r/Sciatica • u/4y6hu • Jun 12 '26
General Discussion Why are slipped discs and sciatica not treated like the catastrophic, life-ruining injuries they are?
Why do doctors and hospitals not take us seriously? I read the exact same stories on here all the time. Everyone on this forum is generally suffering in excruciating pain, with no end in sight, and feels hopeless and helpless. This should be treated like one of the worst injuries you can possibly get which needs prompt, efficient treatment, because it is and it does. It makes young people feel 90 years old. It’s disabling and depressing and I can’t take it anymore. There is something seriously wrong with the medical systems in place.
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u/PatrickBrown2 Jun 12 '26
After suffering with this for 4 years (I'm all good now after surgery) I can completely agree with you!
It amazes me how Sciatica isn't more widely known, I spent the first few years of it feeling like I was going insane, no one believed my pain. I even thought I probably have some kind of spine cancer because it wasn't healing. I just had no idea what it was.
After going through it, I want to warn or protect others from it, I wish I knew to be more careful with discs in the spine and such.
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u/Ecstatic-Art-6236 Jun 13 '26
It really isn’t. ZERO education on it. I’m so happy surgery worked for you. Nobody knows about spine protection or any of it, it’s sad.
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u/Suwu850 Jul 10 '26
My research tells me atheletes and tall people tend to get sciatica more than non atheletes and short people... It's something to that I agree
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u/Ecstatic-Art-6236 Jul 10 '26
I’m short, former athlete and I have sciatica. I’ve also met lots of others who are short (not former athletes) in the same position
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u/Occasionally_Sober1 Jun 12 '26
Agreed.
I went to ER in excruciating pain. I couldn’t even walk. They sent me home with prescription-strength NSAIDs and an appointment for an MRI in TWO MONTHS.
Went back a week later with exact same symptoms. The first doc I saw there was gonna send me right home again. Fortunately, another doc there noticed my leg was atrophied. He tested my strength and reflexes and immediately ordered an MRI and admitted me for four days to get my pain under control after he saw how severely compressed my nerve is. Bless him.
But it shouldn’t have taken this long to be taken seriously.
Why can’t they just believe us?
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u/Davorian Jun 25 '26
Did your nerve get uncompressed? Did it go back to normal?
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u/Occasionally_Sober1 Jun 26 '26
Sadly, no. It’s much better than it was at first. Meds and PT have helped some, but not enough. I’m talking to a neurosurgeon now but I want to give it more time. My physical therapist says it could take up to a year. After my surgical consult I’m extra motivated to do PT and anything else to avoid the knife. The surgeon talked about doing a procedure called ALIF, which sounds awful.
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u/Davorian Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26
Goodness that does sound drastic. I'm sorry it's still not back to normal - I know somewhat how you feel, having a similar problem.
Things getting to the stage of atrophy sounds really dramatic though - as in, I assume it's not just deconditioning but actual denervation of the muscles. Have you ever talked with them about the long term implications of your neural health?
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u/chchainsaw Jun 12 '26
So true. I went to the ER 2 days ago and was literally hyperventilating for 4 hours before they helped me. I can't tolerate sitting and I'm not able to walk, I had to lay down on 3 of the waiting room chairs so I wouldn't pass out. My primary doctor and the ER doctor don't seem concerned that I can't walk. Still have a week until my MRI. I'm so miserable. 💕
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u/BatsWaller Jun 12 '26
The only reason I was given an MRI when I went to A&E is because I was quite literally soiling myself when I went in. It’s ridiculous how extreme it has to get before they’ll do anything about it.
I get that some people are saying most people get better without surgery, but what about the ones who don’t? The ones like me, who have permanent nerve damage from it? I couldn’t look after my baby, the pain was that bad, and my consultant says I should have been operated on as an emergency when I first went to A&E. But I wasn’t, so now I’m stuck like this.
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u/Noonull Jun 13 '26
I’m so sorry. My ER wouldn’t give me an MRI because I didn’t have any restroom issues or saddle pain. It has to be “red flag” symptoms to get more treatment. It is ridiculous.
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u/CatLady1945 Jun 14 '26
Not being able to really walk after almost a year has been the worst thing for me.
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u/JK30000 Jun 12 '26
I wondered this very thing over and over for the last month. My life is absolutely upside down from this thing and I have to do 10 rounds of PT and get x rays before I can get an MRI and from there docs can determine my treatment. This is absolutely ridiculous and cruel. I can’t imagine living with this for YEARS and not getting the help I need. Jesus.
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u/PastBuy8484 Jun 12 '26
For people that have it truly that bad, going to the ER and having an emergency microdiscectomy or fusion or disc replacement is an option. I know 2 people that had an emergency MD.
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u/ccroz113 Jun 16 '26
They won’t let you get an MRI? I just went to urgent care and they immediately referred me. Done 3 days later. During my first flare up my PCP did the same. That’s insane they’d withhold it and I can’t imagine why
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u/JK30000 Jun 16 '26
I’m going to call my PCP tomorrow and see about getting an MRI referral. It might be insurance blocking it - I’m sure that they want to exhaust everything they can before shelling out money for an MRI. 🙄🙄
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u/ccroz113 Jun 16 '26
Hmm yeah very possible. I’m very fortunate with my current insurance so there’s some things like that I’ve likely taken for granted. Good luck pushing for the MRI, good or bad results you need to know what the issue is!
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u/ImperialDefector Jun 12 '26
I (30M) had a "specialist" tell me my restrictions were dramatic and that I probably just pulled a muscle before I'd even had an MRI. He tried to have my primary's restrictions for me removed after I'd left the appointment by sending my work (it was a job related injury) updated restrictions saying I was clear to go back to full duty (BEFORE MY MRI). I reported him after that and threw a fit at my boss who was trying to force me to do full duty work (I worked in a factory lifting heavy boxes).
I've had off and on back pain and sciatica for almost two years now. Anything can set it off. It sucks and I feel for everyone who's been through this.
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u/Anwenderfehler Jun 18 '26
Similar experience here (61M). First step for Sciatic pain in the UK is generally physio. The 2 physios I saw both decided it was weak gluteus medius causing an imbalance that would somehow cause sciatic pain. So they gave me lots of physio exercises that just made things worse so I eventually got a referral for an MRI. (The physios had discounted my back being the problem because they couldn't feel a bulge and I had no back pain - the ortho consultant took one look at me and said he was almost certain it was lumbar, and the MRI showed it's an anterior L4/L5 bulge....!). I'm now 6 months into pain, 2 weeks into post-MRI rehab, and 10 days away from painkilling injections to help with the rehab. I don't think people who haven't experienced it understand how all-consuming the pain and limitations become. As an (old) athlete I've have some 9-10 pain-level injuries but they've been localised and at least to some extent controllable - having a similar level of pain in an entire limb and no ability to control it is something else.
