[Daniel2]

Posting here to see if anyone may have some ideas of what may be going on with me since 2015 and getting worse. Truly appreciate any feedback or personal experience. I'm 55 years old.

- 2015: Left thigh (front and side) numbness. Happens almost always when moving/ walking.
- 2018: First bout with right side sciatica and plantar fasciitis. I had chiropractic treatment, eventually it went away although never 100% gone; it would come and go. 8/15/18, lumbar MRI
- 2019: Soreness and tightness in both buttocks and right leg muscles. Started to experience tingling and numbness all down my right leg. I've been to chiropractors that would sometimes help, but many times certain adjustments from chiropractor would trigger the condition so I stopped getting chiropractic treatment. Sitting on certain chairs seems to trigger the right leg tingling numbness/leg muscle tightness.
- Jan 2020: saw different Chiropractor. Had lumbar MRI 2/2/2020. Nothing shows as pinching a nerve. Does not think it’s a back issue; thinks it may be piriformis related.
- Feb 2020: had to stop playing racquetball; legs muscles felt unstable. Saw back surgeon to get professional option of my lower back mri. I've had 2 mri's of lower back, have (1) 1mm bulge and (1) 2mm bulge, but according to back surgeon, he said for my age group my back looks “pretty good”, definitely no surgery needed, nothing is showing as hitting a nerve. referred me to neurologist.
- March 2020: Saw neurologist. He performed nerve test on lower limbs which all came back normal. 11/2/20, had thoracic MRI. 12/24/2020, had cervical MRI. According to neurologist and radiologist reports, nothing in those mri’s that is causing the issue.
- Jun-Aug 2020: Physical therapy. Did not help my condition and certain exercises triggered the condition/made it worse.
- Feb 2021: Saw 2nd neurologist to get second opinion. Tests came back normal.
- Mar 10, 2021: Pelvic MRI. Nothing shows as causing my issue
- May 2021: have constant pain in upper left part of left buttock and sharp shooting pain in left buttocks/lower back. Lower back pain more prevalent the last 2 weeks. Walking is affected.
- May 28, 2021, Saw spinal pain management Doctor. Had caudal injection in lower back. After two weeks, numbness in right leg returned, on/off butt muscles soreness returned. Doctor thinks could be a hip condition; nerve(s) in hip may be involved. 2nd back injection would not be beneficial. Referred me to different orthopedic doctor to look into possible hip related nerve issue/entrapment. (appt on July 12)
- June: Upper left area of left buttocks, nearly constant dull ache and sharp pain persists.
- June 21-25, Pain in my lower back more to the left lower back, and also my left buttocks in the upper left area. Sharp shooting/stabbing pain I’ve had in previous months has gotten worse. To the point I will get a sharp shooting/stabbing pain in the upper left portion of my left buttocks that shoots downward when walking. When it happens, my leg sort of buckles, I don't fall or collapse but it shocks me and I have to catch myself.
- June 25 (night): Constant burning sensation in the upper left part of my left buttocks/left hip area all night.
- June 26: Very sharp stabbing pain down front of left thigh radiating towards the groin. Constant burning sensation in upper left part of left buttocks/left hip area.
- July 2, Getting worse. Sharp shooting pain when I walk, starting in upper left part of left buttock and left hip area. Constant dull ache in upper part of left buttock/left hip area.

[Kitt]

Welcome Daniel2. Someone will be along.

[agate]

Welcome, Daniel2!

What you're describing sounds like sciatica to me, and I have the impression that you think so too.

I've had similar problems for about 20 years now. They were so bad a couple of times that I asked my primary care doctor about them. I've had several rounds (8 sessions each time) of physical therapy about it, and those did help me. Maybe you had a less competent physical therapist and could look around for a better one and try again?

As I understand it, degenerative disc disease just happens to many of us as we get older, and there are doctors will do surgery for it but increasingly the medical profession has been backing off on that idea and going with more conservative treatment, like physical therapy.

I've found that just trying out this routine and that routine until I find one that I can live with is another way to cope with sciatica. Finding even a slightly different standing or sitting or lying position can make a big difference.

The shoes you wear can also make a big difference. You might want to consult a podiatrist about properly fitting shoes.

I keep up with the physical therapy exercises I was told to do. Every day without fail I do them.

I'm not free of the pain and the hobbled walking but I haven't had any more of the really crippling episodes that I did have a few times in the past.

Sorry I can't come up with anything more helpful but these are the ways I deal with sciatica.

[caroline2]

OP: In reading your info I don't think I saw any mention of surgery done to the body? Is that true?

My worst issues came on after hip replacement in 2010, and before I've dealt with OA anyway. Now all worse and plenty of neuropathy. And I was also told I have Fibromyalgia that was in 1999, so it's a bag of a lot of stuff in my life. And advanced age, 83 soon.

On the Sciatic nerve, my issue came on after hysterectomy in the 80's I was in my 40's, so for me it's been decades of sciatic nerve damage. I'.ve done a lot of body work in my life and sadly the damage does not reverse. It's all management....but you are young.

[Daniel2]

Originally Posted by agate

Welcome, Daniel2!

What you're describing sounds like sciatica to me, and I have the impression that you think so too.

I've had similar problems for about 20 years now. They were so bad a couple of times that I asked my primary care doctor about them. I've had several rounds (8 sessions each time) of physical therapy about it, and those did help me. Maybe you had a less competent physical therapist and could look around for a better one and try again?

