sorta O/T but not, anyone else have sciatic nerve problems?

its not off topic because its stopping me from working on my cars, and also driving them, anyone have any tricks with something to put on the seat to keep my leg from killing me while driving? plus the doc says driving is whats aggravating my nerve. this sucks.. anyone have any solutions, my 55 van is almost done and the pain in my leg is keeping me from working on my stuff

 

You could ask here maybe.......


http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/group.php?groupid=445


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Take your wallet out of your bak pocket while driving.

 

crappy deal man sorry, but you saying this is on topic is crazy. if pain keeping you from working on cars is on topic there would be a 1000 of these threads a day. hell i pulled the shit out of my back yesterday so im sitting here waiting on my pills to kick in, instead of welding on my roadster....

 

Same problem here It's a pain I stuff a small pillow under my butt when driving my junk, it helps

 

I agree with the wallet thing, and try some additional lumbar support. My nerve problem stems from my L4/5 back problem, and arching, not hunching helps me.

 

Had issues with my L5/S1 disks. The wallet thing does work. Try rolling up a towel and place it in your lower back area. It forces your spine to curve and take pressure off the sciatic nerve. A seat that supports your thighs also helps with back problems and driver fatigue even if you don't have back problems. A neurologist is good to have to.

 

I got a smaller wallet and carry it in my front pocket now full time, just that simple change made a HUGE difference for me.

 

I have had the same pain from inflamation and had to have an epidural-twice . I agree with the no wallet/lumbar support cure. I have never had such pain and I empathsize with you.

 

Yup, L4/L5 disc issues here, the nerve bundle gets pinched and the problem appears as a leg issue.
Have you had an MRI to determine the source/location of the pinch/rub? Just like diagnosing a car problem you gotta know where the problem starts before you can 'fix' it. Each of us will have slightly different problems with slightly different results from different 'repairs'. Go see a spine specialist!

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I lost some weight (still fat bastard), built up my abdominal muscles (Crunch machine at gym) and lat muscles (pull downs, rows) and I stretch at night before I go to sleep and I have had it under control for the past few years. The only place it gives me trouble now is in a canoe for some reason. So don't go in a Canoe!

 

I used to stuff a small book under one leg. It would depend on which leg was being bothered the most at the time.

I am way past sciatic nerve problems now and on to bigger n better things. Just whatever you do don't smile. My mom told me smile it could be worse so I smiled, she was right.

 

simple and it does work! been there, and i know what your going thru. i also found that keeping the knee of the side that hurts elevated (sp) higher than your hips also works when sitting or lying down. i would put a pillow under or between my knees depending on the position i was in. try it. finally had to have surgery to correct the problem, the pain just got to much to handle, and it still hurts once in a while, depending if i do something stupid that i know i should not! good luck man, i've felt your pain.

 

These are a good way to get rid of the problem. The best stretch I use is to lie on your back, cross the leg that you feel the problem in over your other leg. Them reach behind the leg without the problem and pull toward you. Hold and repeat a number of times.

 

I had a bout of it a year or so ago. it lasted 6 months, but finally went away. When driving, I kept my left leg pushed tight against the floor to force the old back up against the car seat. Tiresome, but it helped some. Fortunantly, my work vehicle was a Chevy Blazer that had the adjustable lumber support in the seatback. I kept it adjusted up tight when i was in that car. I also ate naproxen sodium tablets like popcorn!.
Good luck, it is a MOST painful and annoying condition. I was actually reduced to tears once while riding my lawn mower on my 2 acre yard that HAD to be mowed!

 

Yeah, been there, the only thing that helps beside ice sometimes.

 

my nerve damage is in my left foot lower back and both hips. i also have pain in my joints from them being broken in many peices,from the hips down i feel like im being crushed 24/7.been that way since may of 05.also have nerve damage in my left eye and we will throw in some brain damage as well.they told my wife he probably wont walk again if he lives.i had to learn to feed my self walk talk hell even had to learn to use the bath room all over again. i couldnt feel the pressure thru the pain.anyway i work on my cars and bikes and still work on customers things as well.im im also a narcotic addict now.and i just dont care.i hurt bad enough that the amount of drugs i have to take juast to keep the pain at bay would kill most.but it lets me go out in the shop and have some kinda life.without it i would honestly shoot myself in the head. i cant take anymore pain.and i always considered my self tough.so i do understand pain keepin you down.get to a dr. and if he cant help go to a pain specialist.it saved my life and my love of our old cars and bikes.

 

I can totally relate guys, I've had severe neck and back pain for years, finally got it all fixed up and now pain free after 20 plus years.



Kinda gross ain't it

 

wow, as for the wallet thing, a california road trip with my wallet in the back pocket caused this mess, before i read the towel thing i was kneeling at the computer desk cause i can't sit in the chair, but now i am sitting in the chair with a towel behind my back, so far so good, hey it looks like y'all are just as good as fixing people as y'all are at fixing cars... thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I see your L4/L5 and up you a L3 to boot. Basicly have 2 dics that are about half there at best, 3 MRI's and not a real good fix for it. This is on topic seeing I got most of it while working on traditional rods. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

yeah i am the way i am picking up my $200 van that took over 3k to go get, and now with this shit, the cost goes up and up..

