anyone ever have sciatica from back injury?

I over shot a jump at the MX track last Sat and took a pretty hard landing. My lower back was killing me. I went to the doc and got xrays which came up negative. He gave me some vicodin, muscle relaxers, and steroids. My left leg has been absolutely killing me, so I did some research on the net and it appears I have sciatica. The pain is awful getting up, sitting down, or tring to bend over. Has anyone experienced this type of injury before? Know how long it will take to go away? I'm debating if I should go back to the Dr. for an MRI

My wife has it. It comes and goes. Chiropractic helps her a lot. Guess you're not gonna make it out this weekend, huh?

My brother has this, I think he got the injury at the MX track too. The pain moves around his left leg to points where he can't even walk on it and is in extreme pain. The norcos the doc gave him seem to help and we are still awaiting results from the MRI he just got.

My lower back ached and hurt, went to the doc and he gave meds. A week later my foot went numb and it began to hurt. By week two my leg was on fire and I was hurting. Did the MRI and sure enough it was a herniated disk. Steroid facet injections (epidurals) were helping me get by.

I think you need to go back to the docs and get the MRI and and see what you've damaged, and from here on out you think twice about a what activity's your about to do. It's been a year and a half since the beginning of my ordeal and finally I'm starting to feel much better. And I think twice about lifting things and physical activy. It sucks, and I'm way to young for this shiat but I wouldn't wish my experiences on my worst enemy.

Benjamin, I feel for you. I know the pain you are in all too well. Hopefully you well feel better soon and it well not come back. Mine has come and gone for many years. Although I have a few herniated discs causing mine. Believe it or not mine also started with a motorcycle crash. I raced Flat Track back in the late 70's and early 80's. I went over the hay bale at the end of the straight away and hit the wall messing up my back.

Trace, looks like I'll have to sit this one out.

No good news here. Guess I'll go back for the MRI

Gosh...I thought it was just a temporary thing.

Becky, you and Matt are pointing out that it could be long term...I really hope that's not the case.

Good luck Ben, keep us posted. I know the pain bro, I was litterally dragging my foot. Keep the faith, hopefully yours isn't near as bad as what mine was.

Mine was so bad I felt like a an out of contol cocker spaniel. I was fighting bladder control. I tried PT soon after but that seemed to agitate my progress and I'd revert back to pain and bladder control.

Matt, did it gradually get worse? Is it one of those it gets worse before it gets better things?

Ben, The MRI will tell a lot. Mine has been long term for several reasons, including hereditary. I have Degenerative Disc Disease, my father also had it. That could be why when I had my accident that my discs were unable to handle the impact.
I also had a job when I was younger that involved lifting and twisting.

Matt when you lost feeling in you foot did it feel like a burning feeling just before going numb. This has happened to me a few times . I always know when I am about to lose feeling, because the top of my foot feels like 100's of bee stings just before losing all feeling.

Mine started out like it numb, then felt like it was asleep tingling then it went to "HOLY MOTHER $&@%*# THIS HURTS!" legs on fire sensation. I couldn't walk mote than 50' whithout stopping and lifting my weight off it. I went straight to the clinic after an agonizing 5 hour flight home. I havnt had that sciatica since, and nor do I want to repeat it ever again. The epidurals helped alot masking the pain. After a few months of that I leaned forward to brush my teeth and the disk slipped and it was lights out I was on the ground! I never Felt so helpless, panic, and afraid,,ever. I was home alone and had to call my bother to lift me and carry me to the ER. they just narc'd me up and said to call my radiologist first thing. I was wanting surgery then and now and the bastards sent me home. Anyways, by the time I got a visit with a good neurologist I was feeling better and he didn't want to undo the progress that I was making at the time. Just take it easy and don't rush thinking your healed when you start to feel better, give it and yourself time to heal.

I recommend an inversion chair and with a gradual incline on it. I DONT RECOMMEND severe incline when using it in your condition. Heat pads and ice to help the swelling at nights. pillow under your knees when sleeping And don't OD on Ibeproffin

(Message edited by Duramat on January 27, 2010)

Dad had it BAD. He is 59 and it starting acting up about 3 years ago out of the blue. It was deemed genetic due to calicification inside of the spinal column. Until then he was an avid hockey player, a few hours a week, his entire life. This sidelined him and he was pissed. He tried every non-surgeical route in the book, accupuncture, pain killers, chiro, physical therapy, etc. Finally after a year of really no relief, he settled for surgery. 14 hours under the knife and a few bottles of pain killers later he was up an about at about 90%. He claims to still get knumbness down his leg, like it is always 10% asleep, but says it is far better than the pain. He has been back on the ice for about 2 years now.

