What would you do?

[IcemanSK]

I've had sciatica since May '09. It's left me unable to train seriously since then. I run an MA school, but I'm barely able to demonstrate most kicks lately. I've seen a chiropractor who was unable to do anything for me for this issue. I did some physical therapy, but I wasn't able to complete it due to illness. PT is 30 miles away from my home & I can't get anything closer. (Long story).

I went to a new chiropractor today. He took x-rays & I can see what a wreck my back is. I've seen enough x-rays of my back over the years to know. This new guy wants to see me 3 times a week for "awhile". Money is really tight for my family lately. I was recently let go from one of my jobs & the remaining jobs don't bring in much.

Something has to give, but I don't know what. There is little money, as I said, but I need to get back to being healthy again.

Thoughts? Prayers are appreciated!

 

[Xue Sheng]

Been there, done that, bought the coffee cup and the t-shirt... more than once

And now The Readers Digest version

This is what I did, your mileage may vary

First time went to a chiropractor and he helped

Second time went to a chiropractor and he made it worse

I then went to an Orthopedic doc who was clueless but it eventually got better

It came back (heavy lifting and MA training to soon) and I went to a different Orthopedic doc who was also clueless and it eventually got better

It came back ((see above reasons) and I ended up in the hospital and my family Doc recommended a 3rd Orthopedic who was absolutely brilliant and figured it all out and helped me a lot, but it took time

It came back (I think you know why), but not as sever and I found myself at an acupuncturist that got me to a point where I could exercise and that was wonderful.

Later I got hit by a tree (yup, it fell on me) and guess what, back pain. Luckily the woman I was dating at the time (now my wife) was an OMD from China and I got acupuncture and it helped a lot.

I am now pretty much under control but I have to make sure I do crunches and sit-ups, for me, it seems to stop me from having problems. However when it was hurting there was absolutely no way I could walk so sit-ups were out.

Time and a good doc and throw in a good acupuncturist and it seemed to work for me.

 

[grydth]

Sadly, there's no generic silver bullet for back injuries. Chiropractors do help many people, as do physical therapists.

The best thing you can do is get a full diagnostic work up of specifically what is wrong with your back. That may include something more than x-rays, such as an MRI or CT scan. That's the best start you can get. Then check on your choices for treatment.

If you've got a herniated disk with nerve root impingement, you may need the services of an orthopedic surgeon and/or neurologist. Hopefully something less serious will do. Some PT can be done at home; I expect those long car rides may erode some of the progress you are making.

Folks here can offer advice and encouragement, but there's no substitute for a doctor with a file of good test results.

 

[Ken Morgan]

I went to a chiropractor for years, but at $50 for a 3 minute visit, I couldn’t justify it. I stopped going and guess what? Nothing changed. I haven’t been in five years and I would argue my back is better today then when I went on a regular basis.

That being said I have had a disc problem in my neck for a few years, massage helps for a while with the pain but nothing permanent. The surgeon I seen told me to just live with it and if it gets worse he could fuse it.

I’m a huge skeptic, religion, homeopathic care, hocus-pocus of all kinds. I need to see multiple studies done over years, by non partisan scientists for me to buy into something.

I haven’t looked at any research on this at all, but I was looking at spinal decompression http://www.lowbackclinic.com/indexFlash.php to see if it will help my neck. When I get a chance I may look more carefully at it. Perhaps it’s an option for you? You go first!! Anyone give it a try yet?

 

[dancingalone]

I have a bulging disk (L5) which sometime manifests itself into extreme leg pain. A combination of physical therapy/acupuncture and oral steroid medications got me back on my feet, and I try to stay healthy through yoga and core strengthening exercises.

I don't have any ideas on how to help you, Tom, only than to sympathize with your plight. It's run being a martial arts teacher which having such a painful condition! Of course you'll have my prayers and best wishes. God bless you and I hope 2010 brings better things.

 

[IcemanSK]

Thanks for all of your thoughts, advice, prayers & what did & didn't work for you. This injury comes on the heels of a torn calf muscle that took 3 orthopedic surgeons six months to diagnose (the third one diagnosed it in 2 minutes with the same information!) and a year to heal. I'm really down right now because I've had nearly two years of injuries while I'm trying to get my school off the ground. Some days, I think it will always be like this. I'm doing everything I can to change things.

I appreciate everyone's support & your ears. Thanks!

 

[SahBumNimRush]

Thanks for all of your thoughts, advice, prayers & what did & didn't work for you. This injury comes on the heels of a torn calf muscle that took 3 orthopedic surgeons six months to diagnose (the third one diagnosed it in 2 minutes with the same information!) and a year to heal. I'm really down right now because I've had nearly two years of injuries while I'm trying to get my school off the ground. Some days, I think it will always be like this. I'm doing everything I can to change things.

I appreciate everyone's support & your ears. Thanks!

Unfortunately for everyone, doctors are like every other profession.. . There are good ones and there are horrible ones and there is every shade in between.

Finding a great chiropractor, PT, orthopod, etc.. . can be difficult, but they are all worth their weight in gold. The issue here, like everyone else, is that gold is hard to come by in these bad economic times.

I will not/cannot say what treatment would be appropriate for your situation. But there is one important questions to ask.. . What is the cause of your sciatica? Depending on the cause, there are many conservative treatment options.


Disc protrusion/ disc herniation, facet syndrome, tight piriformis/G. Medius, Stenosis.. . all of these can cause sciatica like symptoms.. . all of which may have different treatment options. It is important to find a physician that can diagnose exactly what the cause is. From there, treatment is much more straight forward.

 

[Drac]

I blew out my knee in 07 and injuried my back in 08..I hurt like anything somedays..Thankfully there are no high kicks in my present style otherwise I would be SOL...Therapy for the knee instead of the surgery worked well..For the back its Aleve and light stretching...

 

[CanuckMA]

You need a CT Scan or a MRI to see any soft tissue damage.

If it has been going on for so long and chiro/PT does not work, try spinal decompression. If that fails, seek a good neurosurgeon as a microdisctectomy may be your only option.

 

[IcemanSK]

I'm going to forgo chiropractic for now & just do the physical therapy..because PT is covered under my insurance.

Thanks for your thoughts & prayers!

 

[terryl965]

I'm going to forgo chiropractic for now & just do the physical therapy..because PT is covered under my insurance.

Thanks for your thoughts & prayers!

I wish you only the best Iceman.

 

[xJOHNx]

Watch out with the whole "photography" thing. Most of the times X-rays show something (because populations tend to get older), but isn't necessarilly related to the sciatique. As someone said before, there are hunderd of reasons for it.
Even stress could cause it.

My advice: find a good physiotherapist, try to relax and accept the pain for the moment (yes, it is a huge factor of the healing proces), find some GOOD footwear (best would be to walk around barefoot whenever you can) and try to do some basic core muscle workouts (start slowly, don't rush things. Especially after reading my advice, which is basically just alot of words, without actual physical help. Get professional PT help, not youtube).
Try to see if you have a hip that's rotating or if your pelvis is in retro/anteversion. Even a basic physical therapist should have no problem diagnosing/researching that. If he has... switch therapist on the double!
Maybe stretching some of the muscles in your back (the musculus iliopsoas, quadriceps and hamstrings come to mind), again a good PT would see that and be able to give you advice for it.

Why am I stressing out the fact that it has to be a good PT? Because it takes 2 seconds to detect a ruptured calf muscle (going by the story and by looks alone).

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

I think that is a good idea Iceman. Strengthen the core and your back should shape up! I will say a prayer for you!