QuestionAbout three months ago I pinched my sciatic nerve while getting into a car. I was throwing up every hour and couldn't even keep down water. My dad took me to the ER and they said that I just had a pinched sciatic nerve. They gave me three shots, one for the pain, another for nausea, and a muscle relaxer. They also prescribed vicaprofin and cyclobenazaprine. I took these for about a week or two until the pain stopped.
Now, three months later, when I wake up or I have been standing for a long time, my back starts hurting again. It is no where near the pain it was when I first hurt it, but it hurts.
I still have some medicine leftover but I do not want to take anymore because taking both of them at the same time gave me a kidney infection.
Does the pain from a pinched sciatic nerve ever really go away? Is there any way to do it without the medicine? Should I take the rest of the medicine and risk another kidney infection? Or do you think it will be okay if I don't do anything?
Thank you for any help;
Lisa Hudson
Answerpinched sciatic nerve , Staten Island Sciatica,
Hello Lisa,
I am sorry to hear of your initial painful episode, kidney infection, sciatica, and continued pain.
".....My dad took me to the ER and they said that I just had a pinched sciatic nerve.....", - - - JUST HAD A PINCHED SCIATIC NERVE- - I guess they never experienced the extreme pain that a 'pinched sciatic nerve' causes !!! Also- the Sciatic nerve, nerves that originate in your spine and travel the entire length of the leg, and control muscle and sensation in the entire lower limb-- it is an important nerve!
First, let me say - 'Sciatica', or a 'pinched sciatic nerve' is an incomplete diagnosis.
WHAT caused the 'pinch'?
Are you a competitive athlete?- did you get kicked in the buttock or in the back of your thigh?- did you bruise the sciatic nerve?
Are you a Diabetic, or some suffer from some disease that forces you to take an injection-- perhaps in the buttock- and the injection nicked, irritated the sciatic nerve?
Did you have a muscle spasm that trapped the Sciatic nerve and caused irritation, 'pinched' the nerve? Did you bend/ lift/ move improperly that kicked off the spasm that in turn caused the pinch upon the Sciatic Nerve, that in turn caused the 'Sciatica'?
Did you have a swollen disc (not even a herniated disc), a swollen- irritated disc - from an improper movement, an improper posture, an improper lift; and that swollen disc- in turn- pressed upon the sciatic nerve and ultimately caused the symptoms of 'Sciatica'?
Did you bend/ move/ lift/ have improper posture that , in turn, caused aberrant motion within the spinal joints? perhaps caused mis- or mal-alignment within the spinal (vertebral) joints? - this CAUSE resulting in the SYMPTOMS of sciatic pain in the back/ leg(s)?
What is the CAUSE of the 'pinch'? 'Sciatica' is only 1/2 of a diagnosis. Were Xrays taken? Was an MRI or CT scan taken?
In my office, my Staten Island Sciatica patients get information handout sheets- perhaps this will be helpful to you:
揝ciatica?
( Also Known As- neuritis, neuralgia, sciatic-radiculitis ) (pain down the leg, with or without back pain)
Sciatica can be caused by many different things.
Big, BAD, catastrophic things like a tumor or a cancer can cause
Sciatica (only a proper exam by a licensed doctor, like your Doctor of Chiropractic, or your family Doctor of Medicine, can evaluate
your signs and symptoms, and perhaps refer for testing).
Big, bad things like a Herniated Disc, sciatica, possible fracture or dislocation can cause Sciatica (again, best evaluated by your DC or MD, and perhaps referral).
Bad things, like - Sprains, Strains, contusion, or Vertebral Subluxation Complex (all very efficiently diagnosed and treated by your Doctor Of Chiropractic.
Sciatica can come from a motor vehicle accident, sport injury, slip, trip, fall, arthritis, lifting improperly, or even bad posture in standing, sitting or sleeping.
All of these things often have a Lumbar (Low Back) Vertebral Subluxation involved.
Sometimes we can wake up with 憇ciatica? .... sometimes a slip, trip, fall, heavy lift, or even a motor vehicle accident can cause a 憇ciatica? Frequently- the true c a u s e of the 憇ciatica? = pain in the lower back, buttock(s), thigh, calf and/or foot (even to toes); is a misalignment, a 慿ink?in the back- more properly termed a Vertebral Subluxation.
摂Sciatica敂 is only 1/2 a diagnosis .... what is causing the sciatica?
Vertebral Subluxation Complex (a.k.a. 憇ubluxation?
The vertebral subluxation complex is often the underlying cause of sciatica and many healthcare problems. A subluxation interferes with the proper functioning of the nervous system (the master system which controls and coordinates all function within the body) and may cause various other conditions, symptoms and problems.
This (subluxation) is a serious condition identified by its five parts:
Spinal Kinesiopathology:
This is fancy way of saying the bones of the spine have lost their normal motion and position. It restricts your ability to turn and bend. It sets in motion the other four components.
