I suffered with Sciatica for about 18 months after a chiropractor pushed too hard on my lumbar spine. I tried everything and nothing helped, but I was told that I was not a surgical candidate and to learn to live with the pain. One day I was unloading hay and as I went to throw a bale down the wagon, I slipped on the hay waste and went down like I was sliding into home base. After laying there for awhile assessing my body, I got up and realized my back pain was gone. It’s stayed gone for 2 years now. My doctor said he could not recommend the technique to his other patients. 🤷🏻♀️🤣
The chiropractor most likely adjusted you to the point where that knot was ALMOST out, and basically left it there until your fall pushed it the rest of the way
as 23 year old who got a bulged disc at 17, and now have multiple herniated and bulged disc throughout my entire spine. spine surgery at 21, the most infuriating thing in the world is explaining to anyone older then me that i’m legitimately in pain 24/7. hearing “you’re only in the your twenty’s it can’t be that bad”
This happened to me when I was 36 and people didn't believe me, not even my family. It took many years for me to walk without pain, but I'm better now so it will get better. Just stay focused on your health. Try not to lie in bed too long even if that means just standing by your bed and walking in place (blood pressure health) eat as healthy as you can and most of all be patient with yourself. You will heal.
I feel you. That sort of response is my Dad's default. He thinks that because he's 64, and I'm 26, there's no way I can be as bad off as I am. Except for the multiple wrecks in my sport, 3-4 concussions, chronic overuse injuries of the knee and spine, etc. ...and leaky gut/arthritis from all the hellish stress (screaming at us every day, physically abusing me - choking/punching, etc) he put us through for nearly a decade while we were trapped at home... Now we're all gone and doing better, but still not great lol.
@The Midwest Fishkeeper how're you doing my man? I've been bedridden (horizontal) for the last 2+ months. Only just started getting up and about recently, and progress is actually faster than I thought it would be. Still got a long way to go, but the waiting (and worrying about bills when you have no job and no health insurance) is torture. Still, hopefully I can get a diagnosis from a Neurologist soon. There's a patient assistance program I can sign up for that will help with the costs, just gotta wait for the paperwork to come in so I can fill it out...and keep on waiting. 😅
My mom had this for years and worked two jobs. Then she got Covid and passed away within a month. All those years she was in pain and hardly complained from it. Rest in peace Mama.
@Jchannel - dont apologize for that post. I am estranged from my mother and can't do what you were saying but I totally agree with you. For people that have the chance to make things right with a parent or a loved one, make moves to do it, don't waste time. You never know what kind of pain another person is going through and then you think you have a chance to fix it in the future, they are taken away. This is true for SO many people. Time is unforgiving. Human beings can be.
@Tanya Reed - on the contrary. Her pain WAS just severe enough to make her keep working through it. Been there, done that. I was at work one day in tears. I simply popped some more pills, pulled my mask up and kept going.
My Mom's back had been out for weeks and she was in so much pain. One morning, she had made her way out to a chair on the deck outside to smoke a cigarette and when she was getting out of the chair, she lifted her whole body with just her arms as her hands griped the chairs armrests, to allow her lower body/buttocks to just hang there while she prepared herself to stand up again. In that time she was in that hanging position, the gravity from her lower body pulled her spine back into place and she said that she actually felt a shift in her spine. When she slowly stood up again, her back was nolonger out, the muscle spasms began to relax along her low back because there was zero sharp pain radiating from the spine. Within just a few hours after that and a hot soak in the tub with some Epsom salt, she was 100% as good as new!... I will never forget that day, because my Mom was so broken & miserable and to see her happy and pain free meant everything to me!.... ❤❤❤
As having a herniated disc in two separate incidents, I learned more than my surgeon ever explained. Then even seeing the horsetail whatever you called bundle of nerves really explained what was actually going on in my misery. Yes misery, I’ve broken bones and never have I felt as much pain as my back injuries. Having had two discetomies performed I can say that after surgery the relief was immediate and luckily I’ve remained pain free for some 20 years now. Thank you DR.
As someone who deals with permanent nerve damage from two ruptured discs, I can honestly say it's the worst pain I've ever had when it happens. I was nearly paralyzed from mine.
This affects a lot of people, and since it's an "invisible" pain, it can be hard for others to know just how excrutiating this injury can be. I hope you all heal well and quickly, stay strong!
@Sue-sage ASMR Bless you for your kind comment. Living with chronic pain takes so much energy, no one would know by our outward appearance how much effort it takes to go to the grocery store. After 28 years I'm still fighting. What happened to me was beyond my control. The opioid crises (caused, for the most part, by street drugs cut with deadly ingredients) means folks who would benefit from narcotics suffer needlessly. For the haters that will tell me I don't know what I'm talking about, save it. The addict needs to want treatment to get clean. Giving up that high is so strong they crave the next fix. I know all to well what happens. My brother was 32 when he died. He was an alcoholic and deliberately drank him self to death. My parents were embarrassed; didn't understand what was happening to their son. They did everything wrong and I couldn't get thru to him. He wasn't ready to kick the bottle but I kept trying. We do the very best with the cards we're dealt. Maybe I'll make one of those smily face pictures like in the depression ads. LOL A little humor helps. I'm reaching out to the media to see if I can get some attention to how the opioid crises is so one sided. I would love to know how many suicides would be attributed to pain - how many people could no longer live with the pain. Hold your head high and don't give up. I'm fighting for all of us. Take good care of yourself. Best wishes for better days ahead 💜
Hello, everyone. I’ve been injured for about 15 yrs now, and I’m saying it with a smile :) It was a pleasure reading Marty and Gnarth’s discussions, and it almost felt like a short story…you two gave me some perspectives, and inspiration! Hope you’re doing alright Marty 💜
This video was so helpful. I've had bad sciatica since I was a young kid. It went away for a couple of years but since having kids it's returned worse than ever. Regular chiro helps immensely. I've also found relief with acupuncture and yoga.
Meh to the yoga, but everlasting thanks for introducing us to all of those wonderful spices! Oh, folks, while Europeans were barely able to work wrought iron, India was exporting what became known of as Damascus steel. Yep, an Indian invention.
As someone with a recovering L5 and L4 herniated disc's, this was a really informative video. Can't wait to see more from you guys! You rock! I was in an elevator accident and car accident(elevator fell 2 stories and smashed into the basement floor with me inside it). While I was in pain the straw that broke my back was poor lifting technique. Felt a bubble "pop" in my lower back and curled over the coach. 2 days later I was bed ridden for over 2 weeks in the worst pain I've ever experienced, couldn't move my legs or toes without having waves of agony throughout my lower back and all the way down my right leg. Genuinely contemplated suicide as the pain was unending and no amount of over the counter pain meds helped. Luckily I saw a doctor and she was able to prescribe me something better. It's been 6 years and I'm still recovering. The hypersensitivity of my disc and nerves is awful but I'm learning to deal with it. It was incredibly humbling, and I've had to make significant lifestyle and career changes. But I'm still going. Im actually an inch shorter than I was before the elevator accident lol If anyone reading this is struggling, your not alone! You got this, as difficult as it can be. Your incredible, don't give up! There is a silver lining in the mushroom cloud, even if it's just radiation. 😜
@polly jean moore given how severe and devastating the pain was for me, i can see why one would commit suicide. The good thing is that the root cause for most sciatica is herniated disc and there is a supplement that will regenerate the disc gels that cause herniated discs. For the people who rely on conventional medicine, suicide will likely be their only option.
I am a veteran L5-S1, L4-L5 blown disc patient from heavy lifting in construction...I have had 3 surgeries to correct and doing much better 15 years later. The twisting motion that yoga teaches is the reason I blew my L4-S1 disc...BEWARE, yoga can/WILL pop your compromised discs so BE CAREFUL...never do any side bending or twisting exercises or you will eventually live the rest of your life like me...constant leg cramps, phantom low leg pain, and not being able to do the things you used to do when younger
Yep, check with doctor first or end up dealing with tons of doctors and pharmacists later. My blown disc gave me superpowers. Allow me to introduce myself. I am barometerman. If a major barometric pressure change comes in, a minimum of one leg and occasionally, both legs get the familiar 440 volts down both cheeks to the balls of my feet. At a minimum, with just regular severe storms, it's rock hard calf spasms and an inability to feel what position my knee is in. I was considering taking doctor up on a full body transplant, as my knees are shot as well and my hearing is fairly lousy, but the only donor bodies come with a brain. Ain't needed one of those for decades. ;)
Hey! Awesome video! As a PT who helps people worldwide with back, butt, and sciatica pains- plus being a past teacher of gross anatomy- I love how you tied everything together. Super unique. Keep up the killer content!
@ŞPÜLWΔSSΞЯ The fire department has made itself nearly useless compared to its utility of 100 years prior due to the raging success of its prevention services. They are now beginning to discuss the day of no fire in a structure. The medical field should do the same.
@Dustin Lerch although that might be the cause for the majority of people, once the problem is already there, one cannot simply "train it away". After recovery you need to of course strengthen your back and balancing muscles if you don't want to have the next problem waiting for you... (and you shouldn't have let it come that far in the first place) . But once you have a compressed nerve, sports can't really cure that anymore. You can either heal spontaneously (and the causes for that aren't really well understood yet) or you will end up needing surgery.
Fascinating. I wish you could do a similar presentation on neck problems. I have cervical stenosis, which is apparently putting pressure on my spinal cord and causing problems. I also have scoliosis and something called a “dowager’s hump” - all of it runs in my family. My older brother got so bad with his that he required emergency surgery with a specialist to prevent paralysis, and I’m terrified that I will have to go through the same torturous treatment. Right now I am unable to look up, and it’s getting harder and harder to physically raise or turn my head.
Oh you and I must be related ! LOL- I have the same but the level of curve is clearly not as bad as you describe. I have terrible issues with my neck and hate the term Dowagers hump as its always seen as related to poor posture- my " Hump" began pre/early teens-when I told them that I'm sure they were skeptical. As for lower back, years as a nurse never helped-nor to be fair does being overweight. Pain meds do very little and the numbness/pins and needles is basically 24/7- though sometimes if I have been asleep I'm ok for 1st maybe 15 mins I'm awake. I am so fed up with life. I had to retire early but since I can't do much that in itself is a misery. ( I also have pins/needles etc in my hands. I thought I might have some life after work-I've worked since 15...this is just hell
I wished everything was as easily explained as in your videos! Would love to see more back videos including the specifics of spinal nerves (roots, sensory and muscular nerves, etc). Thanks so much!
