Back injury, sciatica, owwwww

[kdalymc]

hey all,

bent over to pick up a stick, bang, backs gone...
put up with it for a 3 days then went and had some bowen therapy..
this felt great for a day but then the pain moved down MY WHOLE LEG.
right hip to my calf..
week later had physio, doctors for pain killers, x ray, physio again, she also did some acupuncture, followed by a CT scan and more pain killers...

CT scan revealed-
"There are degenerative hypertrophic changes in the L5/S1 facet joints,
At L3/4 there is a concentric disc bulge
At L4/5 there is a concentric disc bulge with mild bilateral lateral recess narrowing involving the origin of the L5 nerve roots due to degenerative changes in the facet joints.
At L5/S1 there is a right central disc protrusion effacing the origin of the right S1 nerve root in the lateral recess.
Conclusion- the lesion of importance is a central and right central disc protrusion at L5/S1 with right lateral stenosis involving the origin of the right S1 nerve root. "

can anyone decipher that, and/or give me some advice??
doc says just keep going physio...
ive been to physio 4 times now, she then asked for me to see doc about gettgin cortizone injection.
went to doc and he says nah, go see specialist first. sent my stuff thru to specialist and now its been 2 weeks and no reply. i have rang and they said docs still busy, get to it soon...

its been almost 40 days now, starting to really get at me mentally as well. Feel hopeless.

 

[veggiepatch1959]

L1 etc refers to lumbar vertebrae 1 and so on. They are situated around the waistline.

S1 etc refers to sacral vertebrae 1 and so on. They are situated below the L5 vertebrae and form part of the whole pelvic structure and are fused together.

The femoral and sciatic nerves run along the L3, 4, 5 and S1 vertebrae. When a disc bulges at these vertebrae, the disc can touch these nerves resulting in sciatica.

I have a missing L3 or L4 vertebrae and suffer from occasional sciatica. It was discovered when I was 22 after twisting while passing the ball playing touch. I walked off the field like a knuckle dragger. Any simple movement can trigger sciatica, not just lifting something heavy or bad technique.

I know how it feels, but yours sounds worse than mine.

 

[shaggs]

Can I ask how old you are?? What area do you live in. PM if you prefer. In Sydney I can give you pointers.

The diagnosis from your GP can be made by a CT. However at my site, we always use an MRI before we will do a nerve root block or periradicular Injection.

The difference is where the nerve is impinged on the scan. Does the needle get placed at the exit foramen or do we put it through the epidural space and coat the nerve that way.

The other changes in the report are usually age related and very common.
All of your pain is due to the L5/S1 disc bulge.

Cortisone isn’t used anymore. The drugs used will be either celestone, dexamethasone or kenacort. Plus some local anaesthetic. The idea behind the injection isn’t to fix your bulge. It is to reduce the inflammation around the nerve sheath and allow the body to heal itself.
For some people this is enough and they never have an issue. Some need multiple injections. Some end up having a discectomy.
The ‘steroid’ will take 4-7 days to work. The local anaesthetic will give you instant relief. But will wear off in 4-6 hours.

In my opinion, the Physio won’t help. Your issue is anatomical, not mechanical.
The GP, needs to chase the specialist up or find another.
The GP can refer you for an MRI, but Medicare won’t pay any rebate on that.
Most if not all MRI centres will scan a non rebatable lumbar spine.
If you are really struggling, roll up to your nearest emergency with your films/scans and say you are in excruciating pain, from your back injury and be admitted that way. They will then get you assessed by the neurosurgical registrar who can organise further imaging or intervention and then refer you to the neurosurgeon.

 

[kdalymc]

Can I ask how old you are?? What area do you live in. PM if you prefer. In Sydney I can give you pointers.

The diagnosis from your GP can be made by a CT. However at my site, we always use an MRI before we will do a nerve root block or periradicular Injection.

The difference is where the nerve is impinged on the scan. Does the needle get placed at the exit foramen or do we put it through the epidural space and coat the nerve that way.

The other changes in the report are usually age related and very common.
All of your pain is due to the L5/S1 disc bulge.

Cortisone isn’t used anymore. The drugs used will be either celestone, dexamethasone or kenacort. Plus some local anaesthetic. The idea behind the injection isn’t to fix your bulge. It is to reduce the inflammation around the nerve sheath and allow the body to heal itself.
For some people this is enough and they never have an issue. Some need multiple injections. Some end up having a discectomy.
The ‘steroid’ will take 4-7 days to work. The local anaesthetic will give you instant relief. But will wear off in 4-6 hours.

In my opinion, the Physio won’t help. Your issue is anatomical, not mechanical.
The GP, needs to chase the specialist up or find another.
The GP can refer you for an MRI, but Medicare won’t pay any rebate on that.
Most if not all MRI centres will scan a non rebatable lumbar spine.
If you are really struggling, roll up to your nearest emergency with your films/scans and say you are in excruciating pain, from your back injury and be admitted that way. They will then get you assessed by the neurosurgical registrar who can organise further imaging or intervention and then refer you to the neurosurgeon.

thanks for this.
im in brisbane, and im 31.
have found another specialist but had to get another referral and only got into gp today.
see what they say i guess...

 

[shaggs]

thanks for this.
im in brisbane, and im 31.
have found another specialist but had to get another referral and only got into gp today.
see what they say i guess...

No worries.
I’m in that line of work so it’s wht I do.

Be interested to see the outcome

 

[kdalymc]

No worries.
I’m in that line of work so it’s wht I do.

Be interested to see the outcome

After 3 weeks with no reply or phone call with the 1st specialist I got referred to another last Tuesday. Now has been 7 days, I rang this morning and they basically said “too busy go to the hospital...”

