Huh. Father does know best.

[shadesong]

So I had another shooting pain, and I figured I'd call my mom to get her advice on what would be better, Excedrin or Advil. Mom wasn't home; Dad was. So I said, "I'm having pain, and I want to know what I should take."

Dad: "What kind of pain? Where?"
Me: "Sharp, shooting pains... lower back down to my knee. Sometimes all the way down to my feet, but today, just to the knee."
Dad: "Are your toes changing color?"
Me: "Ummm.. no."
Dad: "Okay, it's not vascular. Is the pain along the bottom of your leg or the top?"
Me: "Umm - middle - more the top right this second, but generally the bottom as well?"
Dad: "Constant?"
Me: "Intermittent."
Dad: "Press around the small of your back... can you recreate the pain by doing that?"
Me: "Ow. Yeah. Right side of back, but the pain's in the left leg..."
Dad: "Sciatica. If you can do that with your back, it's sciatica. You might have a herniated disc - go to the doctor. For now, take 600 mg of Advil. With milk or food. And use a heating pad."

Well, then.

Dad has the common sense the gods gave a doorknob, in a lot of ways, but he has very specialized pockets of extensive information. I'm glad that this is one of them.


A

Comments

[tewok.livejournal.com]

Sciatica scucks.

I hope you're father's wrong. I've got it and it's really vile. Take it easy and don't do any heavy lifting. Shoot, don't do any lifting. I've found that a coupla Aleve are also good at managing the pain.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

*nod* This has been going on for... over a month now, I think, to varying degrees. And the part that bothers me most is that it's got me feeling crippled. It infuriates me that I can't lift my fileboxes from the floor to the table, that I can't move the coffeetable, that there are times when I can't walk across the room.

[voltbang.livejournal.com]

I hate to sound like a broken record, but a chirpractor specializes in that stuff. Chirpractor, spinal adjustments and massage, doctor, muscle relaxants, painkillers, and surgery.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

...and I will look into finding a chiropractor as soon as I find out if my insurance will pay for one!

[pharminatrix.livejournal.com]

Gosh. Not like it's your fault but I wish you had described it in detail like that online because I could have told you the deal. My family and I are unwilling but frequent subscribers to sciatica. Even my late dog had it it.

Did you have an occipital pregnancy? Sometimes in late pregnancy, the baby's head will wedge itself right onto the sciatic nerve and not let up, and if the baby's turned backwards, it's the hard part of her/his head. And this can lead to post-natal recurrence.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

It's not always like that.... most of the times before, it was an ache when I moved, not shooting pain...

If I had an occipital pregnancy, no one told me. :) I've had back issues off and on since I was 16, but can't remember any during pregnancy...

[alfheimr.livejournal.com]

I have a herniated disc. Much with the suck. And the hurty. I hate the hurty part of it. Always have to be aware of keeping the lower back curved the right way. no more slouching at the computer. *POUT* Posture posture posture helps that. Hope the it's not that and that it's fixable.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Thanks, sweetie... I'll keep you posted!

[whitecrow0.livejournal.com]

Well, I have had my suspicions as I have a herniated disk (caused by a chiropractor, so nyah) in my neck and get rivers of fire running through my shoulder, neck and arm, but I may not have spoken up, 'cause if it isn't, then don't I look dumb.
{{{}}}
PLEASE see a doctor about it. My grandmother ignored her back troubles for so long she scarred inside, and even after surgery she's in constant torment and can barely walk.