Sciatica issues ...
 

My long time buddy is in some serious pain ... been going on for a few months now. He's ready for surgery ... past ready.

He's seeing all the right docs, etc. but still not the "potential surgeon" ...

Any suggestions?

His issue is probably due to sitting and driving a computer screen for 4 decades... but that is over now.

I had excruciating sciatica pain that lasted for 2 weeks in late 2024. I tried everything and did all of the recommended stretches. After listening to my wife's advice, I went to an acupuncturist. I have never gone to one before because I believed it was not "real." However, after my first one hour visit my pain had decreased by about 70%. I went again a couple days later and it was completely gone. I am now a believer.

Same here, David...my two week episode that was, uh, painful:cool:

I did acupuncture and, on another suggestion, I bought a TENS unit. Both helped.

It has been a few years with no recurrence, thank goodness.

Best to your friend, KC...have him try AP, seriously.

Thank you guys! I have suggested that maybe acupuncture would help ... but don't know if he has seriously considered that yet.

He's in Jax .... mebbe I'll reach out to Byron for suggestions... they just live on opposite sides of the river.

He had to drive to Baptist downtown last week to talk to a PA ... an ordeal :(.

About 40 years ago another buddy endured a 17 hour back surgery ordeal with 3 teams of surgeons in that same hospital... I was there.

Thanks!

TENS and a chiropractor worked for me. Took 3 weeks or so before the hip joints were flexible enough for him to manipulate them.

Since then dynamic stretching of the lower body is a regular part of my workouts.

Thank you! He's been seeing a chiro (amongst others) and "thought" he was getting some relief a month or so back... now that doesn't seem to help and it's worse than ever... he is doing everything they suggest ... to the max. That's who he is...

I would see an osteopath (D.O.) with a neurosurgical consult.

I don't know the specifics of everyone he's been seeing, but he did mention seeing a neurologist (I think that was what he said) ... and I asked if that would be the potential surgeon he was gonna see next... yep.

Thanks!

I’m certainly no expert but when I think of nerve pain, outside of a traumatic event, I think it’s a result of impingement likely due to improper body mechanics, just like riding a desk for 40 years might create.

I would spend a lot of time trying to reverse those before surgery.

Oh man that sucks. Core... Core... and more Core exercise with solid warmup and cooldown, and stretch every, and I mean every single day. A good PT can help but the patient has to be willing to listen to, and do what the PT says. Oh! And Yoga. Might add some massage therapy focusing on the piriformis as well as some stretches that focus on the piriformis.

^^^ Totally agree. I think the pain level is such that he is ready for surgery now... and that is scary to me. My other Jax buddy and my sis have had multiple major back operations (hers was sciatica related too). That is certainly no "sure cure" either imo.

A couple of months ago he started seeing results after just a bit of "physical therapy", chiro visits, etc. Dropped the pain level from 10 down to 2ish. We were both optimistic ... I didn't realize it had shot back up to 10 until he said he was "past ready" for surgery a week or so ago.

Thanks!

I would try everything, including bed supports for the back, braces (there are some really good ones these days) and literally anything else before he gets his back (meaning spine) operated on.

Back surgery is not a hip replacement or a knee...it is potentially life altering and often not in a positive way.

After he gets through this episode, and he will, he needs to do a lot of homework on how to prevent the next occurrence. Lots of solid advise in this thread...weight, diet, movement, stretching, etc. works wonders.

My Primary Care Doctor walked me through the "after this bout of sciatica" and it has worked...he did not recommend surgery.

A quick search is all he will need. Patience, not surgery on the back.

Thank you all. If he could just get some immediate relief, I know he would/will do everything possible to "fix it" ... it came outta nowhere a few months back ... we talk all the time and he didn't let me know for a while tho'.

I've called him a couple of times today and sent a text earlier ... no answers... yet.

In the text I relayed the acupuncture/TENS suggestions....

I personally would avoid any type of back surgery unless it was "last resort".

Check out epidural as a treatment. Pain will be gone and free him up for exercise, possibly weight loss and PT. Would not operate, this often goes away. Need to be patient.

Suffered with sciatica for years. Had epidurals, PT, etc. Turned out it was piriformis syndrome. When the piriformis spasms it cuts off the sciatic nerve.

That's the "fun" of this stuff. It goes away and then BAM nails ya again. I've been living with three herniated discs in my lower back for several years now. Two of my friends went the surgery route and still have problems. I went the exercise, stretch, stretch and more stretch route.

Paul suggested a TENS unit. I use one of those as well when things act up along with getting off my lazy a.. and getting back to exercising and stretching.

FWIW, I've never had a chiropractor help. A good PT OTOH, yep. Hard to think clearly when you're in pain and it hurts to even walk or stand up though.

I had it for a few months, a few years back, hurt sitting, even on a bar stool. I have a great Acupuncture doctor in Jax and chiropractor, who helped tremendously. That one is in Orange Park.
The combination of the two got me pain free
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http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1748323582.jpg
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https://youtube.com/shorts/OAMaraChKEg?si=c_oRVzGWi4kZlcNA

https://youtu.be/pUzJpkk40QI?si=mH6iB1EoNLzJjHD6


And Select was great http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1748324142.jpg

Thank you all! Byron, I will pass this info along and am going to see if he will schedule an appointment asap. I haven't heard back from my friend yet ... that tells me he is NOT in a "good place" right now. I'm getting ready to call him again...

Thank you ... and everyone!

I completely agree with Paul. Surgery should be the last resort after everything else has failed. I can be life changing in a negative way.

My sciatica pain was about a 9 out of 10 for two solid weeks. I was ready to try anything to relieve the pain. During that time, I would have performed surgery on myself to relieve the pain. I have a needle phobia, so acupuncture was out of the question until I could not bear the pain anymore. Like I wrote earlier, it immediately reduced it and cured it.

Just got off the phone with my bud...

He's going to call the place Byron recommended today :)

Thank you all!