I may have sciatica

[Jake LaMotta]

6 months ago I was doing deadlifts and I felt a pain in my lower back. A week or two later I had a pain in my left testicle. I went to the doc and she said it may be a hernia. I went to the hernia doc and he said I didn't have a hernia in my testicle but I had an umbilical hernia. I had it repaired in April. But even after the operation I STILL had pain in my left testicle. So I than went to a urologist. They did an ultrasound on me. He found a small vasercol (sp?) vein on my testicle but said that wouldn't be causing the pain there. He said I could have the vein removed but I never did.

A month after that the pain went away. I had a torn pec repaired in May and have not touched a weight since than. 3 months later and now the pain in my testicle is back. Now, not only do I have pain in my testicle area but also feel it in my hip, lower back, and even in my knee and down to my foot. Yeah, my foot! It's starting to be a pain and it's been harder and harder to sleep. Between this and my torn pec surgery recovery I'm having a nervous breakdown.

My friend suggested that when I hurt myself doing those heavy deadlifts 6 months ago I probably damaged something and that it might be sciatica. I have an appointment to see a back doc Sept. 28. Here are some questions I have:

1) Are there any tests they can do to see if I have sciatica or any other problems that may be related to this?

2) Let's say this is sciatica, what would I need to do? Take meds? Take a shot? See a chiro? Do PT? Get surgery?

3) Let's say worse case scenario...I need surgery. How long would I have to be out of work for? I really can't afford to be out of work for that long. How long would I be out for?

4) Again worse case scenario...I need surgery. How long would I have to be out of the gym for?

Thanks in advance.

 

[glenihan]

if its sciatica a good chiro should be able to help you out no problem

 

[MAINEVENT]

Before you see the neurosurgeon, go see a good chiro. I've had patients with similar problems and its usually the L5/sacrum/si jt problem. Sounds like you have a classis case of sciatica. Adjustments and traction/or decompression therapy should do the trick.

He/she will problably want to do x-rays which isn't absolutely necessary but if the pain doesn't subside to some degree after 2-4 adjustments, then an MRI may be warranted.

 

[Jake LaMotta]

Based on what I described, is surgery inevitable?

 

[Sesshomaru]

1) Are there any tests they can do to see if I have sciatica or any other problems that may be related to this?

There are, and you can google them, but just go to a chiro and have a trained eye evaluate you.

2) Let's say this is sciatica, what would I need to do? Take meds? Take a shot? See a chiro? Do PT? Get surgery?

Go to a chiro and have them adjust you. Have them evaluate your posture as well. Often a particular event or injury does not cause sciatica, it usually develops as a result of general wear and tear on the structures of the lower spine. Some people need PT if the sciatica is really bad, but lets just see what the chiro finds first.

3) Let's say worse case scenario...I need surgery. How long would I have to be out of work for? I really can't afford to be out of work for that long. How long would I be out for?

4) Again worse case scenario...I need surgery. How long would I have to be out of the gym for?

Thanks in advance.

IF and thats a big "if" you need surgery, they can take away a portion of the disc thats irritating the nerve, but thats for severe cases and only after other treatments fail. I dont know many people who havent fixed their sciatica with adjustments, PT, and a general focus on stability and posture in their training.


Cant say anything on the testicle issue though. Keep digging to find that one out.

 

[Jake LaMotta]

I think the testicle pain may just be refered pain from the lower back. Either way I'm getting it checked out. I hope I don't need to go under the knife.

sesshomaru, IF I was to get surgery, how long would I be out of work for? How long would I be out of the gym for?

 

[MAINEVENT]

The testicle pain is more than likely being referred by an irritated sacral nerve, thus coming from the low back (in general terms).

Surgery is THE LAST option. But if so generally your looking at being off work for 1-2 months and out of the gym anywhere from 2-6 months.

 

[Pekkerwood]

Sciatica

Had sciatia in January. Couldn't sit for more than an hour, couldn't drive more than an hour, my pain was literally a pain in the butt, didn't travel far down my legs. There are several causes, the most common of which are detailed in other posts. I had a different cause.

I play a competitive indoor court sport at a high level. It involves much twisting turning, starting stopping. My hip socket was/is deteriorated on one side causing musclular trauma that fired the sciatic nerve. Also had problems with the psoas muscle.

Chiropractor did a regiment of stretching, adjustments (probably not necessary for mine, but felt good anyway) and decompression therapy. Pain went away in 6 weeks and stayed away. I quick relief trick is if you can feels the localized pain in buttocks, not back, is to sit on a tennis ball directly under the pain. Gives almost immediate relief from symptons. Used to keep one in car and office.

