New here - Have a few questions

[swaser802]

I have pain/burning in my genital area that comes and goes in 2-3 day segments. Is more painful when sitting, but not unbearable. I also have some sciatic pain going down my right leg. MRI says at L 4-5 there is broad based bulging of the disc - moderate to severe central canal stenosis; at L5-S1 there is a slight bulging of the disc. Both of these ailments started after moving and lifting way more than a 68 year old female should have been lifting last September. The genital pain came on a couple weeks after the sciatic pain so I tend to believe they were both caused from the same thing. Tried physical therapy for sciatic pain- did not think it did any good. Genital pain was treated for everything from urinary tract infection to herpes to no avail. Urologist did cystoscopy which was normal. So on to a neurologist who put me on gabapentin (2400 mg daily) and savella (100 mg daily). Leg pain is somewhat improved but still has a ways to go. I also have had one epidural which I don't think did much good at all. The neurologist thinks I have pudental neuropathy. My question is - If I would have surgery for the sciatic problem, could it possibly fix the genital pain? Neurologist does not think so. I have not yet seen a neurosurgeon to ask this question. Guess I am just so hopeful that it might since it appears if this is indeed PN, treatment and recovery seems to be way more diffucult. Not even real sure if the sciatic pain is from the bulging disc or the stenosis - have trouble understanding what the Drs are saying. They use a lot of words I am not familiar with. Thanks for listening and appreciate any input anyone might have.

[janetm2]

Welcome and I do not know much about the sciatic pain and surgery but lifting is a common cause for PN/PNE. For more input along that line I would go to a PN aware PT from our list off the homepage. I was diagnosed by PT when they found the SS and ST ligaments were so tight they squashed the pudendal nerve. I do hope it could be just the sciatic for your sake as it is difficult otherwise. Take one step at a time and you are getting the right medication to help which is a good thing. The others will come along to help you with the sciatic when the get on line again and see your post. Take Care, you are in good company, we are here to help and have been in your place at one time or another
Janet

[greeneyes]

I also have low back pain as well as pelvic pain. Back pain was my primary problem between 1995 and 2006. The pelvic pain started around 2006 and I assumed it was related to my back issues. I have a bulge at L4-L5 but according to the MRI, it is not impinging on anything. The bulge didn't show up on an MRI until 2006 so I have no idea what caused the back pain before then or if the bulge is even an issue. My pelvic pain doctor has told me (and I have read this as well) that back pain and pelvic pain often go together. It's hard to say whether fixing one problem will fix both. Let's hope it does for both of us!

Greeneyes

[swaser802]

Thank you janet and greeneyes for your comments and words of comfort. I did get an appointment with a neurosurgeon to try to get some questions answered; however I am finding that there just isn't a lot of knowledge about PN here in the midwest. Next question - can PN ever just go away? Do the drugs I am taking (gabapentin and savella) just cover up the pain or do they maybe heal the nerve. I know - still just grasping at straws aren't I.

[janetm2]

The moderators have the best grasp of knowledge of PN but from what I see the drugs only help with pain not healing. Sorry the lack of PN knowledge in the medical community is severely limited across the US not to mention the world. PT if early on and not entrapped can help and or fix and of course if ypu really do not have PN and it is something else like hip or Tarvlov cysts or just the back issue you can get those treated and the PN like symptoms could go away. Hang in there.
Janet

[Violet M]

Swaser, since your pain seems to be associated with heavy lifting, it seems likely there are some musculoskeletal components to your pain. I'm not sure what type of PT you tried. Did they mention any pelvic instability, strained ligaments, or pelvic misalignment? I had all three of those which led to a compression of the pudendal nerve with accompanying sciatic-type pain from the piriformis muscle being in spasm and putting pressure on the sciatic nerve. I don't know if surgery to release the sciatic nerve would help in your case. For me releasing the pudendal nerve allowed the piriformis muscle to relax and the sciatic pain went away. Seems like maybe you want to get some more opinions on what's going on with you if you can.

Violet