When is Sciatica NOT Sciatica!

[Coastal]

Hi guys,

I've got ( what I think is ) Sciatica. Had it bad 4 years ago and got acupuncture. Disappeared.

Now I've done the ON thing and got an MRI result with three spots and....the Sciatica which had started to twinge really went for it last night

would appreciate your sciatica stories and if it might be MS symptoms instead. Woke up last night in agony and popped two ibruprofen which helped, but there is still a nagging ache down calf and hip.

[jimmylegs]

hi i haven't gone digging for journal references to support these claims but here are some ideas:

http://naturalhealth.ninemsn.com.au/Con ... ionId=1354
Natural therapies
* The mineral magnesium is anti-spasmodic and may help to relieve muscle spasm
* The herb hypericum, is a traditional remedy for sciatica, and provides relief for some people; (note - Hypericum is unsuitable for use if you are taking antidepressant medication)

http://www.nutritionalupdates.com/nutri ... iatica.htm
Vitamin B-complex - 150 mg. a day
Vitamin B1 - Take as directed.
Vitamin B12 - sublingual, 1,000 mg. a week
Vitamin D - Take as directed.
Vitamin E - 800 I.U. a day; (Start at 200 I.U. and increase to 800 I.U. over 4 weeks.)
Histadine - Take as directed.

[mrhodes40]

I have had sciatica for 10 years....and I've had MS for 17. I regularly am in phsyical therapy for it. In my case, I have some piriformis issues wherein that muscle is in spasm in an unnatural way that is assumed to be related to the MS. Because it is "hard as a rock" and not a soft muscle, it puts pressure on the sciatic nerve and hurts in the hamstring and calf areas as a referred pain. I have a bulging disc and torn annulus (disc covering) at L4-5 which is thought not to be the cause of these isssues.

I have tried many things in the 10 years I have had this now, and whether or not it is like yours I do not know but from my experience I do not recommend a piriformis botox, that made me weak.
Physical therapy is always good. Massage on a regular basis is good for me as well to help me keep things softer and flexible.
good luck with that!
marie

[Coastal]

Thanks for your replies - Jimmylegs those are interesting links and advice and you too Marie - I hadn't heard of that perspective...

Much appreciated.

[jimmylegs]

marie i just read your post properly - i had only glanced at it earlier.
i think cheer might have some recommendations for you related to bulging discs.
for muscle spasm anything... did you have your magnesium and zinc levels checked any time since your sciatic's been hurting you?

hope something in there turns out useful coastal

[mrhodes40]

Thanks for the thoughtful recommendations! I get lots of Mg and Zn. It could not be an issue Mg is a good laxitave of course and it is necessary to keep things running smoothly. Ca is also useful thing for keeping nerves calm. the botom line in my case is that the spasms from the CNS issues are what cause the unnatural tighness and thus secondarily the sciatica. It is a bummer.
marie

[jimmylegs]

that's good that you get lots of mag and zinc. do u mind if i ask how much specifically? and the circumstances? absorption can be so low. if you're taking magnesium in a combo, or if the timing is off, or the dose is lowish, other things could be interfering.

i took my magnesium in a blend with my d3 and calcium, and with meals, for ages - well over a year. the mag didn't do anything for me until i started taking a LOT more, by itself, on an empty stomach (and later adding zinc to address a deficiency that was identified on bloodwork at the end of 07 - it's supposed to help out with the absorption).

yes it is a good laxative too :S lol!

[moemoemcg]

I have suffered with MS sciatica for the last four years. at the time I have the first pain of it I was out on a workmen's comp leave and was lying flat on my back having had a knee injury. My right buttock down the back of my thigh, leg and bottom of my heel was numb. When I got around to seeing my knee surgeon he just said he didn't know what it is. three months later when I saw him again, he referred me to a back surgeon who made me wait a couple of months and gave me an injection in my back. it didn't make a difference. During this time my knee wasn't getting any better. I could not sit. the pain was excruciating if I sat down. I saw another back surgeon who referred me to a pain management doctor. Got another I was on crutches for 6 months. The seventh month I was hospitalized because I was dehydrated and I was acting loopy according to my sister who is a nurse. They did a MRI and that is when I was told I had MS. My sister took me to a "specialist" who said it was the piriformis muscle in my right buttock. And he send me to a doctor that gave me Botox injections in my right buttock that made no difference. I have done that for three years. I would always start to tell my neurologist that it was numb from might right buttock to the bottom of my foot. And he would start talking and I would just get nervous and never got tell him that I can't sit for any length of time. This last visit I printed out MS sciatica and I told him that's what I have, I can't sit down at all. Now that he knows that I am set up with physical therapy and getting an l-stem machine that will put electrodes on where the pain is. My wish is that no one will ever have to suffer from this pain. It is beyond awful and just sucks. I just want more than anything to not have this pain and be able to sit so I can go back to work. Because I can not survive on my monthly disability payments.

[David1949]

I've had PPMS for 18 years.

3 years ago I got a herniated disc while using the snow blower on the driveway. (L5-S1) It caused intense pain from the lower spine all the way down my left leg to my foot. Physical therapy fixed that after about 5 weeks.

This year I got sciatica pain again while using the snow blower. It was not as painful this time and it started at the left buttock down to the foot. This time it did not hurt in the lower spine. Again physical therapy fixed it.

I get muscle spasms in the left leg mostly at night. Those are miserable because they keep me awake most of the night. Baclofen doesn't help much.

MS mostly affects the left leg. I still walk with a cane but not too far.

BTW if you're using pain killers check for side effects. Some are really bad for causing constipation. I ended up in the hospital for a day to get unplugged before I found that out.