Any one have an issue with the sciatic nerve

[Birdhunter1]

Let me add how it effected me, when it would flare up the only comfortable position was laying down or sitting in a manner that eased it, but hurt 10X worse when I'd have to move or get up.

Related to this industry:
While toughing it out, running a trimmer would dang near put me on the ground, especially if I had to slightly twist my body to edge sidewalks or twisting while trimming a long ditch. Sitting on a mower or tractor wasn't bad, provided I didn't have to twist my body or get bounced too much. Getting in a truck was murderous, getting out wasn't bad as gravity was in my favor. Doing any landscaping where you'd have to bend over then back up (aka weeding, floating/finishing concrete, stepping up on things and back down without handholds of some sort)... these are things that I had to do when I built my house with a flared up pinched nerve.

Not related to this industry:
Was a royal PITA to sit on a boat to fish, just as bad to stand on a boat to fish. Walk 1/2 mile in heavy clothing to a deerstand, walk 3 or 4 miles on a quail hunt, add to that any hunt where boots had a few more pounds of caked on mud. Wifey relations.... sometimes it felt better to just lay in that comfort spot where the nerve wasn't flared up.. and not move from it (which yes meant literally just laying there with no relations)!

Like I said last time it flard up I said heck with it, I have good insurance and theres no reason to deal with this anymore and explored finding out what was going on. Therapist said 90% of the people who complain of back problems have the same type of issue as me and simply make it worse by letting it go or toughing it out.

[whosedog]

Originally Posted by Damian

What brand are your Percocets? I've found different generics give different relief. I'm on them and ER Oxy.

The problem with these synthetic opiates is they are extremely addictive and you need higher doses to get the same relief.They do work well but are hard to get off when you want to stop,I know from personal experience.We had one poster here Mike k. who was using them for years the last I heard from him he was getting them off the street and headed for trouble.He's either dead,in jail or rehab.

[TJSTONE]

Take a good walk, stretching before the day starts and then during the work day also. gGo to the gym. these are the only things that really help but they take time. Sorry, no quick fixes.

[orangemower]

Originally Posted by Richard Martin

See a doctor and get an MRI done. A chiropractor could make things worse if he aggravates a serious problem.

I have 3 problems all at the L5-S1 joint. Spinal stenosis, my L-5 is slipping off of S-1 and the disc between them is ruptured. I may as well just burn the money by going to a chiropractor.

I have the same symptoms. Pain in the lower back, pain in the right hip, numbness up and down my right leg and foot, and if I'm on the leg long enough, a weakness in my right leg.

The ultimate prognosis is for surgery. My doctors and I all agree though that will be a last resort. The chance of success is 50-50. I can still work now but if they do the surgery and it goes bad then I'm done working forever.

I'm getting spinal epidurals, have a nerve stimulator and a whole host of pain medications including percocet. I also have stretching exercises for when the pain gets unbearable.

Add in osteoarthritis in both knees and hips and it makes for long days.

Wow, and I thought I had back issues. I feel better already. LOL Serious thought, hold out as long as you can possibly take it to have surgery. Scar tissue is the most common problem and can make matters worse if it builds up in the wrong area. Some people heal different and don't get much if any tissue build up but I know a good friend that's had 3 surgeries and he just as bad if not worse then he was before he ever had the first one. I also know a guy that has had surgery 1 time and has felt great ever since! He can bend down and lift heavy stuff that I myself can't handle. It all depends on the persons body chemistry as to the outcome of going under the knife. I've talked to more then a few dozen people that have had back surgery. If I were to guess, I'd say it's very close to 50-50 as to the outcome from being cut open. The neurosurgeon I went to told me that each persons body chemistry is different and heals different so it falls back to how fast and well a person heals.

Hang in there Richard for as long as you can. Even if you feel as though your body heals fast with little to no scars, you should wait. Unless you can afford to never work again and have a few pennies saved up then get multiple opinions from countless doctors before you go under the knife. Either way, good luck. I like the perks but can't do nothing if I take them so I usually work through any back pain. I get back with you on a price here real soon.

[Richard Martin]

Originally Posted by orangemower

Wow, and I thought I had back issues.

Hang in there Richard for as long as you can. Even if you feel as though your body heals fast with little to no scars, you should wait. Unless you can afford to never work again and have a few pennies saved up then get multiple opinions from countless doctors before you go under the knife. Either way, good luck. I like the perks but can't do nothing if I take them so I usually work through any back pain. I get back with you on a price here real soon.

Well, the surgery requires that I do a stress test first (stent in LAD) and I absolutely hate them. There is certainly a risk of death involved and I will wait until my pain is unbearable.

On the good side I can still outwork younger guys. I replied to a post earlier from a guy that said he cancelled his whole day because of the heat. Please. It has never occurred to me to cancel a day because of heat.

[Duekster]

Not even going to read this thread, all I can say is sorry. It can take years to heal and in your like of work you likely will not let it heal.

[Kelly's Landscaping]

My employee found a way for me to take my mind off the pain today. We mowed till we got hit by a thunder storm and despite him getting off the lawn 10 mins before I could he somehow found pinning the 6 month old weedwacker he was using to be too difficult. Needless to say that thing was probably snatched up with in 60 seconds of hitting the ground on the first left turn we made.

[Schuley]

I had it pretty bad too. Pain All the way down to my foot. After PT was done it was mostly better, but it took a few months to get back to normal, although it has never fully got better. Best thing i can do is at first sign of pain i lay on my stomach and brace myself up with my elbows for a minute or so, then lay flat, and repeat it a few times. The therapist said it helps get the disc back where it should. What ever it does it helps me..... You should try it!
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[treedoc1]

No joke, I swear by these stretches. They are quick and will alleviate that excruciating pain. I even use these before my weekly ice hockey games and as a 50+ player competing against 20 somethings, it keeps me limber.

http://www.spine-health.com/wellness...ormis-syndrome

Especially figure 20

[Richard Martin]

Originally Posted by treedoc1

No joke, I swear by these stretches. They are quick and will alleviate that excruciating pain. I even use these before my weekly ice hockey games and as a 50+ player competing against 20 somethings, it keeps me limber.

http://www.spine-health.com/wellness...ormis-syndrome

Especially figure 20

Number 18 does it for me. Instant relief but it's only good for about 10 minutes. Sometimes that's all it takes for me to fall asleep though.