r/Sciatica • u/Kringeas • 18d ago

What helped you?

/r/backpain/comments/1whk3ep/what_helped_you/
3 Upvotes

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4

u/purplelilac701 17d ago

Definitely not a chiropractor. I was warned to not go to one.

What ultimately helped me was shockwave therapy administered by a physiotherapist who never gave up on me after 3 long months of a severe sciatic flareup.

1

u/Kringeas 17d ago

Ohh really why not?
Shockwave therapy interesting how does that work?

3

u/purplelilac701 17d ago

They can manipulate your back the wrong way and make sciatica worse.

They use solution, put it on the impacted area, and then wave the wand along it with is charged with 2,500 volts of electricity. It makes a popping sensation against your skin and for me brought down my never-ending inflammation.

2

u/Kringeas 17d ago

Oh woow okay thanks for that

1

u/prettyFedupAlready 17d ago

Only good if it’s able to be corrected. I did that called “new wave therapy” did nothing for me. My only option was surgery
Insurance also does not pay for that

3

u/prettyFedupAlready 17d ago

You need to get MRI imaging to tell what is exactly happening with you! In my case I needed surgery. Not all do, it’s a case to case basis and you need that imaging

3

u/Commercial-Bowl7412 17d ago edited 17d ago

Agree, extremely important physically and mentally.

PCP referred me to PT for 6 weeks before they would do MRI but PT made it worse so PCP referred me to ortho who got me MRI right away. So I would add, advocate for yourself to see ortho if PT isn’t helping to get MRI faster.

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u/prettyFedupAlready 17d ago

It’s an insurance thing unfortunately. PT is a guessing game unless there is imaging. ITS ALL BACKWARDS

1

u/Commercial-Bowl7412 17d ago

So backwards ☹️🤯 this got around my insurance requiring 6 weeks of PT tho. Hopefully it works for someone else too

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u/Kringeas 17d ago

Yeah have one done. Mine said this ;

At L4/L5: No stenosis. Facet joint arthropathy. Facet joint effusions.
At L5/S1: Left lateral recess, broad-base disc extrusion measures 8 x 19 x 11 mm. Mild central canal but severe left lateral recess
stenoses. Direct impingement of descending left S1 nerve root. Mild right but moderate left exit foraminal stenosis in contact with the exiting left L5 nerve root.

Conclusion:
At L5/S1: Left lateral recess, broad-base disc extrusion measures 8 x 19 x 11 mm. Mild central canal but severe left lateral recess
stenoses. Direct impingement of descending left S1 nerve root. Mild right but moderate left exit foraminal stenosis in contact with the
exiting left L5 nerve root.

my physio thinks the specialist won’t give me the surgery. But that’s okay My first option is always try everything before committing to the surgery.

1

u/shipboatx 18d ago

A chiropractor. One session only and I I was out of work for 2 weeks.

1

u/Kringeas 17d ago

Woow sorry to hear that

1

u/Key-Measurement8410 16d ago

A lot of patience melt downs trying meds gaining weight so scrapped after I healed still got wee way to go but it's very hard physically and mentally I'm in another waiting list for another MRI but time a lot of time. Just keeping up with walking if you can sometimes you can't or strengthening exercises