This channel is a must for every medical aspirants. what a great explanation far far better than the anatomy lectures that are taught in medical colleges. Hope this channel gets a billion subscribers.
You explain this so clearly and give a great description of this common condition. I just found out that I have three “herniated” disks and this video was a tremendous help for me to understand my problem. PT is next up for me. Wish me luck!
Don’t get surgery it is not needed just eat healthy and exercise loose body fat and don’t eat gluten fast food or processed foods you will feel much better. Reason so many people suffer from this condition is there food choices and not excersize. Processed foods cause inflammation . Fast food , eating out will destroy you . Prepare your own meals with healthy choices instead of looking for fast fixes
These guys do a utmost excellent job explaining human biology, physics and chemistry. I always enjoy watching their videos and learn so much in such a short time. 👌👍
All the luck with your recovery and well done you for proactively looking for useful information beyond the short visits to the doctors etc. Personally don't want anybody to touch the area let alone crack it. Well done you and again, good luck and a speedy recovery!
@Old Fogey Sorry you had to endure surgery and the recovery. PT, along with Chiropractor visits is REALLY helping with the pain and my mobility. Me and my wife did a fairly strenuous four-mile hike yesterday and no pain at all. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it continues to relieve my issues. Along with the usual adjustments, the Chiropractor put me through electric stimulation treatments on the affected areas. One treatment and I was pain free for almost a week. He mentioned that I can buy a “cheap” one these (muscle stimulators) on Amazon that does the same thing. Overall, I’m hopeful.
A couple years ago, a workplace accident left me with a herniated disk between L4 and L5. That was the most excruciating pain I've ever felt. I was walking around like Gollum for six months with a cane unable to straighten up. 6 months of PT and 2 epidural shots final got things back in order. This video was incredibly fascinating. You gave soo much more detail than my doctor did, and I love it! I see you mentioned yoga. I was beginning to look into yoga before the accident, but afterwards, it felt as though the disk would be injured again with some of those poses. Could the disk actually be reinjured in this way?
Me and you had the exact experience!!! Mine happened at Amazon at the start of Covid.. I just paused my yoga to watch this video and I wish to the gods that I someday get at least an epidural shot like you did or some type of surgical procedure. Bc even tho these exercises help tremendously, like no kidding when I do it I feel so much relief I just know with added help like what you had gotten I know I’ll be back to myself! So my opinion, if you’d like it😊 I would most definitely get into yoga! You’ll feel so much relief! I actually had the same thought too about reinjurying myself doing those crazy poses lol, but I had one bad pain outburst episode. Was in soo much pain that I said fuck it! and I am so glad I started yoga, next thing is carful weight lifting and hopefully I’ll find a doctor who will take a chance on me. My advice starting yoga is to please go slow and be extra careful, don’t push yourself and keep on moving lol and rest when you feel your body can’t take anymore! I wish you the best ❤
@Gloria Mary Haywood Gloria I don’t work they don’t care now re NHS chronic pain sufferers and MH sufferers get 3rd rate services . They even refused to MRI mine for 8 years fobbing me off. What I have sufferered both re undiagnosed autism and likely ADHD if the NHS was Appalling they destroyed my life from 30 on over when I burned out and needed help. I think she discriminated but can’t prove it. Soon as they. Ask if your working and you say no you get the crap treatment. Even as a kid they were cruel to me not realising I was autistic. She was also against my politics too.
This is exactly my problem and my left side right from the thigh is getting numb, hard to walk because I sometimes don't feel my leg though the pain is really excruciating and running from the, through the thigh then the leg.
@Maria Nelson Please try seeking for another surgeon who specializes in this type of surgery! No one should be left to endure unrelenting excruciating PAIN!!😨💜
Thank you for this information! I went into the doctor and got profiled as a drug addict just trying to get pills. I can barely get out of bed most days. I got the MRI and it showed 3 compressed disks. I asked the doctor what the next step was.... he didn't have a answer (this is how I knew he was just profiling me, incorrectly). I can barely turn my head left and right. Every move hurts. I would be homeless or dead if it wasn't for my loving mother. Everyone just see's me not bleeding and says "just get a job". I always had a good work ethic and a job (while I could stand the pain). I can't even make it 4 hours with out breaking out into a pain sweat and light headed/dizzyness. Disability hasn't picked me up yet. I probably won't get it cause I am only 47 and not a military vet in any way. I'm just a normal single guy that went to a normal food job and has no savings. I'm totally screwed.
Sorry for your problems. I have l3-l4, l4-l5 herniated discs, 60 yrs old. Waited 4, yes 4 years waiting for disability hearing on phone call. In any case after denials, my appeal was also denied and it's sent back for a 2nd appeal. Not holding my breath. As a side note, yes I served 4 years in the Air Force. The judge I had could have cared less. Could go on and on, but you get the point. I can only do activities on a limited basis, what a way to live your life. Good luck and if you get a hearing, wishing you the best on a decent judge!
So sorry you’re going through this... sometimes you just gotta find another doctor when they write you off. It shouldn’t happen, but it does!! Steroid injections and PT (very, very mild PT-- sessions included some massage which surprisingly was covered by insurance) did help my discs heal. MRI shows them back to normal now. I have other ongoing issues.... but the discs aren’t the cause, apparently. I know they don’t want to give anyone pain meds, but would they give nerve meds (Gabapentin, Pamelor) or muscle relaxers? Prescription lidocaine patches? Just mentioning those because I had to bring up all of those things; they weren’t going to come up with them on their own. Good luck to you, Adam! 🙏🙏
I feel you bro. People don't consider you to be disabled unless you bleed. Nerve pain is invisible to people who have not suffered through it themselves. I was in a bad situation with 2 herniated discs. Thank God surgery cured it nicely. I am still mindful about it and grateful to the almighty for giving me another chance. Stay positive brother. Try to go for surgery. It's a large bet, but it pays off big time if you win.
If SS Disability rejects you, keep applying. It takes the average disabled person about three tries before you finally get approved to receive benefits.
As a 26 year old who just had a lumbar discectomy 6 months ago I can safety say it’s the best thing I ever did. I went through PT, epidural injections, chiropractor, all up to the point where I felt paralyzed and they were saying surgery was my only option. I’m glad I did it I was crying when I woke up because the pain was instantly gone.
Such a great vid bro! I had 3 herniated disks in my lower back and thanks to decompression, stretching and strength exercises most of the pain has gone. Still needs to be decompressed regularly tho! Great explanation 👌
As an Indian I am amazed how this western world is promoting Yoga for optimum health. We Spiritual Indian also believes in Spiritual healing and upliftment along with health using Yoga
@Mia K thanks again for the kind words and productive approach/mentality, its soooo refreshing compared with the judgmental Christian way that is the norm here.
@Mia K i do take it in its original spirit thank you, and you are right here, feelings aren't irrelevant. Pain is never irrelevant, quite the contrary i'd say pain is ALWAYS relevant. You've worded it better then i ever could and there is a lot of wisdom in there What i was trying to do was trying to separate what is modern medicine and is not. It doesn't mean what isn't modern medicine is trash, that would be just wrong obviously
@alexis Juillard thank you Alexis, pain is never irrelevant, IMHO. Feelings are not irrelevant. We can chose to not give it power. I don’t mean to spilt hairs, but there is a distinction. Please accept that in the spirit I intended. ❤️
@Mia K my pain is irrelevant, i wasn't trying to extort pity or anything, i don't need any condolences- though the gesture is sincere i m sure and well received/appreciated
@alexis Juillard IMHO, allopathic medicine has a place in holistic medication. And vis versa. I’m sorry for your loss, truly. Ultimately, we are all responsible for our bodies, ourselves. That doesn’t minimize the pain you felt, however.
I lived with sciatica for years, but when I herniated a disc I had to have it fixed within months (although it felt like years). The best decision I've every made to get surgery to fix that issue. My sciatica went away as the doctor said he did something to alleviate it. However, it crept back. It wasn't until I went to a chiropractor (a great one) that I finally was freed of sciatica. I first went to a mediocre one that did nothing. I was lucky that I the second one, that came as a recommendation, is an awesome chiropractor.
I had to have emergency surgery on my L-5 disc. 50% of that disc ruptured & compressed the right side of my sciatic nerve completely flat as I was told by my neurosurgeon. He said that I was one of his top 5 surgeries that he will never forget. He said during my surgery he was at a point where he had to use a small saw, kinda like a hole saw that makes a hole opening in the bone that's about the size of a cigarette in diameter. The saw is used to make that opening but they stop just shy of completely sawing through & remove the saw, & grab a tool that's like a hole punch to tap into the middle of the cut bone & used to pry the remaining piece out of the area in order to prevent any damage to the spinal cord. So, as he withdrew the saw, he was going to grab the tool to tap into that piece of bone however, he said the moment he removed the saw that there was so much pressure on my spinal cord from the ruptured disc that it blew that piece of bone out of my back, sounding & acting like a cork from a champagne🍾 bottle going off & that piece of bone hit the ceiling in the OR & rolled onto the floor. At that moment that the bone blew out of my spine, he said my sciatic nerve popped right up out of that hole! He said he's never seen anything like that & said he couldn't imagine the amount of pain I had to have been in. He said my nerve was very swollen & inflamed due to all the rubbing my ruptured disc had done to it but that thankfully there was no damage done to it. Let me say this, the degree of pain I was in prior to that surgery was completely off the charts! No amount of pain medication they had given me stopped or eased that pain one bit & it radiated down my entire leg, knee, ankle & foot. I was going to blow my head off literally bcuz the pain was non-stop! For 46 days I had dealt w/that non-stop pain, w/no reprieve, I couldn't hardly sleep for it, it was like the worst tooth ache placed into my right lower extremities on the right outer side. That was in 2008. I had a 2nd spinal surgery in 2020 to repair that L-5 again plus repair the L-4 & L-3 along w/it. Just thought I'd share my experience w/back pain. Thanks for explaining the back pain problem associated w/the discs, y'all did a phenomenal job as always. I love these tutorials you give.