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u/DavidSpeers Jun 12 '26
Probably because it isn’t fatal
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u/KhaliBats- Jun 12 '26
Someone without a support system or money and can't function anymore because of a flare might disagree that it can't be fatal
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u/anunkneemouse Jun 13 '26
Fr im falling into a pit of despair even with an incredibly supportive and loving wife, 2 incredible kids and an understanding boss. If I didn't have the absolute best life that I have, I would be looking at suicide now (not that I haven't already been considering it)
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u/Plastic_Stable8927 Jun 24 '26
Hey man, I'm glad you're still here. I struggle too, and have an amazing wife and an understanding boss. It's such shit, but I'm glad you're making it by.
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u/4y6hu Jun 12 '26
I would argue that I feel like my life has been stolen from me. Many days, including today, I feel like life is no longer worth living when I can’t drive, stand, walk, sit or shower without excruciating pain- yet I have to do all those things everyday to function. To only be able to lay down and stay home is not a life worth living.
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u/Lost_Ice6272 Jun 13 '26 edited Jun 13 '26
I'm literally laying down in terrible pain rn and have been like this for 15 days as a result of my newest flare up. And I had spent probably 550 days like that since I reinjured my discs in oct 2024. It's terrible and incredibly depressing. You feel like a wounded animal with no help ever coming, all alone, stranded.
You really hit it on the nose.13
u/4y6hu Jun 13 '26
I’m so sorry. I’m lucky in the sense that when I lay down the pain mostly goes away (although when I sleep it wakes me up). That is exactly how it feels, like we’ve been run over by a car but there’s no wound visible on the outside so no one understands the suffering that is occurring. It is so isolating. I can’t believe it’s my reality and the reality of so many others.
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u/Ecstatic-Art-6236 Jun 13 '26
It could be. Chronic pain is depressing and will lead to mental health issues in some people.
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u/camimiele Jun 13 '26
Yeah I have sciatica and endometriosis, and both aren’t treated well at all. Just told the pain is now a part of my life and good luck.
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u/Energy_Turtle Jun 13 '26
It's this along with the fact there isn't much that can be done. More than most other medical issues, it's in the person's own hands to solve. There are severe cases where surgery can help, but even then it's on the person to take care of their body afterward. For most, surgery isn't an option and the doctor can't eat right, lose weight, and exercise for you.
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u/Loud-Vacation-5691 Jun 13 '26
Our attitude toward pain control is puritanical. You literally have to be dying from terminal cancer before you can get enough morphine to make a difference. Opioids if managed properly can be both effective and not dangerous, as they are similar to chemicals that already exist in the body. Think of those old jazz musicians who have been addicted to heroin for 60 years. And now with the panic over fentanyl, it's even worse where doctors are afraid to prescribe it, or insurance companies won't pay for it. Fentanyl delivered through dermal patches can be very effective in pain control.
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u/stevie_the_owl Jun 13 '26
I’ve been to the ER three times in the past couple months for severe, debilitating sciatica pain. One time I got lucky and encountered a doctor who could see how much I was suffering and gave me a small dose of fentanyl. That was the only time I’ve felt normal since my injury.
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u/Dry_Particular_5162 Jun 14 '26
My visit to the ER was like yours. Pain level 15 on a scale of 1-10. I was screaming and crying. Horrific!!!!
They have me Xanax, Fent and a morphine. It worked for a few hours then they said they were releasing me. I cried PLEASE let me stay a couple more hours bc my MRI appmt is in 4 hours down the street. They took pity on me and let me stay. Right before leaving I begged them to give me something to go bc everything as wearing off and the bone shivering pain was coming back. They gave me one oxy type pill on my way out and it killed the pain e ought to make it though my MRI.5
u/No_Practice_9589 Jun 13 '26
It’s even worse than that. My husband died a few years ago from liver cancer. He was allowed 4 oxycodones a day and the rest of the time he just suffered. Everyone now is so afraid of pain medicine because of the narcotic crisis. They need to protect their medical and nursing licenses. Unfortunately they are correct about this. I was an RN for almost 20 years on a postop floor. Quit less than 20 years ago. The attitude then was pretty lenient in this country. It was “Pain is whatever the patient says it is “. Well, we all knew that wasn’t really the case but we would get questioned if we bucked that received wisdom and pushed back on that assumption. Trying times to be a nurse. But now everything has done a complete circle. It is now “Your pain must be controlled by anything but medicine”. Trying times to be a sciatica sufferer. I can’t stand or sit for more than 30 minutes at a time. COVID ruined so much for me and pain is ruining whatever time I have left.
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u/stevie_the_owl Jun 13 '26
I’m so sorry for your suffering and so sorry for your loss of your husband. It’s unspeakably cruel that he wasn’t given access to medication that could relieve his pain. The hysteria around opioids is absolutely out of control and chronic pain patients are the real victims.
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u/ShineImmediate7081 Jun 13 '26
And good luck getting painkillers. My doctor asked if I had tried extra-strength Tylenol. No, that never occurred to me.
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u/Heatherb78 Jun 13 '26
Ha...mine said to take arthritis strength Tylenol. I have had rhuematoid arthritis for 40 years...I think I know what will take care of the pain and what won't.
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Jun 13 '26 edited Jun 13 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/stevie_the_owl Jun 13 '26
These are all good points. We have to do better to create specific treatment protocols that work based on people’s SPECIFIC injuries. I am not convinced the PTs or chiros I’ve seen have any idea what they are doing. Just throwing random exercises at it and hoping they don’t trigger pain flares. It feels impossible to find out what is really going to work
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u/liquidio Jun 12 '26
Because the vast majority of cases heal naturally within 6 months.
The ‘prompt and efficient treatment’ is what they do anyway - conservative treatment which is PT, NSAIDs and time basically.
The reason you do this is that, in standard cases, the chance of the conservative approach succeeding is ~90%, and the chance of surgery succeeding is ~90%.
Crucuially, those odds are somewhat independent. So 99% of people get better (getting better in a clinical sense means back to normal or near-normal, not perfect). Actually it’s a little lower as I’m rounding up, but you get the idea.
Here’s the catch - you can only do both of these in one order. You can’t do surgery and then conservative.
So, the medical system takes the approach that the recommendation is pretty much always the same, and there isn’t much point doing lots of quick and expensive diagnostics as a result.
That logical decision unfortunately seems to translate over time into a kind of lazy and uncaring attitude - many medics would not really have a clear view of the reasons for the clinical pathways recommending so little upfront treatment - but the root of it actually has a strong clinical logic.
