Lower back pinched nerve

anyone got any advise for someone with a lower back pinched nerve? The problem here is that my lower right back hurts and the pain shoots down my leg all the way to my calves and near the ankle. There is also a numbness and tired feeling on my right leg as well. I been going to physiotherapy, used the ICT and am now using a traction machine since ICT have no done much at all. The stretches don't really feel like it's doing much for it either.

if anyone had a similar experience or advice, please let me know.

thanks

[QUOTE=-dubby-;208573601]anyone got any advise for someone with a lower back pinched nerve? The problem here is that my lower right back hurts and the pain shoots down my leg all the way to my calves and near the ankle. There is also a numbness and tired feeling on my right leg as well. I been going to physiotherapy, used the ICT and am now using a traction machine since ICT have no done much at all. The stretches don't really feel like it's doing much for it either.

if anyone had a similar experience or advice, please let me know.

thanks[/QUOTE]

I did. It was a herniated disc. I tried epidural steroid injections which helped, but ended up have a lumbar microdiscectomy at L5-S1.

See an orthopedic or neurosurgeon and get a lumbar MRI asap.

my doc said that the x-ray came back and my lower spine was a bit off. I forgot where exactly it was but it wasn't the disc, it was L# - L#. Do you think epidural steroid injections could help me though? This is really disrupting my life because it hurts when i stand and its uncomfortable even when i am just sitting down.

[QUOTE=-dubby-;208578021]my doc said that the x-ray came back and my lower spine was a bit off. I forgot where exactly it was but it wasn't the disc, it was L# - L#. Do you think epidural steroid injections could help me though? This is really disrupting my life because it hurts when i stand and its uncomfortable even when i am just sitting down.[/QUOTE]

Xrays reveal a bony anomoly...MRIs show soft tissue anomoly. You can't rule out a disc problem without an MRI. My xray showed unusual lumbar vertebra position...still needed the MRI.

Pain radiating down the leg is a classic symptom of a disc pressing on a nerve root...the other most likely reason is sciatica. The top three causes of sciatica are 1) the disc pressing on the nerve root, 2) impingement at the sciatic notch (where it passes through the hip) or, 3) inflammation of the piriformis muscle. Overweight people tend to get sciatica from inactivity combined with literally "sitting on" the nerve.

i will see the doctor again asap, just one more question. If i don't deal with it now, would it get worse and eventually become permanent?

[QUOTE=-dubby-;208587871]i will see the doctor again asap, just one more question. If i don't deal with it now, would it get worse and eventually become permanent?[/QUOTE]

Mine started as a dull ache and then eventually put me out of work for two months. The radiating pain became excruciating and felt like a hot knife being stabbed and dragged in my leg. The epidurals got me back to work, but a year later I still needed surgery to get active again.

I lost 25 lbs of muscle over the year it took me to commit to surgery. If I could do it over, I would get surgery the day after I had the injury. Recovery was a bitch after being disabled that long and losing that much muscle.

There is a chance of nerve scarring which could mean that the pain/sensations are permanent even if the disc is repaired.

[QUOTE=-dubby-;208573601]anyone got any advise for someone with a lower back pinched nerve? The problem here is that my lower right back hurts and the pain shoots down my leg all the way to my calves and near the ankle. There is also a numbness and tired feeling on my right leg as well. I been going to physiotherapy, used the ICT and am now using a traction machine since ICT have no done much at all. The stretches don't really feel like it's doing much for it either.

if anyone had a similar experience or advice, please let me know.

thanks[/QUOTE]

Need to explain what it means by your lower spine being "a bit off"

What exercises have you been given?

Pain radiating down the leg does NOT necessarily mean that a nerve has been pinched: it can be referred pain from a joint / disc in the spine.

How long have you had the problem now?

[QUOTE=jdmalm123;208590091]Mine started as a dull ache and then eventually put me out of work for two months. The radiating pain became excruciating and felt like a hot knife being stabbed and dragged in my leg. The epidurals got me back to work, but a year later I still needed surgery to get active again.

I lost 25 lbs of muscle over the year it took me to commit to surgery. If I could do it over, I would get surgery the day after I had the injury. Recovery was a bitch after being disabled that long and losing that much muscle.

