# Sciaticaaaaaaa!



## spacecat (1 Sep 2011)

Hi everyone,

Any advice, tips, etc. Would be greatly appreciated in relation to the bloody awful debilitating condition that this.

To cut a long story short I commute each day with cycling at the weekends too. I've done this for years. Am now 43 years old and weigh next to nothing.

Anyhow, I experienced a horrendous back injury at the end of April. It was caused by doing too much heavy lifting in the garden one weekend. Later that week before getting on the bike to go to work I coughed at the kitchen sink, heard and felt a ripping sound and was subsequently on my back for two weeks with awful spasms for days in my lower back.

The exact point where I felt it was just to the left of my spine on the bony sticky out bit on the top of my pelvis. Not exactly a medical description I know!

I have been seeing an nhs physio for a few months, stretches etc. She reckoned it wasn't a disc but was a muscle tear. Am now left with the sciatica that has recently flared up again over the last few weeks after it had subsided quite a bit

The frustration is that when I had back pain there was no sciatica, and now I have sciatica there is no back pain.

The only things that have changed over the last few weeks is that I'm now back on the bike full time (no pain when warmed up) and travelling a lot in the company car again (awful constant pain). The doc reckons that It's the car, obviously I want that to be the case. My boss reckons It's the bike! 

Iam now back on the painkillers and only experience relief lying down or on the bike.

Should I go to see someone else do you think to try and sort it? Are the nhs, although very good, able to appreciate how to best help a cyclist?

Am clutching at straws now as its really starting to get me down.

Any of you guys thoughts and experiences would be greatly appreciated.


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## Ian 74 (1 Sep 2011)

Check this link out http://www.lower-back-pain-answers.com/sciatica-exercises.html This stretch -* Gluteal & Piriformis Sciatica Stretch *really helps me when I get that nipping pain in my buttock/upper leg.


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## spacecat (1 Sep 2011)

Thanks Ian, will have a look at those to see if there's anything new.


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## Bobtoo (1 Sep 2011)

In my experience sciatica is caused by pressure and sitting still, so I'd blame the car. I first got it when I was driving taxis

Does your driver's seat have any hard spots or lumps? The pressure of a spring in my driver's seat was enough to give me terrible sciatica, fitting a "bubbly" seat cover over it made all the difference. The point where pressure brings it on for me is right at the base of the buttock/top of the leg.

I don't suffer from it much these days, I think changing my job helped, but the things I found helpful were walking and drinking plenty of water. A decent walk at the weekend was enough to keep it at bay for the week, otherwise I was in pain all week.


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## spacecat (1 Sep 2011)

The car is a focus with horrible cheap uncomfortable seats, I don't think there are any hard spots but I will check.

Now you come to mention it I was walking quite a bit before I got back on the bike and I'm not now. There may be something in that!!!


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## Bobtoo (2 Sep 2011)

It was the last model of Escort I had, the seat design carried over to the Focus but I don't know if they are still using it. The seat base was a big foam pad on a wire frame. Over time the frame had cut its way through the pad so the structure could be felt. It might be worth getting some kind of padded seat covering to try.


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## Saluki (2 Sep 2011)

I was told that sciatica, if you are prone to it, can be caused by something as simple as having your wallet in your back pocket when you are sitting for long periods.
I suffer with sciatica and I found a DORN practitioner who really helped me. I have found that a chiropractor helps greatly, but this DORN practitioner did the business for me and I was pain free for well over a year. I get the odd twinge now and again at the moment so I have booked another session. What I liked about the practitioner is that she didn't pull me about and make my joints crack. It was totally stress free but really did the job.

I paid £25 for my treatment so it didn't break the bank.


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## cjb (2 Sep 2011)

As an occasional sciatica sufferer, I would blame the car here. Obviously, your boss will say it's the bike. I used to run to and from work and whenever I had the slightest health issue my boss would blame it on my running. Needless to say, he was overweight and didn't excercise!!


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## spacecat (2 Sep 2011)

Thanks everyone. 

I am now thinking that it's an imbalance somewhere in my muscles since they repaired. Am thinking this because I didn't get sciatca until around a month or so after the injury, and I know that I am favouring my right leg for most things these days.

The doc said there was a very long waiting list round here for an mri, It's a mobile one that turns up at the local hospital!

Have booked an appointment today with a Bowen Therapist. I think It's worth a shot. I shall report back early next week.

I hope that you don't get too many episodes lately reiver, my sympathies are with you. If anyone had told me that the pain could get to almost passing out and sweating then I wouldn't have believed them!

