Don't know what I did, but 2 1/2 weeks ago started having some lower back pain. Started to get better and probably would be better, but I haven't been able to remain in-active.

Long story longer, yesterday did something and while before I would get a little tingle in my left leg now it's pretty numb. I can hold a few positions to relieve the tingling, but wondering if anyone else has any ideas for some relief?

The major pain is gone once again and I've been trying to do some stretches, but the numbness/tingling is getting to me.

Will go to the Dr. tomorrow, but would rather not pay for an emergency visit.

cal74, I am not a doc but can tell you that pain - even severe - is one thing, but numbness/tingling is another. Do not wait and hope.

Not pushing anything here, but if you have a GOOD chiropractor near you (scientifically and well -trained/experienced) that person should be able to DIAGNOSE the cause better than most GP docs. Chiro should then refer you to an orthopedist or neurologist if needed, or adjust to fix the problem if within the chiro realm.

You have lumbar radiculopathy, see a physician ASAP.

I agree with the above.

cal74 Man do I feel for ya! I know when I blow mine out I'm down for about a week. The below WebMD site pretty much sums up what a Doc would tell you. One key question would be whether you've lost control of your bathroom duties. A sure sign of something more serious.

Tomorrow, they'll likely give you some Flexeril and/or a Medrol steroid pack to try and clear it up. If you're near a CVS some now have Nurse Practitioners who can diagnose and prescribe on-site to hold you over.

If mine goes out on a weekend I just load up on ADVIL and hot soaks. Try not to sit in one spot for long periods and walk when you can.

As others have said take the numbness seriously.

Hope you feel better.

David

http://www.webmd.com/back-pain/tc/sciatica-topic-overview

Get thee to a good doctor pronto.

It took a back pain specialist and a MRI to find and remove the pea sized cyst growing on my spinal cord and causing my Sciatic nerve problems.

Lots of things can cause this problem.
Sometimes a chiropractor is the answer, but in my case they did not help at all.

Should have mentioned I went to a Chiropracter a few times the week before last, was on the mend after that.

Had a massage this past Friday and that helped, yesterday just over did it and was really in pain.

Been using a Tens machine (spelling) every few hours and it's helped.

I know a person can't put a price on ones health, but my medical coverage sucks. No office visits, just a 5000.00 deductible in case of anything really serious which I guess this could be?

Like the vast majority of people, living on a budget.


I'll take a look at the links and I will be going in tomorrow (thanks) too young for this. Just pushing 37


ps: Have full control of everything

Mine started the same way at work. Leg would go numb. Turned out I broke both my vertebra's. Which were pinching my nerves. I'm still down from surgury in January. They put hardware in my l-5 s1. I hear you on med. Insurance. All my insurance from working all my life is expired. Paying 1000.00 per month for cobra while getting unemployment. Not to sound bitter but hows a guy supposed to make it with these ridiculous rates. That is why you will be seeing a Rokon up for sale real soon. I hope your condition is minor. Just giving you my senerio. I would defenitly get a mri ad that was the only way they found my problem after three years of numbness. Again wish you the best. Andy

May I suggest amputation?......?




JK'ing.......hope you start feeling better.

Pain is one thing, tingling and numbness quite another. Those mean you have nerve issues, and nerve issues can become permanent if they aren't taken care of.

I have degenerative disc disease which has caused sciatica problems for the last 14 years. It has rarely been to the point of total numbness however, but the pain has been excruciating, especially the last 3-4 years. At this point, surgery is the only answer for me.
What I can give you from all these years-

Inactivity is NOT a good idea. Continue with light stretching exercises- hamstrings, buttocks, abdomen, thighs etc as tolerable.
Heating blankets/pads, warm soaks etc may feel good, but will hurt your healing and pain more than help. Ice pads/ packs on your lower back are your friend; not to exceed 15 minutes. Any longer will cause your body to send more blood to the iced area (hypothermic reaction), which negates the value of the ice pack's reduction in swelling and pain.

Chiropractors may do more harm than good for your condition. Some people have great experiences, but I'm of the mindset that one wrong adjustment from a bonecracker and you're screwed.
I understand your financial situation, but the fact you are experiencing numbness (which is much more serious than standard sciatic pain), you need to see a good spinal/neurological specialist, ASAP. As stated in a previous post, a Medrol (steroidal, usually prednisone) dose-pack will probably be prescribed, and may put you on the mend just fine. Be careful withe NSAID's like Advil (ibuprofen) and Aleve (naproxen sodium). Both can and will do gastro and/or renal damage if taken in too large of doses or for too long a period of time.
Hope you feel better- I know all too well how this goes and how it affects your life.
Jim

I agree with those saying get thee post-haste to a doctor. The downside is too great. If the doctor's opinion is that you're in a non-surgical situation, & they suggest pain management techniques, then you can consider some other options.

For a few months, I had gone to a Chiro-quack-tor for low back pain. Though I had been in a Bible study with the guy, I still felt slimy after leaving: like I was being had. His idea was that I'd be there for life, giving him more $ especially when I was feeling well (that's most important time to come in, dontcha know...)

Though I had spent my entire life as an enormous skeptic of acupuncture, my wife & her kids had gone to one, & had a good experience. In the interest of being open-minded, I gave it a shot. I am extremely glad I did. That guy is the only medical professional I've been to who can provide me relief at the time I go to him. Better still, the pain stays gone 'til I overdo it again. I like him because he's fully-trained in Western medicine as well, and he's the first person to send you to a regular doctor if that's what you need. I feel confident that he holds my physical well-being above his own financial self-interests.

It's not for everybody, and it's not for every problem. But I've never experienced a better outcome for the $ spent in the medical realm.

And just for reading this, I'm throwing in a bunch of prayers for you & your family, at no extra charge!

Best,

FC

have had sciatica since I lifted a heavy duffel wrong last July....after an MRI, I got an epidural steroid injuection at L7 a couple of weeks ago. It was some help, but not a fix. Went fishing today and am pretty cripped up.....took a Soma and an anti inflammatory as soon as I got back to the camp.

best get it looked at....the shooting pain and numbness down the leg were what finally got me to do something.

A inversion table can work wonders, for SOME people. Talk to a Doctor first though to make sure it's appropriate for your condition.

I use one and highly recommend it.

Chiros have their place, but be careful. People have been treated for months, back pain caused by metastatic spread to the spine or some other pathology. And with their x-rays, either they didn't know what to look for or their films were of such quality as to not reveal the pathology. Either way, not pretty.

General advice is to see a non-surgical musculoskeletal M.D. or O.D., like a physiatrist or occupational medicine specialist. Get your F.P. to point you to one or check the yellow pages. They deal with similar problems every day. Most of them will have a good physical therapist that they refer to , which is the way to go, IMHO.

The surgeons, some of them, think surgery is the ultimate way to treat a back. That's the way they were taught. Current thinking, that's not necessarily the way to proceed. Surgery is the last resort. Lots of options out there before the knife...

DF

Teeter Hangup

I've used one for years and it works!! It takes the pressure off the back... https://www.teetertv.com/

talk to a doc....numbness and tingling as well as pain means the nerve is getting pinched.....a nerve pinched for to long becomes damaged, after awhile the damage becomes irreversible.....i had surgery on my back in September to fix a bulged disk hitting a nerve.....though the pressure is gone i still get phantom pains cause the nerve was somewhat damaged.....doc said i would likely feel them for a year or more possibly forever depending on if the nerve completely heals