There is a chance of nerve scarring which could mean that the pain/sensations are permanent even if the disc is repaired.[/QUOTE]

yea mine started as a discomfort dull ache as well and is gradually getting worse.

[QUOTE=jdmalm123;208581871]the other most likely reason is sciatica. The top three causes of sciatica are 1) the disc pressing on the nerve root, 2) impingement at the sciatic notch (where it passes through the hip) or, 3) inflammation of the piriformis muscle. Overweight people tend to get sciatica from inactivity combined with literally "sitting on" the nerve.[/QUOTE]

That's what I originally thought upon reading the post. I had this during pregnancy. It was totally debilitating. I saw an osteopath (yeah yeah, I thought this was BS too, but it actually worked). The issue resolved itself a day later.

Its worth a try...

[QUOTE=Fresch;208697861]Need to explain what it means by your lower spine being "a bit off"

What exercises have you been given?

Pain radiating down the leg does NOT necessarily mean that a nerve has been pinched: it can be referred pain from a joint / disc in the spine.

How long have you had the problem now?[/QUOTE]

By a bit off i mean that my spine from L#-L# was a bit off, i forget what number s they were but i will find out again when i see my doctor

Id been doing stretches for my core, trunk, leg and etc... Just stretches in general for my core and legs.

I really hope it's not a pinched nerve either but it seems like i got a lot of symptoms of a pinch never

I had this problem around 8 months ago, but it got very painful after i started doing squats and deads again (not doing any lower back or leg exercises at the moment)

[QUOTE=Iron_Sweetie;208828381]That's what I originally thought upon reading the post. I had this during pregnancy. It was totally debilitating. I saw an osteopath (yeah yeah, I thought this was BS too, but it actually worked). The issue resolved itself a day later.

Its worth a try...[/QUOTE]

What did the osteopath do?

Im with the above poster, get to a specialist pronto... If it is no big deal then great, a little adjustment and your good to go.. If you wait i definitely can and will get worse.. You need to take care of it now. I ignored mine for a long time and the end result was surgery... Get it checked and set your mind at ease...

Question..

If you decompress your spine does it give you any relief..

[QUOTE=-dubby-;208826911]yea mine started as a discomfort dull ache as well and is gradually getting worse.[/QUOTE]

Sorry to say it, but that's a bad sign, for me, that meant the disc was protruding (herniating) more and more...

[QUOTE=-dubby-;208833821]What did the osteopath do?[/QUOTE]

Osteopaths and some Chiropractors do manipulations to force the disc back into place...it works for some people...definitely worth a look to avoid surgery if possible.

What caused the injury? For me the biggest help with overcoming a compressed disc was chiropractor and inversion table.

[QUOTE=jdmalm123;208982621]Sorry to say it, but that's a bad sign, for me, that meant the disc was protruding (herniating) more and more...



Osteopaths and some Chiropractors do manipulations to force the disc back into place...it works for some people...definitely worth a look to avoid surgery if possible.[/QUOTE]


If the Osteopaths or Chiropractors can force he disc back into place, is there a possibility that the nerve will heal itself or does it just put it back in place?

[QUOTE=ram_6000000;209156761]What caused the injury? For me the biggest help with overcoming a compressed disc was chiropractor and inversion table.[/QUOTE]

Bad form squats and deadlifts when doing heavy

[QUOTE=-dubby-;209170071]Bad form squats and deadlifts when doing heavy[/QUOTE]

Mine too.

[QUOTE=-dubby-;209169931]If the Osteopaths or Chiropractors can force he disc back into place, is there a possibility that the nerve will heal itself or does it just put it back in place?[/QUOTE]

If there is no nerve damage, then simply taking the disc off the nerve root could immediately end the pain. That's what happened for me, but my disc had protruded so much, the disc material had to be surgically removed. They only trimmed about 15% of the disc away in my case (microdiscectomy).

If there is serious nerve damage, then removing the disc material from the nerve might make a difference or it might make no difference. Nerves do heal, but slowly, so any nerve damage could linger for some time.