BTW. The boss is overweight and doesn't exercise


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## spacecat (2 Sep 2011)

I did speak to a dorn therapist today about it and told him my story. Unfortunately he is no longer practicing in our area but did recommend Bowen.


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## doog (3 Sep 2011)

Your sciatica is more than likely caused by a prolapsed disc.(Ive had two) Its caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve from the contents of the disc either bulging out or they have actually extruded. Many people have prolapsed discs but are totally unaware because the prolapse isnt pressing into the spinal cord and compressing the sciatic nerve which is a large nerve the size of your thumb that runs down your leg. 

Its normal for sciatica to develop some time after the original injury.

You need an MRI scan to confirm. Your GP will let you wait as most disc injuries do settle down however if you feel the need you can get your own MRI scan done privately for £200.

Where is the sciatic pain? Your discs are numbered and a typical L5/S1 disc injury / herniation will exhibit sciatic pain down your buttock, back of your thigh, knee, calf and into your foot and toes.

You have my full sympathy, I posted a similar thread here.

http://www.cyclechat...ck-injury-disc/

ps what pain killers are you on? Off the shelf stuff wont touch it, get the doc to prescribe if he hasnt already, Im on Naproxen and was previously on diclofenac. These are super strong anti inflammatory's and can be combined with paracetamol and codeine.


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## spacecat (3 Sep 2011)

Hi doog,

The path of the pain is exactly as you describe. The doctor has prescribed 500/30 paracetamol and codeine nothing else. Maybe I should ask for something else as well.

Am great in the mornings and can run down the stairs but the torture usually begins mid morning.

There is actually no pain in my back so I wouldn't know which disc/s they are. Am just very frustrated at the moment as this has been going in since April.

I think I will go back to the doctors and be assertive about more help. Problem is I don't like admitting how much pain there really is. I was even lying on the office floor yesterday before someone told me to go home lol.


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## numbnuts (3 Sep 2011)

Hi Doog
brief history, damaged my spine in an accident had a laminectomy in 1989 cured pain, but left me incontinent. 
Now early last year lower back pain same place as laminectomy, November could not put up with it any more saw doctor, sent to hospital, sent to have a MRI scan, the results showed I have a 10mm prolapse disc L5/S1 I had two options epidural injection or surgery I chose epidural as it was the easiest, but now find out on the internet it is only short term pain relief, anyway I have to see another doctor before the epidural so may ask for surgery as that would sort it out for good.
As for pain it starts off in lower back and travels down through buttock and then onto the back of the leg, over the last 4 weeks the lower leg gets pins and needles and numb in places.
I can still cycle and use my kayak which amazed the doctor, but I have to take loads of painkillers before and after trips which I'm sure is not too good for the body


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## doog (3 Sep 2011)

spacecat said:


> Hi doog,
> 
> The path of the pain is exactly as you describe. The doctor has prescribed 500/30 paracetamol and codeine nothing else. Maybe I should ask for something else as well.
> 
> ...



I was the same with my first disc injury. Thought I had pulled a muscle, went back to work the next day. It happened in July 2008 but it wasnt until October that I basically collapsed at work after 3 months of fighting it. I was cycling during that time and boy it was the wrong thing to do. It took me a year to get back to normality.

This time around I have the knowledge so I went straight to the doc, got the MRI scan to prove it (10mm herniation on L5/S1)have been off work for 2 months doing next to nothing, only walking, very light stretching and very light physio (and the meds) I am slowly getting better but it takes time. No cycling.To be honest i am only doing the physio because my job paid for it. No amount of physio in the world will get a disc extrusion back in (although there are positions that alleviate the pressure)

With the GP you will need to force it im afraid. His next step would be to refer you to a consultant and then epidural /MRI however i have it on very good authority that due to NHS cost cutting they are not referring as a matter of course. However go back and tell him its not getting better, the least he can do is up your medication.


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## doog (3 Sep 2011)

numbnuts said:


> Hi Doog
> brief history, damaged my spine in an accident had a laminectomy in 1989 cured pain, but left me incontinent.
> Now early last year lower back pain same place as laminectomy, November could not put up with it any more saw doctor, sent to hospital, sent to have a MRI scan, the results showed I have a 10mm prolapse disc L5/S1 I had two options epidural injection or surgery I chose epidural as it was the easiest, but now find out on the internet it is only short term pain relief, anyway I have to see another doctor before the epidural so may ask for surgery as that would sort it out for good.
> As for pain it starts off in lower back and travels down through buttock and then onto the back of the leg, over the last 4 weeks the lower leg gets pins and needles and numb in places.
> I can still cycle and use my kayak which amazed the doctor, but I have to take loads of painkillers before and after trips which I'm sure is not too good for the body



Your history is far worse than mine, however we have the same L5/S1 10mm herniation. Im holding off having an operation as blow me down with a feather things are improving. My worry is that being the same disc as before it may well happen again.


