Sciatica - My story and a question: How do YOU manage it?

[Appkiller]

Greetings! Long, semi-sad story is next, question at bottom.

I had been experiencing one of my infrequent flare-ups of a
mild to moderate sciatic condition when I took a header off
my bike at somewhere between 25 and 30 mph. I was on a group
ride coming down a hill. We had had a large amount of
rainfall recently and there were occasional sand washes
running out into the road. Sadly for me, a deep sand wash (4
- 6") became visible as we entered a shaded region from an
area of bright sunlight at the bottom of a hill.

Cyclists to my left, can't go that way. Deeper sand to the
right, not a good choice either. I tried to make it through
but being a roadie only, I wasn't aware that I should get my
weight back on the bike to get through it. Got launched onto
my left hip (the side with the sciatica) and hit there
first, luckily in the sand rather than on the pavement. So
the road rash was minimal, although I did slide for a
distance on my elbow before I rolled into a nice older
couple's lawn.

Got bandaged up, straightened out my handlebars and
shifters, and finished the ride (27 more miles). I finished
fairly well, averaging about 17 mph. As I felt fairly sore I
didn't ride until the following Sunday. Got out about 4
miles that day and felt terrible. My sciatica hadn't gotten
too bad and I was SORE with a giant bruise on my hip but all
in all, I felt as if I could ride. Not. Struggled back up
the hill to our house but was able to walk, move and bend
reasonably well. Monday morning (Memorial Day), however, was
another story. Woke at 5 a.m. due to a level of pain in my
left leg that had tears dripping from my eyes. Trip to ER,
shot of dilaudid and muscle relaxer and script for vicodin.

Ever since, I have been struggling with the managed care
system to get the treatment I need and the docs all agree I
need in a bad way. Oooops, sorry, we forgot to submit for
your pre-authorization for a spinal cortisone shot. Ooooops,
we're so sorry, we didn't read the insurance company's info,
you need an MRI for the pre-auth submission. Ooops, sorry,
we can't get you an MRI until the first week of July.
Ooooops, sorry, we can't get you in for your spinal til mid
July. The bastards are more than happy to throw opiates at
me but give me actual treatment? They think not.

I have received significant relief from a chiropracter but I
believe in the spinal (my father has sciatica too and he has
been pain free for five years after just one shot) and am
hopeful that the chiropractic care I have received won't
cause my MRI to show that the shot is unnecessary (in their
estimation).

On to my real question: what do you do to manage your
chronic pain and keep on the bike?

TIA

App, who kinda likes the opiate pain relief but understands
the inherent problems therewith.

 

[Horace]

"Appkiller" <[email protected]> wrote

<snip>

>
> On to my real question: what do you do to manage your
> chronic pain and keep on the bike?
>

My most recent bout of sciatica was caused by riding, early
in this training season. I stayed off the bike for 10 weeks,
and am just now getting back into training. I tried to ride
some, but found it just made things worse.

My leg pain is usually caused by a bulging lumbar disc, but
this time I suspect it was related to the piriformis muscle.
(Unfortunately, I did not get a confirmatory diagnosis prior
to pain cessation.)

For weeks I was able to manage my pain with ibuprphen. Then
I started taking synthetic morphine in addition. I finally
ended up getting an epidural shot of corticosteriods, which
took more than a week to kick in. I'm sure my pain doctor
would credit the epidural, but for 36 hours prior to
complete release of the sciatica, I was in great pain.

At any rate, my treatment was based on the long-standing
diagnosis of bulging disc. If it happens again, I'm going to
ask for a new MRI and PT.

FWIW, my advice to you is try to get a definite diagnosis! I
would have felt better knowing whether my recent problems
were due to a muscle injury or progressive disc
degeneration. Now that I'm pain-free, the doctors don't
seemt to care.