@Suzie Carr Jesus... I can't even imagine. SMH. This is just one of those things nudged somewhere just out of reach for modern science to fix. I hope you're doing better now. The road is long and hard but hopefully there is relief somewhere before the end. 🤞
@Matthew Taylor Dear, my pain started in 2003 & has continued until even now. So 5yrs is nothing compared to 20yrs. I just merely relayed the moment in which my sciatic nerve had finally became so inflamed from the constant rubbing of my L-5 disk that NO amount of pain medication including Dilaudid on top of my prescriptions of Percocet, Morphine, Lyrica, Gabapentin, & Ibuprofen would not touch it or ease it in anyway & I finally had to give in & have surgery that I had been trying not to have. It then became an emergency surgery.
Thank you for explaining this. I've recently been diagnosed with lower lumbar facet arthropathy from L4-S1 and now I better understand why I experience lower back pain and leg pain with pins and needles, muscle weakness, and partial numbness in my right leg. Very informative, Thank you. 😊
I wish my lectures were like this 😁 Interesting, easy to understand, and highly applicable to everyday life. Usually, anatomy lectures causes cognitive overload and I get headaches. Information is very dense with one concept introduced every 3-5 minutes. This is a good review of everything I've learnt so far but with practical applications. I really like how you connect many different pieces of information to form a whole, cohesive picture on sciatica. Often facts are learnt in isolation, so it is really hard to connect the dots when you're just mentally tired.
THANK YOU so much !!! I had an accident in December 2020 and my lower back was pure agony. Due to the lockdowns I only got diagnosed in March 2021 with a hernia ( I live in France ) they operated about a week later. But I still have excruciating pain lower, to the point that I cannot do much by myself and have been prescribed morphine since the opp. I kept complaining about the pain, even saw other neuro surgeons but not one took me seriously. I also wanted/needed to understand what was happening to me, but nope. One day after numerous MRI’s ans scanners, I was sent to do an EMG with a very kind and understanding neurologist. She nailed it, she saw another hernia and described my L5 nerve as being « severely damaged » and that it hadn’t been released during my opp. Sadly the so called specialists I saw after refused to look at those EMG reports and instead keep prescribing me morphine... I am very grateful to my physio for teaching me how to walk again and rebuilding my muscles but unfortunately only a neuro surgeon could help me by operating... Every one I have consulted refused to explain things to me, but you just did that ☺️ so thanks to you I finally understand what happened to me and why I am still in a lot of pain. Thank you so so much 🙏 I will be recommending your channel to everyone I know ☺️ Thank you again ☺️🙏
I'm a retired physician who has sciatica and this clarified, even for me, why the sacral nerves can ba compressed. Nothing like a good cadaver and a willing teacher to explain pathology. When we study anatomy in our freshman year, we are not relating it to particular pathology. Thank you for this. I will go back to my surgeon and tell him that you made it finally clear why I will now agree to having this surgery (and the same in my cervical spine. 😮😢
Writing this before I finished the video, but I’m glad you’re going through this. I have degenerative disc disease, and have some bulging discs as well as stenosis. Five back surgeries haven’t really helped and I have nerve damage that causes my legs to burn. I’m only 36, but have been dealing with this since I was 16, and it’s not any fun, that’s for sure. I have two artificial discs at L4-L5, L5-S1, and they had to be fused with a cage around them, and a cadaver bone. Then both left and right SI joints are fused. The stenosis and disc bulge is at T-11 T12 L1-L2, L2-L3. Now, it’s hard to get the pain medication that’s needed to help me have a good quality of life. I’ve done 2 spinal cord stims that caused more pain than I was in before the trial phase of it. Both times I had to have it removed early bc of how badly it hurt. Injections only get me so far, and it’s incredibly frustrating and downright painful.
@Melinda Tarnow I have bad artherits in my knees and sciatica. It's gotten much worse over the last couple years. I don't take ANY pain meds, ....YET! But, I'm dredding the day, which is coming pretty soon, that I will have to turn to prescribed pain meds! The HORROR stories that keep constantly coming about patients flat out Denied medication that is Proven to work makes me Shudder!!!😨
@Gloria Mary Haywood getting harder. They supposedly eased the restrictions, but my clinic switched owners and they're constantly asking me to lower my dose, and i walk at almost a 90° angle.
@Jake the snake There are some in Indiana but so hard to find anyone. Was a nightmare when i moved back 3 yrs ago. I moved back to where i was because i had access to a great pain clinic and they took me back. Look up In opioid laws.I couldnt even fill my scripts in the area i lived. Made me wait exactly 30 days. If you live near the state line of Illinois,you will have much better success. Good luck.
That was incredibly helpful! I would be VERY interested in you doing a video similar to this but showcase Bertolotti syndrome and what exactly "lumbarization of the S1" means. I assume after watching this video that those central nerves in my case are causing a lot of pain. However, for me, it's the compression of my spine (sitting when it's really bad) that instantly will stop the deep stabbing I experience while doing certain tasks.
I was just released from the ER for this four hours ago. I got a steroid shot, anti-inflammatory shot and muscle relaxers all in a nice cocktail. Was great, dropped my pain from a 10/10 to 4/10 in the course of 30 minutes. It's now 2:42am and I am awake and in horrible pain, this is like the worst least-threatening thing ever😅 it was entirely random on my end, no clue what I did. I'm not obese at 160 pounds(like 73ish kg?) and exercise regularly, walk several miles, use back support when sitting, yada yada. I'm sort of a health nut, sciatica is just an ass who targets any and all haha
I just wanted to take a minute to say thank you for this video. I am on day 9 of a herniated disc in my L2 L3 and I cannot begin to explain the pain I have been in. Went to two chiro's, an ostepopath and an RMT and NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THEM even took half the time of this like you did to teach and explain this. Thank you so much
I’ve been waiting for you to cover this topic! Ive had lower back pain for several years, but opted to try everything except surgery. I’ve gotten good results from radio frequency ablation - life-changing, in fact. Could you do a video on exactly how RFA helps alleviate back pain? Thanks!
Ive suffered from severe backpain with radiation down my right leg, even sometimes falling because the nerve would stop giving signals to my leg. It turned out my SI joint was slightly off. I've been going to an osteopath. For me the pain was gone after the first time I went. I've been going ever since. It is a weak spot and stress or a misaligned joint anywhere else is going to effect that joint. Hope it helps you 😊
After 4 back surgeries and currently trying to avoid my 5th, I absolutely love learning more about my spine! It’s always so interesting ❤️. Thank you for an amazing explication as always!!
@furonwarrior hi there I had 3 microdisectomies and a laminectomy (sorry for the spelling). Currently I have nerve damage in both legs. Left is mainly my outside upper thigh and right is almost my whole leg is numb but I’m am blessed to be able to still walk and do normal things I just trip over myself more lol. Currently I am pregnant so we are doing preventative physical therapy and keeping my muscles strong. Before pregnancy was the same thing. Keep your core strong and posture correct and it truly helps out a lot. Pregnant or not we know that I would eventually need another surgery possible fusion as from my L2-S1 have been unstable for years. Main problems are L4-S1. Between degenerative disc disease and years of sports my back is just telling me hey time to slow down. I should also mention I am only 30. I didn’t listen to my doctors after my first 2 and now I’ve been able to prolong the surgeries in between. Unfortunately the last 2 were due to a simple slip and my disc herniated. Between keeping your body in shape or your muscles strong and eating healthy and exercising it really makes a difference! I hope this helped! Feel free to ask any questions and I will try to answer the best I can!
Dealing with sciatic nerve pain right now. Sometimes it can be excruciating. I work a job that involves a lot of walking and bending over and I think that is the culprit as I never experienced this pain before until I worked this job for about a year. I called it my “pain in the butt” before someone identified it as sciatic nerve pain 😅 I have a doctor appointment in a couple weeks. Fingers crossed something gets resolved.
Thank you! You described everything perfectly. I’m not a doctor, but I know what I was feeling, but didn’t know how to describe it or articulate it. Watching this video brings me much joy because I’ve been dealing with SI pain for about 20 years on and off and this is the only time I heard about solutions after trying everything and exhausting all my options. Thank you a ton!
20 years?! Glad you found this mans video. Early days but has it been helping? If that's my future I'm taking up yoga once I can chop carrots without it jarring my back.
i have scoliosis and had sciatica for years that doctors always told me was untreatable without surgery. over a year ago i began working out and targeting all the weaker muscles in my body (as well as pressure massages on their counterparts) it’s been life changing and my back is noticeably straighter now
Wow. You used layman’s terms and medical terms in a way that made this make perfect sense. That was about the best explanation and demonstration possible! I feel like I could graduate from medical school with ease if I had you as my professor.
Could you please talk about Spondylolisthesis of the spine? This condition is totally different from bulges or herniations. This is where the whole vertebral column goes in two different directions causing severe pain for some people. People don’t talk about this condition enough and your detailed way of showing things would be helpful with explaining this spinal condition.
Thank you for this!! I was permanently disabled in a car wreck & have many of these issues, including a synovial cyst in the L5, severe spinal stenosis (was told my spine was 80 @ the age of 40), DDD & many other issues. This video was perfect as it helps me to "see" what's going on in my body! Thank you again!! I love your videos as they're extremely informative, even for the laymen.
