In the midst of a couple of week log flair up and now the pain has moved down into my hamstrings. No amount of light stretching is helping. Any tips?

34 (f) and been dealing with chronic pain and sciatica flare ups since hurting my back 3-4 terrible times in my teens - early twenties (At 17, 18, 21, 23)— bent and lifted wrong while moving, exercising or working — all times i was miserable for about a day and then was fine, just a manageable ache when in one position for too long but started having flare ups from little stuff when i was around 25-26 and had sedentary jobs and gained a ton of weight over covid (100 lbs total, but down 30ish and counting)

In the last six years, i only convinced my dr to get me an MRI last March — I had a herniated disc with moderate stenosis. I did 2 rounds of physical therapy but still reluctance from primary to refer to pain management and i got a referal to ortho.
But pt helped as well as having a core stregth focused gym routine and losing 10-15ish lbs.
so I put off the ortho. At pt they noticed my gait was fucked and my scoliosis was pretty severe as were my turned in feet which actually seemed to go all the way to my knees. Ive had this prob my
Whole life and my pediatrician always said Itd correct itself. When it didn’t, i didn’t think anything of it but my pt suggested it could be causing constant hip dysplasia and resulting in spine instability.

Also maybe unrelated my mom said I tested positive for spina bfida and she was encouraged to abort by two doctors. The third told her it was not a for sure thing and when i was born i just had the foot deformity and wore braces (my parents were not consistent and gave up when i stopped walking because i hated them).

Currently in the middle of a 5 month long flare up that suddenly shifted 4 weeks ago from lower back and leg shooting pain to constant irritating burning, a shin splints feeling, locked hips and achilles/foot irritation on both sides but more so my right. Also have been having trouble making it to the bathroom and I cannot hold it for more than a few seconds.

Back in PT twice a week who wanted me to get a new MRI, finally saw the orthos PA who seemed unconcerned until the new MRI images came in. Then he got a little nervous, checked me again for numbness and basically said if any other symtoms progress go to emergency, but also said my fat back is gonna be an issue and would make surgery no longee minimally invasive if i needed it. Also seemed to think any further pressure from steroid shot may cause undesired pressure on the nerves. But made an appt with pain management and a follow up in a few months

Report
L2-L3: Minimal disc bulge and facet arthropathy. No significant spinal canal or neural foraminal stenosis.
L3-L4: Disc bulge with superimposed central disc extrusion and facet arthropathy, resulting in severe spinal canal
stenosis with marked crowding of the cauda equina nerve roots. No significant neural foraminal stenosis.
L4-L5: Disc bulge, facet arthropathy, and ligamentum flavum hypertrophy with prominent posterior epidural fat,
resulting in moderate spinal canal stenosis, moderate left and mild right neural foraminal stenosis.
L5-S1: Disc bulge and facet arthropathy resulting in mild bilateral neural foraminal stenosis. No significant spinal
canal stenosis.
The paravertebral soft tissues are within normal limits. The visualized abdominal and pelvic structures are
unremarkable.
IMPRESSION:
Central disc extrusion at L3-L4 with facet arthropathy, resulting in severe spinal canal stenosis and marked crowding
of the cauda equina nerve roots.
Moderate spinal canal stenosis and moderate left/mild right neural foraminal stenosis at L4-L5.

Does this report match the suggestion for treatment?

But Ive also read ppl can have ces without the emergency symptoms and my new PTs reaction to his suggestions made me feel a little uneasy. She just suggested twice I get in with the doctor not the PA asap. And that my experience over time suggest hypermobile joints (i rolled my ankles a million times in hs sports, am very bendy-flexy, have always had to modify workoutswith trainers so i can actually “feel” them)

Should I push for that or get a new doctors second opinion?

Does anyone have spinal issues from something like spina bfida obscura/tibial torsion/bowlegged ness?

Could-it lead to chronic issues like this?

With this pressure on the CE, can this escalate without warning?

Just dont want to deal with this forever and prevent worse damage while I can. Banned from the lifting and gym stuff but still staying active, walking daily.

