28th September 2012
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My surgeon referred to the constant tripping as a result of what he called drop foot, where as you said the position of the foot feels like it is doing what the brain says but the reality is slightly different

Sounds like a prolapsed disc pressing on the nerves, see if you can wangle an MRI from someone to find out what's going on

TwigtheWonderkid

43,246 posts

149 months

Friday 28th September 2012
quotequote all
oldbanger said:
I hate getting old
More than dying young?

Those are the two choices, I'll take getting old all day long.

oldbanger

Original Poster:

4,316 posts

237 months

Friday 28th September 2012
quotequote all
TwigtheWonderkid said:
oldbanger said:
I hate getting old
More than dying young?

Those are the two choices, I'll take getting old all day long.
Yes you are correct, thanks



oldbanger

Original Poster:

4,316 posts

237 months

Friday 28th September 2012
quotequote all
Simon Brooks said:
My surgeon referred to the constant tripping as a result of what he called drop foot, where as you said the position of the foot feels like it is doing what the brain says but the reality is slightly different

Sounds like a prolapsed disc pressing on the nerves, see if you can wangle an MRI from someone to find out what's going on
Thanks - guess this means that I ought to take it seriously. Getting to the docs is a major hassle so I try to avoid it to be honest

sunbeam alpine

6,936 posts

187 months

Friday 28th September 2012
quotequote all
I had exactly the same symptoms. MRI showed 2 prolapsed discs in my back. You need to do something about it. I ignored it until my left leg wouldn't move any more - couldn't push the clutch in to change gear as I came off the motorway! Big panic frown

Edited by sunbeam alpine on Friday 28th September 20:58

jwo

984 posts

248 months

Friday 28th September 2012
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Good posture, sit with knees at right angle, don't cross legs when sitting. Should take 4-6 weeks to get better.... I'm on my second bout about 4 weeks in. Really painful in some positions but grin and bear it... See a doc for reassurance.. Surgery final option which may or may not work (I have parts of two disc and one vertebrae in pot from an op many years ago!).

Panda76

2,569 posts

149 months

Saturday 29th September 2012
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Same story here with slipped discs.
At some point of it becomes a long term problem you will need an MRI and ask to reffered to a consultant.
The doctors will attempt to treat it with painkillers that will work but will also mess with your head and leave you lucid at best.
The consultant will likely give the go ahead for caudal epidural injections.
I had my second of three injections yesterday.
They do hurt for the brief moment a needle is stuck in your spine but so far they are working.
If your doctors insist on treating it with lucid painkillers then expect an uphill battle.
The injections are quite expensive and it seems to me they try and do what they can to avoid you having them.
They have worked for me as I had a painful disc movement on Thursday(happens every 6 months or so) which would normally result in me having really bad sciatica for weeks which would include pins and needles and not being able to feel the back of my legs and foot leaving me limping for weeks too.
All I could feel is a slight twinge in left leg.Friday I had my second injection and can't feel anything like sciatica in my left leg.In two weeks time I have last injection.
It's not a comfortable experience,but it has worked for me.

Good luck with it.

Jonboy_t

5,038 posts

182 months

Saturday 29th September 2012
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Does sound like sciatica. There are a few exercises you can do to try and stretch your vertebrae to help it. If it is just a trapped nerve, these should help and by doing them in conjunction with cold compresses, you should be able to control it until you can get some expert help!

Sit on the floor, back straight up, legs straight out. Cross your left foot over your right leg about where your right knee is so your left knee is now about chest height. Now pull your left knee towards your right shoulder whilst making sure your left foot stays flat on the floor. look over your left shoulder and you should feel it pull in your left ass cheek, if not, twist the top of your body to your left a little until you do feel the pull. Repeat it a couple of time and also do the same with your right leg to avoid putting uneven pressure on one side.

Second good one is to lie of your back on a hard floor with your legs stretched out. Without moving your right leg, lift your left leg up, bending it at the knee until it is at as close to 90 degree as possible, then just pull your knee in towards your chest as far as possible. Again, you should feel it stretch in you left ass cheek, hold it for 10-15 seconds and repeat a couple of times.

As well as doing these, put frozen peas on the affected area for about 10 minutes, 4 or 5 times a day. DO NOT do warm compress on it as this can inflame the nerve more.