Neuropathophysiology:
Improper spinal function can choke, stretch, or irritate delicate nerve tissue. The resulting nerve system dysfunction can cause symptoms elsewhere in the body.
Myopathology:
Muscles supporting the spine can weaken, atrophy, or become tight and go into spasm. The resulting scar tissue changes muscle tone, requiring repeated spinal adjustments.
Histopathology:
A rise in temperature from an increase in blood and lymph supplies result in swelling and inflammation. Discs can bulge, herniate, tear, or degenerate. Other soft tissues may suffer permanent damage.
Pathophysiology:
The VSC contributes to OsteoArthritic degeneration. Bone spurs and other abnormal bony growths attempt to fuse malfunctioning spinal joints. This spinal decay, scar tissue, and long-term nerve dysfunction can cause other systems of the body to malfunction.
The Vertebral Subluxation Complex describes what happens when spinal bones lose their normal movement patterns and position.
Automobile accidents, improper lifting, improper posture, alcohol, emotional stress, chemical imbalances, and long periods of sitting can cause the Vertebral Subluxation Complex.
Vertebral Subluxation cannot be corrected through chemicals (medicine), stretching, yoga, vitamins or physical therapy alone. Subluxation- a neuro/skeletal/muscular- mechanical- problem requires a mechanical correction- - - a manipulation, best performed with the chiropractic adjustment. For good health- Treat the Cause, not just the Symptoms.
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Be careful about pain medications,,,
as you have discovered, there can be unforeseen side-effects and complications:
PAIN
Pain is a 憆ed light on the dashboard?
Pain is your body telling you that something is wrong.
That RED LIGHT on the dashboard of your car-
-- do you ignore it until the car breaks down,
or do you get it checked and correct the problem?
Pain,
pain in your body-
-- do you ignore it until your body breaks down,
or do you get it checked and correct the problem?
Pain, do you cover up the pain by taking a painkiller?
Take a painkiller, mask the pain, and allow a problem to progress in your body?
NOTICE ON PAIN RELIEVERS:
Label changes ORDERED by FDA; the FDA announced proposed label changes for OTC over-the-counter pain relievers to include the potential for stomach bleeding and liver damage (FDA news 206- 207; 12-9-06) ;
The American Heart Association issued a scientific statement recommending medical doctors change the way they prescribe OTC pain relievers from a first choice to an alternate of recommending non-pharmacologic treatment (AHA statement 2-26-07).
NSAID Acceleration of ARTHRITIS; an important side effect of Aspirin and other NSAIDS is that it will inhibit cartilage repair and accelerate cartilage destruction ( Journal of Rheumatology, 1982; 9: 3- 5 ). Many times people take NSAIDS for the pain of Arthritis, not realizing these drugs may make the underlying condition worse. These medications cover up the pain, and cause the problem to worsen.
Pain can often be the result of the Vertebral Subluxation Complex.
Vertebral Subluxation ( 慥SC?, 憇ubluxation? )
Vertebral Subluxation is actually a quite common condition.
Doctors of Chiropractic look for pathological conditions which may require referral to other specialties, and also look for 慡ubluxation?
Other disciplines look for pathology, but overlook the importance of alignment and movement in the spine which affects our nervous system (the master control system- ALL health disciplines learn this). VSC- 慡ubluxation??can be the cause of many symptoms and conditions.
Only a Doctor of Chiropractic will evaluate and treat for VSC, as well as other pathology.
The course of VSC is highly variable. Some patients with VSC literally cannot walk, yet other patients with similar test findings may be able to run marathons or lift heavy weights. Some patients immediately develop symptoms related to the VSC, some patients take years to develop symptoms. Some people suffer for only a few days with pain and symptoms, some people suffer for months. Some people recover in days, some take months or years, depending upon severity of the condition.
A subluxation interferes with the proper functioning of the nervous system (the master system which controls and coordinates all function within the body) and may cause various other conditions, symptoms and problems.
The Vertebral Subluxation Complex describes what happens when spinal bones lose their normal movement patterns and position. When subluxated, joints are in a stressed, vulnerable, compromised condition. Subluxation may cause Arthritis, Disk Herniation, or aggravate such conditions.
Vertebral Subluxation cannot be corrected through chemicals (medicine), stretching, yoga, vitamins or physical therapy alone. Subluxation- a neuro/skeletal/muscular- mechanical- problem requires a mechanical correction- - - a manipulation, best performed with the chiropractic adjustment.
Dr. Victor E. Dolan, Doctor of Chiropractic; Diplomat, American Chiropractic Board of Sport Physicians; Diplomat, American Academy of Pain Management; Certified Clinical Nutritionist (IAACN); FIRST Chief of Chiropractic in a Hospital in New York State (DHSI); As Seen in PREVENTION Magazine
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".....Does the pain from a pinched sciatic nerve ever really go
away?.....", YES, see your local Doctor of Chiropractic for evaluation and treatment that may be necessary.