Horace

 

[Ian S]

"Appkiller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> On to my real question: what do you do to manage your
> chronic pain and keep on the bike?
>
After two years of steadily worsening sciatica and visits to
just about every kind of health care practitioner that deals
with such, I finally underwent disc surgery. That was over
two decades ago and I have been fine ever since except when
I do types of lifting that I shouldn't - then I have a
couple of days of mild sciatica which I guess is my body's
way of reminding me of what I should and should not do. It
actually wasn't until after my surgery that I became more a
more serious recreational rider and still do the occasional
century. I doubt your managed care will opt for surgery
unless you become totally incapacitated. It may be that your
sciatica will subside to a point where you can begin a daily
regimen of lower back and abdominal exercises to alleviate
recurrences. However, it is also possible that your accident
caused an actual disc rupture in which case you may
eventually have to undergo the knife. If so, a word of
advice: go with a surgeon who does nothing else but disc
surgery of the lower back. Mine was a neurosurgeon who did
nothing else. Orthopedic surgeons also do the surgery. BTW,
the worst part of the surgery was the preliminary myelogram
- where dye is injected into the spinal column to identify
on an Xray precisely where the disc rupture is - done 6
weeks before the surgery. I suspect that less invasive
diagnostics are used today. Good luck!

 

[Appkiller]

< (snip)
>
> FWIW, my advice to you is try to get a definite diagnosis!
> I would have felt better knowing whether my recent
> problems were due to a muscle injury or progressive disc
> degeneration. Now that I'm pain-free, the doctors don't
> seemt to care.
>
> Horace

Horace:

X-rays at the chiropracter (-or?) reveal a fine set of fat
and happy discs except for one just above the first sacral
vertebrae. Pinchy, pinchy. The crash resulted in a
triumvirate of injury: the impact kinda displaced things
and, along with the resultant swelling, manifested as a
sciatic pain experience that exceeded anything I have ever
experienced before, deeply painful bone and flesh bruises,
and weird looseness and clicking of joints.

Been on a bike only briefly since; I still putz with 'em in
the hope of riding again this fall (a planned trip to
Glacier in Montana) and ya gotta road test yer putzin'.

Good luck with yours.

App

 

[Mjr]

I am going to resist entering into a long dissertation
about what has helped me, only because I have become a
fanatic over the relief I have obtained, and damn, can I
rail on and on.......

In an effort to summarize my experience, I will say that I
have suffered from periodic sciatica for most of my 57
years. The pain lasts anywhere from 30 days to 120 days
before it subsides and I am able to get on with life like
normal people. Yes, I have had surgery to correct a
"bulging" disc, and it worked......for a while.

The next, post surgical bout, afflicted me in October of
2003.

A co-worker suggested an Inversion Machine, a device that
allowed me to hang partially upside down and expand the
spinal column.

At that point, the pain was so bad I would have tried a bowl
full of snakes and burning feathers to find a cure. So I
purchased an inversion machine.

Eight days later, I was pain free. Not 30 days later, not 90
days later.......eight.

How long has it been......Oct..Nov...Dec....9 friggin'
months later am I am pain free.

Draw your own conclusion, SweePee.

If you have a sciatica problem, a spinal compression
problem, try two minutes daily on a Inversion Table set at
45 degree........two minutes a day.

Feeeeeel the pull! Then, get up and continue with life.

My back is now fine.

"Appkiller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Greetings! Long, semi-sad story is next, question at
> bottom.
>
> I had been experiencing one of my infrequent flare-ups of
> a mild to moderate sciatic condition when I took a header
> off my bike at somewhere between 25 and 30 mph. I was on a
> group ride coming down a hill. We had had a large amount
> of rainfall recently and there were occasional sand washes
> running out into the road. Sadly for me, a deep sand wash
> (4 - 6") became visible as we entered a shaded region from
> an area of bright sunlight at the bottom of a hill.
>
> Cyclists to my left, can't go that way. Deeper sand to the
> right, not a good choice either. I tried to make it
> through but being a roadie only, I wasn't aware that I
> should get my weight back on the bike to get through it.
> Got launched onto my left hip (the side with the sciatica)
> and hit there first, luckily in the sand rather than on
> the pavement. So the road rash was minimal, although I did
> slide for a distance on my elbow before I rolled into a
> nice older couple's lawn.
>
> Got bandaged up, straightened out my handlebars and
> shifters, and finished the ride (27 more miles). I
> finished fairly well, averaging about 17 mph. As I felt
> fairly sore I didn't ride until the following Sunday. Got
> out about 4 miles that day and felt terrible. My sciatica
> hadn't gotten too bad and I was SORE with a giant bruise
> on my hip but all in all, I felt as if I could ride. Not.
> Struggled back up the hill to our house but was able to
> walk, move and bend reasonably well. Monday morning
> (Memorial Day), however, was another story. Woke at 5 a.m.
> due to a level of pain in my left leg that had tears
> dripping from my eyes. Trip to ER, shot of dilaudid and
> muscle relaxer and script for vicodin.
>
> Ever since, I have been struggling with the managed care
> system to get the treatment I need and the docs all agree
> I need in a bad way. Oooops, sorry, we forgot to submit
> for your pre-authorization for a spinal cortisone shot.
> Ooooops, we're so sorry, we didn't read the insurance
> company's info, you need an MRI for the pre-auth
> submission. Ooops, sorry, we can't get you an MRI until
> the first week of July. Ooooops, sorry, we can't get you
> in for your spinal til mid July. The bastards are more
> than happy to throw opiates at me but give me actual
> treatment? They think not.
>
> I have received significant relief from a chiropracter but
> I believe in the spinal (my father has sciatica too and he
> has been pain free for five years after just one shot) and
> am hopeful that the chiropractic care I have received
> won't cause my MRI to show that the shot is unnecessary
> (in their estimation).
>
> On to my real question: what do you do to manage your
> chronic pain and keep on the bike?
>
> TIA
>
> App, who kinda likes the opiate pain relief but
> understands the inherent problems therewith.