I have 2 nackered discs (L4 and L5) which quite regularly trap my sciatic nerve and I also have something called ankylosing spondylitis which causes lots of problems. These stretches really help me a lot and providing I do them regularly and properly, I can still play rugby a couple of times a week and do pretty heavy weightlifting without much problem.

And go and see an osteopath instead of a chiropractor. I've seen both for a number of years and (although this may just be me) I always find the osteopath much more beneficial.

oldbanger

Original Poster:

4,316 posts

237 months

Monday 1st October 2012
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Thanks for all of the replies. I have booked myself an appointment for the end of the week so we'll see where that leads.

oldbanger

Original Poster:

4,316 posts

237 months

Sunday 7th October 2012
quotequote all
Doc's referring me for an x-ray of my hip. On another note, the pins and needles have have unfortunately spread aince speaking to the doc so a slipped lower disc is looking more probable, personally.

Panda76

2,569 posts

149 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
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I'm not sure what they expect to find with an X-Ray tbh.
My doc went down the X-Ray route to proclaim "Hey we found nothing of importance"
I thought no st sherlock I didn't think you would,now give me my MRI god damn it ....

Good luck with it.

Fozziebear

1,840 posts

139 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
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Does your foot slap the ground or the leg caves in? I'd be quiet worried about the seriousness of the damage done. I've had sciatica and manger to get rid using yoga and stretching. Ask the doc if there is a test for ALS, that starts with your symptoms from what I can remember

Group N

898 posts

202 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
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Panda76 said:
If your doctors insist on treating it with lucid painkillers then expect an uphill battle.
My sitiation exactly. 9 weeks on and still have weak painkillers at my disposal having seen 3 different doctors. Just started with some `light` physio, I had high hopes regarding the physio but now I aint too sure. One day I`m not too bad another I can barely walk, can`t sit can`t stand just have to lay down and take the pain. Pain in the heels of my feet too. First Doc said trapped nerve, Physio lady says prolapsed disc.

Fozziebear

1,840 posts

139 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
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GroupN try yoga, it'll work smile painkillers are just an expensive experiment on your liver

oldbanger

Original Poster:

4,316 posts

237 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
quotequote all
There isn't much pain, certainly nothing unbearable, and the worst pain is specific to my hip or radiating out of it, particularly in certain positions, hence the possibility of damage to that hip needs to be ruled out. That's why I'd been told I'll be going for an x-ray, then possibly a musculo-skeletal referral after.

I'd also started trying to conciously improve my posture when sitting which is when I started to experience pins and needles and pain right across my lower back, but apparently it's not an emergency unless I'm incontinent which is actually a relief. I have now also been told I'm getting a referral for physio and that the physiotherapists can refer me on for further treatment/investigsation themselves if required.

The tripping - my foot isn't slapping around or anything, but it does seem to be maybe 5mm out from where I think it is, if that makes sense, meaning changes in the ground level are a bit harder than they used to be.

I've also now been taking Mg supplements , which I'd stopped a while ago due to laziness, as Mg is required for Mg repair/function.

Thanks for all of the advice and similar stories. They really help.

Edited by oldbanger on Tuesday 9th October 20:14

dreamer75

1,401 posts

227 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
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Careful of yoga - I'm hypermobile and yoga just made things a whole lot worse (prolapsed disc eventually resulted on the bones resting directly on each other and a fusion earlier this year).

It's a process to go through, to get the right diagnosis - just own it yourself (nobody else will), be prepared to push them every step of the way, and research what diagnostics should be done so they don't fob you off.

Conservative treatment (physio) is the normal thing, even for prolapsed discs, which can resolve themselves over time. Surgery is seen as the last resort and generally (in my lay person's opinion) rightly so. My first surgeyr was a microdiscectomy which is pretty minor in the grand scheme of things, but the 2nd surgery (originally planned for disc replacement but due to bone damage from the rubbing it had to be a fusion) - has caused further damage and in terms of the oirignal issue I'm just about back where I started (rather than any better) and that was in Jan. With the added bonus of a stomach scar and extra leg pain and feet issues. Which is nice.

So don't stress too much if they start you off with gentle stuff, as long as it's part of a programme/process.