Sciatica pain after PN block

[Carnation]

Hi Violet,
Ten months after RFA It’s still affecting my sciatic nerve. I can hardly walk any more. I have an appointment for an orthopedic evaluation this month. I will definitely ask about the TENs unit also having a muscoskeletal ultrasound of the hip area. No amount of sticking needles or PT will stop this!

[eraser]

Thank you!
How are you doing with your recovery? Take care of yourself

I think quite well so far, it seems very surreal that I actually managed to get surgery in the end.
Week 5 so still early days but I am seeing improvement already.
Whilst I have a low opinion of pain doctors in general, botox may help establish whether your piriformis muscle is causing your problems. It could be a potential site of entrapment.
Good luck. I hope you're better soon.

[Violet M]

Hi Violet,
Ten months after RFA It’s still affecting my sciatic nerve. I can hardly walk any more. I have an appointment for an orthopedic evaluation this month. I will definitely ask about the TENs unit also having a muscoskeletal ultrasound of the hip area. No amount of sticking needles or PT will stop this!

Carnation, how did your ortho evaluation go? It’s scary not being able to walk so I hope they are able to help you.

[Carnation]

Hi Violet,
Ten months after RFA It’s still affecting my sciatic nerve. I can hardly walk any more. I have an appointment for an orthopedic evaluation this month. I will definitely ask about the TENs unit also having a muscoskeletal ultrasound of the hip area. No amount of sticking needles or PT will stop this!

Carnation, how did your ortho evaluation go? It’s scary not being able to walk so I hope they are able to help you.

Hi Violet,
Well it was another evaluation that wasn’t. Pretty much as expected We do not know what’s wrong so I did have trigger point injections with lidocaine in the piriformis and glutes and it did nothing but hurt. And again, no one can explain the sciatica after the procedures that are supposed to help. I always ask anyway just because. What’s next I don’t know

[eraser]

Hi Violet,
Ten months after RFA It’s still affecting my sciatic nerve. I can hardly walk any more. I have an appointment for an orthopedic evaluation this month. I will definitely ask about the TENs unit also having a muscoskeletal ultrasound of the hip area. No amount of sticking needles or PT will stop this!

Daft question perhaps but is it possible that your sciatica is unrelated and just appeared to occur afterwards?

[Carnation]

Hi Violet,
Ten months after RFA It’s still affecting my sciatic nerve. I can hardly walk any more. I have an appointment for an orthopedic evaluation this month. I will definitely ask about the TENs unit also having a muscoskeletal ultrasound of the hip area. No amount of sticking needles or PT will stop this!

Daft question perhaps but is it possible that your sciatica is unrelated and just appeared to occur afterwards?

Hi Eraser,
All I have right now are MRI’s that show nothing there so I don’t know. All you get with this is what you feel That’s it
I’m hoping you’re feeling better

[eraser]

Well I really hope they sort it out for you soon! I am still improving, almost month three. I am starting to think what I do when I hope this all comes to an end.

[Violet M]

Carnation, how did your ortho evaluation go? It’s scary not being able to walk so I hope they are able to help you.

Hi Violet,
Well it was another evaluation that wasn’t. Pretty much as expected We do not know what’s wrong so I did have trigger point injections with lidocaine in the piriformis and glutes and it did nothing but hurt. And again, no one can explain the sciatica after the procedures that are supposed to help. I always ask anyway just because. What’s next I don’t know

That's discouraging. I'm sorry to hear they weren't able to help you. It sounds like the treatments they gave you were focused on relieving muscle pain. How would you describe the pain? Does it feel like muscle pain or nerve pain? Here is an article that might help you distinguish between muscle pain or nerve pain.
https://www.psadocs.com/muscle-pain-vs-nerve-pain/
I don't know as much about sciatica as PN so I was reading a little bit about it. This was one of the better articles I read.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/d ... 2-sciatica
If it's an injured nerve from the nerve blocks and there's no scar tissue or impingements showing up on the MRI, then you might want to focus on healing measures. Some of the healing measures I used to help heal the nerve were alternating hot/cold sitz baths, and hyperbaric oxygen. There is some evidence that hyperbaric oxygen can help heal nerves. I know it would be a long shot but it's a low-risk option to try. Insurance paid for half of mine.
Are there any medications you have tried that help with pain relief?

Violet

[Carnation]

Well I really hope they sort it out for you soon! I am still improving, almost month three. I am starting to think what I do when I hope this all comes to an end.

Hi Eraser,
I like that way of thinking. So good for the soul.

[Carnation]

Carnation, how did your ortho evaluation go? It’s scary not being able to walk so I hope they are able to help you.

Hi Violet,
Well it was another evaluation that wasn’t. Pretty much as expected We do not know what’s wrong so I did have trigger point injections with lidocaine in the piriformis and glutes and it did nothing but hurt. And again, no one can explain the sciatica after the procedures that are supposed to help. I always ask anyway just because. What’s next I don’t know

That's discouraging. I'm sorry to hear they weren't able to help you. It sounds like the treatments they gave you were focused on relieving muscle pain. How would you describe the pain? Does it feel like muscle pain or nerve pain? Here is an article that might help you distinguish between muscle pain or nerve pain.
https://www.psadocs.com/muscle-pain-vs-nerve-pain/
I don't know as much about sciatica as PN so I was reading a little bit about it. This was one of the better articles I read.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/d ... 2-sciatica
If it's an injured nerve from the nerve blocks and there's no scar tissue or impingements showing up on the MRI, then you might want to focus on healing measures. Some of the healing measures I used to help heal the nerve were alternating hot/cold sitz baths, and hyperbaric oxygen. There is some evidence that hyperbaric oxygen can help heal nerves. I know it would be a long shot but it's a low-risk option to try. Insurance paid for half of mine.
Are there any medications you have tried that help with pain relief?

Violet

Thank you Violet,
You give so much of your life and time to help others. Thank you