Sciatica/back pain

[bobski1]

It's been a long time since I had any kind of sciatic pain, usually only in my right leg. After recently getting over some man flu I'm not left with 2 very tight hamstrings and some often sharp pain in the lower back.

Something I've never experienced before. I'vee started to do some stretches to help loosen them but that will take time. Going to call the physio to see if I can an emergency appointment to to see if there's anything he can do.

I'm wondering though if it is purely coincidental that this has come after the man flu or possibly in all the naps I may have slept funny to cause it. Normally I live with it and stretch it away but this is the uncomfortable I've been in a long time

[M1AGM]

Sorry to read about your pain. I’ve suffered back pain for 30 years. Viruses attack soft tissue, which includes muscles, ligaments, and all the bits inbetween so its not beyond the realm of possibility that your recent problems stem from the virus. I’d advocate drinking lots and lots of water to keep well hydrated as the soft tissue can become dehydrated and cause mobility issues, more so after an infection. I’d also try a good chiropractor to check if anything has got out of position during your convalescing. Best of luck.

[stargazer30]

Not what you want to hear but I went from a 180kg deadlift and a strong lower back to chronic back pain and sciatica with spasms. What did I do? Lockdown closed the gyms so I stopped lifting. 8 weeks later on holiday in a lodge, went to bed fine, woke up with a wrecked back. Took 4 months before I could sit down again without serve pain.

It’s took me a year and 2 physios to get to the point where I can do day to day stuff again, but I’ll have back pain and sciatica for life now I recon.

Sometimes crap just happens. Definitely see a physio as dr google might make you worse, you need the right exercises and stretches for your particular issue. What works for one person might make another person worse.

[Leptons]

Just stumbled across this. I’m having the same symptoms plus pain in my feet. I can pinpoint the start to around 4 weeks after I had my first COVID jab.
I’ve just gone 37, generally fit and healthy. All bloods fine, Drs checked for slipped disk etc and from what I can tell think I’m making it up and couldn’t care less. All they can come up with is to take Ibuprofen and paracetamol.

It’s starting to tip me over the edge!

[extraT]

Leptons said:

Just stumbled across this. I’m having the same symptoms plus pain in my feet. I can pinpoint the start to around 4 weeks after I had my first COVID jab.
I’ve just gone 37, generally fit and healthy. All bloods fine, Drs checked for slipped disk etc and from what I can tell think I’m making it up and couldn’t care less. All they can come up with is to take Ibuprofen and paracetamol.

It’s starting to tip me over the edge!

For those so inclined, I can recommend Yoga with Adriane on YouTube.

Works wonders.

Also, cold showers help (normally after watching a yoga video…), I find “pinpointing” the shower head on my lower back helps tremendously.

Swimming seems to be helping me during the summer too.

[Leptons]

Thanks, will have a look into Yoga. I’ve been paying for some physio but it’s starting to get expensive and not making much difference!

[M1AGM]

Leptons said:

Thanks, will have a look into Yoga. I’ve been paying for some physio but it’s starting to get expensive and not making much difference!

That's generally been my experience of physios on these sorts of problems. They are great and rehab and improving muscle function to strengthen, but dealing with sciatic and back problems not so much.

Regarding the comment about cold showers, an ice pack for 20 minutes a few times a day really helps reduce inflamation and get the joints working better, and if there are trapped nerves/discs the reduction on blood flow to the area helps reduce the spasm and allow free movement again.

(All from experience, I am not medically qualified).

[EFH189]

I have a chronic disease of the spine and would also advocate swimming. I started going around four weeks ago and it can certainly help with mobility and strengthening while not putting any undue stress on your back.

I’m seeing a physio later this week, although when I was in A&E recently, prior to discharge I was told that physio/stretching etc can’t help my particular condition so who knows.

[Pieman68]

I struggled for nearly 2.5 years with sciatica caused by a bulging disc at l5-s1 sitting on the nerve and irritating it. L4-L5 bulges to the right and isn't causing an issue but L5-S1 to the left has caused all sorts of problems. A range of pain relief didn't work and physio and chiropractor achieved nothing

If they don't work I would recommend trying an osteopath - mine has worked miracles and I have been off all pain relief for about 6 months now. To put this in context I was on Tramadol just to make it bearable previous to seeing him

Once you're in a better place I would also echo the Yoga and swimming advice

[Leptons]

EFH189 said:

I have a chronic disease of the spine and would also advocate swimming. I started going around four weeks ago and it can certainly help with mobility and strengthening while not putting any undue stress on your back.