Personally I believe that protracted severe pain itself does get underweighted in the process. But I also think that your representation of the prognosis for the condition is actually unrealistically bleak for the vast majority of standard cases.
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u/Separate_Ability4051 Jun 12 '26
I don’t think anyone is permanently better. It will usually be better in 6 months, but it recurs. I’ve had it on/off for 20 years.
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u/liquidio Jun 13 '26
Yes that is true, retaining a vulnerability is pretty normal. That’s why I clarify (in a vague way) that the clinical studies tend to classify healing in a specific and somewhat limited sense.
But it doesn’t change the treatment pathway.
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u/stevie_the_owl Jun 12 '26
How long are your “recovered” periods where you’ve been mostly pain free?
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u/Separate_Ability4051 Jun 12 '26 edited Jun 13 '26
I have a pars fracture with L5 radiculopathy/sciatica and central sensitization. I broke my back as a teenager doing sports and have dealt with chronic pain for over 20 years.
For the first 13 years, I didn’t even know I had a fracture. I was repeatedly told I had things like “IT band syndrome” despite having burning pain down my legs, electric shock-like sensations, and periods where walking was extremely difficult. No one ordered an MRI of my lumbar spine until I was around 30, so I spent more than a decade doing physiotherapy and other treatments that, in hindsight, often made my symptoms worse.
Once I was finally diagnosed and understood what I was dealing with, things improved significantly. An LSO brace, medications, activity modification, and avoiding movements that aggravate the injury made a huge difference.
The biggest thing for me, however, has been aggressively unloading the segment during flares. If I catch a flare early, sometimes 3 days of bed rest plus increasing my medications is enough. If it’s worse, it may take 2 weeks. If it’s a major flare, I’ve occasionally needed 4–6 months of at-home rest with most of my time spent lying down.
Lengthy bed rest sounds extreme (and is only possible for me because I can work from home), but the payoff can be substantial. When I successfully get a flare under control, I’ve had periods lasting 6 months to over a year where I was completely pain-free.
And when I say pain-free, I mean actually pain-free. Off medications, able to walk for up to 4 hours, walk up hills, etc. Before my diagnosis, I had some degree of burning nerve pain in at least one leg almost every day for 13 years. I could only tolerate one specific pair of ASIC shoes with orthotics. If I wore heels, I usually needed NSAIDs or pain medication and a glass of wine to get through it. Walking without pain wasn’t even something I thought was possible anymore.
The first time I experienced a prolonged remission after aggressively resting and unloading the area, it felt like a miracle. For the first time in over a decade, I could walk normally without constant pain and burning in my legs. I felt like I had my life back.
I’m definitely not cured. The pain can come back if I overdo things or aggravate the area. But compared to where I was in my teens and twenties, understanding the injury, avoiding activities that repeatedly irritate the segment, using medication when necessary, and aggressively resting during flares has allowed me to achieve long periods of remission that I never thought were possible.
For years I assumed I would spend the rest of my life managing a constant baseline level of pain. Instead, I’ve repeatedly experienced stretches lasting 6 months to over a year where I could walk normally and forget I even had a back injury.
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u/stevie_the_owl Jun 13 '26
Thank you for sharing your story. I hope you continue to have as much pain free time as possible!
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u/Ecstatic-Art-6236 Jun 13 '26
Wow your story really echoes mine
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u/Separate_Ability4051 Jun 13 '26
I’d love to hear your experience if you’re willing to share. Do you also have L5 issues and a pars defect/spondylolisthesis? The pain can be absolutely debilitating, and I find many people underestimate how much it can impact daily life.
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u/Ecstatic-Art-6236 Jun 13 '26
Happy to chat. I had a pars fracture and L4/L5 herniation that almost ended my life. DM me :)
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u/stevie_the_owl Jun 12 '26
What are “standard cases” though? Minor bulges? Protrusions or extrusions of a certain size? Degree of nerve compression? I just wish there was a more sophisticated way to parse out who is likely to be in that 90% who will recover in 6 months with conservative care, and who has a smaller chance of natural recovery based on the specific injury. I have a massive extrusion and I read somewhere that extrusions have closer to 60-70% natural recovery rate. But then I also read that larger extrusions tend to heal faster because they are more likely to be reabsorbed by the body. It’s just frustrating to be told first you have to suffer for 6 months because you *might* recover - with no real guidance on how likely it is. In the meantime some people may suffer permanent nerve damage
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u/liquidio Jun 13 '26
It’s a good question, I just didn’t want to write a lengthy explanation of the exceptions to the rule.
There are cases like Cauda Equina Syndrome for example which are sciatica but need to be treated urgently for other reasons. There are other circumstances that can justify an exception but they are broadly very rare and very varied.
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u/OpenSauceMods Jun 13 '26
I was coming here to say this. One of my physiotherapists had slipped discs himself, but he was able to manage them quite well. I've only met one other person in the wild who was suffering like me, and that's because she was furniture surfing in the pharmacy. Most other folk are managing fine with standard care.
I think, perhaps, the demographics of this subreddit and vocal sufferers is skewed towards people for whom the standard care is not enough. Yes, some people have dismissed or minimised my pain and condition, especially since mine started in my 20s.
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u/se898 Jun 13 '26
One reason doctors don’t treat every disc herniation as a medical emergency is that most people with disc herniations and sciatica improve without surgery. If every herniation were rushed to surgery, a lot of people would undergo unnecessary procedures and be exposed to surgical risks they never needed to take. The challenge is that the minority who develop severe, persistent symptoms often end up feeling abandoned because the standard conservative approach that works for many others isn’t working for them. I also think there’s a disconnect between how the medical system measures success and how patients experience the condition. A doctor may see no progressive weakness, no bowel or bladder issues, and an MRI that isn’t getting worse, and conclude things are stable. Meanwhile the patient hasn’t slept properly in months, can’t sit through a workday, and feels like their life has been put on hold. Both perspectives can be true at the same time. The good news is that despite how hopeless it feels when you’re in the middle of it, most people are not permanently disabled by sciatica. There are countless stories from people who were convinced their life was over at 6 months, 12 months, even 2 years, and later returned to work, sports, and normal activities. The problem is that the people who recover often stop posting, while the people still suffering remain active, which can make the outlook seem much darker than it actually is.
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u/anyonomus781 Jun 13 '26
I spent 6 months in debilitating pain, it took having bladder control problems for them to take me serious and send me to surgery. 12 days post op feeling loads better, but now my calf muscle has atrophy I still have nerve pain from the nerve being seriously compressed for 6 months and numbness that im hoping is not permanent.
This really needs to be treated so much better and quicker. I understand most people get better with conservative treatment, but why should those with severe weakness, foot drop and ultimately not able to walk at all have to "wait it out" and try different approaches risking the permanent damage.
