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Sciatica Questions and AnswersI HATE LEGAL DISCLAIMERS. My lawyer insists...Thanks for understanding... Please send me your sciatica questions via the CONTACT ME form. I will do my best to find an answer to your nerve pain question. I will answer you by email and post your questions here. Please be sure to provide me with a valid email or you will never receive an answer. This is YOUR sciatica questions and answers forum. Please enjoy it and I look forward to receiving your questions and comments soon!  I thought I was cured of back pain for life when several events in my life converged to cause me great stress. I had become complacent and was not vigilant about monitoring my emotions. Eight months ago I suffered an attack of lower back pain, my first in many years. I read and reread Dr. Sarno's book but it had no effect. I then purchased Dr. Scott Brady's book, Pain Free for Life and followed his techniques. My pain was greatly reduced within just a few days of starting on Dr. Brady's program, but it never completely went away. Three weeks ago I found myself in an emergency room in agony. I saw an orthopedic doctor who diagnosed me with arthritis, a bulging disk, and spinal stenosis. (In other words, a normal back for a man in his fifties.) He prescribed an anti-inflammatory and physical therapy and didn't even order an MRI, he was going just by the x-rays from the emergency room. Needless to say, I never filled the prescription and I never went to physical therapy. Even if his diagnosis were correct, those treatments would make no sense. After having experienced the miracle of Dr. Sarno's cure so many years ago, I was not going to fall into that trap. I have been doing a combination of rereading Dr. Sarno's book and following Dr. Brady's methods and my back and sciatica is considerable better. However, my symptoms have not completely disappeared. I am starting to suspect that I have repressed emotions that my subconscious is fighting very hard to keep hidden. My question to you is: Do you know of any psychologists in the South Florida area that specialize in treating physical pain caused by repressed emotions? If not, what is the best way to find one that understands what is truly causing my pain? I am fairly well versed in mind-body pain and I need someone who truly understands it and buys into it. Any information you can provide will be greatly appreciated. Jorge A: Hi Jorge, Dr. Brady would be the person to ask for a referral in your area. He is close by and would have the best chance of referring you to a qualified TMS psychologist. As far as finding to source of the current symptoms, this is a problem for many patients. Sometimes, it is nothing in particular, just the personality of the person which causes occasional set backs. Keeping this in mind will prevent the pain from becoming a concern and will eventually make it dissipate. Thanks for your letter and I send you my best, Sensei Adam Rostocki Q: I have been diagnosed with piriformis syndrome ...I have had surgery on my right side buttocks a year later. I am back at square one, this time on both sides any advise ??? Mandy A: Hi Mandy, As I write on the site, almost 100% of piriformis patients are misdiagnosed. It is a statistical fact. Few find lasting relief from pirirformis specific treatments. I advise that the condition is almost sure to be ischemic and should be treated as such. I am sure you will fare much better with this approach. Best, Sensei Adam Rostocki Q: Hi. This is my MRI report: Vertebral body height,signal and alignment is maintained throughout the lumber spine.There is a disc desiccation at L4-L5.There is a moderately large central and para central caudally directed disc extrusion emanating from L4-L5 with moderately severe left lateral recess narrowing and indentation of the ventral aspect of the thecal sac with mild to moderate spinal stenosis. To a lesser degree there is also right lateral recess narrowing at L4-L5. other region of lumber spine is unremarkable. I got this report 15 month ago. I do stretching and walking up to 3 miles daily. But I feel pain in my left leg and thigh when I will stay in same condition up to more than one hour. My neuro suggested for microdisectomy. I will appreciate if you take time and give your valuable suggestion. Om A: Hi Om, Please provide me more specific details about the exact locations of your pain and when it occurs. This will help me to help you. Best, Sensei Adam Rostocki Follow up: Hi Adam, generally I feel pain in my back and heaviness , tiredness andsometimes numbness in backside of my left thigh and lower leg. Eightmonth ago I felt very sharp pain then I took pain killer and musclerelaxant for 10 days.om A: Hi Om, I am not sure if the extrusion is the cause or not. It seems bad enough to potentially be problematic, but there is no notation of nerve root compression on the MRI report and I do not feel the central canal stenosis is responsible. You might consider trying knowledge therapy first, as there is no cost or risk and saving surgery as a last resort. Please stay in touch and let me know how you are doing. Best, S.A.R. Q: Hi, I have been diagnosed with sciatica lately but have had the pain with six years, I have had a MRI scan and waited for the results that came back today and my GP went through them with me and said there is nothing significant enough for surgery on them. I