@Bionic Momma Your experience along with many others, makes me not ever want to get into a car/truck Ever Again! How one incident can truly change your life Forever! I'm so sorry you've been put thru the wringer by not only your injuries, but a callous and inept medical system!!😬 I am experiencing sciatic nerve pain in my left leg! I injured my back a few months ago by doing something as simple as taking a package of steaks out of the freezer! Can you even believe it?😜 I lifted the package from a sideways position as I didn't want to take the time to move a step-stool out of the way! #BadMove! I mostly resent not being able to do yard work like I always enjoyed! Hopefully this will correct itself if I am careful not to do stupid stuff in the future!?🤐🙃
@Extra stuff thank you!! I'm sorry to hear of your hip replacement, but also know how much it can help you. I was told by 1 Dr I had AS as well & treated me for it & it helped greatly. However, bc I wasn't consistent with ALL her "other patients", she felt it was a placebo affect (which royally pissed me off). The next rheumatologist couldn't "see" inflammation in my X-RAYS after 6 months of treatment & therefore took me off the meds. Now I'm back to square one as the Dr I would like to see (& was recommended to me by the person who mapped my spinal cord stimulator implant surgery) isn't accepting new patients at the moment. It's definitely been a long hard road after dealing with all of this for 11 years now (was 37 when the wreck occurred). Even though my chief complaint has always been the left hip/ lower back area, it took the Dr's 5 1/2 years to FINALLY do a MRI of my hip. Left & right hip surgery has been done now 5 years apart (IT band release, scope, worst case of bursitis surgeon has ever seen removed & the periformis muscle injection). But still nothing done about lower spine & neck. Also just found out I've been walking on a broken for the last 4 years!!! Thank you again for understanding. I hate saying that as I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. Ok, maybe my worst one, but not every enemy! Lol. I hope your hip replacement lasts you many successful years!! I hope your pain is minimal & sending you gentle hugs!!! Thank you again!!💜💜💜💜
@Jane Evans not necessarily. You would be amazed at how many doctors, including surgeons herd you through like cattle. Like Extra Stuff explained, you don't always remember to ask specific questions when you're in constant pain, your doctor's are doing different tests to narrow down the issues & most will not sit with you for more than 15 minutes. Not only does this time constraint limit time for testing, but also for in depth answers with diagrams, models or cadaver examples. So, no, the surgeons don't explain this. It's extremely limited.
@Jane Evans I would hope so, but I do think that most surgeons will have less available time/expertise at explaining this to the lay public. And it does help that with this explanation it's not all about your own scenario and future treatment options but an explanation with many good clear props and that can be (re)watched at your own pace while hopefully not being in much pain. They are certainly more detailed than explanation videos for patients I'm used to from my hospital. Just an example: I had quite a few questions/things I was curious about before my total hip replacement last year. But once you're in the hospital all the other stimuli going on will distract you. New people, getting on the examination table, leg being manipulated to test the joint, some inevitable pain and then the surgeon discussing some things. Specific details if they do come up in conversation might not fully register in that state of mind. Only managed to remember to ask a few of the questions I had about how long they last in my scenario and long term issues after maybe 40 or 50 years. It was (and still is) a bit of a long term concern since I got that total hip replacement at 36 years of age, but better to be able to walk normally again and without pain. I did get the questions answered by reading up on it a bit more and calling the orthopedic department later and while the surgery was delayed more than expected everything went excellent (worst of hospital covid burden coincided with my waiting period). But I did learn from that to bring some notes/questions on paper for any hospital adventures since it's easy to get distracted while there. At least I was there with the knowledge that after the surgery and recovery a fairly normal life would be possible with a "simple joint" problem and the appointment confirmed that. Although my spine is properly ruined too but that is a story of its own and also the cause of why I needed that total hip replacement: ankylosing spondylitis. Scary in itself but even before the diagnosis you gradually get used to those changes already and it's pretty slow, different from a life changing event in one moment. I would expect to have a hard time thinking properly and generally being worried about the future in the car accident scenario Bionic Momma described up there.
i came across this on my home page and realized a year ago today i went on medical leave for a herniated disc (l4/l5) and had surgery back in november. definitely the worst few months of my life. this video taught me so much! i had a good understanding from prior anatomy classes, google, and my surgeon; but i’m taking a lot of the stuff i learned in this video with me to make sure i’m being safe with activities and work. the part on dermatomes also made me put 2-and-2 together to realize my intermittent cervical pain is definitely attributed to the numbness i get in my arms and hands. seems obvious but pictures and diagrams are helpful, you make all the info and jargon digestible and easy to follow. sometimes the adhd makes it hard to absorb information and stay focused and not let your mind wander with questions. this was just easy to follow because of all the attention to detail and editing 👍💻 tldr; *great video!*
Just had revised micro discectomy for my L5 to treat extreme sciatica and stenosis, the diagram at the end was a great explanation of how the nerves are impacted. It truely is the worst kind of pain, not an injury ppl can see and being in my early 30s makes it difficult to explain to people that I’m disabled from spinal issues.
Just want to reiterate the gratitude expressed by others - you're a true MVP to humanity and we thank you! Been getting stuck in some comical positions / situations (for others to watch). Was doing some gardening, after painting a fence, went to stand up, something pinched and trapped - head butted top of the fence, grabbed it and was left with a bloody paint impregnated forehead balancing on one foot looking like Mr Bean trying to dance and sniff his armpit simutaniously. Never experienced a pain like it, had surgery on my ribcage (late teens) and that healed faster, hurt less and dare I say was a walk in the park in comparison. To all those getting stuck in weird positions, losing sanity from lack of sleep and the ability to stand, sit, lay down and walk - wish you a speedy recovery and a good night sleep!
I dealt with this for more than a year and only began to feel better very recently. Motion is healing. Keep moving (walking, running, swimming), and as you start to feel better incrementally you need to strengthen your muscles. It might feel counter-intuitive, but low weight squats and deadlifts are your friends.
I fought almost 10 years with this pain. Well, it never got a name but the pain I was having was migratory and unbearable. Sometimes, even a long breath used to trigger the pain. Doctor used to do a lot of tests but never came up with actual problem or solution. Some doctors said it was sciatica but they also added that since I wasn't even 20 that time, that couldn't be the case. Funny, during my masters I shifted to a totally different geographical hilly area. The environment healed me. I still get some pain sometimes when I am over working, but now it is almost gone. Thank you very much for this informative video. You guys are Angels ❤️
This is incredibly helpful! I have scoliosis- 15 degree curve in my lumbar, thoracic and neck. I suspect the nerves in those areas are being compressed and it causes me a lot of pain. But recently I’ve been experiencing this awful pain that starts right at the small of my back then radiates down to my left leg and hip. It’s horrible and if I keep walking on it eventually the leg goes completely numb to basically too weak to move and only does sitting down help relieve the pain. Google told me it was sciatica. This video however helps me understand that one I need a better doctor and two that it might be something else.
Interesting! That drawing really helped and the explanation made it even more straightforward. I started getting back pain about a year after a Bilateral Nephrectomy that was done in 2000. It's only the R side that hurts though. Both scars go halfway around my back, meeting about 2 inches (estimating here) from my spine, but I still feel the nerve pain right from the L-4 nerve if I stand, walk or sit for too long.
Amazing video as always. I learn so much/refresh so much knowledge from your videos as an RN, despite getting very good marks in anat+phys. Also strangely helps to visualise the nerves... pretty sure I have an L4/L5 bulge that has taken about 8 weeks so far to heal and is still very annoying in the evening. I'm wondering if it has to do with natural cortisol release timing or more to do with just bearing weight all day... or both. A few Physios I've spoken to do not recommend stretching exercises for LBP/Lumbosacral raducilopathy and say strength training is much more effective. I understand why strength training helps... but why does stretching hurt? Does the sciatic nerve actually become inflamed? I always imagined it was the actual nerve itself rubbing on the lumen that caused the pain.
Great stuff. 16 years ago I had my L5 disc replaced. Looked like 2 coins with holes in. Changed my life totally. Was walking 2 days after op. Incision was anterior thru my abdomen. LOVE progress of medical technology.
@keeponrockin it’s where you feel the contractions all the way around like normal labour, but all the pain is in your back from the baby’s head pressing against your spine &/or tailbone.
I recently had a hospital stay due to L4/5 rupture. I’ve had spinal surgery before. This rupture was off the scale with spasms worse than labour. It was horrendous. What amazed me was how quickly it went again - 72 hrs - it was horrific though
Thank you for explaining this so wonderfully. I am fused at L5 and S1. I had complete loss of disk between them. It is a horrid spot to be fused but I had to do it as the spine was collapsing. Several years later I am still struggling with pain but it isnt moving any more!
I just had emergency disc replacement surgery in my cervical spine and am waiting (impatiently) for my nerves to heal so I can use my left arm for handstanding again (hopefully). This video was timely. Thank you!
Great video! Been dealing with L4/5 and L5/S1 issues and surgeries most of my life. This was very informative. I also have conjoined nerve roots. I'd love to see a video on that topic.
It'd be interesting to hear about just muscle based back pains. I've had 3 episodes where I felt a stretching sensation in my lower back near the pelvis, followed by days to weeks worth of pain and cramping so bad I'd curl up into a ball even if standing. Weirdly I wasn't lifting or doing anything stressful all 3 times. First time, I was standing up a restaurant, and hit a shoulder high obstruction which made very slightly bend forward. Second time I was picking something up off the floor. The last time, I had at least spent time bent over my car engine, but it was days after this, when I started having problems.
@Craig Dupree it progresses a week at a time if you just let the thing run its course. You get a few 1 week episodes before you get a few two week episodes. Next thing you know it's a month at a time. Then 6 weeks. The sad part, it goes from 6 week episodes to a 6 month episode with your 1st real experience with sciatic nerve pain. This is also where you 1st experience the physical therapists and learn various exercises and stretches to help - and they do. The workers comp therapists are more effective than the therapists at the hospitals. They push harder and teach you exercises to do when you are amid a pain episode or sense one is coming on from excessive activity or stress. The injury is also greatly acerbated by stress. Greatly. Possibly the top trigger. That is what always starts an episode for me. As for medications, only Bio-Freeze pain gel has worked - and that only takes the edge off. And since it's always nerve and not muscular, ice and not heat. The heat actually inflames the nerve and I sense it immediately. Put ice on the bad disc area, not where you feel pain. I also tend to avoid pain meds because I need to know if how I'm sitting is aggravating the injury. After a certain amount of time, it tells me to stand up. Sometimes, I only get 5 to 10 minutes before I can feel symptoms, there's no arguing with it. Time to stand up and get the blood moving. Walking regularly helps but listen for symptoms then also. For me, I will get the slightest twinge and it will cause no issues. But I know I have to be careful for the next week or so. Many times I've forgotten and got slammed hard just doing day to day things like brushing the teeth or wiping. I call them tremors. You learn you have to react to certain symptoms quickly to avoid longer episodes. Pain meds allow you to sit, stand, walk longer than you should and this doesn't allow the nerve to calm down - it actually aggravates it more and you realize it when the meds wear off and that is how the pain med cycle starts. Yea, it gets boring, but boring is a blessing in comparison. It really is just 1 little spot pinching on the nerve causing all those symptoms. The pain is very real in those areas but it's not since there is nothing physically wrong where you are experiencing pain. I've had it so long, the muscles actually learn to not react to tremors - but I still have to be wise. I'm now back to 1 week to 4 week episodes, sometimes 72 hours, the level of pain varies and duration depends on what area is hurting. Even though the pain in my calf is very real, compensating over a long period of time causes real injury in my other leg from fatigue. Be careful of this. I once had turf toe from a longer episode. The back pain went away and then my toe was killing me all of a sudden. Went to pet a cat and man my toe never felt such a thing. The toe joint was so swollen as I couldn't put weight on my heel during the episode. After that. I really concentrated on posture. Yes, the old ladies that told you to sit up straight were doing you a favor. Ears over shoulders, shoulders over hips. It does get better as you get older because you lose bone mass most during middle age. A man loses the most bone mass between 30 and 50. These are the years when the injury is most difficult and I'm at the tail end. 30 to 40 was much worse than 40 to 50...