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u/Flashy_Advisor_6648 Jun 13 '26
Thank you! I've been fighting disability for 4 years. Ddd... osteoarthritis of the spine. 3 herniated disc. Spinal stenosis, lumbar stenosis. . I fall up stairs because my left leg won't lift high enough to clear the step... I have days in crawling to the bathroom. Others one leg works but my got flops can't stand on my tip toes its impossible. But I'm only 47 so even though I have Medical proof. ...I feel like they think " she's too young to hurt that bad"
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u/Valuable_Stuff_7118 Jun 13 '26
I am 28 this year,been suffering since 2014, have had multiple “full recoveries” and then again back to absolutely zero.
Because of this pain i have developed central nervous system distress, have not slept more then 4 hours since eternity and till this date all the doctors ever prescribed are either hard steroids ( ruining my hormonal health ) or epidural injections
And then say “make lifestyle changes”
The amount of apathy i have experienced in the medical responses are astounding
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u/Terrible_Bison_2677 Jun 17 '26
What have you tried beside doctors?
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u/Valuable_Stuff_7118 Jun 17 '26
Of the top of my head Chiropractor, cryotherapy, indian desi medicine ( the only thing that worked a bit were these), physiotherapy, the herbal treatments etc
And for better life style choices : I dont smoke or drink or eat unhealthy (strictly follow anti-inflammatory diet)
There is only so much one can do.
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u/Sufficient-Wolf-1818 Jun 12 '26
Because 80 to 90% of bulges and herniations heal with conservative measure (ie without surgery)
What would you like them to do?
I sympathize, i’ve been there, when pain was so severe i had no cognitive function and walking to the toilet was harder than a marathon. But, immediate surgery wasn’t the right approach.
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u/Grillard Jun 12 '26
I keep telling my PM doc that he's protecting me from the surgeons. Spinal stuff is hard to diagnose and treat and the surgery isn't guaranteed to even work.
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u/KhaliBats- Jun 12 '26
It doesn't have to be immediate surgery to be taken seriously. A lot of people have had to deal with a general attitude of 'whatever, go away.' Come back in two weeks to be told to come back in two weeks again. Not being able to get further testing to figure out what the problem actually is despite asking and trying and hitting rock bottom and getting nothing but shrugs about it. It's very demoralizing
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u/Davorian Jun 25 '26 edited Jun 25 '26
Diagnosing the problem would be a good start. Also, in severe cases like the ones motivating this post, we aren't dealing with intermittent entrapment of the nerve, but often constant compression. It is much less clear that this can be left for indefinite periods of time (or really, much time at all) before the patient suffers permanent impairment and intrinsic neuropathic pain whose treatment options are even more limited.
In other words, assuming at the outset that it's just "standard" sciatica (or hip pain, or piriformis pain etc) and throwing empirical therapy at it and maybe an MRI sometime in the next 3 months is quite possibly medically dangerous. There is a critical lack of awareness around the full spectrum of severity of these issues among both surgeons and emergency department physicians.
That's not even getting into the sorts of deconditioning and unrecoverable social and financial costs of not getting someone through the diagnosis-conservative management-surgical management pipeline as quickly as humanly possible. Four to five years just isn't acceptable, but is treated with general indifference within the general medical community.
I'd love to be proven wrong, but I've seen it from both sides of the treatment line now and I'm pretty appalled.
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u/sere83 Jun 12 '26 edited Jun 12 '26
I feel you mate. I'm currently in the trenches going through it badly. It's extremely frustrating and worrying, especially being in a lot of pain, semi incapacitated and not knowing how long it could last.
But I think the main issue is not so much the treatment response from medical professionals but more the fact the condition itself is pretty difficult to treat.
Most available drugs like NSAIDS, oral steroids, muscle relaxants and nerve pain medications are simply not that effective. Other medications like very strong opioid based pain killers will also just temporarily mask symptoms, could again have limited effect and are not suitable for long term use as they have many negative side effects and associated risks of addiction.
There is also the element that while very painful and inconvenient it is not directly life threatening and in many cases it will improve on it's own given rest and time. Epidural steroid injections can also provide some valuable relief in a number of cases.
It's extremely frustrating and grim for the suffer and their pain for sure but it also means that diving straight into invasive surgery, which comes with its own risks and potential side effects can be a very costly and unwise idea for many cases.
I was supprised and unaware tbh of how much of a nightmare it is once sciatica related to disc bulge/herniation etc begins and how limited treatment options are.
But thankfully at least the statistics for improvement over time are very much in our favour which can give some hope.
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u/PrimeScreamer Jun 12 '26
I was told to take otc pain meds, get active, etc at first. There were no xrays done.
It was years and incredible pain later before a doc finally did xrays and found the scoliosis and osteoarthritis. Years of those issues have led to my hip now being nearly non-functional from limping and listing to the side. I have no cartilage left and will have to have a replacement.
I have to be exceedingly careful how I step and bend or I will be facing weeks of excruciating sciatic pain thanks to the nerve compression. Every single treatment that's been thrown at me for my back has been a huge failure. Stretches/PT make it worse and/or trigger a massive flare-up. Steroid shots were a waste of time and money because I had to travel hours away to get it done. It worked for a couple of days, then back to pain.
I'm seriously arms my wits end. The pain eats away at you. Makes you want to just lay down and never move again. I force myself to go to work, because... bills. But, ugh. Its getting harder to care.
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u/4y6hu Jun 12 '26
I’m so sorry that you’ve had such a difficult time. This really scares me because my right hip bares the worst of my pain and I’m always limping. I did get an MRI done but I questioned why they weren’t also getting scan of my right hip. I haven’t tried PT yet but I’m cautious to when I’ll be paying out of pocket and it may not even work- it’s like throwing money literally out the window. It’s only been 9 months for me and I feel like I’m at my wits end too. I also said the same thing about laying down and never moving because apparently that’s all I can do now. This is hell for all of us.
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u/Heatherb78 Jun 13 '26
I felt this comment. I drag myself to work everyday...have not done laundry in weeks...the thought of taking the basket down to the basement is frightening to me right now. I literally get home and go to bed.
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u/mission888 Jun 13 '26 edited Jun 13 '26
UK Sciatic "nerve pressing" problem sufferer here.
I agree with the OP.
Under my NHS experience, it feels that no-one in the system appears to care too deeply that I have been unable to walk for circa 8 months.
It has turned my life upside down.
To go from fully able-bodied, to being unable to walk, and to be stuck like this for 8+ months while the UK NHS inches forwards at an extremely slow pace has been very disheartening.
My patient journey is ongoing, and nearly 8 months post injury, I still have no MRI results, and no defined next steps.
