| The pain of sciatica is hard to fully describe. Just | | | | job just walking from the car to his office, and I |
| imagine being hit in the back and behind with a | | | | was grateful to be there. I winced in pain, standing |
| baseball bat, multiple times, at full force. O-u-c-h. | | | | in his office, his eyebrows raised in surprise as I |
| For a newbie to serious back pain, it was a shock | | | | struggled to get up on the examination table. He |
| to go from fully functioning adult one minute, to | | | | checked my reflexes and looked over the results |
| flat on my back the next. Lightening bolts of | | | | of the tests. The diagnosis was sciatica, from a |
| stabbing pain were shooting down my left leg | | | | herniated or slipped disk. In other words, fluid had |
| from the base of my spine. I couldn't do anything | | | | leaked from inside my lowest lumbar vertebra, |
| to be comfortable but sleep on the floor. The | | | | and was hitting my sciatic nerve. The sciatic |
| bed, massage recliner and sofa were all too | | | | nerve is large and runs the length of the legs, so |
| unbearingly uncomfortable. | | | | no wonder the pain was affecting my left leg that |
| Dealing with the pain has been quite a challenge. All | | | | way. I was given prescriptions to kill the pain and |
| the actions I'd been previously been able to do | | | | was sent to physical therapy. |
| such as sitting up, bending, lifting and twisting | | | | Now, I'm at home recuperating, still flat on my |
| were no longer an option unless I didn't mind being | | | | back but slowly seeing progress in my abilities to |
| zapped with more rapidly firing, searing bolts of | | | | function in everyday activities once again. It's a |
| agony. Lucky for me, I work at home, but since I | | | | very slow process, and took the doctor choosing |
| couldn't sit up straight it was a help for my | | | | stronger medicines for me, but I am almost able |
| boyfriend to pull my recliner up to my desk, pull | | | | to sit up now. Walking and bending are still tough, |
| the slab of memory foam off my bed, and put it | | | | but every day I carefully do a little more. My |
| on top of the recliner to make it bearable. He | | | | physical therapy helps but it is like re-learning how |
| made an incredibly effective makeshift "bed" for | | | | to use my back all over again. It's pretty |
| me to recuperate in a horizontal position as I | | | | frustrating for a formerly athletic person who |
| worked from my computer at a very unusual | | | | doesn't like to sit around for long periods of time. |
| angle. Workaholism is still possible even with | | | | Word to the wise, be careful how you treat your |
| sciatica. | | | | back. And, when feeling strong pain, don't tough it |
| In the past, I had back pain here and there, but | | | | out and wait for it to stop on your own. It's |
| nothing even close to this. There were many | | | | better to go get it checked. |
| times I took too many grocery bags up to my | | | | Since this experience, I've had a lot of time on |
| apartment, all at once, without thought of what it | | | | my hands to read about spine health online. There |
| was doing to my spine. Then, later, the pain would | | | | are some very helpful sites to learn from. If you |
| remind me that I shouldn't have done it. An ice | | | | have health issues and need support, try an online |
| pack later, it was usually healed. When I moved, I | | | | message board on whatever is ailing you. There, |
| always took heavy boxes and carried them | | | | you will find support and information from others |
| around. Then, later, would sit around frozen with | | | | who have been through similar circumstances. It |
| pain due to doing too much. I bought a massage | | | | pays to know as much as you can about your |
| recliner and practically lived in it for a few days, | | | | ailment, so that you can understand what to |
| that did the trick. This time, it was different. The | | | | expect in terms of treatment and recuperation. |
| pain didn't go away. Three weeks later, and the | | | | Ask your doctor questions and learn from the |
| lightening bolts were still shooting through my leg | | | | experience. Once the episode is over, you will be |
| and back. I'd ignored the slight numbness in my | | | | a more informed and grateful person. I know I |
| left leg the month before, and wondered if that | | | | am. I have a new appreciation for anyone who |
| was related to what was happening with my | | | | says they have a bad back, or has mobility |
| back. So, it was time to go to the doctor and | | | | problems. Taking a walk in others' orthopedic |
| stop trying to tough it out. | | | | shoes made me see the light. Learn from my |
| The orthopedic specialist I went to took x-rays | | | | pain, be good to your back. |
| and a CT scan to find the problem. It was a big | | | | |