Can the herniated disk be seen with Xray or is that only found with MRI?

That's one of them...there are more.

Back pain can come on without serious trauma. I've had mine go out when I turned around. Seriously. Just depends on if something gets out of whack and if you're prone to back problems it doesn't take much. Stress can be a HUGE factor as well.

I never believed in chiro until I was desperate with stiff neck and went to one that a number of people recommended. Now I swear by her. I also have a good acupuncturist as well. And vicodin can be your friend as well if it works for you. But as others have said, if this is something new for you then it should get sorted out, especially given the magnitude of pain. I know my various back pains to I don't hesitate to go to my chiro to get straightened out.

yup, plain films don't show what you need to see
Discs are soft tissue, X-rays visualize bone well, soft tissue, not so much. You are going to want an MRI, sooner rather than later. Be a shame if you damaged yourself permanently with all this dicking around. If your doctor was correct about the bursitis, and knows how to give an injection into a hip bursa, you would have gotten almost 100% relief, if the problem were bursitis. Bursitis is a symptom of the problem that is making you walk funny. It would make you nauseous if I squeezed your nuts real hard, but would not have much to do with your back problem.

The floppy foot mentioned above is known as a foot drop. Nerves heal in a notoriously slow fashion, if at all. Better not to injure them.

Having had surgery, chronic back pain and myofascial syndrome for the last 30 years I know about back pain.

Sciatica is a muscle spasm that involves the sciatic nerve, very painful. I find that ice and then heat works the best as per the suggestion of my pain management doc.

I go for trigger point injections (TPI's) every 8 weeks or so and the occasional epidural injection when things really go bad. I am also told by my PM doc that dry needleing and acupuncture are treatments that have good sucess rates. Doing stretches in moderation just after you have heated work well. The muscle needs to be coaxed to release.

I get spasms that a so dibilitating that I CANNOT get out of bed. It litterally feels as though I'm being ripped in half. They can last for an hour or a month at a time. Chronic spasms suck!

I take a med called Zanaflex. It is for muscular dystrophy patients, it works well. About a half hour to 45 min after taking the med you become very drowsy and fall asleep for an hour, good stuff.

If you had a bad disc you most likely would feel a dull burning going down one or both legs over the thigh or ankle, or around the hip into the groin.

Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor. But just a guy who has lived with these problems for years, knows what works for me and is sharing my experiences.

Take the pain killers to get some relief and sleep. BTW, I would never go to a chiro again!!

Good Luck

What kind of health care are the dealing out there in CA? Do you have to be writhing in pain for your primary care office to approve an MRI? At least here, we can directly refer ourselves to specialist and get the needed attention. You should of been seen by an Orthopedic surgeon, hopefully someone with a specialty in spines, and an MRI done about a week ago. Chiropractics (I've been to one once) seem to be competent to handle chronic problems like stiffness and postural problems. As far as I know, no amount of "manipulation" is going to heal soft tissue damage.

+1! Once you have an all clear on no disk problems, start asking about good massage therapist in your area. I can't tell you how much this has helped me over the years!!!

Ditto on the massage! I failed to mention it.

There is nothing as benefical as massage. My wife actually learned the propoer techiques of massage therapy to help me.

Muscles have memory and once injured have a tendency to mimic the response to the injury. That is why I get twisted like a pretzel when I get hit with an episode.

David, thanks for posting this thread.

I have learned a great deal.

I am currently going thru the same thing.
I have been off work now for 15 weeks. This is my 3rd time around [& worst] with back issues & sciatic? pain.

Some nights it feels like my right leg is being carved open & the flesh pulled apart. I literally wake up screaming!
Some mornings i wake up & cant lift my left leg up to put on underwear.
I have finally been refered to a specialist, i see him tomorrow.
My doctor is a firm believer in rest. All it seems to be doing is making me fat & smoke more.
I have been avoiding painkillers. I only take them now when the pain is too much. Dealing with the pain is better than the side effects from the pills. For me.
The only releif i have found; when the pain is bad; is to lay on a hard floor on my back with my legs on a chair.