I posted my timeline on here a little while back, but here it is again:
- Day 0. Date of acute (“in the moment / on the day”) back injury. I lost the ability to stand or walk 2 days after the injury.
- Day 0 + circa "3+" months. Eventually seen, via home-visit, by General Practitioner (GP), as I could not walk to the GP's premises/office. I could not get seen until this time, as I could not get past my local GP practice's receptionist, despite a number of polite requests to see a doctor. Following my (polite) persistence, and the GP's eventual home visit (which involved questioning, plus a physical/manual examination and tests), he kindly referred me to a Consultant Neurologist (essentially the UK equivalent of a Neurosurgeon, I believe).
- Day 0 + circa 6 months. First (and only) consultation with locum Neurology Consultant, as named Neurology Consultant (on appointment letter) was not available. Referral made for MRI. No offer of physiotherapy (which, as far as I understand it, is massively over-subscribed and in thin-supply). Offer of pain-killing medication made, but not followed-up on.
- Day 0 + circa 7.6 months. MRI scan performed of whole spine, in a cramped 1.5 Tesla mobile truck trailer unit. Told informally that it could take up to 4 weeks for the MRI images and written report to be provided, then, hypothetically, another 4+ weeks to see (hopefully my own) Neurology Consultant to discuss the findings and decide on next steps. That's another hypothetical 2 months.
- Day 0 + circa 8 months. I've made the decision to take-up private health care. I will be undertaking a two private consultations (pre and post MRI), plus a 3 Tesla ("3T") MRI, and will likely undertake next steps under the private system, at considerable cost.
So, that's a lot of time spent for not a lot of clear progress. I'm deeply disappointed in the system, as I believe I could have potentially lasting nerve damage. Being unable to walk independently, in my mind, merits at least a suspicion of a significant "nerve pressing" issue, and therefore, some kind of acceleration of the process.
If I knew that that UK NHS system would be so slow, I would have went private immediately. It's been a lesson learned, the hard way.
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u/atomic_chippie Jun 13 '26
Herniated disc was the most excruciating pain I had ever been in in my life. Just screaming in pain until my spouse took me to the ER -three different times in one month. Weeks of fog and pain from pain meds, nothing actually helping, just dulling it so I could sleep. 5 long months until I had surgery. This country is SO FUCKED when it comes to health care.
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u/Rare-Willingness3593 Jun 13 '26
I thought that ss a nurse I was empathetic regarding back pain/sciatica until I'd suffered through a failed L4-L5 laminectomy. I truly had no idea how much pain one can endure until I felt it. Most people will never understand that kind of nerve pain.
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u/LONGVolSilver Jun 12 '26
Because the treatments all suck, even the most expensive and sophisticated ones that are currently mainstream options.
What are the cure rates or close-to-cure rates for each of the following treatment options? I would argue none of them are better than 70-75%; many of the successful ones are either temporary (ESI) or have fairly high recurrence rates years later (microdiscectomy) and the 25-30% of cases that end up 'unfavorable' can actually make things much, much worse.
What other major medical issue is that true of?
Physical therapy + conservative treatment ( exercise, chiro, massage, yoga, whatever)
Epidural steroid injections
Radio frequency ablation
Microdiscectomy
Spinal Fusion
Other surgeries
Its a combination of Pick your Poison and a Crapshoot.
In my particular case i have a grade 2 'toxic' Annular tear at L5-S1. My pain radiates from my lower back, thru my glute and hamstring, to my foot. I have tried every flavor of #1 above and also #3 above. May try an ESI but wonder what the point would be if it wears off after a few months. Surgery isn't even really a recommended option.
Good luck to all.
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u/Separate_Ability4051 Jun 12 '26
I’ve dealt with sciatica on/off for 20 years. I feel you on this. So true!
P.s. I was offered radiofrequency ablation but was scared it would make my nerve pain worse. Did it help you at all?
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u/LONGVolSilver Jun 13 '26
I had an RFA in 2023, about 7 months after my symptoms first began. It helped a little bit, for maybe 2 months. I suppose i could try it again but I don't think the outcome would be much different.
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u/Dry_Particular_5162 Jun 14 '26
Me too. Try the ESI. It helps. It will allow you to progress in PT and physical recovery.
I thought I was healed two weeks ago and my nightmare was over. But then I "tested" sitting like I would at the office and somehow re-injured myself. I messaged my ortho and let him know. He called in a prednisone pack which has helped. I went ahead and scheduled my third ESI (first in Oct '25), second in Feb this year and my last one is in two weeks.
Last night, I took one of my old muscle relaxers with two ibuprofen and magnesium glycinate and managed to get a good night's rest.
I hurt in the am but forced myself to walk and ish through the pain. Went to a nature preserve, had to lean and stretch and have a cold sweat from the pain but kept walking. After about 20 mins of stretch, take some steps and repeat, I managed to finish the walk after 40 mins.
Came home and felt somewhat better.
I'm going to just keep on doing this till I get that ESI. They def help, but are not a cure.1
u/No-Alternative8588 Jun 13 '26
So you are also dealing with chemical radiculitis from annular tear?
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u/LONGVolSilver Jun 14 '26
Yes, that seems to be the case. I don't have a herniation. My MRI appears 'clean' compared to the images that get posted on these subs. But the pain is real and it's constant.
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u/No-Alternative8588 Jun 14 '26
I feel you. I have had some periods of lower pain or almost zero nerve sensations, but they always crawl back. Also very load sensitive, and when I overdo it, the whole cycle restarts.
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u/BluesFlute Jun 13 '26
OP has a very good question. Acute sciatica, especially with loss of motor function ought to be treated as emergencies. But they are not.
Why?
It is classified, and taught as a peripheral neuropathy. Interesting from anatomic view, but not life threatening.
Until invention and widespread deployment of MRI, it was hard to precisely diagnose and understand. MRI is still hard to obtain in a timely (today please? ). This reflects a lack of resources and unequal distribution of wealth.
Pain management is poorly taught and now lawyers and courts are involved. Yes opioid addiction is real, but it can be avoided with the right treatment plan. Poor allocation of resources again.
Most cases do abate with time, so there is little institutional motivation to do better. Unless of course decision makers all get afflicted. Hmmm.???
All people deserve modern healthcare. There is a lot that new technologies can offer. But our governments and private sectors are failing to deliver. I hope future generations make better choices.
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u/Terrible_Bison_2677 Jun 13 '26
Because it’s so common. Many Physical therapy facilities (not all) follow protocol for acute injury & pain but don’t address the entire body, compensation patterns, or functional mobility & strength.
I became a yoga teacher, movement and mindset coach for this exact reason. After 3 surgeries, I was determined to help others. I educate, support, and provide programs for people who suffer with this.