@Deductive Reasoning Wow thanks. This actually what was I wanting to know. I guess I had inferred that I was hurting muscles because I would get muscle relaxers in addition to pain meds. It makes sense that this just to stop the cramping while everything else healed. Also, the last time I had this happen almost a week passed between me being bent over my car engine, and the problem starting.
85% of the population will develop disc issues. 85% of that 85% will not develop more than the symptoms you describe. The other 15% deal with all the more extreme examples you are reading about in the comments. As for extreme examples, 85% of them happen in an elderly state. Sounds like you have an impinged nerve end; I've had all those symptoms too many times to count. I once spent 2 years, constantly in that state. You are in danger of falling into the other category. I fell in at a young age, a 1% chance - it's brutal. The stretching feeling is the nerves that run along the spine coming across a protruding disc. The protruding disc is poking/stretching the nerves ever so slightly and this causes the sensation to be felt in the muscles the impinged nerve controls. Always remember, the pain is not muscular based, its nerve based or there could be a disease on the discs or vertebrae. When my leg would hurt excruciatingly, I would tell my brain, "there is nothing wrong with my leg, it is the disc, focus on the disc." I also have degenerative disc disease and stenosis. The disc disease causes an irritation feeling and the stenosis a crippling squeezing feeling. An impinged nerve can also cause many other sensations in any area the nerve ending is responsible for. A stretching/poking feeling is usually the 1st sign. Those lead to a constant tightness/squeezing feeling and progresses on. After the poking becomes a more painful stabbing feeling from the nerve being inflamed from constantly being poked and grinding on the protruding disc, there is a constant weakness and fatigue feeling. The weakness is a numbing sensation from the constant impingement. The weakness/numbing sensation leads to varying degrees of muscle loss/deterioration (muscular atrophy) and loss in function - but not before the most painful sensations of tearing and burning. The constant stabbing and grinding on the protruding disc cause the sensations of tearing and burning in all parts controlled by the impinged nerve end. Most people don't get past the burning point without surgery. If they do, it's called a miracle. You need to be careful, thinking it's a rare muscle issue is wishful thinking. You are clearly more injured than the average person in the 1st 85% group. Having your back aggravated from simple bending means more than average disc issues. You are clearly injured or have a disease. One friend had what was described as a plaque on the vertebrae. The best way to assist is a strong core and keep your weight at optimal levels. Don't do what you know will aggravate it - you only get to aggravate it so many times before it progresses. It is also way easier to deal with when you're skinnier than normal. Even if you are slightly overweight, you will get flareups like you experience a few times a year...
I have scoliosis, spinal stenosis, and to add insult to injury my spine rotates. I had no pain until I turned 57. I am 75 now and have been living with this pain for almost 20 years. I've now been told that any surgery would not significantly relieve the pain and may, in fact, cause more problems. So, I'm stuck with finding a good pain management center/doctor. Stay well all. We have lots of company that's for sure. Best wishes.
Thanks for such an informative video. I learned a lot with this post! I had such a bad bulge in my L4-L5 that I had to have 2 different surgeries and am now held together with a titanium cage where those discs used to be. I also have Cauda Equina Syndrome that was caused from the discs being in the shape they were before I had surgery. 💔😢
I woke up one day in excruciating pain and found out I had undiagnosed degenerative disk disease and all my sciatica pain over the previous half a decade was because of the DDD. Had 2 bulging disks, DDD, and arthritis and stenosis in my spine. Being diagnosed at 22 was absolute devastating.
That explains sooo much! I have a recurring L5/S1 disc bulge from an injury in the military 25 years ago. Two years ago L4/L5 decided to join the party. I have functional stretches that I do to help stretch my lower back to relieve pain but never got the "why" or "how." If I knew all this back then... things would have gone differently! Thank you so much for this video!!
You awe me every single time. What a simple and right on point explanation, your channel is my go to channel for anatomy. I am a yoga teacher and I suffer from a herniated disc and "sciatica" pain. Thank you so much for sharing anatomy with us 💜🧘🏽♀️🙏🏾
Many yoga or aerobic teachers are having many issues with their back or hips etc.,because they have yoga as job(4-6 classes per day) and that's main reason why their body is damaged already when they are 30-40 years old...Yes,yoga is healthy but 45min per day max...otherwise you are desiable at age of 40...
Thank you for the video and explanation! For 6 months I was in severe lower back pain that would shoot down behind my right leg to my knee! X rays showed no bulging discs but I’m not sure because after a heavy squatting set i immediately had sharp pain in my L4-L5 region. I went to physical therapy and it went alright but didn’t get rid of the pain. I still lift but don’t barbell squat or deadlift and instead do a lot of dumbbell movements and take time stretching my back and strengthening my core. The pain was really bad to where I couldn’t bend over to put on my underwear, I just laid in bed icing, and couldn’t even run! Now I’m much better with slight sciatic pain that comes every once in a while but I’m back to doing everything I used to do just keeping an eye on how my back feels.
I have been suffering from this disease for 28 years since I was a teenager. This disease shaped my life and changed my life into something other than I wanted it to be. I learned to adapt, understand it, and always be prepared so as not to be surprised by this problem. You can lose your girlfriend first, then your job, then your confidence. You can be healthy, but in an hour you will see yourself, unable to get out of bed to go to the toilet. You can reach the toilet and be unable to sit down to .... How difficult it is not to be able to get to take the phone that is no more than 30 cm from you, and yet your hand does not reach there. I didn't want to go to surgery. I always tried to adapt, and I started to avoid physically demanding jobs. I do not carry weights greater than 10 kg, I do not move furniture, and I apologize when I am asked to help with moving or carrying. They helped me a lot to escape, obviously, and some medicines that I always try to have close by.
You are a genius! You made it really clear why my surgeon fused the level he did! Seriously I’m going to send him this video so his patients will understand. Years of A&P and pathology (I’m an emt, massage therapist and yoga teacher trained) didn’t clear it up the way you just did in the last 2 minutes! Amazing! I love your videos and your superior explanations! Thank you!
I’ve suffered with sciatica for about 17 years. I’ve learnt more about the possible causes from this video than I have from my doctors, physiotherapists & A&E docs!! I was also tested for cauda equina syndrome about 7/8 years ago as I suddenly lost all feeling in the leg affected by sciatica! Fortunately the sensation returned within 6 hours but being told there was a chance of emergency spinal surgery for scary!!!
I have DDD (Degenerative Disc Disease) because of me experiencing this for a year and some change now. All happened because of a physical assault. It was hard explain to the people closest to me about this specific issue as they don’t understand how bad it can become, so thank you-from the bottom of my heart- for making this video so that others can be made aware of this kind of complication. I currently have 3 bulging discs that are pinching nerves within my cervical spine (left side specifically) and I’m not able to lift anything more than 10 lbs. Anything you think I should do in terms of this?
@KGS Thank you for telling your story I'm 74 and thank goodness I am so far doing very well health wise .Not so my 51 year old son in law he fell down a hole at work two years ago and been in dreadful pain ever since .Poping endones like lollies . They sent him to a retreat with a shiciotrist who changed his tablets. and put him In hospital with pain from his Prostrate couldn't pee caused by the drug .When we Google it Prostrate first side effects 50 to 100mg they put him on 200mg you tend to loose faith in the medical industry all about money💰. $1000 a night to make things worse
@KGS You might try researching Kratom, a botanical that some people use for pain relief. Consumed responsibly, and gotten from a good, trustworthy (reputable) vendor, it can be quite effective. It is legal in most states of the union (U.S.A.). Probably not as strong as Percocet in terms of pain relief. Individual results, and tolerances, will vary. Taking too much the first time is easy to do. Start slowly, to find your "barf" (or heavy nausea) point. It's a "do it yourself" option to try. I used it to cope with post-surgical pain (major hernia repair) when the surgeon refused to prescribe any "narcotic" for the pain relief -- unless I begged very skillfully, I suppose was the condition -- and instead said I should just take acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen for pain relief. What a joke! Kratom got me through OK. However, I realize that there are probably pain conditions in which Kratom would simply not be strong enough, taken in the meager doses that my body seems to tolerate, which is about 3 grams (at the most). Many people can tolerate much higher doses than that. You buy the powder, and then encapsulate it yourself -- into pills. It needs to be weighed carefully, in order to arrive at the correct dose for your own individual body. You'll need a scale that can differentiate between 100ths of a gram, to get reliable and consistent doses. When you ingest it, from my experience, it will "feel like a pain pill". Effects happen, at their maximum, about 20 minutes after ingesting it (consuming it orally, in capsule form). Pain relief lasts for about 4 to 6 hours, for me. Other peoples' experience will vary. This approach might work for some people. It doesn't do any curing; it's just purely symptomatic relief for a while!