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## cjb (3 Sep 2011)

Don't go anywhere near the NHS with a sporting injury!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## jpb (4 Sep 2011)

i was in a road accident a few years ago and ended up doing my lower back in seriously. i have lower back pain constantly but the leg pain every now and then and not both at the same time. i have muscle damage down there which also causes pain in the left hamstring (so much so that its excruciating to just touch the back of the leg). i had a discectomy to remove a few discs but it made the sciatica worse. turned out i had a lot of nerve damage. i had some treatment called pulse frequency lesioning where they put a huge needle in your back next to the nerve and this emittes a radio frequency that gets rid of scar tissue on the nerve. Best thing i ever had as the leg pain went away after a few months. 

unfortunately...two years on and its back. sitting down for long periods will definatley make it worse. This thing has ruined my way of life and also my professional career. i must say though that before this happened i never cycled. i started cycling and it doesnt effect the pain what-so-ever (apart from the odd bug hill climb). cycling is a low impact sport and shouldn't make it any worse but things like running, walking,lifting and even standing or sitting for prolonged periods will cause it to hurt more. 

Cycling is great as it doesn't cause more pain and also keeps you fit. I'm not glad this happened as its completley screwed my life but saying that, i wouldn't of found cycling without it!


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## jpb (4 Sep 2011)

P.S unfortunately for me... surgery made it even worse as there is a risk so have a long hard think about what you want and don't rush into it.


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## cjb (4 Sep 2011)

jpb said:


> P.S unfortunately for me... surgery made it even worse as there is a risk so have a long hard think about what you want and don't rush into it.




I entirely agree with these sentiments.


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## doog (4 Sep 2011)

reiver said:


> I was already for the knife when pre op the neurosurgeon noticed some minor improvements, he convinced me not to have surgery; his opinion was, that for those who are likely to recover themselves, and he put me in that category, surgery can have amazing short term results, but on average those who opted not to have surgery will be better off after 3 or 4 years. I declined the op, 3 years on I am largely pain free so maybe I made the correct decision.




I have heard that as well. Apparently there is no little or long term difference between those who have had surgery and those who dont.

I have decided after prolapse 2 not to risk surgery. This time around I had the most amazing sciatica. It literally worked its way down my leg bit by bit. Every night at 3 am when the amitriptyline had worn off I would have to get up and apply an ice pack to the pain and every night it would be lower down my leg until after about 4 weeks I had the most unbelievable pain in my toes!!

I am back to work the week after next and will be on the bike soon after hopefully. I guess I will have to flip the bars to give me a more upright position. Its a right pain because I wanted to fit another tour in before October, cant see that happening now.


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## numbnuts (4 Sep 2011)

doog said:


> Every night at 3 am when the amitriptyline


I'm on those amitriptyline I take 75mg at night time been on them since 1989


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## spacecat (4 Sep 2011)

reiver said:


> Doog, Numbnuts Spacecat, we must organise a tour, the slipped disc audax :-) I'm sure we will find a few more entrants to join in. Hopefully it will not all be namby pamby LS/L5 Sciatica stuff, hopefully there will be some L5/L4 veterans who will know what real pain is
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Hahaha, the tour sounds like a great idea! Then if one of us suddenly needs to lie down everyone else will understand lol

I managed the pub last night with a few friends, after the meal I had to go and lie down in the back of the car for half an hour, ffs.

I have an appointment tomorrow for Bowen Therapy. Tis supposed to encourage your body to fix itself. Maybe a long shot, but will give it a go and report back. I know that its physical but I do believe in a large connection between mind and body with injuries.


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## cjb (4 Sep 2011)

reiver said:


> I was already for the knife when pre op the neurosurgeon noticed some minor improvements, he convinced me not to have surgery; his opinion was, that for those who are likely to recover themselves, and he put me in that category, surgery can have amazing short term results, but on average those who opted not to have surgery will be better off after 3 or 4 years. I declined the op, 3 years on I am largely pain free so maybe I made the correct decision.



