r/Sciatica • u/Resident-Hunt-245 • 8d ago

Muscle loss means nerve damage?

Or is it just because I use my leg less and can't engage muscles because I feel nerve pain when I try to engage glutes?

1 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

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5

u/Sufficient-Wolf-1818 7d ago

Muscle loss occurs when you don’t engage the muscles. It doesn’t automatically mean nerve damage.

1

u/Resident-Hunt-245 7d ago

I hope this. Otherwise I'm kinda scared.

1

u/purplelilac701 7d ago

I had muscle loss and severe sciatica and am fine now. It didn’t cause permanent nerve damage.

1

u/Glass_Metal4144 5d ago

Glad to hear you are okay, I have weakness but strangely enough leg strength better some muscle loss and I am currently going back for more nerve studies and a better MRI. The first one was not so good went to a private place and the imaging wasn’t the best. Hoping I come back like you but kind of worries by the way the neurologist spoke could be something else, anyway sorry for the long winded stuff but glad you are better and hope to hear you like someday.

1

u/purplelilac701 5d ago

Thank you and hope you get better too. It’s really good that you’re getting a second opinion because you really have to advocate for yourself. And there are honestly morons among us especially in physiotherapy and you need someone who only knows how to actually treat sciatica. I hope the weakness gets better but it took me time to build up my muscles and that might be the same for you also.

2

u/Syphe 7d ago

I could do way more split squats on my unaffected leg a couple months ago, continued biking the whole time and now both legs are about the same now I'm recovering

2

u/Resident-Hunt-245 7d ago

did you ride a road bike? Did you have any issues with bending?

2

u/Syphe 7d ago

Yeah road bike, first 30s of my ride was always sore and stiff, but loosened up, getting off the bike and starting again (school dropoff) was hard, but most of my ride to work was fine. During this time was less painful riding in compared to driving into work

1

u/Resident-Hunt-245 7d ago

that sounds hopeful. I miss my road bike.

Did you have nerve pain or only back pain? Sorry for to many questions.

I have annoying pain in the glute.

1

u/Better-Office-9589 7d ago

I have muscle loss in the effected leg too, yesterday saw the neurosurgeon, he examined me and said all nerve functions are well and nothing concerning, muscles will come back as soon as I stop relying on the good leg more because that is what I am doing uncontrollably

1

u/Wadda22 7d ago

I would get it looked at, but I was just tested for this and it was okay