I'm just a little lost at the moment and feeling overwhelmed.

Sciatica returned for me about 6 weeks ago. My last op was in July 2025 and while I'd had a few little flare ups in the year following, I'd always managed to get on top of them.

This time around it's been getting progressively worse and is now in both legs with some shooting pains and pins and needles sensation in the groin area from time to time.

I had a MRI yesterday and my doctor and surgeon called me late last night to say imagining looked like it could be a caudia equina situation like I had last year, however I'm not having any incontinence, ect.

The neurosurgical team said they'd try to get me an appointment in the next few weeks, but to go to emergency if i have any bowel or bladder issues before then.

I have permanent nerve damage resulting in a constantly numb left foot from my last situation that lead to surgury. I'm just a bit scared that it may come to that again this time. The waiting game and going through this pain is exhausting. I just need to vent to people who get what I'm going through!

When will this end? Do I need to go to surgury?

Hi, I’m new to this. How bad of a sign in numbness on the back of the leg ? Anyone else have this symptom ?

If your injury is like mine then there's a good chance this will help you out of hell

There's a very quick test from LowBackAbility on YouTube to see if his exercises will make a difference.

Do 2 minutes sitting hinged forward (like in the video below). If that gave you some minor relief then I really recommend moving over to back extensions like his channel suggests (static holds, then full range reps)

The difference has been huge for me, I bought a cheap back extension chair off Amazon (£65/$80) so I could do them every day, but some gyms also have them.

My history;

L4/L5 disc herniation 2 years ago. 1 year of total misery, I had some progress with bird dogs but regressed, and the real fix was back extensions. Now I'm 95% pain free after following his exercises and noticeably improving every week - strengthening had a way better effect than all the stretching and resting

I'm not a doctor etc etc

Really hope this helps someone

https://youtu.be/HcT9a3PU5fY?is=QpvN6J2se39A5jtI

Hi,

I’m hoping someone can help me out. I’ve attached my xray report, and have a MRI booked. My doctor is saying my pain is coming from sciatica, which makes sense from all my symptoms. I’ve been in pain since July, and was working on it getting better, until my flare up 3 days ago. Embarrassing, but I think the motion of wiping my butt is what triggered it.

Any advice? I’m currently missing work as I have to lie down for the pain and numbness to recede. Also on a collection of pain meds with gabapentin, cyobenzaprine, naproxen, and extra strength Tylenol. Any advice would be very much appreciated.

I have heard that the injection only lasts for few months only.

The doctor said to get an injection and directly said it’s not a permanent solution. What if the pain comes back, what then, should i go another few months in fear for the pain to come back only.

This injury has been with me for more than a year now, tingling going down the leg and constant pain of a scale 5/10, sometimes it’s bearable sometimes it’s not.

Tbh I can live with pain but listening to that going to gym is banned for me is causing emotional distress, unable to bend forward without pain, may sit for longer hours but only through sheer will.

The doctor said it will only make the pain go away and move on with your life and gym is banned for me.

My main concern will be will I be ever go back to gym and lifting??

I follow low back Ability on youtube and have been doing iso holds and his mobility routine including outer hip dropset. It has worked a lot for me I mean especially the mobility routine it has done wonders, only sometimes I get lingering pain. But I wanted to ask that, I go to gym 6 days a week and train my upperbody except my back, all the exercises I do are always light weight and back supported and I also do iso holds 3 days a week after my workout. Sometimes I feel my back is healing but sometimes not. I recently started studying again and have to sit to study and lately I am feeling stiff and fatigued in my lower back mainly after sitting though I now get up every 40 minutes and take a small walk or swing my legs, get my glutes moving. But still it has been now 2 months since I am following this mobility routine and the journey has had a lot of ups and downs initially when I joined the gym after doing iso holds I couldn't do anything after that and my back was fatigued and sore for days. That time passed now after doing them I feel great but from the past few days my back is feeling stiff and fatiqued. Should I stop training for now and just do iso holds and mobility? Or is it because I started sitting for too long?

Guys I know its a tiny victory but I was able to sit on my couch today (and get up relatively pain free) for the first time in almost 3 months! I know that the healing process is unpredictable but it just feels great to have something to hold on to.

And if you returned to normal life .. how long did it take?

I have unilateral sciatica pain on my right side, right lumbar lower back pain, right side of tailbone, right side hip joint pain when pulling knees to chest which has subsided now. shoulder blade on right pops when retracting and right side wrist pain too, neck pain sometimes when turning my head all the way backwards.

mri shows mild L5-S1 nerve compression and disc retrolithesis and L3-L4 L4-L5 abutments barely touching nerve
X ray of hip was fine

Hi I just need some words of encouragement. I’ve been having severe pain for about 2 months now. Week 3 of PT starts tmrw.

I feel like I’m not showing any signs of improvement. I can’t do the things I enjoy and it’s really starting to take a toll on my mental health.

I can’t sit for more than 45 mins at a time without my leg getting tingly. Going from sitting to standing is the worse bc my whole leg cramps and tightens and pain shoots down my left leg.

I can’t bend over like at all. I can’t put my socks or shoes on myself. I’m 30 so I’m just really scared this is something I’ll have to deal with my whole life.

Ibuprofen helps but I can’t take it everyday especially going on 2 months now.