".....Is there any way to do it without the medicine?.....", YES, see your local Doctor of Chiropractic for evaluation and treatment that may be necessary.
".....Should I take the rest of the medicine and risk another kidney infection? ....." , I would not take ANY medication without supervision of a MEDICAL Doctor. And I would be aware of possible risks.
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(see above:
Label changes ORDERED by FDA; the FDA announced proposed label changes for OTC over-the-counter pain relievers to include the potential for stomach bleeding and liver damage (FDA news 206- 207; 12-9-06) ;
The American Heart Association issued a scientific statement recommending medical doctors change the way they prescribe OTC pain relievers from a first choice to an alternate of recommending non-pharmacologic treatment (AHA statement 2-26-07).
NSAID Acceleration of ARTHRITIS; an important side effect of Aspirin and other NSAIDS is that it will inhibit cartilage repair and accelerate cartilage destruction ( Journal of Rheumatology, 1982; 9: 3- 5 ). Many times people take NSAIDS for the pain of Arthritis, not realizing these drugs may make the underlying condition worse. These medications cover up the pain, and cause the problem to worsen.
and:
"Death by Medicine" (1) is an eye-opening paper published as a Web exclusive in the March 2004 issue of Life Extension, a monthly magazine dedicated to "up-to-date coverage of the latest scientific and medical breakthroughs from around the world." As the grim title suggests, the paper explores the hazards of conventional medicine in the United States, analyzing and combining the complete published literature to date regarding injuries and deaths attributable to medicine.
In their introduction, the authors note: "Never before have the complete statistics on the multiple causes of iatrogenesis been combined in one paper. Medical science amasses tens of thousands of papers annually - each one a tiny fragment of the whole picture. ... Each specialty, each division of medicine, keeps their own records and data on morbidity and mortality like pieces of a puzzle. But the numbers and statistics were always hiding in plain sight. We have now completed the painstaking work of reviewing thousands and thousands of studies. Finally putting the puzzle together, we came up with some disturbing answers."
The "disturbing answers" the five researchers uncover are an indictment of the entire American medical system:
* "The total number of deaths caused by
conventional medicine is an astounding
783,936 per year."
* "The number of people having inhospital, adverse drug reactions (ADR) to
prescribed medicine is 2.2 million."
* "Richard Besser, of the CDC, in 1995, said the number of unnecessary antibiotics
prescribed annually for viral infections was 20 million. Dr. Besser, in 2003, now
refers to tens of millions . of unnecessary antibiotics."
"The number of unnecessary medical and surgical procedures performed
Annually is 7.5 million."
* "The number of people exposed to unnecessary hospitalization annually is 8.9
million."
* "It is evident that the American medical system is the leading cause of death and
injury in the United States."
The authors are especially concerned that "(a)s few as 5% and only up to 20% of iatrogenic acts are ever reported." (It must be noted that these reports on MEDICAL failure are compiled by MEDICAL personnel, and therefore these statistics a probably BIASED in favor of medicine, with poor outcomes being omitted or dismissed from the research. The statistics are probably LOWER than the reality.)
They also project that the costs associated with deaths caused by medical interventions total approximately $282 billion per year, and estimate that the costs for unnecessary hospitalization and medical procedures total $16.4 billion per year.
As if this information isn't startling enough, the paper goes on to review the drug industry world. The authors discuss the dangers of many types of drugs and how their overuse is affecting our health and our environment, Next, they discuss the dangers of surgical procedures, the lack of error reporting and unnecessary hospitalization. The paper concludes with a discussion of how women are mistreated by medicine, and the dangers awaiting the unsuspecting elderly: "A total of 20% of all deaths from all causes occur in nursing homes."
The complete text of "Death by Medicine" can be found online at www.lef.org/magazine/mag2004/" mar2004_awsi_death_01.html.
More than 150 references and an extensive appendix support the discussions and conclusions presented in this paper. While many will find it quite disturbing, every health care provider and every patient should read this paper.
Reference
1). Gary Null, PhD, Carolyn Dean, MD ND, Martin Feldman, MD, Debora Rasio, MD, Dorothy Smith, PhD. "Death by Medicine." Life Extension March 2004 (Web exclusive).
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"........Or do you think it will be okay if I don't do anything?....", I think you can answer your own question here --
"....Now, three months later, when I wake up or I have been standing for a long time, my back starts hurting again. It is no where near the pain it was when I first hurt it, but it hurts....".
It is three months later. It still lingers. Do you think an appropriate health professional , like a Doctor of Chiropractic should take a look at you in person?
If it were me,,, I think I would answer , yes.
I hope the above information helps.
If you need further information, do not hesitate to REcontact me here at AllExperts.com http://www.allexperts.com/ep/965-100794/Chiropractors/Victor-Dolan-DC.htm
Thank you for your question.
I wish you good luck and Good Health Naturally,
Dr. Victor Dolan, DC
http://drvictordolan.chiroweb.com (Email newsletter)