Cheers, Col.

Some days I have found relief laying on a hard surface, butt and lower back on ice, with my legs elevated over a chair & cushion. Sometimes though the pressure of the cushion on my right leg causes incredible pain from my right ankle, calf, thigh and up to the butt. At that point it's back on the feet :( This will sound strange but there are times where any skin contact, even from my sweatpants, on the right leg triggers shooting pain down the entire leg.

Yesterday's injection has provided relief from the hip pain and I was able to sleep last night with minimal pain pills and no booze. I have not had much/any back pain over the last couple days but still have nerve pain down the leg from the right cheek to the ankle. I did ice and ibuprofen this morning and some stretching. Still hurts - but tolerable. I'm going to work in the late morning and then off for the second Chiro visit in the late afternoon. This gal uses something called the "activator method". My buddy has been seeing her for a while and swears by it. Anyone have input on it?

My insurance is good, PPO Blue Cross, and I don't need a referral from my primary care for anything. I may start looking for a spinal specialist later this week and see to a MRI.

Disc problems will subside in usually 2-4 weeks on their own, depending on severity.

When a disc is bulged or herniated the body goes into a defensive mode trying to pull the body off the offending area. The inflammation is a large part of the pain. Meds to ease the inflamation help.

Sometimes the least little move can trigger a very large response from the body. Muscle pain is THE worst pain there is. Why do you think child birth is so painful?

Is it a burning pain or just pain? Nerves burn. Muscles hurt like hell.

I had an extruded disc. After 3 months the pain was all gone, but surgery was needed to relieve the compression of the nerve roots. Uriniation and defication were a problem.

If the chiro cause you more pain than what you have be careful and ask them to stop. You do not want any other thing damaged.

Get the MRI to be sure as to what is going on.

Good Luck

What's worse than a tossed back and sciatic pain? Let's add the 24 flu.

What made this especially hard was that I could not keep anything down = no pain meds for the last 36 hrs. Last night I finally was able to hold down some toast and 1/2 banana and this morning 600 mg of ibuprofen. I'm gonna stay clear of the vicoden as best I can.

I have an MRI scheduled for tomorrow. I have seen the Chrio gal 4 times. No change in pain levels though my right foot is not as numb as it once was. One adjustment she administered aggravated my tail bone area causing my right butt cheek and leg to go into spasm. She has since stayed clear of that area until we get the MRI back.

glad you're still holding it together, David. Good luck, hopefully they discover something tomorrow and they're able to get you some relief soon.

Just a shot in the dark ............ my hiking/bike riding buddy absolutely swears that
an osteopath is the solution to back problems. Deals with the mechanics of motion, addressing problems with motion via specific exercises, amongst other things.

I skimmed the thread, I hope I am not repeating.

I do not know much about you but if you have a pot belly, like 80% of this country, get rid of it, its no longer an option.

I was diagnosed with a bulging disk between my L1 and pelvis, a result of a gym injury (trying to be healthy go figure) the bulging disk was pinching off my Sciatic and causing amazing pain in my back, atrophy in my right leg and pain and no use of my left.

You have to have a solid core from now on, your doctor should be able to coach you as to what you need to do as far as exercise and stretching.

I can say if I keep my core tight and the weight off no problems, neglect my core and grow even the smallest pot belly and lots of pain.

I have been pain free for years now, I play sports, I run, I jog, I lift weights, including squats and no problems. I am avoiding surgery at all costs.

Good luck!!

Ok so I got the results from the MRI. My Chiro says that if I don't see improvement in pain levels in the next two weeks she will refer me to an orthopedic doc. I got a copy of the MRI result and am tempted to go directly to the doc now and avoid the Christmas rush...

MRI Conclusion: L4-5 disc extrusion with mass effect on the traversing right L5 nerve root. Anterolisthesis of L5 on S1 with severe bilateral L5-S1 foraminal narrowing. Severe disc height loss.