The MRI will tell you how severe the herniation is and if adjustments are likely to be enough. I also had significant pain reduction from the epidurals, which were fairly easy to undergo.

yes, would def go see an neuro if possible and get an MRI. if there is a buldging, herniated or whatever you want to call it disk then the longer its pressing on the nerve or nerves the more likely perm damage will be done. i had a car wreck a few years ago and they said i had a small buldge with an annular (sp) tear on my L5-S1 disk so after a few years of PT, meds, injections, ****loads of meds etc they did a few test that hurt like a SOB but made them decide to take the disk out. i had a TLIF fusion done last feb and they found out the disk had actually collapsed into my sacrum and was pressing on a couple of nerves. because they were dragging their feet at previous doctors because of my age i have a good bit of nerve damage, have a little bit of foot drop, numbness and weakness in my left leg especially. get to a specialist ASAP so they can find out what is going on and properly help out. also, check out thread "for all of your with back pain" and check out the website, has been more help than anything else i found!

[QUOTE=-dubby-;208587871]i will see the doctor again asap, just one more question. If i don't deal with it now, would it get worse and eventually become permanent?[/QUOTE]

Back in high school I experienced the same thing. I could barely lift my right leg and had excruciating pain. I never saw doctor for it, and thankfully today I'm okay. Although I do have recurring lower back pain to this day. Just not nearly as bad.

It is a good idea to seek early treatment.

[QUOTE=TexFlex;209222181]I could barely lift my right leg and had excruciating pain.[/QUOTE]

This is exactly what's wrong with my right leg as well, except mine gets numb and sometimes even painful around the calf area.

What did you do to fix it?

[QUOTE=jdmalm123;209216001]Mine too.



If there is no nerve damage, then simply taking the disc off the nerve root could immediately end the pain. That's what happened for me, but my disc had protruded so much, the disc material had to be surgically removed. They only trimmed about 15% of the disc away in my case (microdiscectomy).

If there is serious nerve damage, then removing the disc material from the nerve might make a difference or it might make no difference. Nerves do heal, but slowly, so any nerve damage could linger for some time.

The MRI will tell you how severe the herniation is and if adjustments are likely to be enough. I also had significant pain reduction from the epidurals, which were fairly easy to undergo.[/QUOTE]


Thanks so much for all your help, i am seeing my doctor tomorrow and i am going to request to get an MRI, i will keep you updated though! thanks again

[QUOTE=gimpy835;209218091]yes, would def go see an neuro if possible and get an MRI. if there is a buldging, herniated or whatever you want to call it disk then the longer its pressing on the nerve or nerves the more likely perm damage will be done. i had a car wreck a few years ago and they said i had a small buldge with an annular (sp) tear on my L5-S1 disk so after a few years of PT, meds, injections, ****loads of meds etc they did a few test that hurt like a SOB but made them decide to take the disk out. i had a TLIF fusion done last feb and they found out the disk had actually collapsed into my sacrum and was pressing on a couple of nerves. because they were dragging their feet at previous doctors because of my age i have a good bit of nerve damage, have a little bit of foot drop, numbness and weakness in my left leg especially. get to a specialist ASAP so they can find out what is going on and properly help out. also, check out thread "for all of your with back pain" and check out the website, has been more help than anything else i found![/QUOTE]

that sounds so painful, how are you right now?

back hurts all the time ususally from sitting at work all day, have numbness in my left leg, some foot drop, left leg is weaker that right and docs gave me a %12 perm disability rating. its better than it was but still have pain thats is more than likely never going to get any better than it is.

The doc told me text books indicate nerve and tissue damage can heal, depends on the severity. Takes about a year. Realize that you will most likely always have a weak point there. If I over exert myself I get lower back pain pretty easy. I have since eliminated military press, db press, and even squats and extensions can aggrivate it. Sucks, but I've learned to adapt my training routine.

To those in this thread working out after a back injury...I recommend you buy and read:

[b]"Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance" by Stuart McGill, PhD[/b]

[QUOTE=-dubby-;209330701]Thanks so much for all your help, i am seeing my doctor tomorrow and i am going to request to get an MRI, i will keep you updated though! thanks again[/QUOTE]

What did the doctor say?