I believe there is a saying that doctors use, which goes something like: "There is no medical condition which cannot be be made worse through surgery"


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## doog (4 Sep 2011)

numbnuts said:


> I'm on those amitriptyline I take 75mg at night time been on them since 1989



wow





I wont moan again.


I was only 2 x 10mg amitriptyline at night,perhaps thats why I kept waking up.

Im up for the tour, we can get Nurofen plus to sponsor us


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## jpb (4 Sep 2011)

A tour sounds awesome. 100 miles in 5 days as we'll need to keep resting lol!


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## Jimmy Doug (5 Sep 2011)

I've just come back from surgery - and am off work for two months at least. 
My back problems seemed to start after a freak toboggan accident. For years afterwards the docs would prescribe rest and paracetamol and that was it. Then, in January I had another attack, then another three months after, and another two weeks after that one. That's when I was prescribed an mri - which revealed a massive hernia in the lower disk. I saw one of the best surgeons in the area (I'm lucky!) and he basically said that surgery was absolutely necessary because otherwise I risk being paralyzed in later life. Interestingly for us here on a cycling forum, this surgeon not only told me that cycling was good for my back (so long as accompanied by stretching) but also he advised me not to cancel my tour of Greece but to go ahead. He was absolutely right. At no point during the Greek tour did I have any problems with my back, despite cycling 1500 kms with a height gain of 13000 metres! Overweight bosses should put that in their pipe and smoke it!
Now I have been ordered on the strongest terms not to twist my back, or bend it much or lift anything for the next three weeks at least. I'm also not allowed to go in a car for at least two weeks, stand still for any length of time or sit in a chair for too long. I also have to stay off my bike for a while. However, I should walk often (without pushing it, of course) and get out of bed. Going up and down stairs is no problem so long as I go slowly. He assures me that so long as I keep to these rules I shouldn't have any more back problems. 
Love the idea of the broken back tour!


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## spacecat (5 Sep 2011)

Hi guys,

Just back from my 1st Bowen treatment, er, was a little wierd to say the least. Will now wait to see if anything happens. I was in agony driving through early afternoon and though still in pain was able to sit normally in the car on the way back.

She said some of the muscles in my left leg had reduced in size quite a bit compared to the right. But she also reckoned that it wasn't a disk but muscular/tendons/ligaments where I felt the initial tear at, and said it was hamstring associated? One wierd thing that I did feel was my left calf muscle twitching quite a bit whilst lying on the table.

We shall see.


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## spacecat (11 Sep 2011)

So, have been off the bike for a week in an attempt to see if it made a difference, against my better judgement, I might add. It didn't so it ain't the bike. Perhaps it was an attempt to placate others! Note to self: must stop doing that.

Went to my sons house yesterday on it though. I was bloomin knackered when I got there. Just shows even 1 week off has an effect.


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## cyberknight (11 Sep 2011)

I also suffer from sciatica / piriformis pain in my left upper buttock/ lumbar region.

While i was on holiday for 2 weeks my cycling mileage remained similar as i fitted in 3 good rides but my symptoms eased and by the time i was back at work my pain had gone.
I have been back at work for 3 weeks now and the pain has started to manifest itself again as upper buttock pain with a little niggle in the lumbar region, i drive fork trucks for half a day and when reversing i sit looking over my left shoulder.This leads me to believe in my case that it is the sitting down for long periods that is aggravating my symptoms.

I do find my left buttock muscle to be tighter when stretching and these ones do help...



http://www.healingmassage.ca/piriformissyn.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/featherbed/5013664206/

http://www.finezzasoccer.com/dynamic-flexibility-vs-static-stretching-for-warm-up-3/

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/stretching/allstretches.php (gluteal stretches )


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## mr messy (12 Sep 2011)

I found when my footwear starts to wear out the sciatica starts to stab. I normally walk on outside of foot causing uneven sole/heal wear, subsequently the more wear, the bigger the miss-alignment, the more pain. New boots usually helps calm things down.


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## doog (29 Sep 2011)

Im back on the bike for the first time since the first week of July and my prolapsed disc drama. I did 30 miles yesterday and a 40 miler today. Im still on Naproxen and took paracetamol as well. No bad effects, beautiful day, fantastic to be back on the bike - the best medicine there is


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## jpb (30 Sep 2011)

bit of a weird question but need to know... does anyone also get the pain in the old family jewels? started to get it in that region on the right side even though its my left side that i get pain because of the prolapse.


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