Hope this helps.

 

[Jake LaMotta]

So I should go see a chiro before I see a doctor? That doesn't make sense. Shouldn't I get an MRI first so I can know what's wrong with me before I go have someone mess with my back?

 

[STEVO 47]

I had that shit. Pain so unbearable going down my leg I wanted to die
Get an MRI done first just to be sure. that's what i did.

 

[Jake LaMotta]

Steve what did you do about it? Surgery?

 

[Sesshomaru]

So I should go see a chiro before I see a doctor? That doesn't make sense. Shouldn't I get an MRI first so I can know what's wrong with me before I go have someone mess with my back?

Many doctors dont look favorably upon chiros, its seen as alternative medicine adn theyd rather give you a pill.

 

[STEVO 47]

Steve what did you do about it? Surgery?

No they said sometimes surg. could make it worst. It will take a while
but in most cases as long as you get plenty of rest stay off your feet
and take some antiflam. med. it will get better. It took me 3 1/2 months
to get back to normal. the down side is be careful cause even when you
think your heeled. One day you could be just sitting on the toilet and
as you get up to wipe your ass pop. Back to the old drawing board.

 

[STEVO 47]

Many doctors dont look favorably upon chiros, its seen as alternative medicine adn theyd rather give you a pill.

exactly. this might stir some shit up I'm sure but some of my customers
are doctors and they say that chiro. is not excepted in the med field.

 

[Jake LaMotta]

Is it possible to still lift while having sciatica? Is there any chance if I do indeed have this that I can be healed through PT or a chiro?

I have been feeling this for 6 months now. And I haven't lifted a weight in that time.

Is there a shot they can give you to take the pain away?

 

[STEVO 47]

Is it possible to still lift while having sciatica? Is there any chance if I do indeed have this that I can be healed through PT or a chiro?

I have been feeling this for 6 months now. And I haven't lifted a weight in that time.

Is there a shot they can give you to take the pain away?

Best thing to do is go get an MRI done. Find out what's causing the
pain then most likely they'll give you a shot of cortison (spelling ?)
for temp relief then some prescript. meds. I got hurt doing heavy
standing barbell curls. I'll never do thoughs again. find out what's
wrong then take it frome there. And yes you can lift depending on
the problem. I will tell you this. If you have sciatica and not taking
it easy your agitating the nurve and it'll take for ever to heel.

 

[Sesshomaru]

exactly. this might stir some shit up I'm sure but some of my customers
are doctors and they say that chiro. is not excepted in the med field.

Yeah well the medical field doesnt accept a lot outside its own circle, but if I have a bulging disc, I dont want a pill or surgery, I just want someone to push it back into a place.

And yes you can lift with sciatica but you need to get evaluated first. Ive had a client with piriformis syndrome and she still lifted. Just had to watch what did and avoid what hurt.

 

[Jake LaMotta]

I just missed 5 months of work from torn pec tendon surgery. I really can't afford to miss any more work so I'm PRAYING I won't need a surgery for this. I have an appt. with my primary doc today. Hopefully she can get me in with a back doc very soon.

 

[muscle96ss]

Bro, you have been inactive for months. You are young, all you probably need is a good core flexibility and strengthening program.

Sciatica very rarely ends up with surgery. The only way a good doc will do surgery is if PT, epidurals, and all conservative methods have failed and you are in such unbearable pain that you cannot live a normal life(normally about a year of conservative treatment).

As I mentioned before in PM's 1+1 does not equal 2 in medicine. In other words, the public thinks that if you have a problem you can get a surgery and everything is corrected. Unfortunately it does not work that way. I have seen 100's of patients who have had low back surgerys and maybe 5% actually recover 100%, maybe 20% recover enough to live a normal life with some pain, and the other 75% get no relief or are worse.

You are jumping the gun a bit. I see sciatica on a daily basis and the first step it to find out what is the cause. Without knowing the cause it is impossible to find the solution. Talk to your PT you had with the pec surgery. He will be able to enlighten you more.

 

[Jake LaMotta]

muscle96ss a few things:

1) The fact that I have been inactive for months is irrelevant. This pain started six months ago right after I did a heavy set of deadlifts.

2) I think it's pretty obvious that I did something to my back from doing that set of deadlifts 6 months ago. I don't think I'm jumping the gun, just being realistic.

3) You need to clean out your mailbox, I tried PM ing you but it said your mailbox was full and needed to be cleaned out. I have some news for you regsrding my torn pec.