I would HIGHLY recommend that you DO NOT have surgery until and unless you have exhausted every other remedy available. Even then, think twice or three times first. I first had a ruptured surgery cervical disc replaced in my neck, but the pain never went away. The doctor, in his “great wisdom” (and even greater ego) thought that because his “perfect” surgery technique didn’t cure me, I must be depressed. I’m serious as a heart attack. He recommended I get psychotherapy. A few years later, I had a disc in the lumbar region blow out, so I had that replaced. The pain was only slightly better after that, but, over the next two years, I had the two discs below the previous lumbar disc blow out, and (yes, I’m sure I’m an idiot, but my theory was “there’s always hope. But I was wrong), so I got another surgery on each one. Turns out that I have Degenerative Disk Disease, and this will probably continue until they’re all gone. But, I will NOT get another surgery. One neck and three disk surgeries later and I’m on Percocet for the rest of my life (or until the doctors decide to discontinue my prescription for it because it’s “addictive”. That’s a whole thing now, and they’re already doing that to people. Sadly, there’s nothing to replace it in terms of pain relief), yet I’m in so much pain, constantly, that I really do not look forward to living many more years. I’m also now bent over at almost a 90° angle, and have to use a walker. Yes, I am 72 years old, but I’ve been this way for at least 10 years, and it is not how I envisioned my senior years, especially the pain. So, anyway, be very careful if anyone recommends surgery. Of course they will tell you there are people that it helps immensely, but I can tell you there are people it doesn’t. Good luck. I hope you find something that will really help you.
I literally just had a Foraminotomy and emergency disc shaving for my herniated L5/S1 disc 2 weeks ago, and you explained everything more clearly than my primary doctor, a chiropractor, a pain specialist, and my Neurosurgeon could. I now understand why I had such terrible back and leg pain for the last 3 years, but what I don't understand is the cause, since I'm not very old yet and I haven't done much lifting of things when they pain started. Thanks for making the video, now I can show it to my folks to help them understand as clearly as I do now.
just happens for some people i think. i remember my ex had those kinds of issues ,no lifting and young. and im getting issues in my neck (i think its mines from bad posture maybe)
I always love back issue videos! I have really bad spinal issues from a bone and joint disorder. Had 2 spinal surgeries in 2017 (even have a spinal cord stimulator implant = yes, I'm a cyborg!) and am due for my 3rd now at 34 years old. I need both of my si joints fused. I'd love it if you did a video on si joints and the issues they can have!
This video has explained a lot to me, I am soon to be 75 years old I have been retired since I was 59 due to I’ll health. I had an accident at work in 1972 where I tore muscle in my lower back and have I had back pain ever since, I never stopped working however I “managed” as they say, I always did manual work in heavy industry a lot of it in the steel works delivering heavy equipment until 1984. At this time I had a bit of time out of work due to back problems anyhow I got back to work but had to do lighter work unable to lift heavy things anymore. I continued working until 2007 when I was sat at my desk using my computer and it just felt lik3 someone hit me in my lower back area with a bit of 3x2 that is a piece of wood three inches by two inches for those that don’t understand the term 3x2. I went home that day and haven’t worked since. I was off on sick pay for nearly a year when work decided to terminate my employment. They wouldn’t sign off on sickness at first in case I got better and got another job, so I had to have a scan done at local hospital where they discovered that I had a torn dehydrated disc at L4/L5 protruding out. Now at this time I was having injections in my spine due to the pain in my back and w@s also suffering a lot of pain going down my left leg, they told me it was quite possibly nerve pain due to the disc protruding and aggravating the nerve running down my leg. This video has given me a lot more insight to my injury than the doctors and specialists could ever do. Thank you very much for posting this I am now a subscriber. By the way they decided to sign me off as due to sickness so I got my pension after all.
the absolute best explanation I have ever heard in 60 years of suffering from back pain due to degenerative disc disease. Your ability to get a point across is astounding. Thanks, it's a relief of sorts to finally understand what is going on in there. Robert
Ah, if I had this available 25 years ago when I had my first sciatica episode. Now at 44 I have compressed spine. This was brilliant presentation, thank you very much!
I would be interested to see what degenerative disc disease looks like one one of your anatomical models. I have it in both my neck and low back. I agree that the location of the bulge or herniation can influence the amount and location of pain the it causes. My neck, for example, causes my trap muscles to stay tight most of the time, but causes only moderate pain, while my low back pain is more severe as it is actually pinching the nerves.
I’ve been having sciatic pain in my left side for 2 months now. It got better for a bit but got worse again. I’m thinking it could be piriformus syndrome from right hip flexors, hamstrings, and my Achilles are always tight too. Pretty sure it’s minor, and it hurts, quite painfully even for it being minor. Can’t relax my back when I’m sitting up straight on a chair either. And when I’m sitting with my legs out in front, I have to keep the left leg bent because it hurts if I lay it out flat
I love it. I have spondylolisthesis and severe stenosis and you explain it lot better than my doctors. I wish you can have Spanish subtitles so I can share it with my friends and family in Mexico
I had minor sciatic pain from getting piriformis syndrome. Oh my god it was so painful. And when I realized it was only MINOR sciatic pain?! I couldn’t imagine it. It sucks hard.
I have watched many videos after getting my mri. But, this is the best video out of all the videos I have seen. The language and explanation used aligns with the language the mri doctor used in the diagnosis . Thank you for making this clear video, you don’t know how much this has helped my anxiety.
THANKYOU!!!! I’ve been experiencing pain for 33 years and this is the first explanation that actually gives me the most complete specifics I’ve ever heard. I’ve been going to doctors and surgeons and pain management centers etc. for the last 10 yrs. They all just dump my pain explanation in a general category and want to give me injections which have given some temporary relief but I am in more pain now than when it all started so I am still searching for help. I feel like a human pin cushion!!! ( I’m also a seamstress so some of those pokes were my fault LOL) Your videos are very good and greatly appreciated!!
I love all your videos. You give us so much information and understanding. Have you already done a video on TOS? If not, I would love for you to make a video on that topic. I’ve had to have surgery for it and still don’t understand much about it. There’s also not a lot of information out there about it that I can find. Thanks so much!
Wait, that’s it?! I was so engrossed that I didn’t want the video to end! The spinal cord development section was so fascinating, I wanted you to keep talking!! 😜 Great video!
Great video and explanation, mine L4, S1 acks up occasionally and after physical therapy I now know the correct exercises to elevate the pain. Thank you for your great work
A plus for the best explanation I have heard so far. I appreciate how deep you were showing the terminology, meanings and graphic with sample. The best for the Fisical Yoga school in your region!
I was misdiagnosed, told I had Piriformis Syndrome. Went through six months of physical therapy with no improvement. Finally got MRI done at the 9 month mark. Oops. Sorry. Ruptured L5 S1 disc. Totally wrong therapies for the injury I had. Two years of sciatic pain. As this Dr explained, the contents from the ruptured disc needs to be taken away by surrounding tissues/blood supply, it takes up to 2 yrs depending on amount of contents. MRI showed complete rupture. Plus as it's an invisible injury, my family labeled me a very fat and lazy person who just needed to walk it off. I got zero help from them. I was a nurse for 25 yrs.
Thank you, very helpful as I’m finally getting treatment (prp) after a few accidents for “L5S1 and 4, facet, disc degeneration, and herniation.” None of that I knew about, understood, nor mattered, as no one would treat me for 20 years. 😂💁♀️
You told me more about this injury than my doctor did through out my entire 4 years of seeing him for this exact injury, only to be fed pain pills until i stopped going to stop the addiction. He gave me an MRI instantly, gave me 3 rounds of epidural shots, then stopped trying/caring was working at an animal feed store loading/unloading 50lb bags all day, eventually ruptured a disc, it compressed some nerves enough to make my legs go numb and limp if i moved randomly.
Best explanation I've ever seen. Excellent. I've had five spinal fusions from neck to lumbar plus Type 5 AC surgery twice, over last 33 years. Can still beat 21 year olds lol
I recently recovered from lower back pain (my physio most likely said it's a sciatica nerve issue, however I never had a slipped disc or anything). But man, it hurts LIKE CRAZY. I'm still paying for it today, I'm not even in my 30s. Look after your back kids, get a good chair!
For me my back pain didn't come from a bulging disk. My SI joint was slightly off which caused severe pain that got slightly worse over time. Until I sometimes would "fall" through my leg. An osteopath helped me amazingly 🙂
I suffered with Sciatica for about 18 months after a chiropractor pushed too hard on my lumbar spine. I tried everything and nothing helped, but I was told that I was not a surgical candidate and to learn to live with the pain. One day I was unloading hay and as I went to throw a bale down the wagon, I slipped on the hay waste and went down like I was sliding into home base. After laying there for awhile assessing my body, I got up and realized my back pain was gone. It’s stayed gone for 2 years now. My doctor said he could not recommend the technique to his other patients. 🤷🏻♀️🤣
I’ll take things that didn’t happen for 200, Alex
😂😂😂😂
😅 glad you’re notes pain free!
The chiropractor most likely adjusted you to the point where that knot was ALMOST out, and basically left it there until your fall pushed it the rest of the way
as 23 year old who got a bulged disc at 17, and now have multiple herniated and bulged disc throughout my entire spine. spine surgery at 21, the most infuriating thing in the world is explaining to anyone older then me that i’m legitimately in pain 24/7. hearing “you’re only in the your twenty’s it can’t be that bad”
I feel your pain literally. I wish you the best and recover fast my friend. 🙏🏼
I feel this heavily. I crashed and broke my L1 in Sept of 2014 and have been in pain since that day. It hurts every single day
This happened to me when I was 36 and people didn't believe me, not even my family. It took many years for me to walk without pain, but I'm better now so it will get better. Just stay focused on your health. Try not to lie in bed too long even if that means just standing by your bed and walking in place (blood pressure health) eat as healthy as you can and most of all be patient with yourself. You will heal.
I feel you. That sort of response is my Dad's default. He thinks that because he's 64, and I'm 26, there's no way I can be as bad off as I am.
Except for the multiple wrecks in my sport, 3-4 concussions, chronic overuse injuries of the knee and spine, etc.
...and leaky gut/arthritis from all the hellish stress (screaming at us every day, physically abusing me - choking/punching, etc) he put us through for nearly a decade while we were trapped at home...
Now we're all gone and doing better, but still not great lol.
@The Midwest Fishkeeper how're you doing my man? I've been bedridden (horizontal) for the last 2+ months. Only just started getting up and about recently, and progress is actually faster than I thought it would be. Still got a long way to go, but the waiting (and worrying about bills when you have no job and no health insurance) is torture.
Still, hopefully I can get a diagnosis from a Neurologist soon. There's a patient assistance program I can sign up for that will help with the costs, just gotta wait for the paperwork to come in so I can fill it out...and keep on waiting. 😅
My mom had this for years and worked two jobs. Then she got Covid and passed away within a month. All those years she was in pain and hardly complained from it. Rest in peace Mama.
