Pippi Longstocking
Newcomer
Hello everyone, I am new here.
I have been suffering with lower back pain and stiffness for about 9 years but always a quick visit to the chiropractor sorted things out.
About 20 months ago I got sciatica down my left leg, I struggled to sit for long, had no numbness but it was painful and uncomfortable. However I was fully functional and mobile and felt better when working and moving around. I had a steroid injection for it in April 2019 which gave me a relief for a month and then the symptoms re-appeared. So the spinal surgeon suggested another steroid injection for which I have been waiting since August 2019.
In January 2020 I had 2 weeks with no symptoms - I was amazed and was even wondering if I should cancel my planned for 21st March steroid injection!
However in early February I was crippled with lower back pain, ended up in A&E and then a chiropractor adjusted my "locked pelvis" as she called it - after which I was able to walk withing hours. I was ecstatic!
However the next day after the chiropractic adjustment I developed mild sciatica down my right leg - which was strange as for the past 20 months I had those problems on my left side! I started reading on TMS 7 months ago precisely for the issues on my left side.
The new mild sciatica in my right leg was bearable, I could drive, walk and go about my day to day chores despite being signed off work. However 2 weeks later my right sciatica all of a sudden got so bad, I could not walk, or stand to even brush my teeth in the morning. In the evening the pain eased up a little but just like that as I was standing by the bed I developed numbness in my little toes, the outside of my foot and the heel of the foot which has been going on for 2 weeks now. Went back to my GP, she told me to take ibuprofen, go for walks (I couldn't for a while!) and signed me off for further 2 weeks. She mentioned something about my S1 nerve being affected but did not go into details in the 10 minutes appointments we have! I tried to stand on my right tip-toes and my right leg collapses, I limp when I walk, my leg feels weak and my foot and little toes are numb - apparently is due to the affected S1 nerve.
In the meantime I had another MRI scan and I was amazed when the phone call from the spinal specialist came - he said "my left side has resolved and now I have a disc prolapse on the right side"!! So now he said that I am going to have the planned steroid injection (for which I waited 7 months) in my right side instead of my left one in about a month time!
The verdict from the chiropractor was: "So the numbness is very radicular - in other words it follows where one nerve root goes. So although not ideal for you, it's not the type of symptom we really worry about. It does indicate it's following the S1 nerve root with the weakness going up on your toes which fits the skin area you say you have numbness in. So the last disc is definitely pressing on the S1 nerve root. In and of itself it's very frustrating but not the sort of emergency we worry about for patients."
My question is - how can a prolapsed disc on the left "resolve" but then I get it on the opposite side with horrendous symptoms? Is this TMS despite me having numbness, unable to stand on right tiptoes, weakness and limping when trying to walk? The MRI 16 months ago showed disc prolapse on the left, the new MRI shows nothing on the left but disc prolapse on the right?!
I am worried about the affected nerve causing permanent damage - at the moment weakness, unable to walk fast, can't stand on right tiptoes, numbness and limping. Anybody had that and what's the best thing to do?
In the meantime while waiting for the steroid injection on 21st March I am using meditation and reading up on TMS when the anxiety gets too much - but could it be a physical issue?
Sorry for the long post, I am scared, worried and don't know what to do... Anybody can relate to this? Thank you in advance! <3
I have been suffering with lower back pain and stiffness for about 9 years but always a quick visit to the chiropractor sorted things out.
About 20 months ago I got sciatica down my left leg, I struggled to sit for long, had no numbness but it was painful and uncomfortable. However I was fully functional and mobile and felt better when working and moving around. I had a steroid injection for it in April 2019 which gave me a relief for a month and then the symptoms re-appeared. So the spinal surgeon suggested another steroid injection for which I have been waiting since August 2019.
In January 2020 I had 2 weeks with no symptoms - I was amazed and was even wondering if I should cancel my planned for 21st March steroid injection!
However in early February I was crippled with lower back pain, ended up in A&E and then a chiropractor adjusted my "locked pelvis" as she called it - after which I was able to walk withing hours. I was ecstatic!
However the next day after the chiropractic adjustment I developed mild sciatica down my right leg - which was strange as for the past 20 months I had those problems on my left side! I started reading on TMS 7 months ago precisely for the issues on my left side.
The new mild sciatica in my right leg was bearable, I could drive, walk and go about my day to day chores despite being signed off work. However 2 weeks later my right sciatica all of a sudden got so bad, I could not walk, or stand to even brush my teeth in the morning. In the evening the pain eased up a little but just like that as I was standing by the bed I developed numbness in my little toes, the outside of my foot and the heel of the foot which has been going on for 2 weeks now. Went back to my GP, she told me to take ibuprofen, go for walks (I couldn't for a while!) and signed me off for further 2 weeks. She mentioned something about my S1 nerve being affected but did not go into details in the 10 minutes appointments we have! I tried to stand on my right tip-toes and my right leg collapses, I limp when I walk, my leg feels weak and my foot and little toes are numb - apparently is due to the affected S1 nerve.
In the meantime I had another MRI scan and I was amazed when the phone call from the spinal specialist came - he said "my left side has resolved and now I have a disc prolapse on the right side"!! So now he said that I am going to have the planned steroid injection (for which I waited 7 months) in my right side instead of my left one in about a month time!
The verdict from the chiropractor was: "So the numbness is very radicular - in other words it follows where one nerve root goes. So although not ideal for you, it's not the type of symptom we really worry about. It does indicate it's following the S1 nerve root with the weakness going up on your toes which fits the skin area you say you have numbness in. So the last disc is definitely pressing on the S1 nerve root. In and of itself it's very frustrating but not the sort of emergency we worry about for patients."
My question is - how can a prolapsed disc on the left "resolve" but then I get it on the opposite side with horrendous symptoms? Is this TMS despite me having numbness, unable to stand on right tiptoes, weakness and limping when trying to walk? The MRI 16 months ago showed disc prolapse on the left, the new MRI shows nothing on the left but disc prolapse on the right?!
I am worried about the affected nerve causing permanent damage - at the moment weakness, unable to walk fast, can't stand on right tiptoes, numbness and limping. Anybody had that and what's the best thing to do?
In the meantime while waiting for the steroid injection on 21st March I am using meditation and reading up on TMS when the anxiety gets too much - but could it be a physical issue?
Sorry for the long post, I am scared, worried and don't know what to do... Anybody can relate to this? Thank you in advance! <3