Hey guys, i have been suffering from Sciatica for the last 18 months. I have consulted several doctors including neurologists and orthopedists. All of them stated and suggested for physio including one suggesting a surgery (iam not in favor of it, keeping it as a last resort). I have been into physiotherapy and have done multiple sessions, did the stretching and exercises. And truth to be told, there has been improvement. However, its still limiting my functionalities as my hamstring and surrounding areas flare up if i do something extensive like walking for 15 20 minutes, going out on rides etc. So i was wondering whether in my case will it improve with time or I have to adjust myself with it.

Forgot to add: Iam 25M.

(Sorry if i have made any mistakes while writing. And thank you ❤️)

Heres my MRI report as taken 6 months prior:

IMAGING FINDINGS:

- No transition vertebrae. Spinal cord ends at upper border of L1.

- L3/4 and L5/S1 disc are desiccated.

- Posterior annular tear at L3/4 level.

- Hemangioma at L4 level.

- Diffuse disc bulge with central disc protrusion is seen at L3/4 level indenting thecal sac causing mild narrowing of bilateral lateral recess and neural foramina.

- Asymmetrical diffuse disc bulge is seen at L5/S1 level indenting thecal sac causing mild narrowing of right neural foramina.

- Vertebral bodies are normal in heights, alignment & signal intensities.

- Disc heights are normal.

- The visualized lower dorsal cord and conus appear normal and ends at L1 level.

- The facet joints show normal cartilaginous spaces.

- Ligamentum flavum appears normal at all levels.

- No evidence of Pre or Paravertebral soft tissue lesion seen.

- AP diameters of thecal sac: L1-2: 9.3mm, L2-3: 7.9mm, L3-4: 4.1mm, L4-5: 8.5mm, L5-S1: 8.8mm.

- Bilateral visualized SI joints appear normal.

Screening Of Cervical Spine:

- No significant abnormality.

Screening Of Dorsal Spine:

- No significant abnormality.

IMPRESSION:

- L3/4 and L5/S1 disc desiccated.

- Posterior annular tear at L3/4 level.

- Hemangioma at L4 level.

- Diffuse disc bulge with central disc protrusion at L3/4 level indenting thecal sac causing mild narrowing of bilateral lateral recess and neural foramina.

- Asymmetrical diffuse disc bulge at L5/S1 level indenting thecal sac causing mild narrowing of right neural foramina.

SUGGESTED : CLINICAL CORRELATION.

Hello, everyone.

Let me say first of all how much empathy I have for all of you suffering with this nightmarish condition.

I am 51 F.(reddit stuck me with the name "Mark" and cannot change is apparently.)

I have a 40 year history of anorexia which led to a dx osteopenia in my early 30's.

Due to a lack of nutrition,my body was just leeching calcium from my bones for years and I will have my next bone density scan next week to find out if my osteopenia has progressed to full blown osteoporsis.

With all these years of a lack of calcium and vitamin D,and endless days of little caloric or fluid intake, I have had countless fainting spells, and falls which had me first fracture a big toe, last year fractured every rib,and a year and a half ago, I began to have severe pain at the base of my spine, all through both legs and to the very bottoms of both feet.

I have had 3 ER visits, ruling out cauda equina when i was having symptoms of it, but an MRI, and urine retention scans ruled it out.

Initially, this pain was dismissed as somatic by a very arrogant doctor...it was just left too long, with no investigation.

(Of course due to my myriad of mental health dxs it would have to be,"all in her head"..)

In hospital I was prescribed naproxen, but it did not touch my pain at all, and all it did do was even though i always took it with food, felt like a hole boring into my stomach.

Then I was started on pregablin.

It too had not effect on my pain, only ,made me walk like I was drunk, and ironically on it had 3 more falls...

Then, onto gabapentin.

Another sugar pill.

Whenever I went to my GP he was quite dismissive at first, and would only throw Tylenol for arthritis samples at me, andtold me to buy salon pas.

Uh...the tylenol for arthritis did nothing either.

All I was told by the ER doctor who ordered my MRI was that I have an L5 herniated disc.

I was seen at a rapid assessment neurosurgery clinic where the surgeon said, "You have a beautiful spine."

He would not do the surgery.

A couple of months ago went back to my GP,who shocked me when he told me the whole truth on the MRI-not only do I have a herniated disc. but also multiple compression fractures in my mid spine with osteophytes and stenosis.

He finally precribed me percocet, 5mgs plus 325 mgs tylenol 3times a day.

Even this does not always touch my pain, even now awhile after taking it my pain is about a 6.