I’m seeing a physio later this week, although when I was in A&E recently, prior to discharge I was told that physio/stretching etc can’t help my particular condition so who knows.

Sounds awful, it’s amazing what you take for granted until it starts to play up!

[Malcolm E Boo]

+1 for Yoga here

All sorts of aches and pains in my lower back, not in a slipped disc way but bad posture caused by sitting and generally not looking after myself enough.

Started a regular Yoga preactice about 5 years ago and almost straight away I felt better. my back and hips became much looser, my posture improved and the back and head aches soon started to disappear.

Go slowly with Yoga at first but the rewards for working through it are there.

It also helps with the mind and overall wellbeing too.

[Winky151]

In the last lockdown, mine had started to come back & work its way down my leg as I wasn't getting out for exercise (run or bike). Now we're out & gyms are open again I've got back to proper exercise & started dead lifting again (nothing mad just yet) but all pain has gone which is where I'd got to after my op.

[bobski1]

appreciate all the feedback so far, most definitely it was linked to the man flu I had. Certainly feel much better now. I spent quite a lot of time stretching out my hamstrings and try to do these stretches daily. For me it seems when they get really tight they put strain elsewhere on the back/hips and then cause it to flair up.

I've started to stretch daily and just work the problem areas, definitely need to book myself for a good 2hour massage to just loosen everything and stretch it all out.

[Four Litre]

stargazer30 said:

Not what you want to hear but I went from a 180kg deadlift and a strong lower back to chronic back pain and sciatica with spasms. What did I do? Lockdown closed the gyms so I stopped lifting. 8 weeks later on holiday in a lodge, went to bed fine, woke up with a wrecked back. Took 4 months before I could sit down again without serve pain.

It’s took me a year and 2 physios to get to the point where I can do day to day stuff again, but I’ll have back pain and sciatica for life now I recon.

Sometimes crap just happens. Definitely see a physio as dr google might make you worse, you need the right exercises and stretches for your particular issue. What works for one person might make another person worse.

I would go get and get an MRI on your back as you shouldn't have sciatica for life! If its been this long I would suggest that you may of herniated a disc or something similar. I've had a back injury for 25+ years so have had a bit of bitter experience. There are plenty of non surgical treatments that could help you dramatically. The longer you leave nerve pain the more damage longer term you can create.

From experience, if your physio, chiro, osteo hasn't made a big improvement in a 3 months, you need to see a specialist. Without an MRI they can actually be making things worse as they dont actually know whats causing the pain.

[theboss]

Four Litre said:

I would go get and get an MRI on your back as you shouldn't have sciatica for life! If its been this long I would suggest that you may of herniated a disc or something similar. I've had a back injury for 25+ years so have had a bit of bitter experience. There are plenty of non surgical treatments that could help you dramatically. The longer you leave nerve pain the more damage longer term you can create.

From experience, if your physio, chiro, osteo hasn't made a big improvement in a 3 months, you need to see a specialist. Without an MRI they can actually be making things worse as they dont actually know whats causing the pain.

As somebody with full blown cauda equina syndrome with permanent bladder/bowel dysfunction and some degree of paralysis following a disc herniation which initially manifested as sciatica, there isn't really a day which goes by without me wishing I'd sought a more qualified opinion such as a private MRI to understand what was giving me so much grief at that time.

If a bulging lumbar disk does happen to herniate badly you can go from sciatica to permanently crippled in a short space of time. Don't count on the health service to intervene as even a rapidly deteriorating condition like mine is commonly misdiagnosed resulting in any intervention window being missed and damage set in stone.

[EFH189]

theboss said:

Four Litre said:

I would go get and get an MRI on your back as you shouldn't have sciatica for life! If its been this long I would suggest that you may of herniated a disc or something similar. I've had a back injury for 25+ years so have had a bit of bitter experience. There are plenty of non surgical treatments that could help you dramatically. The longer you leave nerve pain the more damage longer term you can create.

From experience, if your physio, chiro, osteo hasn't made a big improvement in a 3 months, you need to see a specialist. Without an MRI they can actually be making things worse as they dont actually know whats causing the pain.

As somebody with full blown cauda equina syndrome with permanent bladder/bowel dysfunction and some degree of paralysis following a disc herniation which initially manifested as sciatica, there isn't really a day which goes by without me wishing I'd sought a more qualified opinion such as a private MRI to understand what was giving me so much grief at that time.