Sitting in Logan Hospital (google it...) waiting room as we speak

 

[veggiepatch1959]

Very informative shaggs.

Thanks for your input.

 

[kdalymc]

No worries.
I’m in that line of work so it’s wht I do.

Be interested to see the outcome

Ended up getting rushed in for surgery last Friday, I’ve just got home today. end up having a discectomy,just the bottom disc. Little bit sore but got some good painkillers

 

[shaggs]

Ended up getting rushed in for surgery last Friday, I’ve just got home today. end up having a discectomy,just the bottom disc. Little bit sore but got some good painkillers

Good result. Do the rehab and get moving slowly. Laying in bed will f**k you up.
Good to hear you got treated. The GP wasn’t helping you much.

 

[kdalymc]

Good result. Do the rehab and get moving slowly. Laying in bed will f**k you up.
Good to hear you got treated. The GP wasn’t helping you much.

Trying not to lay in bed all day but at the moment it’s the only comfortable position. I try to walk/move around for 30-40 minutes a day. And do the stairs twice.
6 days still haven’t hung a shit

 

[shaggs]

Trying not to lay in bed all day but at the moment it’s the only comfortable position. I try to walk/move around for 30-40 minutes a day. And do the stairs twice.
6 days still haven’t hung a shit

That would be the opiates.
Did they give you endone?

 

[kdalymc]

That would be the opiates.
Did they give you endone?

Yeah man endone and oxxys

 

[Smack]

Yeah man endone and oxxys

just be careful.

Try some nice indica that will relax your body

 

[hellteam]

I had this 2 years, from driving too much. I had to get an ambulance to hospital one night when I couldn't move from the pain.

After leaving the hospital I started taking Lyrica. It takes a while to kick in but I feel it works. Took it for about a year.

I then had a nerve block - the relief was immediate. When the needle hit the nerve felt like my leg was on fire for a few seconds, but then 90 percent of the pain had gone. Amazing. The nerve block numbs the sciatic nerve for a few weeks, often by this time your body has healed enough. Some people need another

In my opinion physio doesn't help - it actually made it worse for me. Just do as little as possible.

If you are still having issues and are in Brisbane I can recommend a very good back specialist.

Hope you're feeling better.... this was the worst thing I've ever been through.

 

[kdalymc]

ahh i ended up getting surgery!
got mri, then appointment, then surgery the next day- discectomy. all on the public system yewwww

just in rehab mode now got about 3 weeks left to back to normal they reckon.
i found the lyrica did nothing, have heard bad reports about it tho.
the oxy/endone gave me nightmares, had me in a trance hey, some days i just started crying...
got of that shit asap

 

[chiefy1]

This strengthening program helped with my situation to the point where im virtually pain free and feel stronger than ever.

Its not only my opinion, there is massive feedback on this strengthening program online.

 

[footy75]

hey all,

bent over to pick up a stick, bang, backs gone...
put up with it for a 3 days then went and had some bowen therapy..
this felt great for a day but then the pain moved down MY WHOLE LEG.
right hip to my calf..
week later had physio, doctors for pain killers, x ray, physio again, she also did some acupuncture, followed by a CT scan and more pain killers...

CT scan revealed-
"There are degenerative hypertrophic changes in the L5/S1 facet joints,
At L3/4 there is a concentric disc bulge
At L4/5 there is a concentric disc bulge with mild bilateral lateral recess narrowing involving the origin of the L5 nerve roots due to degenerative changes in the facet joints.
At L5/S1 there is a right central disc protrusion effacing the origin of the right S1 nerve root in the lateral recess.
Conclusion- the lesion of importance is a central and right central disc protrusion at L5/S1 with right lateral stenosis involving the origin of the right S1 nerve root. "

can anyone decipher that, and/or give me some advice??
doc says just keep going physio...
ive been to physio 4 times now, she then asked for me to see doc about gettgin cortizone injection.
went to doc and he says nah, go see specialist first. sent my stuff thru to specialist and now its been 2 weeks and no reply. i have rang and they said docs still busy, get to it soon...

its been almost 40 days now, starting to really get at me mentally as well. Feel hopeless.

Happened to me.. two buldging discs...the sciatica down my leg was unbearable..couldn't drive anything. Felt hopeless like you stated.

Had to have surgery. Woke up from the surgery sciatica gone. Took about a month to recover, walk properly etc.

Best thing I ever did.

 

[kdalymc]

Happened to me.. two buldging discs...the sciatica down my leg was unbearable..couldn't drive anything. Felt hopeless like you stated.

Had to have surgery. Woke up from the surgery sciatica gone. Took about a month to recover, walk properly etc.

Best thing I ever did.

f**king hell dope bump!

ive done it again, was at work xmas eve, putting in a star picket, BANG, dropped me...
flew home, got an mri that day, in 2 days later for a cortisone as i was getting 1 hour sleep a night.
im booked in to see the surgeon i had last time on the 19th of Jan, see what happens..
pretty pissed off
on work cover tho this time so thats sweet

 

[footy75]

f**king hell dope bump!

ive done it again, was at work xmas eve, putting in a star picket, BANG, dropped me...
flew home, got an mri that day, in 2 days later for a cortisone as i was getting 1 hour sleep a night.
im booked in to see the surgeon i had last time on the 19th of Jan, see what happens..
pretty pissed off
on work cover tho this time so thats sweet

sciatica bad again?

are you losing any feeling in your foot?

 

[kdalymc]

are you losing any feeling in your foot?

nup, just extreme nerve pain all down my leg, varies from groin to calf muscle some days. if you go no feeling thats bad