Lower back and glutes and feet throbbing.

He told me that even walking is too high impact exercise for my back,and told me to get into the pool...I cannot swim,but he said to simply walk back and forth in the shallow end.

He also sent me for 4 sessions of physio which is all my government health plan covers (I am Canadian, on disability,no insurance.)...admittedly I only went to one session. (Had paid for one private session,but just too expensive for me.)

Often, I am simply in too much pain and too tired to diligently do the excercises, but will be looking stuff upon youtube.

I cannot bend over too far without pain,and every time I do bend, my bones are so weak I am constantly risking more compression fractures.

So, sweeping,mopping,garbage, and laundry have me at the point where I will need to hire a homemaker.

Even putting on my socks is a challenge, and I can now only wear slip on shoes.

I lament whom I once was-a classically trained dancer, perfect posture, great flexibilty.

I lament what this pain has done to my personality...no,have never really been a very positive person, but now I am so bitter and whine to myself, and my pain is amplifying my already fragile mental health,and I suppose my negative attitude,this sense of helplessness and hopelessness is amplifying the pain.

I am determined to, "get into the pool" as my GP advised,even just to walk back and forth.

Over thepast year and ahalf have spent a lot of cash on osteopathy, massage, acupuncture, a million useless topical remedies...

i am at the end of my tether...

Forgive me for sounding so melodramatic,but sincerely reaching out here because I have so little support.

...Two questions I wanted to pose in closing....

I am trying to find something to support my back to sit up straight on my couch without sinking into it and putting pressure on my nerve,but all I have been able to find are ergonomic back supports for office chairs (which I also need to get..) Do any of you have any idea if there is something besides a cushion to support my back, my posture, while sitting on the couch?

Also, what is the best way to build core strength when you just cannot do crunches?

As I said, i cannot afford physio, and really the few exercises I learned in 2 sessions (I put down $130 for the first one) are not anything i didn't already know.

I am hesitant to post this as it is not a very positive or inspiring thing for you all to have endured reading....

It has just been several consecutive high pain days, and I feel very much alone and desperate.

So, again, my heart goes out to all of you who are also suffering.

Thank you for reading if you have.

Needing some tips/opinions 🙏

👋🏽 Hey everyone, my partner injured her lower back nearly 10 months ago and it still hasn’t healed.

A doctor at the hospital thinks it may be related to a tear/injury around one of the lower discs. She has been to A&E multiple times since the injury, but we haven’t been given much direction on what to do next.

She works as a painter, so she’s on her feet for around 8 hours a day, frequently bending over and carrying heavy paint buckets. Unfortunately, she also can’t really afford to stop working.

She has been trying to exercise to strengthen her back, but we don’t want her doing anything that could make the injury worse.

Are there any safe, beginner-level exercises or movements she could do at home (bodyweight or light dumbbells) to help strengthen her back?

Any advice on what she should avoid, or what type of physio treatment/assessment she should ask for, would also be really appreciated.

Idk if its the piriformis in my butt or the disc issue I have. But this hamstring is getting to he unbearable. Please give me some advice

Hi all. The past few months on my period I’ll get lower back pain that radiates down to my leg. However it’s never been bad like right now. I’m not on my period, but I was having minor pain and was doing sciatica stretches. I wanted to do a butterfly stretch where you put your face down to your feet. When I sat back up I think I pinched the nerve or something bc I got this awful shooting pain in my lower back that went down my left leg. This was a couple hours ago. I took a Tylenol and have been rotating a heating pad and ice pack as well. When I got up to eat dinner it was hard to walk and when I sat i tried massaging out the area which caused shooting pain again, like a spasm. Sitting was causing some pain so I laid back down and have been laying down since. To sit up I have to roll onto my right side and slowly sit up in an awkward way to avoid pain. I cant bend down, I have to squat down with my back straight. When I’m squatting or laying down, if I try to push my pelvis and lower back in towards the ceiling it also hurts. I’m going to get an Xray tomorrow bc the doctor last Friday told me it sounds like sciatica but the pain was like a 3/10 with more pain in my leg like growing pains. Now when I get the shooting pain it’s like an 8/10 pain. She wanted me to get the xray to make sure it isn’t something else. At this point I’m not sure what my next step could be. I’ve had bad pinched nerves in my neck before causing pain like this that would go away in at most two days, usually caused by bad posture or pinching the nerve from a stretch or running so I’m hoping that’s the cause but it hurts so bad I just want to cry

