Bizarre sciatic symptoms
 

Any insight on my problem? Here is my story:

Two months ago, I hurt my back shoveling snow. I suffered for three weeks, got massages, but it didn't get better. I went to see an orthopedic surgeon, who took an X-ray and diagnosed a herniated disc, probably L5 S1. He prescribed physical therapy and instructed me to wait for a month before we explore the next step. The pain was diagnosed as sciatica.

I noticed that when I tweak my sciatica, my ears start to ring.

I also had several minor episodes where I get a brief very strange feeling, like a short-circuit of my nervous system. It's very difficult to describe, but very disconcerting.

After 3 weeks of PT, I felt that the sessions were not helping, so I went to see a chiropractor. He made what he called a few small adjustments, and put me on his traction device for a few minutes. When I left his office, I felt about the same, with perhaps some more mobility.

About 2-3 hours after visiting the chiropractor, I had a major episode. The short-circuit feeling lasted a few seconds, and then I got light-headed and weak. My ears started ringing a lot. I felt like my body was buzzing with energy. I had a tingling feeling in my extremities. I was cold. I lay down hoping the feeling would pass. It grew stronger and maybe I started hyperventilating. I also got cold and clammy.

I couldn't calm down and was afraid it was something dangerous, so I called 911 and went to the emergency room. They ran a bunch of tests and everything checked out OK. While in the ER I slowly calmed down and began to feel OK, but still weak. The ER doctor said it was likely dehydration and exhaustion.

A couple of days later, I had another episode, but less intense. My wife verified that my hands felt cold and clammy, but my temperature reading was normal.

The next day I had another small episode. I noticed that it occured a minute or two after I tweaked my sciatica.

Each time I have these episodes, my ears ring. I feel weak. I have no appetite. They seem to be happening more frequently. I believe they are related to my sciatica, but I don't really know what's causing them or how to recover.

More information: When I wake up each morning, my ears are quiet and I have no symptom other than sciatica pain. When I am active (out walking) I have not had an episode.

Any insight? Please help.

Do you get an "electrical zap" when this happens? Does it go up your leg and into your back, etc?

Sciatica is the biggest nerve in the body, and when we get electrical zaps from that nerve, it can really HURT, plus it really feels WEIRD. You might be a little more sensitive to these zaps.

First, do not go to a chiropractor for any adjustments until you KNOW what's wrong with you. You NEED to have an MRI with and without contrast material to find out what exactly is wrong. Sciatica CANNOT be diagnosed by X-rays so how did the Chiro KNOW you had sciatica? He can't SEE it on X-ray! You can't SEE it on ANYTHING. It's just that you need an MRI to make sure that your discs are ok, and you can't see the discs on X-ray either. Discs are soft tissue and X-rays only show bone.

So ask your doc for an MRI with and without contrast material to make sure you haven't herniated a disc, which can CAUSE sciatica. You might have herniated a disc by shoveling snow.

I wish you the very best. Let us know what happens. Also, bring the MRI report here, and we can decipher it for you. God bless & take care. Hugs, Lee

Thanks, Leesa

Yes, perhaps. It seems strange to me that I would feel it in my head and have the ringing ears from nerve down in the lower back/leg.

Could the chiropractic session have caused further damage? How so?

[orthopedic surgeon, who took an X-ray and diagnosed a herniated disc, probably L5 S1. He prescribed physical therapy and instructed me to wait for a month before we explore the next step. The pain was diagnosed as sciatica. ]

It sounds like the ortho surgeon dx'd sciatica not the chiro.

Ortho probably wanted to give PT a good try before following up with MRI if no improvement from PT.

Yes, perhaps I didn't give PT a good enough shot. I was in pain and wanted relief. I had PT for 3 weeks and didn't notice any progress.

the ear
 

hi...
theres something about the ear that has the acupuncturists sticking it like crazy. theres even maps that tie in spots on the ear that tie in to various parts of the body. look up ear acupuncture through google and you wont believe what you find.
there was even a scientific study that verified the accuracy of this ear body relationship.
after reading about this now i want to start sticking my ear to see if i can stop my sciatica...:)....pete

Interesting idea, Pete.

I'm taking the opposite approach, hoping that by reducing my sciatica, my ears will go quiet. And of course, that these crazy episodes will subside.

yes
 

good idea....probably doesnt matter which end you work on first, if one gets better the other will tooo:)

?panic attacks?

i agree
 

yes....lots of symptoms seem to match....pete