 

[Horace]

"Appkiller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> :< (snip)
>
> X-rays at the chiropracter (-or?) reveal a fine set of fat
> and happy discs except for one just above the first sacral
> vertebrae. Pinchy, pinchy. The crash resulted in a
> triumvirate of injury: the impact kinda displaced things
> and, along with the resultant swelling, manifested as a
> sciatic pain experience that exceeded anything I have ever
> experienced before, deeply painful bone and flesh bruises,
> and weird looseness and clicking of joints.
>

I feel your pain. With my worst ever episode I was laid up
in bed, immobile, for three days. Lower back pain/spasms,
plus sciatica, and what the neurologists call "drop foot"
(where the foot of the affected leg cannot be raised). This
recent episode only became that painful at the very end.

> Been on a bike only briefly since; I still putz with 'em
> in the hope of riding again this fall (a planned trip to
> Glacier in Montana) and ya gotta road test yer putzin'.
>

Same with me. I can ride 45 minutes now with no trouble,
but I'm still nervous. I want to try a metric century in
early fall.

> Good luck with yours.
>

And yours, too.

Horace

 

[Michael J . Kle]

On 26 Jun 2004 05:51:18 -0700, [email protected] (Appkiller) wrote:

>Greetings! Long, semi-sad story is next, question at
>bottom.

<snip>

>On to my real question: what do you do to manage your
>chronic pain and keep on the bike?

I blew a disc and I went down for about a year and a half. I
couldn't walk for the first month. Physical Therapy helped
me and made it possible for me to make a comeback to
physical activity. I did not have surgery. Today, at 48 and
about 10 years later, I'm still doing well. Perhaps the
biggest benefit of PT is that you will learn the proper body
mechanics of lifting and moving so that you never injure
yourself again. I attended back school on a stretcher,
unable to walk. During the entire class I kept remarking
that had I known the information beforehand, I never would
have injured myself in the first place. Proper exercise will
restore functionality and reduce pain.

I hope you feel better soon. I can relate....

Michael J. Klein [email protected] Dasi Jen, Taoyuan
Hsien, Taiwan, ROC Please replace mousepotato with
asiancastings
---------------------------------------------

 

[David Kerber]

In article
<[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...

...

> I have received significant relief from a chiropracter but
> I believe in the spinal (my father has sciatica too and he
> has been pain free for five years after just one shot) and
> am hopeful that the chiropractic care I have received
> won't cause my MRI to show that the shot is unnecessary
> (in their estimation).
>
> On to my real question: what do you do to manage your
> chronic pain and keep on the bike?

My sciatica wasn't nearly as severe as you describe yours,
but I found that once I got moving and got the joint warmed
up, the pain mostly went away while I was pedaling. For me,
the worst things were getting up out of a chair, and working
the clutch of my van.

Basically I took Aleve for its anti-inflammatory
properties to promote long-term healing (the pain relief
was minimal) and put up with it for 6 or 8 weeks until it
finally went away.

--
Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in
the newsgroups if possible).