If a bulging lumbar disk does happen to herniate badly you can go from sciatica to permanently crippled in a short space of time. Don't count on the health service to intervene as even a rapidly deteriorating condition like mine is commonly misdiagnosed resulting in any intervention window being missed and damage set in stone.

So sorry to hear about your situation, hope you’re coping ok. It sounds dreadful, particularly the impact it must be having on your life.

Cauda Equina Syndrome is what the docs suspected I had when in A&E recently, but my scans appeared to be ok in that respect and emergency surgery wasn’t required.

Could I ask what your symptoms were please? DM fine if you don’t want to publicise it, did you have sciatica along with any other telltale symptoms? I’m struggling to be on my feet for too long, walking hurts in my lumbar spine region, I have numbness, tingling and weakness but my sciatica isn’t too severe (thankfully).

I’m having the rest of my spine scanned privately next week, to see what else is going on.

[theboss]

EFH189 said:

So sorry to hear about your situation, hope you’re coping ok. It sounds dreadful, particularly the impact it must be having on your life.

Cauda Equina Syndrome is what the docs suspected I had when in A&E recently, but my scans appeared to be ok in that respect and emergency surgery wasn’t required.

Could I ask what your symptoms were please? DM fine if you don’t want to publicise it, did you have sciatica along with any other telltale symptoms? I’m struggling to be on my feet for too long, walking hurts in my lumbar spine region, I have numbness, tingling and weakness but my sciatica isn’t too severe (thankfully).

I’m having the rest of my spine scanned privately next week, to see what else is going on.

I have a tendancy to understate the extent of it, put on a brave face, tell everyone its fine. It has been 5.5 years now and is 'normal'. I've forgotten what it's like to have normal functions and a normal social life, or to live without perpetual pain and discomfort in the pelvic area and also a constant need to plan ones whole life around existence and availability of toilet facilities. It's a hellish condition if I really reflect back on former life and try to compare. However I'm always optimistic and determined to make the most of what I've been dealt. I've divorced and remarried in that timescale to a partner who is completely accepting of the situation and we have a toddler (some autonomous functions still work even if I can't feel much) which has brought me a whole lot to be very positive and ambitious about. My consulting business is doing fine especially now I can work from home, although my productivity and concentration levels are a fraction of what they used to be owing to the relentless urgency and discomfort, and in my onsite working life, the anxiety from knowing that I could very publicly st myself at any moment without any sensation or prior warning.

My symptoms deviating from 'normal sciatica' was a sudden onset of perianal and perineal tingling and decrease in sensation in those areas which basically became evident when going for a number 2 and not being able to feel very much. Some people experience bladder disturbances first whether that's slowness in stream, retention (typically resulting in infections), loss of sensation when going or a combination. Bi-lateral sciatica (in both legs) is also a red flag as would be any alternation in sensation in the areas served by the Cauda Equine nerve roots such as the insides of your feet and heels.

In my case, as with many unfortunately, a narrow window of time existed for diagnosis and immediate MRI and surgery but alas despite taking myself to A&E on a quiet Monday morning and being examined promptly I ended up in the hands of several deficiently skilled staff and was merely sent home despite presenting classic neurological disturbances that clinical guidelines clearly require emergency MRI to rule out CES. 36 hours later all hell broke lose, I couldn't stand, at shortly after my bladder painlessly filled and overflowed because those nerves had effectively died. I was catheterised without feeling a thing and was given an MRI and surgery a few hours later courtesy of the on-call team at my regional spinal injuries unit. Unfortunately despite the surgery being a success, the nerve damage sustained by that point was irreversible.

My advice to anyone with lumbar pain and sciatica is to google and familiar yourself with 'Red flag' symptoms of Cauda Equine and take them very seriously. I wish I had pulled a credit card out, side-stepped the NHS queue and obtained an MRI. It's easy to say in hindsight but at the time when it occurred to me I could do so, I was more frustrated by the prospect of having to take time off work and didn't realise that these horror stories do actually happen in real life.

Edited by theboss on Saturday 21st August 17:53

[stargazer30]

In my case I had an MRI just recently over a year since my back went out. MRI came back clear other than some degeneration of the L5 S1. That’s when the senior physio discharged me as a clear MRI removed any referral or options.

It’s odd as according to the mri there no pressure on the nerve but I feel it everyday. In fact if I lie flat on the floor it’s impossible for me to sit up without pushing myself up with my hands. Before my back went I could do sit-ups holding a 15kg weight disc no problem.