As I understand it, degenerative disc disease just happens to many of us as we get older, and there are doctors will do surgery for it but increasingly the medical profession has been backing off on that idea and going with more conservative treatment, like physical therapy.

I've found that just trying out this routine and that routine until I find one that I can live with is another way to cope with sciatica. Finding even a slightly different standing or sitting or lying position can make a big difference.

The shoes you wear can also make a big difference. You might want to consult a podiatrist about properly fitting shoes.

I keep up with the physical therapy exercises I was told to do. Every day without fail I do them.

I'm not free of the pain and the hobbled walking but I haven't had any more of the really crippling episodes that I did have a few times in the past.

Sorry I can't come up with anything more helpful but these are the ways I deal with sciatica.

---
thank you for taking the time to read about my issues and respond. Yes, it appears the sciatic never is involved, but thy mystery is what is compressing it. MRI' show its not from the back. I don't have degenerative disc disease. I've tried several different shoes, experimenting with that. I've had two different physical therapist; both seem competent, interested and professional. the 2-3 months of physical therapy I did was fine except certain things I did triggered the sore butt muscles and right leg tingling/numbness. I'm looking forward to seeing what the orthopedic doctor has to say in 2 weeks. thanks again for your feedback!

[Daniel2]

correct, no surgery.

[Lara]

Hi, welcome to the NeuroTalk Support Groups.

Your chiro back in Jan 2020 mentioned Piriformis Syndrome. Did anyone else that you've seen talk to you about that? edited to add: although the MRIs probably would have picked that up wouldn't they?

Piriformis Syndrome Video
A good video about Piriformis Syndrome from Spine Health dot Com

Also, where are your bulging discs exactly?

[Atticus]

hey Daniel2,

Your initial front/side thigh symptoms sound like Meralgia Parasthetica. There's plenty of information on here/ YouTube about that condition. Sitting cross legged and nerve gliding are successful management techniques.
You definitely have nerve compression issues and I agree with Lara that it's likely to be Piriformis Syndrome giving you Sciatica like symptoms. This is a soft tissue issue and I see that you've learned a chiropractor can't help you.

Consider myofascial release. This a link to Elisha Celeste. She has plenty to say about pain and how the body stores pain. And how to release it.

Quad and Hip Flexor Release – This ONE Technique Relieves Piriformis, Glute and Tailbone Pain, Pulled Hamstrings and Groin Pain | Mobility Mastery

Best wishes,

Atty

[Daniel2]

lara, I assume the mri would have picked that up; especially the pelvic MRI. from March of this year.

The report from the pelvic MRI is as follows: 1. No acute abnormality is identified. 2. There are degenerative changes in the visualized lower lumbar spine. If clinically necessitated, a dedicated lumbar. spine MRI may be performed.

Before I had the caudal injection, I saw an orthopedic doctor. I brought all my MRI's and radiologist reports. they took xrays of my hips, said they don't see anything wrong with hips. The doctors assistant had me do some physical tests with my legs while I was sitting on the table. they did not seem to think it was piriformis. doctor said he thinks its back related even though my MRI's show nothing being pinched in back. he referred me to the spinal pain mgmt doctor who did the caudal steroid to see if the steroids would hit something that that was not being seen my MRI's, explaining that this was just a first step in trying "something" and it might not work, which it did not. Spinal pain mgmt doc said he is considering something in the hips that is trapping the nerve and sent me to a different orthopedic doctor, to investigate that. I meet with that doctor soon. that was a very good video, btw, thanks for that.

2018 lumbar MRI: 1 mm broad-based right paracentral posterior disc protrusion at L4-5. Desiccation within L5-S1 disc.

2020 lumbar MRI with and w/o contrast: 1. Mild diffuse annular bulging the posterior disc contour at L4 through else of L4 and less so at the L4/L5 interest level. 2. Mild diffuse annular bulging posterior disc contour.

All the doctors I've seen including the back surgeon said there is nothing in the mri's that show its pressing on any nerve. the back surgeon said this is typical for someone my age and my back looks "pretty good", "go back to playing racquetball" he said. so did the spinal pain mgmt doctor. my legs feel too "wonky" at times do not feel confident playing right now. sometimes too much activity can trigger my symptoms.

[Daniel2]

Originally Posted by Atticus

hey Daniel2,

Your initial front/side thigh symptoms sound like Meralgia Parasthetica. There's plenty of information on here/ YouTube about that condition. Sitting cross legged and nerve gliding are successful management techniques.
You definitely have nerve compression issues and I agree with Lara that it's likely to be Piriformis Syndrome giving you Sciatica like symptoms. This is a soft tissue issue and I see that you've learned a chiropractor can't help you.

Consider myofascial release. This a link to Elisha Celeste. She has plenty to say about pain and how the body stores pain. And how to release it.

Best wishes,

Atty

atty: I remember one of the neurologists saying the numbness in left thigh is Meralgia Parasthetica and didn't seem concerned; saying it usually goes away by itself. I had another doctor mention that term Meralgia parasthetica, but I don't recall him being alarmed or giving any specific advice.
thank you for your advice about finding a learned chiropractor that can help me and that video, thank you for that. I have saved it and will try it. One thing I don't understand is why a chiropractic adjustment would trigger an intense trigging of numbness down my right leg, super tight and sore right hamstring, and very tight and sore butt muscles. the adjustment that was done was on the back; so I don't get it.