 

[Smokey]

I am living with degenerative disc disease brought on by
many years of hard manual work and a motorcycle accident in
1996. My L3, L4, L5, and S1 discs are less than half their
original thickness and I have daily pain, ranging from
moderate to debilitating. I had to change careers and give
up my job as a motorcycle service manager and technician
and now have a home based business. After the accident, I
went through extensive physical therapy, using weight
machines. It helped for a while, then the pain came back
and got progressively worse, due to arthritis. I have a
hyperextension bench here at home that I use three times a
week (when I'm able to) and it helps control the pain. The
other thing that really helps is riding my bike. My
orthopedist says it's due to the increased blood flow to
the damaged areas. Halfway through each ride, I stop and do
some stretches for my hamstrings, lower back, calves, and
quadriceps. I also stretch at home and do some mild yoga
exercises, usually in the evening while watching TV. That
and painkillers has made my life bearable again. The other
thing that is really important is your position on the
bike. For me, having the bars level with the saddle works
best. I have read posts in here from other riders who say
lowering their bars was the answer, you have to find out
what's best for you. Pushing big gears on hills is a bad
idea because this increases stress on your lower back (and
your knees). The main thing is to remain active, becoming a
couch potato is the worst thing you can do. Riding your
bike helps control your weight and will also help cheer you
up on the bad days. Some of the things that did very little
to help my pain long-term were epidural shots, cortisone,
and an electronic procedure they use to deaden the nerves
(forgot what they call it). Hang in there and keep a good
mental outlook, that's another key. Hope things go well for
you. Smokey

[email protected] (Appkiller) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Greetings! Long, semi-sad story is next, question at
> bottom.
>
> I had been experiencing one of my infrequent flare-ups of
> a mild to moderate sciatic condition when I took a header
> off my bike at somewhere between 25 and 30 mph. I was on a
> group ride coming down a hill. We had had a large amount
> of rainfall recently and there were occasional sand washes
> running out into the road. Sadly for me, a deep sand wash
> (4 - 6") became visible as we entered a shaded region from
> an area of bright sunlight at the bottom of a hill.
>
> Cyclists to my left, can't go that way. Deeper sand to the
> right, not a good choice either. I tried to make it
> through but being a roadie only, I wasn't aware that I
> should get my weight back on the bike to get through it.
> Got launched onto my left hip (the side with the sciatica)
> and hit there first, luckily in the sand rather than on
> the pavement. So the road rash was minimal, although I did
> slide for a distance on my elbow before I rolled into a
> nice older couple's lawn.
>
> Got bandaged up, straightened out my handlebars and
> shifters, and finished the ride (27 more miles). I
> finished fairly well, averaging about 17 mph. As I felt
> fairly sore I didn't ride until the following Sunday. Got
> out about 4 miles that day and felt terrible. My sciatica
> hadn't gotten too bad and I was SORE with a giant bruise
> on my hip but all in all, I felt as if I could ride. Not.
> Struggled back up the hill to our house but was able to
> walk, move and bend reasonably well. Monday morning
> (Memorial Day), however, was another story. Woke at 5 a.m.
> due to a level of pain in my left leg that had tears
> dripping from my eyes. Trip to ER, shot of dilaudid and
> muscle relaxer and script for vicodin.
>
> Ever since, I have been struggling with the managed care
> system to get the treatment I need and the docs all agree
> I need in a bad way. Oooops, sorry, we forgot to submit
> for your pre-authorization for a spinal cortisone shot.
> Ooooops, we're so sorry, we didn't read the insurance
> company's info, you need an MRI for the pre-auth
> submission. Ooops, sorry, we can't get you an MRI until
> the first week of July. Ooooops, sorry, we can't get you
> in for your spinal til mid July. The bastards are more
> than happy to throw opiates at me but give me actual
> treatment? They think not.
>
> I have received significant relief from a chiropracter but
> I believe in the spinal (my father has sciatica too and he
> has been pain free for five years after just one shot) and
> am hopeful that the chiropractic care I have received
> won't cause my MRI to show that the shot is unnecessary
> (in their estimation).
>
> On to my real question: what do you do to manage your
> chronic pain and keep on the bike?
>
> TIA
>
> App, who kinda likes the opiate pain relief but
> understands the inherent problems therewith.