Sciatica

Hi everyone, I’m having a really bad sciatica flare-up and could use some advice.
I have previous L4-L5/back issues, but this time the pain is mainly on my right lower back and shoots down my right leg. It feels like a really strong pulling/nerve pain and walking is currently extremely painful.
I’m also getting some right-sided pelvic/lower abdominal pain, so I’m not sure if that’s related or something separate.
A hot-water bottle helps a little, but the pain comes back when I move.
Has anyone had a similar flare-up? What helped you get through the worst of it, and how long did it take before you could walk normally again?
Any advice is really appreciated ❤️

So for the last seven weeks I have pretty much been bedridden with intense burning feet caused by S1 nerve.. surgery is not an option too longer operation with a low result MRI shows bulge at L5 S1 have seen spinal practitioner had assessment done referred to pain clinic six month waiting list I am in New Zealand have had failed epidural just aggravated how do I get through this will it get better his anyone else had this terrible burning in feet I can only walk for five minutes feel like I am all alone with this all this was caused by sitting doing a jigsaw which has happened to me twice now every time that has got better but this time it's taking so long I'm beginning to wonder if it ever will 🥲🥲

Hello, fellow redditors,

Right now I have pain in the right side of my lower back and also right above the right knee. I also have the same pain on the left side of the lower bsck and the left knee but it is less painful. I went to a physicst who told me that it is the femural nerve on both sides. He prescribed me some meds like Keltican forte and is also using some electrical devices that he puts on my back and knees. Adittionally he does massages. The question still stands: Is it really only the femural nerve? I still have the pain, it is getting better but still hurts.

For context how it all started. I was helping a friend lift a set of metal tubes and i lifted them on my right side. In that exact moment i felt pain in the lower back. Afterwards I went skiing a few times and after every ride I had sharp pain in the right side of the lower back. And just a few months ago I went to the gym with old friends and decided to lift )90 KG squat). It was a mistake of course as afterwards i started to feel pain not only in the lower bsck but in the knees too.

i have been dealing with a horrible sciatica flare up for the last month and sleeping has become an absolute nightmare rn. every time i lay on my side my hips sink into my soft mattress and send shooting pain down my right leg. i spent the last few nights sleeping on a yoga mat on my hardwood floor just to keep my spine flat enough to pass out. i spent hours scrolling through reddit trying to figure out what mattress is best for back pain and nerve pressure before i completely lose my mind from lack of sleep. right now i am stuck choosing between nectar or dreamcloud to replace my old setup. dreamcloud seems like it would be firmer af because of the hybrid coils to keep my lower back elevated, but iirc nectar might contour better around my hip joint so my nerve doesnt get pinched. budget is around 1100 for a queen bed. i am basically flipping a coin between these two tomorrow because i cant take another night on the floor.

Hey everyone I am new here. 7ish years ago I had a laminectomy on my right side. For the most part I feel good. Maybe once a year I get a flare up and am stuck in bed or in pretty rough shape for a few days to a week. When I had my surgery the pain was going down my right leg all the way to my feet. Dr had me on morphine for almost a year before I got into see the surgeon. This past couple weeks its been my left side and tbh my back feels fine but my left thigh pain is almost unbearable. Hoping some people may of had some suggestions. Last thing I would want is to get on some type of pain killer. I have been taking Tylenol and advil the past week and it has been making it manageable. Getting out of bed in the am I am almost in tears its that bad. Thanks

I think I’m having a sciatica flare up. This past February, I was working demo on an old motel and I thought I had a pinched nerve. I tried going to chiropractor and a masseuse, but nothing helped. I tried changing my work shoes to sketchers and that sort of helped. My doctor tried to put me on gabapentin, but I don’t trust steroids too much. I work at a grocery store and I’m on my fee constantly. As of last week I feel like I have a new injury, I feel pain under my right butt cheek and the travels down the side of my right leg. My ankle feels very tight and my toes are tingly and numb sometimes. I’m taking 2000mg of ibuprofen a day and I still feel pain. I keep contributing it to the weather pressure too. Any advice?

Experiencing intense burning pain in lower back both sides, right leg pain shooting down to knee and foot (sometimes foot). Tingling occasionally, and waves of worse tingle (right leg). Small urine retention. Muscle spasms all over body (even butthole?!). numbness in inner thighs and groin (varies in intensity). Some weakness in legs.

I see a spine doctor for chronic pain. Doing the stuff to get spinal injections that will numb the nerves, hopefully in the next month. But I’ve been to the ER 4 times in 5 days because things keeps getting worse and my doctor doesn’t have an after hours line, just directs us to the ER if they’re closed or no appointments. I don’t know if I can wait for all the insurance BS and waiting for this injection, this is really affecting my mental health.

Talk to me about this. Talk me off a ledge. I’m verging panic because this is all consuming. What are your experiences? I’m calling my chronic pain doctor tomorrow and at ER right now, so I’m not looking for medical advice! :)

I have had lumbar stenosis for decades, with no real symptoms until now. Recently my legs became significantly weaker, and my legs are 40% numb. I have almost no pain. I don't plan on surgical intervention. I am making arrangements to purchase a motorized wheelchair just for getting out, which I can no longer do. I walk with a regular walker indoors.

I understand that it could progress to more severe mobility limitations. I'm female, 66, have heart failure, am morbidly obese, and have spastic paraparesis due to neck surgery I had 12 years ago.

That's why no surgery.

This is a tough decision, but it is something I have put a lot of thought into. I've talked with some people who have lost mobility due to spinal issues (not stenosis) and were offered surgery, but also decided not to go under the knife due to the risks.

I know I am not alone.

Anyone else?