For the last 3weeks I have been getting a shooting unbelievably intense pain that goes down my left leg from hip through my knee and occasionally to my foot.
It feels absolutely fine 99.9% of the time. Then, lightening bolt!
What the hell is going on?
It happens more often when in a seated or laying position, but occasionally happens when standing.
Read up on your sciatica nerve.
Datsun240ZGuy said:Read up on your sciatica nerve.
+1
Thanks for the heads up!
What I am finding on sciatica doesn't seem to indicate the lightening bolt pain I am experiencing.
It's like a bolt of lightening out of the blue and then it's gone again just as quick.
Does that still jive with sciatica?
More reading to do. I gotta figure out what type of doctor to go to for this...
I had those sort of symptoms a few years ago. Turned out that one of my vertebrate ( I don't remember which one) was sort of squished, not crushed or collapsed, just sort of compressed. Six weeks of easy PT took care of the symptoms.
I hope your outcome is as good as mine was.
If you're not sure which specialty you want, start with your General Practitioner. They will know. Three weeks is a long time. Don't wait any longer.
I have issues with the sciatica nerve - I do stretches when I have issues but it was taught to me in rehab. It helps a lot.
Yesterday, oddly my right leg gave me issues later in the evening after I installed an engine by myself.......
Datsun240ZGuy said:Read up on your sciatica nerve.
Yes. This is sciatica nerve pain. You are lucky that it's almost never an issue. The only things that help are stretching, PT, and having the right mattress. Oh, also! Be aware of the waistband of your pants/shorts. These can hit the wrong spot and cause your nerve pain to flare up.
If you pack your wallet in your back pocket try moving it elsewhere that is all it took to fix mine
The drone you seek is an orthopedic doctor.
As for the cause, it could be a few different things so I wouldn't assume anything. I had/have symptoms that are quite similar. The cause for me is a labral tear and slight bone/bone contact.
So, I am going to scare you with my personal experience.
In 2017 I have what you are describing. Jolts of pain down my right leg that came and went. I talked to my doctor about it and was in the process of getting some physical therapy for it, but it was taking forever to get in.
I did a stupid. I had a work trip. Had to take my personal car as the company one for this kind of trip was tied up. It involved an 8 hour drive in my Miata. I am 6'2" and locally was fine in it, but would get sore after awhile. I get where I am spending the night and go to bed. The next morning I was in pretty intense pain and physically COULD NOT bend over to pick something up off the floor. I struggle through the rest of my trip in pretty bad pain, including the drive home. By the time I got home I had to call my wife from the driveway as I needed help to get out of the car.
Rapid doctors visits, specialist, MRI's... I ruptured the disc at L5-S1 in my back and it was pressing on the nerve. Specialist indicated that I needed a Microdiscectomy to remove the material that was expelled when it ruptured. I was pretty much bedridden, it hurt to get up to go to the bathroom and REALLY hurt to get in a car to go to a doctors appointment. As an aside the same week I was told I needed surgery, my wife and I found out we were pregnant with our first child.
Had the surgery in early December, was pretty much bedridden for 4 months and even after that it was a LONG hard recovery road. I have had epidural cortisone shots a few times and finally, 5 years after the injury, got to a point where it isnt hurting every day and only comes up when I get dehydrated or do dumb things. I wont be going to a trampoline park or anything like that any time soon. GOOD PT was what finally got me through recovery.
The root cause of mine was a long commute and a desk job leading to a loss of core strength and bad posture. The pain I went through was comparable to a kidney stone, maybe hurt a bit less, but lasted a lot longer.
So, my STRONG ADVICE is this. GET YOUR ASS IN TO A DOCTOR AND GET IN PHYSICAL THERAPY - LIKE YESTERDAY! This isnt something to ignore. The "lightning bolt radiating pain" is nerve pain. Engauge with a good therapist and start working in a good core stretching and strengthening regimen with their guidance. An ounce of prevention will save you A WORLD OF PAIN.
And whatever you do, dont do something absolutely stupid like an 8 hour drive in a car you know makes you sore. It wont end well, trust me.
As SKJSS says, orthapedic is where you are headed. Internet diagnoses arent worth squat, but bulging disc is a likely culpret and bulging leads to rupture if you arent careful.
I'm still thinking this might not be sciatica. This is 100% in the front.
I have an appointment with a sports medicine orthopedics doctor on thursday.
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