 

Been there done that. 6mths off work with traction eventually fixing it. No operation but I still have niggling pain and discomfort.

 

join the club...i had a badly ruptured disc L4/L5...pain was unfuckinbearable !!! worked its way right to my toes in my right foot.got permanent numbness down outside of my leg.
Surgeon said they can fix the leg pain but no guarantees on the back....well he was right my back still kills me i can't stand or sit for very long. still get regular physiotherapy and need meds. Its a bastard and can be quite restrictive in my job fixin old cars.
The exercises do work if you keep em up. they can check your core muscles to see if they workin by using ultrasound. they told me my right hand side was real weak which pulls the spine outta alignment...so got me workin on that.
Keep movin what ever you do!! if you don't you'll seize up n start rustin!!
oh yeah...we bought one of them flash latex super supportive mattresses..my back now worse than before mite get me a hammock

 

Me too. First epidural did little.... second fixed the sciatic pain.... still have the bad back but at least the leg pain is gone.

 

Yup, those squishy disc are great...until they start ooozing out...
My spine doc says that surgery is reserved for the real bad cases (like grits...??..ouch) so we bought stock in an NSAID manufacturer.

Ain't it wonderful... ?? Have you tried one of those inversion tables? I get some relief if I exercise/stretch and do my 'batman' thing half-way regular. Big 5 sports almost always has one on sale.

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Kinda looks like mine, busted it working as a fireman years ago. Went from one workers comp Dr to the next for 2 years before they finally did an MRI and figured out I'd broken L5 in half. By then it had healed improperly and was smashing the nerves.

First operation I had L3-4-5 fused with hardware, cages, screws, rods. Took donor bone from my hips (Illiac crest). Second operation they used synthetic bone protien and added more hardware, a year later they took some of it out and said I was good to go. A year after that they said I'd broken it again so they went in and put hardware back in. The pain NEVER went away.

Now I'm 'healed' but still have constant pain, even have a pump in my abdomen that injects medicine into my spine. Severely limits what I can do car wise, luckily I took pinstriping back up a while back and kinda trade out my art work for the heavy lifting. I also hae a couple of really good friends I can count on to help me.



Not me but quite similar.

 

My back is always killing me but I feel much better after reading what some of you are going through. Like the other guy said.....it could be worse.

I'm 44 and have played soccer all my life. I've broken just about everything playing the game. Broke my back when I was 16, then through the years many broken ribs, my nose a couple of times, my shoulder, foot, fibula, had the ACL replaced, and several concussions. I think I just walk off kilter enough that it tweaks the back and then sends the pain down the left leg. Mornings are the worst part. Takes a while to get the cob webs out.

 

My last MRI read like a horror show. Arthritis, 1 disc collapsed, 1 torn, 1 severly herniated and 1 swollen...all in a row from S1/L5 and up. 2 in my neck, C2/3 and 3/4 I think, can't recall. I eat pain meds and keep moving. My alternative is surgury and down for up to 8 months. Now no insurance. Fuck it. I'ma keep going until I can't. I can still work, I can still drive, I can still ride a sled (as long as it has modern suspension), I can still be on my feet for most of a day and I'll tell you, NONE of it comes without a the price of pain. See, I'm not really a surly miserable old bastard. I just hurt sometimes and I'm too fuckin stubborn to talk much about it. I can haul cars in my dually because loaded, it rides really nice and the seat has a ton of different adjustments. 10-12hrs is about the max. I don't do any heavy lifting. When the doc told me to avoid that I asked him how he expected me to piss....

I can relate guys. I've already had 1 surgury. It's been great for like 10+yrs. Now they want to go in again. When it gets that bad I'll do what I gotta do, but for now I rest in a "cupped" position and I drive with alternating leg support. You might be amazed at what just 1" of recline to a seat can do for lower back pain. I'm re-drilling my floors and adding 1/4" front spacers to the bubbletop seat for that very reason. Low and tipped back a bit, problem solved.

 

My doc said 2 disk had ooozed out and dried up, said they looked like potato chips, eeeewwwwww

 

I had something similar - collapsed at work it was so painful.

You got to get then curve back into your spine. crank the lumbar right out. Force yourself back in the chair so the lumbar pushes right into your back.

Lie on the floor face down. Do a push up, but leave your hips on the floor. Go slowly, but you will be able to do it a little higher each time. Once you can do about ten at full stretch you will feel much better.

Had a 59 galaxie with a seat that sagged to the left. Wallet in the right butt pocket and that caused discomfort. Like said above, started putting the wallet in the front pocket, fixed the sagging seat and that helped a lot.

If no lumbar support on the seat, rollup some foam rubber and wedge that in there. Or a towel. Anything really.

Never ever slouch on the sofa.

It's all that lolling about with your back unsupported that f*cks it up.

If you sit at work, make sure you get a good chair or improvise a lumbar roll.

Hope this help.

Mart.