Rose, I am so sorry. Your post made me cry 😢
@Jchannel - dont apologize for that post. I am estranged from my mother and can't do what you were saying but I totally agree with you.
For people that have the chance to make things right with a parent or a loved one, make moves to do it, don't waste time. You never know what kind of pain another person is going through and then you think you have a chance to fix it in the future, they are taken away.
This is true for SO many people. Time is unforgiving. Human beings can be.
@Tanya Reed - on the contrary. Her pain WAS just severe enough to make her keep working through it.
Been there, done that. I was at work one day in tears. I simply popped some more pills, pulled my mask up and kept going.
Real queen 💙
🙏🏻
My Mom's back had been out for weeks and she was in so much pain. One morning, she had made her way out to a chair on the deck outside to smoke a cigarette and when she was getting out of the chair, she lifted her whole body with just her arms as her hands griped the chairs armrests, to allow her lower body/buttocks to just hang there while she prepared herself to stand up again. In that time she was in that hanging position, the gravity from her lower body pulled her spine back into place and she said that she actually felt a shift in her spine.
When she slowly stood up again, her back was nolonger out, the muscle spasms began to relax along her low back because there was zero sharp pain radiating from the spine. Within just a few hours after that and a hot soak in the tub with some Epsom salt, she was 100% as good as new!...
I will never forget that day, because my Mom was so broken & miserable and to see her happy and pain free meant everything to me!.... ❤❤❤
@Alyssa Lyn does pulling up the bar helped you?
So smoking heals:-)! Just a joke...
Hanging spine decompression is a good stretch.. try a pull up bar at the gym!
Welp, I might have to try this technique that your mom accidentally discovered!😎 OMG So glad this helped her! #YAY!😊
Yep sounds very familiar. Popping back in can often hurt more than going out. It puts me down for weeks every time it pops out.
As having a herniated disc in two separate incidents, I learned more than my surgeon ever explained. Then even seeing the horsetail whatever you called bundle of nerves really explained what was actually going on in my misery. Yes misery, I’ve broken bones and never have I felt as much pain as my back injuries. Having had two discetomies performed I can say that after surgery the relief was immediate and luckily I’ve remained pain free for some 20 years now. Thank you DR.
3 Effective streches for Sciatica must watch
kzclip.org/user/shortsyuM8anDxEak?feature=share
As someone who deals with permanent nerve damage from two ruptured discs, I can honestly say it's the worst pain I've ever had when it happens. I was nearly paralyzed from mine.
This affects a lot of people, and since it's an "invisible" pain, it can be hard for others to know just how excrutiating this injury can be. I hope you all heal well and quickly, stay strong!
Yes 😢 no one understands how painful it is, they think I’m faking it.
Just go and watch Shabana amazing life mein thik huyi hu
@Sue-sage ASMR Bless you for your kind comment. Living with chronic pain takes so much energy, no one would know by our outward appearance how much effort it takes to go to the grocery store. After 28 years I'm still fighting. What happened to me was beyond my control. The opioid crises (caused, for the most part, by street drugs cut with deadly ingredients) means folks who would benefit from narcotics suffer needlessly. For the haters that will tell me I don't know what I'm talking about, save it. The addict needs to want treatment to get clean. Giving up that high is so strong they crave the next fix. I know all to well what happens. My brother was 32 when he died. He was an alcoholic and deliberately drank him self to death. My parents were embarrassed; didn't understand what was happening to their son. They did everything wrong and I couldn't get thru to him. He wasn't ready to kick the bottle but I kept trying. We do the very best with the cards we're dealt. Maybe I'll make one of those smily face pictures like in the depression ads. LOL
A little humor helps. I'm reaching out to the media to see if I can get some attention to how the opioid crises is so one sided. I would love to know how many suicides would be attributed to pain - how many people could no longer live with the pain.
Hold your head high and don't give up. I'm fighting for all of us. Take good care of yourself. Best wishes for better days ahead 💜
Hello, everyone. I’ve been injured for about 15 yrs now, and I’m saying it with a smile :)
It was a pleasure reading Marty and Gnarth’s discussions, and it almost felt like a short story…you two gave me some perspectives, and inspiration! Hope you’re doing alright Marty 💜
This video was so helpful. I've had bad sciatica since I was a young kid. It went away for a couple of years but since having kids it's returned worse than ever. Regular chiro helps immensely. I've also found relief with acupuncture and yoga.
Feel proud as indian when i see people adopting yoga and getting healthy life..thanks to our ancestors who gave us knowledge of YOGA ❤️❤️
Meh to the yoga, but everlasting thanks for introducing us to all of those wonderful spices!
Oh, folks, while Europeans were barely able to work wrought iron, India was exporting what became known of as Damascus steel. Yep, an Indian invention.
Feel proud as a indian when I see people thanks soo much sir
As someone with a recovering L5 and L4 herniated disc's, this was a really informative video. Can't wait to see more from you guys! You rock!
I was in an elevator accident and car accident(elevator fell 2 stories and smashed into the basement floor with me inside it).
While I was in pain the straw that broke my back was poor lifting technique. Felt a bubble "pop" in my lower back and curled over the coach.
2 days later I was bed ridden for over 2 weeks in the worst pain I've ever experienced, couldn't move my legs or toes without having waves of agony throughout my lower back and all the way down my right leg. Genuinely contemplated suicide as the pain was unending and no amount of over the counter pain meds helped.
Luckily I saw a doctor and she was able to prescribe me something better. It's been 6 years and I'm still recovering. The hypersensitivity of my disc and nerves is awful but I'm learning to deal with it. It was incredibly humbling, and I've had to make significant lifestyle and career changes. But I'm still going. Im actually an inch shorter than I was before the elevator accident lol
If anyone reading this is struggling, your not alone! You got this, as difficult as it can be. Your incredible, don't give up! There is a silver lining in the mushroom cloud, even if it's just radiation. 😜
@Александър Петров so you didn't read my comments
@prioris55555 what kind of supplement do you mean?
@Denimac do you actually take the time to read all my the posts in this thread
@polly jean moore given how severe and devastating the pain was for me, i can see why one would commit suicide. The good thing is that the root cause for most sciatica is herniated disc and there is a supplement that will regenerate the disc gels that cause herniated discs. For the people who rely on conventional medicine, suicide will likely be their only option.
@E Rice suicide is never a good option. Keep strong x
I am a veteran L5-S1, L4-L5 blown disc patient from heavy lifting in construction...I have had 3 surgeries to correct and doing much better 15 years later. The twisting motion that yoga teaches is the reason I blew my L4-S1 disc...BEWARE, yoga can/WILL pop your compromised discs so BE CAREFUL...never do any side bending or twisting exercises or you will eventually live the rest of your life like me...constant leg cramps, phantom low leg pain, and not being able to do the things you used to do when younger
Yep, check with doctor first or end up dealing with tons of doctors and pharmacists later.
My blown disc gave me superpowers. Allow me to introduce myself.
I am barometerman.
If a major barometric pressure change comes in, a minimum of one leg and occasionally, both legs get the familiar 440 volts down both cheeks to the balls of my feet. At a minimum, with just regular severe storms, it's rock hard calf spasms and an inability to feel what position my knee is in.
I was considering taking doctor up on a full body transplant, as my knees are shot as well and my hearing is fairly lousy, but the only donor bodies come with a brain. Ain't needed one of those for decades. ;)
Couldn’t agree with this more.
Hey! Awesome video! As a PT who helps people worldwide with back, butt, and sciatica pains- plus being a past teacher of gross anatomy- I love how you tied everything together. Super unique. Keep up the killer content!
3 Effective streches for Sciatica must watch
kzclip.org/user/shortsyuM8anDxEak?feature=share
What can I do to get rid of the pain that shoots down my right leg? I can't run anymore 😥
You just did a more complete description than my surgeon did and in less time than the office visit. Thank you
I've learned that surgeons don't wanna be talkin' they wanna be cuttin'.
3 Effective streches for Sciatica must watch
kzclip.org/user/shortsyuM8anDxEak?feature=share
Probably cheaper than visiting the surgeon too
@ŞPÜLWΔSSΞЯ
The fire department has made itself nearly useless compared to its utility of 100 years prior due to the raging success of its prevention services. They are now beginning to discuss the day of no fire in a structure.
The medical field should do the same.
@Dustin Lerch although that might be the cause for the majority of people, once the problem is already there, one cannot simply "train it away". After recovery you need to of course strengthen your back and balancing muscles if you don't want to have the next problem waiting for you... (and you shouldn't have let it come that far in the first place) . But once you have a compressed nerve, sports can't really cure that anymore. You can either heal spontaneously (and the causes for that aren't really well understood yet) or you will end up needing surgery.
Fascinating. I wish you could do a similar presentation on neck problems.
I have cervical stenosis, which is apparently putting pressure on my spinal cord and causing problems. I also have scoliosis and something called a “dowager’s hump” - all of it runs in my family.
My older brother got so bad with his that he required emergency surgery with a specialist to prevent paralysis, and I’m terrified that I will have to go through the same torturous treatment.
Right now I am unable to look up, and it’s getting harder and harder to physically raise or turn my head.
Oh you and I must be related ! LOL- I have the same but the level of curve is clearly not as bad as you describe. I have terrible issues with my neck and hate the term Dowagers hump as its always seen as related to poor posture- my " Hump" began pre/early teens-when I told them that I'm sure they were skeptical. As for lower back, years as a nurse never helped-nor to be fair does being overweight. Pain meds do very little and the numbness/pins and needles is basically 24/7- though sometimes if I have been asleep I'm ok for 1st maybe 15 mins I'm awake. I am so fed up with life. I had to retire early but since I can't do much that in itself is a misery. ( I also have pins/needles etc in my hands. I thought I might have some life after work-I've worked since 15...this is just hell
I wished everything was as easily explained as in your videos! Would love to see more back videos including the specifics of spinal nerves (roots, sensory and muscular nerves, etc). Thanks so much!
This channel is a must for every medical aspirants. what a great explanation far far better than the anatomy lectures that are taught in medical colleges.
Hope this channel gets a billion subscribers.
You explain this so clearly and give a great description of this common condition. I just found out that I have three “herniated” disks and this video was a tremendous help for me to understand my problem.
