Specialists – My Sciatic Journey

After getting approved for health insurance I decided to go to my primary doctor. She wasn’t available so I saw the nurse practitioner. After seeing my tears streaming down my face and the trouble I had to get up on the examination table I can tell she felt pity for my soul. She then quickly prescribed muscle relaxer, sent me off for a leg clot test and MRI scan. I really appreciated this because at the time it really helped to ease my mind a bit. I was told I had a bulging disc in the L5 and S1 What is a trigger point injection for sciatica? For what I was explained, Trigger Point injections involve direct injection of medication to the cause of your pain. In my case, my doctor gave me a trigger point cortisone injection on my right hip, specifically the trochanter. I mean I guess my hip did hurt but I felt it was not “the” place where all this was coming from. Didn’t they already know this? Again, there’s a theme throughout my personal ordeal: Let the doctor tell you where it hurts and you’ll quickly get..............nowhere. What is an epidural for sciatica nerve pain? A chosen medication is delivered to the epidural space, which is a fat-filled area between the bone and the protective sac of the spinal nerves. It is done with a rather large needle. Do trigger point injections work for sciatica caused by disc herniation? In my personal experience, it did nothing, but the following may be why. I told the doctor that I had sciatica pain, after Xrays, he said my hip had calcification on it and it would be a good idea to use a trigger point injection to that area and break it up to see if that works. It didn’t. Would an epidural injection for sciatica pain help? I read this about this treatment on the Spine-Health website: Epidurals have been used for low back problems since 1952 and are still an integral part of the non-surgical management of sciatica and low back pain. The goal of the injection is pain relief; at times the injection alone is sufficient to provide relief, but commonly an epidural steroid injection is used in combination with a comprehensive rehabilitation program to provide additional benefit. How do you feel after a lumbar trigger point injection for sciatica? After my lumbar trigger point injection, I truly felt nothing. Even the injection was not a big deal. I really had it in my mind that it would hurt but it didn’t. I was nervous for nothing. It was an “in and out” type of thing. How do you feel right after an epidural injection for sciatica? I felt alright but that does keep you for about 30 minutes or so to make sure you don’t get dizzy afterward. Maybe some people get dizzy? Does an epidural injection hurt? No it was just an uncomfortable feeling but much less of an ordeal then I thought it would be. Everyone’s pain tolerance is different but for me, it was almost nothing at all. Would I use trigger point injections for bulging Disc sciatica radiating pain again? In my personal experience, I would not waste my time, energy or hard-earned money. But again that’s me. Because of all the diagnostic tests I had done I was sure that pain was radiating from the bulging discs I was diagnosed with. I was actually very disappointed when I felt exactly the same soon after and even weeks after. No difference for me at all. Does a trigger point injection hurt? It didn’t hurt more than a regular injection. I think I do have to mention that it was more my pride that was hurt. Being my lumbar and hip hurting I did. I have to pull my pants down so I had my butt in the doctors' face. Not a bueno feeling. Now.....let’s talk about AFTER the injection YESSSSS it hurt for about 24 hours, I don’t know why that is but it did. I was told to put hot compresses or cold if that helps. I was told to take NSAIDs to decrease swelling and pain. Would I use epidural injections for sciatica nerve pain down the leg? Everyone is different. I would not do it in the future, I think the risks outweigh any improvement and with me, there were no improvements at all. Where to get trigger point injections for leg nerve pain? I went to my hospital systems Spine Center and they had me see an Osteopathic Doctor. He was amazing and was really kind and funny after I got to know him, but at first, I have to say I was a basket case crying and shaking in pain so he just looked scared when I first met him. But after that he made me feel confident that he could help me. He did try his best it just didn’t work out. Where to get epidural injections for lower back pinched nerve and sciatica? I would get in touch with your primary care physician and get a referral to a spine specialist or someone that really knows what they are doing. The spine is nothing to fool with. What kind of doctor treats sciatica, bulging/herniated disc, leg pain, and sciatica? (I had all!!) Many doctors deal with spine issues here’s a list of the types of doctors I used may be in order or not.ChiropractorOsteopathic DoctorOrthopedic SurgeonMassage therapistAcupuncturist (didn’t get to see one myself but thought I’d throw it in since so many people recommended one)Neuromuscular TherapistPhysical Therapist In conclusion In the end, after many weeks wasted waiting to see if the injections were gone no to work they just didn’t for me. I wish it were that easy but I believe there’s a limit of steroid injections you’re supposed to have in a 6 month period so waiting to see if it “works” and waiting until it’s all right to get another injection was both terrifying and highly anxious time not only for me but my whole family. I’m not saying not to get it or to get the injections, in my personal experience steroid injections never have helped me even in the past like after my car accident 12 years ago. The doctor's assistant didn’t know what he was doing and just kept poking me over and over again. After that, I was in more pain then when I went in for days. It was a horrible experience for sure. Photo Credits: Apple with syringes: Sara Bakhshi@sarabakshi Doctor looking down:Hike Shaw@hikeshaw Drawing Of spine:Joyce McCown@moonshadowpressMassage therapist:Toa Heftiba@heftiba