Bit of a different post today – my journey with severe sciatica and L4-L5 disc herniation from many years of long hours at a seated desk.
On/off from 29-34, bouts that would last about a month. Some moderate. Some severe. Really bad/persistent in the fifth year. Really bad in the last 6 months at the end of 2021, before I finally took it seriously.
Pain is 9 of 10 when in flexion. Can’t give out 10s. Feels like you’re shearing your spine in two while hornets attack your numb leg. Pain is 5 of 10 when idle. The latter is worse. 24/7, inescapable. Pain when lying flat, pain when sitting, pain when standing, pain when X. Grinds you down. Puts you in a mental corner where frustration and confusion start to dilate your perception of the current pain level and if it will ever get better.
Can’t sleep more than 2 hours without pain and stiffness becoming too unbearable to remain down. Get up, pace to reduce pain from 7 back to 5, then back to sleep for another couple hours.
Easily the hardest year of my life physically. Can’t put on your own shoes, can’t exercise, can’t sleep. Can’t sit down for a year. Think about what you did yesterday that required a seat: Go anywhere in a car? Watch TV on a couch? Met a friend for dinner? Avoid all of those for 12 months.
Nearly 50 treatments. Some weekly, most daily:
- Physical therapy
- Epidural
- X-ray + MRI
- Cyclobenzaprine
- Meloxicam
- Methylprednisolone
- NSAIDs
- Golf ball on foot
- Theragun
- Heat pad
- Traction belt (dds300)
- Sciatica compression belt
- Ice belt
- Hamstring stretches
- Piriformis stretches
- Foam roll
- Core strengthening
- Acupuncture
- Acupressure mat/pillow
- Chiro
- Massage
- Standing desk, never sitting
- Lumbar arch device
- Walking, mild exercise
- Steam room
- Infrared sauna
- Mild yoga
- Meditation
- Cold showers
- Glutamine
- Good diet, anti-inflammatories like turmeric etc
- Sleeping on stomach every night (I’m a back sleeper), bit more extension
- Book: 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back
- Bob and Brad on YouTube
- Tiger balm and Ping On ointment
- CBD cream
- Kratom
- Nasal and diaphragm breathing, including sleep mouth strips
- No exercise in morning until warm, discs have imbibed overnight and need to settle
- Hanging from pullup bar
- McKenzie side glides
- McKenzie extensions
- McKenzie lumbar sleep roll
- Leg wedge pillow for sleeping
- Complete avoidance of any flexion
- Shoe horn
- Nerve flossing
- TENS (stim)
I’m about 70% better, after the worst year leading into 6 months of active physical therapy (hours every day). No surgery. I hope to be 100% in another year, although there may be lifelong remnants. I can sleep now, which is the world. There was that ~1 month where I truly could not sleep more than 2 hours straight, waking from acute pain and requiring a walk multiple times every night. Being past that is an entirely different recovery.
Take care of your back. Move, stand, stretch, extend.