Herniated disc and sciatic pain?

I just need alittle hope out there for my pain. I have had back pain mild for years and suddenly a couple of months ago after lifting a family member a couple of times and wear and tear at work my back has exploded. I could not move an inch and i layed in bed for weeks. I have been to five different doctors and finally ignoring my family doctor claiming im young and i just need to trust my body and walk it off...I have found out i have four herniated disc. I did the esi a week ago and im still really weak in my foot area and upper thigh. Does anyone know what is the way to go? therapy? another esi or because of my need to work go straight into the back surgery. I need help im not old and I have a great job Im just afraid i will never be able to physcially do the things i need to do. Is there any possiblity of hope that one day i will wake up and this could be more manageable?
Answer:
Wow, alot of great answers here!! Nice to know that you are not alone, huh. I know with the kind of pain that you are in sometimes you feel like it, especially dealing with doctors who never believe that back pain is realivant.
I had my disc (L4/L5) herniated into my sciatic nerve after having similar early back pain like you described. Since your early symptoms are similar to mine and others i have heard of, you should try to find out if you have degeneration of your discs. Don't let anyone tell you that age is a factor, because it is NOT true.
All that said, I had the Discectomy that everyone was talking about being so dangerous. I disagree. I was excruciating pain and had 90 percent paralisis in my right leg due to sciatic nerve being pressured by the disc. After being flat on my back for 2 months, I had the surgery, woke up in the recovery room and knew I felt better!! That night I walked the hallways!! Now the next couple of weeks where definetly not pain free, but as my sciatic nerve began to repair itself, it got better and better. I was up and around and back to normal in less than 3 wks.
So, I guess it all boils down to what is best for you.. but you do need to find out if you have degenerasation before you make your decisions because it of course, is chronic and if you don't want disablity now, you will in the next few years.
Good Luck to you, I know the pain you are dealing with :(
Hope you get some relief soon.

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go for epidurels they helped me alot, but they are costley and last a very short time, so you will need alot of them

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try sitting in a hard char with a tennis ball in your lower back it helps me when my back hurts and soothe the pain down to my legs that i feel from my back injury

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Get worker's comp going and find the best specialist you can. There is hope but you need to insist on the best care. Don't take platitudes for an answer. This is a serious condition. You need an MRI and a discogram to determine if you need a discectomy. Also, now they have a device that is inserted into the spine after the back is healed and you still have chronic pain that makes it all disappear with an electronic signal. It's expensive about $30,000. If worker's comp doesn't want to cooperate get a lawyer and make sure you are taken care of you are too young to live the rest of your life in misery. My daughter had a similar situation and I've lived with back pain all my life (I didn't have worker's comp). Take care and there is healing it just takes lots of time and you covering your back at all times.

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Alot of the back surgeries don't come out very well, I'm sorry to tell you that. I have several friends who have had them and wound up in worse shape. See the disc above the herniations try to compensate for the bad ones and then they become unstable, surgery to stablize and repair (disk replacement or discectomy) the bad ones fixes the bad ones but then the above ones become unstable and cause trouble. One that recently came out that has helped my best friends fiance is spinal decompression, it's the equivalent of 20 chiropractor visits in 1, they stretch the spine and discs back into place, it is expensive but well worth it. It's a very specific care therapy, it is expensive but some insurances will approve it because it's shown good promise. I would go this way if it were me in that shape. I watched her fiance go from laying in pain on tons of drugs day after day, to a failed disectomy, failed replacement, to the decompression and he's not on any meds and was mowing grass today. I don't know where you live, but Dr. Kevin Augustine in NY does it, I'm sure he would know of others who do it in your state, his number is 716-754-2225.Good luck.

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Sciatic pain is the worst feeling. I have 3 deteriorating discs and the pain is incredible.Since we are young a surgeon will not touch you.I went on disability and will be on it for the rest of my life. It does not get better it will keep getting worse.I would apply for assistance and forget the job for now until you get everything sorted out.I hope you have some good pain meds.You will need them.Once your back is a mess it will never get better not even with surgery.The hardest part is realizing that you will never be able to do the things that you could before.and you never will again.Seek pain management,they help some.If you live in Canada it is easier cause our health care is paid.Even with rods in the back you will never be the same. Good Luck. Here is my address Keep in touch and let me know how you make out.We may be able to talk with a little more in depth. I know where you are coming from and it is very hard to deal with. I am at
darrylhill@rogers.com my name is Linda

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First of all, my heart goes out to you. I have been dealing with this ever since I got hit by a semi-truck back in Aug 1990. I have 4 herniated and 5 bulging. I have done EVERYTHING there is to do. I will tell you what has helped me the most. First of all, I'm 46 and female. I thought the pain would never go away. It DOES from time to time and there are actually months that I have little or no pain. Then just one little thing will trigger it. I drove from eastern Kentucky to Hickory, NC late last August and I am still in pain. Numbness in my right calf and right toes tingling. Pain shooting down my right hip into the back of my leg, etc. What has helped me the most is going to the chiropractor and getting regular massages. I have to sleep in a recliner and I make sure I have lumbar support and a pillow under my kneed when I sleep. Only once in a while do I have to take a narcotic pain reliever. Have faith! It may not seem like it right now but it will get better and then you will have flare ups. Just remember when it first flares up to use ice on the area for the first 24 hours to keep it from swelling anymore and then switch to heat. Do NOT go the surgery route. Studies have shown time and time again that patients that undergo back surgery do no better than those that chose chiropractic relief. Good Luck.

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