He would be the first to tell you try EVERY option besides going under the knife before going that route.

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He would be the first to tell you try EVERY option besides going under the knife before going that route.

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100% agree.

I opted not to have surgery as well. Mainly because I was self employed and couldn't afford the time off. Also I hadn't heard of too many success stories. I had the epidurals also. They seemed to help the back pain. But it was after the first one that my foot went numb the first time. I have had this problem off and on for so long that I now have permanent damage to a few nerves. I can't feel the pain of the pinch anymore because the nerve is dead. The biggest problem now is osteoarthritis, a bit of scoliosis and narrowing of the discs due to the Degenerative disc disease. One doctor told me to not ride in the boat anymore. Like that is going to happen. I have given up riding dirt bikes but not until about 12 years ago. Keep in mind that I am a lot older than you. Good luck and I hope this is a short lived problem for you.

Becky yes, in that order, back ache, asleep, numbness and then the pain. And then in reverse order when it got better. I couldn't walk on my right heel and keep my toes up, I lost the strength/ability to do so. I can now

I'm glad that the surgery never happened, once you have surgery and they cut/remove tissue, you can't go back and redo it. On the other hand, the pain was so unbearable, and I was so desparate I would have sold my own mother if I could have felt better. JK of course!

Chiropractic treatment helps me. I got it while pregnant 3 years ago and it comes a goes since. I go in for a few adjustments and I am good for a good six months.

I had a severe back injury when I was a kid. Occasionally when lifting things I get this keller pain in my lower back and it shoots down my left leg. I would walk around in agony for a few days, then I would reach for something at an odd angle, my back would pop, and instantly I was relieved of all pain. So now when it happens (couple time a year) I immediately go into stretching. Now it rarely lasts more than a few hours til i can get it to pop.

"I also had a job when I was younger that involved lifting and twisting."

careful throwing softballs out there like that, LOL!

Here is what I can tell you from my experience. I ruptered my L5S1 disc doing squats in the gym. Lived with the pain for 12 years waiting for disc replacement surgery to come around. I never had sciatica, which surprised all of my 12 doctors.

3 years ago, had a titanium disc put in my back as part of an FDA trial. Woke up with severe sciatic ass/leg/foot pain. Doctor put me on Neurontin while the swelling went down post op.

If I had to guess, your injury caused some swelling that is putting pressure on your spinal cord causing the sciatica. As it improves (according to my Dr.) the pain will get better in your foot first and will work its way up your leg.

An MRI is not a bad thing in my opinion, but I suspect if you take some anti-inflammatories for a few weeks, you will recover in time assuming you haven't done any major damage.

^^^it is starting to get better...slightly.

Today I didn't bring my vicodin because it's hard for me to function on it and for some reason the pain is not nearly as bad, but is for sure still there. Yesterday sitting down and standing up was ridiculous. So bad, when I would print I would roll my chair over to the printer so I wouldn't have to stand up. I'm crossing my fingers this will get better soon!

Fingers crossed for you here too. When my problem first started years ago. I found that every time I would have a flair up it would last about a week. This would happen a few times a year. Sometimes to the point where I couldn't get off the floor. I would have to actually crawl around. Hope it does't get that bad for you.

Be on the look out for cramping, especially while you sleep. It still catches me from time to time in the middle of the night.

I am glad that your are getting a little better. Make sure you are taking ani-inflammatories consistently.

This is going to sound dumb...but I really want to get back out to the MX track. I'm not going to rush it, but I hate seeing that beautiful KTM just sitting in the garage...

EASY BIG BOY!! I know what your saying, I had to give up boating for a while. luckily most of my recoup time was during the off season. I know how you feel. First let's get you back to feeling good again. If your already taking the antiflamitory don't be taking the ibeproffin. I was on diclophenac (?) when I was using meds. I was so overloaded on the ibeproffin that it was killing my insides (spare you the details) you need to get some rest and stay off your feet for while. Good to hear your feeling somewhat better

Ben, Give it a little more time to make sure you don't aggravate it any more. You say you are starting to feel better. Maybe by next week you well feel like your old self again. If you are still feeling any pain at all you may make it worse and it well be that much longer before that KTM is back on the track. By the way, my husband and both sons ride KTMs. They swear by them. I'm fighting my husband and all the time for the computer. Can't seem to get him off KTM talk.

Lol...Becky, yeah I remember you saying your husband has a KTM 300exc? My dad just picked up one of those. I'm on ktmtalk quite a bit myself.

Yeah...I definitely won't go this weekend, and the following weekend I have Air National Guard so I'll have some time to hopefully make a full recovery.

Somebody said inversion does that work at all? Im a moto guy too and i have have slight pain but its all the time and im sick of it.