feel very upset with the fact that he said to keep going to the chiropractor and that should relieve my pain. I have gone to two different chiropractors within the last two years and none which have helped, i have gotten my orthotics and all that and still nothing. I was actually hoping that they would find something on the MRI as i could of had the surgery and be done with it. I would be grateful if you could help in any way as the pain is constant and i am at my wits end. Is there anything that i don't know about that can relieve my pain until i get a second opinion on my results, also, would it be ok to send it my report to you to see what you think?, thank you in advance, Joanne A: Hi Joanne, Yes, of course, you can send the report. I do not think you appreciate the gift you were given by being told that you do not need surgery. Back surgery almost always makes the condition worse immediately or eventually and this simple statement may have saved your very life. Surgery is a NO NO. Best, Sensei Adam Rostocki Q: I'm having a big problem of sciatica starting from my buttock running down to my right leg the pain is more powerful in the tibia region what i have to do? Sunjai A: Hi Sunjai, You must begin by receiving a complete exam to diagnose the potential causes. Let me know what the doctor says after imaging is performed. Best, Sensei Adam Rostocki Q: hi,I am a 26 year old female. i have been diagnosed with sciatica since last 3 weeks. my spine surgeon advised complete bed rest for 2.5 weeks which helped to reduce the pain from a scale of 6/10 to 2/10. Now pain meds have stopped and i have resumed work ( sedentary work) i need to sit at my desk and work on my desktop all day. Could you provide me some useful information about how i need to sit in an office chair, walk and exercise to keep this pain in check? Would really appreciate any response from you reg. this. Could you share some handy tips.Am also doing the lower back strengthening stretches 25 times in 2 sets (i.e. lying on the stomach and lifting the head and chest off the floor to work the lower back muscles) as advised by my spine doctor. Pranjali A: Hi Pranjali, Proper treatment is dependent on the diagnosis. What is the diagnosed source of your pain? Best, Sensei Adam Rostocki Q: hi, do you have drx9000 in Bangkok. kindly provide me the contact details of clinic - Khaled A: Hi Khaled, All worldwide care providers are listing on the company's official website. You can also call them for a referral. This is my recommendation for you. Best, Sensei Adam Rostocki Q: hi,i am suffering with lower back and right leg pain since two and half years. The pain is like burning sensation. i have consulted so many neurologists and orthopaedics. But all are in vein.even i have the same burning sensation in the neck and right hand. from the readings i came to know that this will be sciatica. After this sciatica my sexual life also get affected. i am suffering with sexual dysfunction some times. i am experiencing the burning sensation in penis and very frequent urine releases.Please give me advice to whom i have consult whether neurologist or orthopaedic. give me advice to get rid of this killing pain. Raj A: Hi Raj, Given the far ranging nature of your symptoms, I doubt they have a structural source. However, I do recommend getting MRI studies of your spine performed if possible to make sure there are no significant anatomical issues to be concerned about. Best, Sensei Adam Rostocki Q: I have had sciatica for about 2 weeks now, with the help of physical therapy the pain is not so severe. I have also seen an orthopedist who mentioned that I probably had a herniated disk which caused my condition. I have feeling and no loss of sensation or pins and needles, but I do have muscle weakness in my left leg causing trouble with stepping off when walking. The orthopedist mentioned that this is one of the symptoms of sciatica and needs time to heal. All of my reflexes are good, but the muscle weakness is making me a little nervous, how long does this weakness usually last. Thank You, Ed A: Hi Ed, It depends on the cause. Symptoms can be short-lived or last indefinitely,. As I write throughout the site, there is no "typical" case of sciatica. I hope yours is minor and ends soon! Best, Sensei Adam Rostocki Q: I started the new year with very painful leg pain. I had a herniated disk in 1986, was hospitalized and good as new until this year. I have been to the doctor and he has pumped me full of meds, none of which seem to work... Lyrica,Tramadol, Etodolac, Cyclobenzapr. My pain is less today , but it is numb, as well as my foot. What exercises are best? I am 53, work full time, retired from my salary job in Fl and moved to NC for a peaceful second half. I love to garden and am so depressed over this pain. Any advice would be helpful, not happy with my Dr , seems to not think I am tough enough. I could hardly walk after my shift at work, I gave birth to two children and this pain is a match.I took a week off work, haven't been sick in years resting helped some, of course during that week I did house work and cleaned but every few hours got off my leg. Lesa A: Hi Lesa, Successful treatment relies on accurate diagnosis. I advise looking into the source of the pain in order to find the ideal therapy. Best, Sensei Adam Rostocki Sciatica Questions and Answers Archive Section
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