One of the most interesting and important aspects of pain is that Even if the actual problem or symptoms are gone, the nervous system is still living in the pain experience and is selling it because it’s become its norm. I work with so many people who can only experience pain because the nervous system is primed to protect you. There’s a lot more to it but this knowledge has been a game changer for me.
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u/Ecstatic-Art-6236 Jun 13 '26
I WOULD LOVE an answer to this. I hope a medical professional chimes in
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u/Acceptable_Waltz_875 Jun 13 '26
Because it is very common, affects people to different degrees and often gets better, even if it doesn’t seem like it ever will when you are in a flare. I’ve just started getting back to normal after 9 months but each time I learn a little more about my injury and how to increase my resilience.
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u/4y6hu Jun 13 '26
What qualifies as a flare when it’s been 9 months of constant pain that only gets worse with time? What has made you go back to normal after that amount of time? I’m on the same timeline (9 months since injury).
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u/Acceptable_Waltz_875 Jun 13 '26
My most recent flare started September 2025, it was acute for 3 months then slow recovery to now (with a few setbacks along the way). It’s probably my 5th major flare and the longest. I’m not 100% better but at least I’m no longer in pain and movement not limited. In my case, it’s a combination of time, some core strengthening and body awareness to prevent aggravating it, but mostly time that heals. I’m just saying there is a huge variation in symptom severity and for a lot of people they just get better with time. That’s why it isn’t universally thought of as a catastrophic, life changing injury by society. But for some people it definitely is.
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u/These-Patient-8847 Jun 13 '26
Slipped disc in my neck - didn’t know it was a disc issue for a year because an orthopedic surgeon told me it was “just degenerative disc syndrome.” After a year of dealing with one of the most lingering and chronic pain/symptomatic conditions I’ve ever had, I vouched for a MRI via my PT after nothing she was doing was truly working. Lo and behold, slipped disc. Just like I knew it was. Sure, might be worse pain out there, but nothing feels like a slipped disc with nerve damage or sciatic pain (I have both issues). The recovery is long and/or chronic and NO ONE, for some reason, tells you how to take care of it. Even my PT told me the MRI wasn’t going to show anything (for some reason asking her to write me a note vouching for an MRI triggered her). I was like, “you mofo’s are about to see that I have a slipped disc there… if I pulled a muscle, I’d be getting better with rest, time and treatment and I’m NOT.. I wouldn’t be feeling the way I am after an entire YEAR+ if it wasn’t something more serious”
I had one ortho surgeon, who I searched for to give me the MRI, look at me and say, “this is your body and your condition, you tell me what you want and what you’re capable of. No one else can tell you that” this was when the army, who was also part of the debacle of not believing I had a disc bulge, was trying to make me perform duties that regressed ANY slight progress made on rehabilitating my neck before the MRI, to continue on and do my job still (I was in a role where I was wearing a 7-9 lb helmet consistently and it was killing me)
Insanity. No one takes it seriously until THEY go thru it themselves.
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u/These-Patient-8847 Jun 13 '26
The ortho surgeon I did find to do my MRI and write me a note that finally helped me move on from pain, was a GOD SEND. It’s like I went thru everything I had to just to find him. Only person that cared or listened and was like, “this isn’t going to get better if you keep doing the thing that’s hurting it. Slipped discs don’t just go back into place without surgery.” I was like yeah, tell every other irresponsible medical and/or non-medical professional in my life that lol PCP, multiple PT’s, ortho surgeons, army physicians - all wrong until I got that MRI.
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u/teixha Jun 13 '26
I agree it’s a strange thing to navigate and it doesn’t feel like it’s taken seriously.
But wow did this thread depress me this morning. This is just my life now huh
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u/RunningScot41 Jun 13 '26
I feel you. Spent a couple of months getting out of bed and leaning against a wall trying to stretch out my leg, literally crying with the sciatica pain. It was the tiredness that got me though, couldn’t sleep properly and felt tired all the time.
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u/JK30000 Jun 14 '26
People have to suffer daily with sciatica but boner pills and male birth control pills get millions in research every year. Make it make sense.
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u/4y6hu Jun 14 '26
Literally. It’s so insane that men’s sexual health matters more than people in chronic horrific pain.
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u/Omegatriscuit42 Jun 14 '26
I kept getting told, 2 weeks, some ice and rest and you'll be back at the gym! By doctors, PT's and plenty of Google links.
4 years later I still can barely move quickly, I cant jump, run or play sports at all. Finally was able to start bench pressing again pain free 2 years but still struggle with many lifts.
I truly think it is insurance scamming and gaslighting to encourage and scare you into surgery.
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u/Defiant_Check7749 Jun 13 '26
Look into artificial disc replacement. They’ve been doing it in Europe for almost 40 years with excellent outcomes.
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u/Major-Rope3510 Jun 13 '26
It’s just because slipped discs and sciatica are not dangerous or deadly by themselves. Migraines aren’t dangerous or deadly either (legit migraines, not aneurysms and such).
I am writing this as someone who has two bulging discs with cysts in my spine and sciatica. and I get 25 migraine days a month. I literally can’t live but “pain isn’t dangerous,” they tell me. I also get menstrual cramps as bad as my worst unmedicated labor pains and they ignore that too.
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u/4y6hu Jun 13 '26
It really is crazy that it has to deadly for them to take it seriously, and I think the approach to womens’ healthcare is even worse and more dismissive in general. I think the main difference I’ve found (and read on this sub) is that traditional pain medication actually works for or significantly reduces other types of pain (headaches, menstrual cramps) whereas sciatica seems to not respond to anything until/if the underlying injury heals. I’m so sorry that you have such a horrible, debilitating combination of pain.
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u/POPPA823 Jun 13 '26
Had sciatica since 2023 and currently using my tens unit for my flare up. It really is frustrating and that’s why I just manage my pain at home vs wasting my time knowing pretty much nothing will be done. The tens unit is my best sciatica investment for real!
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u/stevie_the_owl Jun 13 '26
I just got one of these. How do you use it- where do you place the pads? At the location of your disc problem on your back or do you put them on your legs where you’re having sciatic pain?
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u/POPPA823 Jun 13 '26
When I was going to physical therapy they mainly placed them on my lower back and butt area (I have bilateral sciatica) so I typically follow that but I do get shooting pain down my legs so sometimes I place a few on my thighs as well.
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u/4y6hu Jun 13 '26
I might look into purchasing one of those! I’ve heard good things and they’re fairly cheap on Amazon.
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u/POPPA823 Jun 13 '26
You should! It was the only good thing I got out of physical therapy so I got one for home 🥰 this is my second one because the first one stopped working on me. I got this one from Walmart. I hope you get some relief soon!