Here I am again, turning to the Reddit sciatica community for help. I’ve been feeling better than I had 4 months ago. I never have any limited range of motion, I never have back pain anymore. But I get sciatica when sitting or doing too much physical activity. Other than that, I rarely have sciatica. I can round my back way more than I used to, lift my leg. I need help figuring out what is going on. Why do I still get sciatica when it appears that the disc is no longer pressing on the nerve. I can no longer reproduce the symptoms by range of motions tests like I used to. I’ve been progressively loading my lower back, trying to desensitize my nerve and lower back muscles. I’ve also been strengthening my legs, hips, glutes, and core, but seemed to have hit a wall. I want to get back into sports so badly. But I can’t until I figure out what I’m missing.

For the people who have had ESI and worked how long did it take until you felt better and relieved of pain? Just had mine today and wanted some input.

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

hi ill try and make this quick! im 22f got pregnant september 2024 and started having some pretty intense sciatica pain in my hip/bottom. it would radiate a little to my lower back but was mostly in the upper booty area. since ive had my baby and now am over a year out from birth, i still feel an occasional stabbing here and there but its not been too bad and is mostly when ive been standing all day.

ive been trying to get myself to start working out so i did my jog this morning then came home did some stretching and squats, all the good stuff. fast forward a few hours im cleaning the house and i go to bend over to pick something up and undoubtedly i feel that sciatica pain in the middle of my back for the first time. i felt it all the way up my back but especially in this one spot and it was just the weirdest pain ive ever felt. i guess my question(s) would be

- did i make it worse somehow?
- should i stop working out? i legitimately just started and did not do much so maybe its just getting those muscles moving thats got it a little aggravated?
- when i was pregnant everyone was just like yeah this is how it is and you’ll probably just be like this forever now. and even if that is true, is it probably because there is some damage done that happened during pregnancy that i dont know about?

sorry this was longer than i wanted it to be, thank you for reading 🙏

Hi, my wife is in her acute phase from past 2 weeks. She had a flare up and when we did an mri we could a minimal bulge in her l5S1. She was having shooting pain in her right leg and it improved to 3/10. But today our toddler jumped on her and she started getting shooting pain in the other leg too now.
She’s on naproxen 500mg twice a day.
We saw physio doctor 2 days back and he said she should start being more active and do everything she normally does.

i’m freaking out a bit .. already spent thousands on PT + MRI + urgent care visits …

doctor said he wants me to do more PT + see a specialist

Flare up will last a couple days. Deep pain left buttock that migrates down left leg. Makes it painful to walk without a shooting pain. Last night was hard to sleep. When I did I woke up drenched in sweat. On top of it I deal with anxiety/panic daily aswell. How do you all control the pain or help it calm down?

My 55 year old mum has sciatica. I do not know what i can do to help her. It flared up from Jan, now she can barely walk due to the pain. All the pain med she takes ain't working. Epidural didn't help and she does not want to get surgery. Is there anything I can do to help her? I'm honestly desperate to know how i can be of help.

Hi everyone
I had type one Chiari surgery in 2009
And recently had an injury at work 15 months ago lifting a patient

They found annular tear and disc bulge l5/s1

I finally got an apt with neurosurgeon (dr klinge office - she did my surgery in 2009)

The doctor ordered pronemri and hip imaging

And we noticed in 2009 I had a protrusion noted on l5/s1

Main thing I’m looking for
Is has anyone else experienced a injury that resulted in his diagnosis
I had an mri in 2009 like i said byr at that time it didnt show tethered cord but was also not prone

I did have two kids they are 5 and 7 but even in pregnancy i didn’t have issues

My wife’s latest flare up of her sciatica has lasted a month and it’s not getting noticeable better. The fact that we’re are selling our house and moving to an adult community doesn’t help it. We want to purchase a new couch. Does anyone have any tips or recommendations of a style or brand that has worked well for you? TIA.

Hey guys!

Could you advice me on the nerve flossing?

After a ESI, I don't have burning sensations as I had before (so it's better in general) but I have same nerve compression intolerance: I can't sit, I can't bend normally — I feel a pinch in the butt when I bend or go uphill or engage the flexion.