[EFH189]

theboss said:

EFH189 said:

So sorry to hear about your situation, hope you’re coping ok. It sounds dreadful, particularly the impact it must be having on your life.

Cauda Equina Syndrome is what the docs suspected I had when in A&E recently, but my scans appeared to be ok in that respect and emergency surgery wasn’t required.

Could I ask what your symptoms were please? DM fine if you don’t want to publicise it, did you have sciatica along with any other telltale symptoms? I’m struggling to be on my feet for too long, walking hurts in my lumbar spine region, I have numbness, tingling and weakness but my sciatica isn’t too severe (thankfully).

I’m having the rest of my spine scanned privately next week, to see what else is going on.

I have a tendancy to understate the extent of it, put on a brave face, tell everyone its fine. It has been 5.5 years now and is 'normal'. I've forgotten what it's like to have normal functions and a normal social life, or to live without perpetual pain and discomfort in the pelvic area and also a constant need to plan ones whole life around existence and availability of toilet facilities. It's a hellish condition if I really reflect back on former life and try to compare. However I'm always optimistic and determined to make the most of what I've been dealt. I've divorced and remarried in that timescale to a partner who is completely accepting of the situation and we have a toddler (some autonomous functions still work even if I can't feel much) which has brought me a whole lot to be very positive and ambitious about. My consulting business is doing fine especially now I can work from home, although my productivity and concentration levels are a fraction of what they used to be owing to the relentless urgency and discomfort, and in my onsite working life, the anxiety from knowing that I could very publicly st myself at any moment without any sensation or prior warning.

My symptoms deviating from 'normal sciatica' was a sudden onset of perianal and perineal tingling and decrease in sensation in those areas which basically became evident when going for a number 2 and not being able to feel very much. Some people experience bladder disturbances first whether that's slowness in stream, retention (typically resulting in infections), loss of sensation when going or a combination. Bi-lateral sciatica (in both legs) is also a red flag as would be any alternation in sensation in the areas served by the Cauda Equine nerve roots such as the insides of your feet and heels.

In my case, as with many unfortunately, a narrow window of time existed for diagnosis and immediate MRI and surgery but alas despite taking myself to A&E on a quiet Monday morning and being examined promptly I ended up in the hands of several deficiently skilled staff and was merely sent home despite presenting classic neurological disturbances that clinical guidelines clearly require emergency MRI to rule out CES. 36 hours later all hell broke lose, I couldn't stand, at shortly after my bladder painlessly filled and overflowed because those nerves had effectively died. I was catheterised without feeling a thing and was given an MRI and surgery a few hours later courtesy of the on-call team at my regional spinal injuries unit. Unfortunately despite the surgery being a success, the nerve damage sustained by that point was irreversible.

My advice to anyone with lumbar pain and sciatica is to google and familiar yourself with 'Red flag' symptoms of Cauda Equine and take them very seriously. I wish I had pulled a credit card out, side-stepped the NHS queue and obtained an MRI. It's easy to say in hindsight but at the time when it occurred to me I could do so, I was more frustrated by the prospect of having to take time off work and didn't realise that these horror stories do actually happen in real life.

Edited by theboss on Saturday 21st August 17:53

You genuinely have my deepest sympathy. I can relate to a lot of your sentiment, particularly the difficulty around socialising and how much a serious back problem can impact upon your whole life, it’s definitely been a factor in my own divorce. Congratulations though on meeting someone who is accepting of your situation, that’s amazing to read! Maintaining a positive outlook is also key to managing this, I wish you all the best for the future.

[theboss]

EFH189 said:

You genuinely have my deepest sympathy. I can relate to a lot of your sentiment, particularly the difficulty around socialising and how much a serious back problem can impact upon your whole life, it’s definitely been a factor in my own divorce. Congratulations though on meeting someone who is accepting of your situation, that’s amazing to read! Maintaining a positive outlook is also key to managing this, I wish you all the best for the future.

Thanks - I wish you all the best too in your own situation. I feel the CES stuff helped set me up mentally for the divorce stuff which followed and at one point made my physical health seem like the least of worries, such was the extent of the strain I felt mentally.

Things couldn't have worked out better in the end, in terms of my new relationship. My only worry now is how badly things might deteriorate as I age, as the neurological damage will become harder to compensate as the body weakens. All my doctors emphasise the importance of general health and fitness, and weight management, so thats my primary focus now.