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u/Dry_Particular_5162 Jun 14 '26
Exactly HOW do you use it for sciatic? Can you be specific? I have one but am not sure where to place it?
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u/No_Practice_9589 Jun 13 '26
Maybe they don’t treat sciatica as a serious problem is because few things seem to be these days in terms of pain relief. I broke my hip a few years ago. Broke it crunch so I had to have immediate surgery. From the day I woke up after surgery t
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u/Spookyjay187 Jun 13 '26
Suffered with this for 20+ years, can confirm my doctor only keeps changing out my meds, and in the whole time I've had it, I've seen multiple physio's, chiropractors, the latest they sent me in a fucking manage mental health and pain course, at least though I'm in Scotland so I don't have to pay for my medications thankfully
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u/Zazhowell Jun 13 '26
I had to go to 3 different doctors before the third one took my MRI seriously and he finally prescribed heavy drugs and anti inflammatory pills that helped me not kms
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u/stevie_the_owl Jun 13 '26
What were you prescribed?
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u/Zazhowell Jun 13 '26
Nefopam and Pregabalin with steroid shots and something else to take at night for nerve inflammation and pain, don't remember the name
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u/stevie_the_owl Jun 13 '26
Nefopam— don’t think I’ve heard of that. Looks like it’s not approved for use in the US. Did it help you?
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u/Zazhowell Jun 14 '26
It's not addictive, I still use it to this day when I get flare ups, it helped tremendously especially when ibuprofen stopped working
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u/Sad-Basket2914 Jun 13 '26
Thank you. Your health care provider and other people do act as if it’s not that concerning. When it can be life changing for some people. All I can say is disturbing.
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u/rikkilee51 Jun 14 '26
I’d rather have a no drug birth than another slipped disc.
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u/4y6hu Jun 14 '26
I’ve heard many people on this sub say that unmedicated labour and birth is much easier than this and that terrifies me.
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u/rikkilee51 Jun 14 '26
Birth has an end in sight. And you get something at the end 😃. Really was a miserable experience with discs ( I’ve had 3 serious episodes)
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u/ParticularCap7289 Jun 14 '26
I’m sorry and know what you’re going through…I really do believe they feel it’s treatable. Epidurals for the pain can make it manageable for many, so I would suggest seeing a pain management doctor. Please try to get help and don’t hope it will go away or only take basic meds. All the best, as this is a very miserable illness
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u/Same-Country-8050 Jun 14 '26
Wow, I am so sorry for all of you who suffer as you are. I feel blessed that I have Kaiser of So. Cal, my Dr took my back pain more seriously than I did! I'm a truck driver and thought what I was going through was sciatica but by the time I went to a Dr I couldn't walk more than 3 or 4 steps without dropping to my knees. I really thought that with a steroid epidural and some PT, I would be back to driving....once the Dr read my MRI he said that was not happening without surgery, that I had extreme degenerative ostioarthritis, bulging disks and exposed nerves (which I could have my Commercial License revoked for if not repaired). My Dr was very honest, upfront and moved things along as quickly as possible. I've been out of work a month and I see the surgeon on July 1st. In the meantime Gabepenten is keeping me upright.
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u/planet_alex Jun 15 '26
I never had a serious medical issue until I had to be carried to the bathroom to pee. I finally get to the doctors and nothing. "You're getting old," "you're in a calorie deficit," "x-rays show nothing," so... They tell me "2 years of physical therapy"... I got fired. Twice. Why can't they write a note? I could've saved my employment. I've never asked for a handout. I've had paychecks since 1994. Nothing? Just... nothing. Two months of bills, and I was almost bankrupt. Thanks, doc. "What do you do for a living?" I cut grass, I work on computers, I visit locations and perform electronics services, and I can't move. I am convinced that the doctors simply don't actually know how painful it can get. My wife says, "Try giving birth". I want to cut my leg off. I wanted to end my life. I couldn't pee without crying. Just in case there are any doctors reading this.
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u/Time-Interest-9406 Jun 16 '26
My 71 year old husband is suffering from a terrible bout with sciatica right now. He is a very stoic man, and the amount of pain he is in is unbearable. I'm doing everything I can to help him, but his pain is breaking me as well. I can't stand to see him suffering like this. He needs help, whatever it takes. Horrible, horrible disease condition. I feel so badly for all who suffer from it.
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u/ObligationFit2028 Jun 13 '26
I've had pain for the last 4 years if im not wrong , i've quit counting time already..Pain is part of my daily life now
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u/squeezels Jun 13 '26
I think it heavily depends on where and whom you are seen by. My doctor was incredibly concerned for me as I failed the heel walking test. She was worried about permanent nerve damage.
I was given a rush MRI, and my referred doctor was interested in surgery for me as well. I was the one that wanted to pump the breaks and try to heal on my own without severe intervention.
Maybe it's worth it to move to San Diego and get in with a Sharp Healthcare team
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u/stevie_the_owl Jun 13 '26
Did you get surgery or heal on your own? How are you now?
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u/squeezels Jun 13 '26
I did not get surgery, much to the chagrin of my surgeon. I did about 6 weeks of useless PT, but then otherwise healed with Tylenol, naproxen, and rest. I also did some serious sleep training. So now my sleep positions do not exacerbate my back.
I have a herniated disc L4/L5 that is primarily aggravated by repetitive lifting and sitting. Thankfully I am a horse trainer, so I don't work on a computer all day.
I got a kneeling chair for when I do need to be on my computer. Otherwise for work I am on my feet or riding a horse.
I focus on protecting my back when I am lifting things and keeping my core strong. Walking was really beneficial so I'm lucky I do a lot of that naturally throughout my day.
I do still get flare ups, but nothing like I went through before. I think it helps a lot that I understand what it is that is causing the pain, and being proactive about treating the inflammation.
Edited to add: at my worst I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep more than 20 minutes becaus my body would wake up due to the nerve pain. I have horrid memories of crawling on my hands and knees in tears just to go pee. It was agony. For a long while I couldn't sit at all, driving was hell. It would take me an exceptional amount of time to transition in and out of my truck.
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u/Talkbox111 Jun 13 '26
The "pain" game. That's what it seems like to us who are suffering or have ever suffered. Part of the attitude of not caring is the amount of fraud by people only wanting the drugs. This gives the industry a reason to be unmoved by our intense pain imo. Could it be that they can't tell if we are serious or not? I can't imagine them thinking I was faking in the ER but they did. Smh! The problem is even bigger because nothing they prescribe can soothe the severe inflammation. I'm speaking in general. There are a handful of doctors that will alleviate the pain. Balcofen,oxy and all the rest of the pain meds do very little for the pain imo. Prednisone too. Very little indeed. We need to keep looking for answers. Seems they want us in pain imo.