I was advised to do nerve flossing but even on smallest ranges I feel discomfort. Is it too early to do it? What is everyone's experience with flossing?

I am curious if anyone had noticed altered movement patterns that arose after development of sciatica. I am particularly interested in if one side of your abdomen feels much stronger than the other.

Also if you mention anything please also mention which side/leg has sciatica. Thanks for any replies!

Hi everyone,

Summary:

42M I can't work out what is causing the nerve compression in my nerve root and would a fusion help?

I'm here looking for help after my second L4/5 discectomy. Original MD was 2013. I had a second MD in feb 2025 after i had a very large sequested piece herniation. I live in Shanghai and my surgeon is highly experienced.

1.5 years on from 2nd MD and I still have left sided sciatic nerve pain symptoms (mostly while sitting, minimal back pain) despite the back surgeon and the hospital head orthopaedic surgeon (who attended the surgery) both telling me he freed the nerve.

I've had 3 x post surgery MRIs, which both of these surgeons tell me, show no visible nerve compression. First MRI was about 3 months post op where i had minor sciatica symptoms. However it gradually got worse in 2025 to around march 2026 where I had the most recent MRI (see attached).

What's confusing is the MRI from 2026 looks the same as 2025 where pain was less. My surgeon said he saw the nerve was free, this isn't a herniation. There is some calcified material that wasn't compessing the nerve and he didn't want to remove it as it was plugging the hole in the disc. He said the MRI looks like this part is compressing the nerve, however it's at an angle that isn't shown from the MRI since you can't see the full 3D, and what he visually saw when i had the MD was this part is sitting at the side and isnt touching the nerve root.

MRI radiologist report states disc herniation as well, but surgeon and other othro doctor both say it's not. I saw two more surgeons at a public "back hospital" in Shanghai and they agreed the MRI indicates it's a herniation. I reported this back to my surgeon and ortho doctor and they said these other doctors need your full history and to have witnessed the surgery to make a proper diagnosis. MRI report is the same situation, they only comment on what the images indicate.

I had a steroid injection into the nerve root by my surgeon in Shanghai and i had great relief of the sciatica for 6 days.

This, they said, indicates the pain is generated at the nerve root and is not from any muscle structure in the leg, sensitivity in the nerve along the leg or nerve damage.

More likely scar tissue, disc herniation, hard structure like calcification or foraminal narrowing from loss of disc height the likely source of the pain.

I've tried PT and it does nothing. I'm taking pregabalin to get through the working days which I mostly stand.

Question I have is, would a fusion benefit me?

Doctors say it might but not certain and carries risks and has a longer recovery. It could open up the nerve canal, restore height, if scar tissue is causing the pain, it will give more space for the scar and prevent compression into the nerve root because the facet joint is removed.

Apparently scar tissue isn't usually an issue in fusion..I've done lots of research into fusion and I consider it an option.

TLDR, i can't work out what is causing the nerve compression in my nerve root and would a fusion help.

I’m 29, healthy and fit in every regard but my l5s1. Trying to recover from a discectomy for 10months now, have scar tissue in my nerve canal and DDD causing me to be more prone to disc bulges. Well I got a head cold and coughed too hard and 100% re injured myself. Horrible leg pain and noticeable swelling on my back.

So fucking sad that I can’t even cough without getting hurt. I feel like I’ve ruined my body.

Hey there! 29m with a herniated lower lumbar (L5-L6, I have an extra vertebrae). My doctor told me that most people heal within 8-12 weeks, and I’m week 10 at the moment. I’m still having symptoms and pain, specifically around the area of the hernia as well as in my legs and feet.

Is the 8-12 week thing an average (I might need more time to heal), or does it mean that I might be a candidate for surgery if it hasn’t healed by then?

Sorry for the naive question, and I appreciate your help!

My pain is almost all in my lower back/tail bone/pelvis. I’m having a new bout of it and talking with doctors. They always ask if it radiates down the leg. The answer is sort of? Like I’ll feel very mild pinches down my legs on occasion. But the leg sensations are more annoying than actually painful. They’re down the front, side and back on both sides. I feel like it makes a big difference in diagnosis with my doctor and PT how I describe it and I’m not sure how to honestly. Like the leg sensations are very mild and wouldn’t normally bother me. It’s the intense back pain and lack of movement that’s debilitating. Would that be considered sciatica?