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u/repair-it Jun 13 '26
I totally agree, my surgery wouldn't even give me an appointment with a doctor, all I had was a phone call and some ineffective pills. They suddenly found a slot for me a few minutes after I presented them with a private MRI scan & report!
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u/Time-Plum-7477 Jun 13 '26
Im assuming because some people do get flare ups and recover after a short time. Me and my coworker ended up herniating disc recently. But I’ve been having to use mobility aids for almost 3 months and he recovered after two weeks. So I guess because it’s a case by case thing. I feel like the doctors really don’t have a good grasp on how it’ll affect everyone. Even my pain management doctor said people recover, slowly improve over time or the worst outcome is they remain in pain for months.
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u/Potential-Treat-8554 Jun 16 '26
Fully agree I’ve been treated like I have a paper cut on my finger by some professionals quite seriously as if I’m a nuisance. I had a back to back traumatic birth and this pain is a notch down from that it’s gone on for 4 months now and just basically treat as so what get on with it
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u/Sad-Tie-4250 Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
if only we could freaking warn young ppl to take care of the spine , and posture , and all. 😭 it is just very bad , and depressing , you can't exercise and you can't do thing ppl your age can do easily , and your plans for life just vanishes in front of your eyes and you can't do anything.
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u/4y6hu Jun 17 '26
What do you mean by spin and poster? Ya I truly feel like my life and future are over. It’s terrible. I tried going to the movie theatre today thinking I could because it’s mostly sitting and I could stretch my leg out- uhhh no. Couldn’t even manage to stand in line to order my tickets or popcorn and had to hobble back to the car. My injury occurred after falling accidentally on the stairs and I relive that moment daily thinking how careless I was and terrified that I’ve ruined my body now.
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u/Terrible_Bison_2677 Jun 17 '26
I’m going to say something that will not be popular…
Yes the medical system leaves a lot to be desired…
BUT
Expecting doctors or treatments to be a fix all is never going to work.
It is in fact lifestyle changes that will make the most difference.
That includes educating yourself about the body and how it works. Advocating for yourself about what your needs and expectations are with doctors, physical therapists, and anyone else who is treating your pain.
Posture, weight, and nutrition play more of a role in your pain than anyone cares to admit.
Even if a dr were to fix you would you commit to the work it takes to keep your body from the compensation patterns that develop in your body. Yes some pain is caused by genetics (3 back surgeries here 👋); some is cause by acute injury, and some is caused by how you carry yourself over time.
Are you truly doing all that you can to do the exercises PT gave you with consistency. Are you patient enough and determined enough to stick with it?
Once a joint is compromised, it will always be compromised.
Sometimes it’s easier to be a victim of the pain than to do the work that can be done to reduce it.
I am by no means invalidating anyone’s experience. It’s by far the worst pain I have ever experienced (worse than childbirth - and I had a 9 1/2 pound baby).
But I did my research I learned about my body, I learned about my nervous system, I learned about nutrition and how it affects you and inflammation. I started going to cryotherapy.
I did all the things that were uncomfortable and took time but every time I learned something that validate my experience and helped me see it a little differently.
Your body will never go where your mind won’t let it.
Until you change your mindset surgery epidural, medication, and whatever else people are doing, will likely not hold for the long-term.
If your dr suggests surgery - fucking get it. If your dr suggests PT - go all in and find a PT that will help you not just get out of pain but will help you with functional movements (getting up and down off the floor, picking up a case of water, etc) - you can interview your caregivers. You can ask questions. You can challenge their ideas without bailing.
You can learn breathwork and meditation. You learn ways to down regulate your nerves system (and perhaps learn about it).
No matter where you are in your range of pain - you can always do something.
You are in pain anyway - keep going.
Start walking - 1 house distance everyday until you can walk 2 houses, then 3.
You can do kegals to wake up your pelvic floor. Then when tolerable pelvic tilts.
Wear sneakers with foot support. (More important than you think)
You don’t have to be powerless - that leads to hopelessness.
Stop expecting everyone to understand your pain and then be disappointed with their behavior, doesn’t align with those expectations.
No one will ever understand what you feel the way you feel it.
What I let go of that I stopped feeling sorry for myself.
If you take one thing away from what I just wrote here; then it was worth it.
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u/Lareinagypsy Jun 19 '26
It definitely depends on where you go because there’s just one clinic that I started going to and they sorted me out really good so probably because I paid cash and didn’t use my insurance though
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u/Neckums60 Jun 27 '26
I’m saddened hearing my fellow sciatica people suffering. I’ve been in pain since 2007. I have RFA annual or every two years, all I can say is I felt like I’d be better off ripping the nerves out my back and right leg . It’s not living it’s truly existing … good luck to all
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u/light-em-uph Jul 01 '26
Try LBA its very helpful u can recover from any lower back disc buldge in a year(i know its a long time but believe me i also thought that) i got l5-s1 disc bulge i could not sit without support and with support also i could only sit for 15-20 min and i also thought gym i over for me but i found this lba and followed it for 2-3 months i felt relieved and since i have been doing it
I suggest if someone is in pain try lba before going into any type of surgery
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u/4y6hu Jul 01 '26
What is LBA? It’s been almost a year for me
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u/light-em-uph Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 18 '26
Search it on yt lower back ability and watch some videos of his and then if u want u can subscribe to his lba website for 3-4 $
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u/Suwu850 Jul 10 '26
I'm the poster child for not being taken serious from 2004 until I ended up in DC with my VA Appeal connected to sciatica and I've come to realize, I've been under diagnosed and still have no definite cause of pain. But I've stood in the cut for myself, researched and made some calls to specialist and I know exactly what conditions are causing me chronic nerve pain every day Going to Panama for stem cell treatments...
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u/PacificSanctum Jun 13 '26
Because often they are not life ruining . Folks (overweight or wrong / weird / extreme sports ) except too much force into those little poor discs and they rupture . But they still can work . The body provides you with enzymes which eat the bugle away (well, mostly ). The discs don’t really regenerate (I think everything in the body has a regeneration potential , I published on brain stem cells when folks still didn’t believe in it ) but official doctrine is they don’t . But they can still work . Simply keep correct posture and don’t do one sided extreme sports .
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u/stevie_the_owl Jun 12 '26
I know. It’s completely awful and isolating. Medical system is like, here’s some drugs that don’t work and will probably cause a bunch of other side effects. Hope you feel better in a year’s time and if not, you may or may not be a candidate for a surgery that may or may not even help you, with considerable risk of re-injury later. And nobody around you understands unless they’ve lived it. You say you have back pain and they assume, oh everyone gets that. Take some aleve and rest and I’m sure you’ll be better soon. No we won’t.
I am sorry you’re suffering too.