PT is next up for me. Wish me luck!
Don’t get surgery it is not needed just eat healthy and exercise loose body fat and don’t eat gluten fast food or processed foods you will feel much better. Reason so many people suffer from this condition is there food choices and not excersize. Processed foods cause inflammation . Fast food , eating out will destroy you . Prepare your own meals with healthy choices instead of looking for fast fixes
These guys do a utmost excellent job explaining human biology, physics and chemistry. I always enjoy watching their videos and learn so much in such a short time. 👌👍
PT worked for me. Avoided a massively crazy surgery on hip because of my amazing PT. 🥰
All the luck with your recovery and well done you for proactively looking for useful information beyond the short visits to the doctors etc.
Personally don't want anybody to touch the area let alone crack it. Well done you and again, good luck and a speedy recovery!
@Old Fogey Sorry you had to endure surgery and the recovery.
PT, along with Chiropractor visits is REALLY helping with the pain and my mobility. Me and my wife did a fairly strenuous four-mile hike yesterday and no pain at all.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it continues to relieve my issues.
Along with the usual adjustments, the Chiropractor put me through electric stimulation treatments on the affected areas. One treatment and I was pain free for almost a week. He mentioned that I can buy a “cheap” one these (muscle stimulators) on Amazon that does the same thing.
Overall, I’m hopeful.
A couple years ago, a workplace accident left me with a herniated disk between L4 and L5. That was the most excruciating pain I've ever felt. I was walking around like Gollum for six months with a cane unable to straighten up. 6 months of PT and 2 epidural shots final got things back in order. This video was incredibly fascinating. You gave soo much more detail than my doctor did, and I love it!
I see you mentioned yoga. I was beginning to look into yoga before the accident, but afterwards, it felt as though the disk would be injured again with some of those poses. Could the disk actually be reinjured in this way?
Me and you had the exact experience!!! Mine happened at Amazon at the start of Covid..
I just paused my yoga to watch this video and I wish to the gods that I someday get at least an epidural shot like you did or some type of surgical procedure.
Bc even tho these exercises help tremendously, like no kidding when I do it I feel so much relief I just know with added help like what you had gotten I know I’ll be back to myself!
So my opinion, if you’d like it😊 I would most definitely get into yoga! You’ll feel so much relief! I actually had the same thought too about reinjurying myself doing those crazy poses lol, but I had one bad pain outburst episode. Was in soo much pain that I said fuck it! and I am so glad I started yoga, next thing is carful weight lifting and hopefully I’ll find a doctor who will take a chance on me. My advice starting yoga is to please go slow and be extra careful, don’t push yourself and keep on moving lol and rest when you feel your body can’t take anymore! I wish you the best ❤
Raytreader, could you do swimming?
As someone dealing with L4-L5 and L5-S1 Herniated discs, this is a great explainer video.
@Gloria Mary Haywood Gloria I don’t work they don’t care now re NHS chronic pain sufferers and MH sufferers get 3rd rate services . They even refused to MRI mine for 8 years fobbing me off. What I have sufferered both re undiagnosed autism and likely ADHD if the NHS was Appalling they destroyed my life from 30 on over when I burned out and needed help. I think she discriminated but can’t prove it. Soon as they. Ask if your working and you say no you get the crap treatment. Even as a kid they were cruel to me not realising I was autistic. She was also against my politics too.
This is exactly my problem and my left side right from the thigh is getting numb, hard to walk because I sometimes don't feel my leg though the pain is really excruciating and running from the, through the thigh then the leg.
@Maria Nelson Please try seeking for another surgeon who specializes in this type of surgery! No one should be left to endure unrelenting excruciating PAIN!!😨💜
Gloria , that it wasn’t bad enough
@Maria Nelson Interesting! What excuse did they give you concerning why you can't have surgery??🤔
Thank you for this information! I went into the doctor and got profiled as a drug addict just trying to get pills. I can barely get out of bed most days. I got the MRI and it showed 3 compressed disks. I asked the doctor what the next step was.... he didn't have a answer (this is how I knew he was just profiling me, incorrectly). I can barely turn my head left and right. Every move hurts. I would be homeless or dead if it wasn't for my loving mother. Everyone just see's me not bleeding and says "just get a job". I always had a good work ethic and a job (while I could stand the pain). I can't even make it 4 hours with out breaking out into a pain sweat and light headed/dizzyness. Disability hasn't picked me up yet. I probably won't get it cause I am only 47 and not a military vet in any way. I'm just a normal single guy that went to a normal food job and has no savings. I'm totally screwed.
Sorry for your problems. I have l3-l4, l4-l5 herniated discs, 60 yrs old. Waited 4, yes 4 years waiting for disability hearing on phone call. In any case after denials, my appeal was also denied and it's sent back for a 2nd appeal. Not holding my breath. As a side note, yes I served 4 years in the Air Force. The judge I had could have cared less. Could go on and on, but you get the point. I can only do activities on a limited basis, what a way to live your life. Good luck and if you get a hearing, wishing you the best on a decent judge!
So sorry you’re going through this... sometimes you just gotta find another doctor when they write you off. It shouldn’t happen, but it does!! Steroid injections and PT (very, very mild PT-- sessions included some massage which surprisingly was covered by insurance) did help my discs heal. MRI shows them back to normal now. I have other ongoing issues.... but the discs aren’t the cause, apparently. I know they don’t want to give anyone pain meds, but would they give nerve meds (Gabapentin, Pamelor) or muscle relaxers? Prescription lidocaine patches? Just mentioning those because I had to bring up all of those things; they weren’t going to come up with them on their own. Good luck to you, Adam! 🙏🙏
I feel you bro. People don't consider you to be disabled unless you bleed. Nerve pain is invisible to people who have not suffered through it themselves.
I was in a bad situation with 2 herniated discs. Thank God surgery cured it nicely. I am still mindful about it and grateful to the almighty for giving me another chance.
Stay positive brother. Try to go for surgery. It's a large bet, but it pays off big time if you win.
If SS Disability rejects you, keep applying. It takes the average disabled person about three tries before you finally get approved to receive benefits.
As a 26 year old who just had a lumbar discectomy 6 months ago I can safety say it’s the best thing I ever did. I went through PT, epidural injections, chiropractor, all up to the point where I felt paralyzed and they were saying surgery was my only option. I’m glad I did it I was crying when I woke up because the pain was instantly gone.
@Scene I had a micro done and it left about a inch, inch and a half scar. Surgery took at about 45 minutes.
Did you have a micro-discectomy or a full discectomy?
If it was full, what is your spinal function like without a disc?
Such a great vid bro! I had 3 herniated disks in my lower back and thanks to decompression, stretching and strength exercises most of the pain has gone. Still needs to be decompressed regularly tho! Great explanation 👌
How do you do the decompression? Using what?
As an Indian I am amazed how this western world is promoting Yoga for optimum health. We Spiritual Indian also believes in Spiritual healing and upliftment along with health using Yoga
@Mia K thanks again for the kind words and productive approach/mentality, its soooo refreshing compared with the judgmental Christian way that is the norm here.
@Mia K i do take it in its original spirit thank you, and you are right here, feelings aren't irrelevant. Pain is never irrelevant, quite the contrary i'd say pain is ALWAYS relevant. You've worded it better then i ever could and there is a lot of wisdom in there
What i was trying to do was trying to separate what is modern medicine and is not.
It doesn't mean what isn't modern medicine is trash, that would be just wrong obviously
@alexis Juillard thank you Alexis, pain is never irrelevant, IMHO. Feelings are not irrelevant. We can chose to not give it power. I don’t mean to spilt hairs, but there is a distinction. Please accept that in the spirit I intended. ❤️
@Mia K my pain is irrelevant, i wasn't trying to extort pity or anything, i don't need any condolences- though the gesture is sincere i m sure and well received/appreciated
@alexis Juillard IMHO, allopathic medicine has a place in holistic medication. And vis versa. I’m sorry for your loss, truly. Ultimately, we are all responsible for our bodies, ourselves. That doesn’t minimize the pain you felt, however.
I lived with sciatica for years, but when I herniated a disc I had to have it fixed within months (although it felt like years). The best decision I've every made to get surgery to fix that issue. My sciatica went away as the doctor said he did something to alleviate it. However, it crept back. It wasn't until I went to a chiropractor (a great one) that I finally was freed of sciatica. I first went to a mediocre one that did nothing. I was lucky that I the second one, that came as a recommendation, is an awesome chiropractor.
I had to have emergency surgery on my L-5 disc. 50% of that disc ruptured & compressed the right side of my sciatic nerve completely flat as I was told by my neurosurgeon. He said that I was one of his top 5 surgeries that he will never forget. He said during my surgery he was at a point where he had to use a small saw, kinda like a hole saw that makes a hole opening in the bone that's about the size of a cigarette in diameter. The saw is used to make that opening but they stop just shy of completely sawing through & remove the saw, & grab a tool that's like a hole punch to tap into the middle of the cut bone & used to pry the remaining piece out of the area in order to prevent any damage to the spinal cord.
So, as he withdrew the saw, he was going to grab the tool to tap into that piece of bone however, he said the moment he removed the saw that there was so much pressure on my spinal cord from the ruptured disc that it blew that piece of bone out of my back, sounding & acting like a cork from a champagne🍾 bottle going off & that piece of bone hit the ceiling in the OR & rolled onto the floor. At that moment that the bone blew out of my spine, he said my sciatic nerve popped right up out of that hole! He said he's never seen anything like that & said he couldn't imagine the amount of pain I had to have been in. He said my nerve was very swollen & inflamed due to all the rubbing my ruptured disc had done to it but that thankfully there was no damage done to it.
Let me say this, the degree of pain I was in prior to that surgery was completely off the charts! No amount of pain medication they had given me stopped or eased that pain one bit & it radiated down my entire leg, knee, ankle & foot. I was going to blow my head off literally bcuz the pain was non-stop! For 46 days I had dealt w/that non-stop pain, w/no reprieve, I couldn't hardly sleep for it, it was like the worst tooth ache placed into my right lower extremities on the right outer side. That was in 2008. I had a 2nd spinal surgery in 2020 to repair that L-5 again plus repair the L-4 & L-3 along w/it. Just thought I'd share my experience w/back pain.
Thanks for explaining the back pain problem associated w/the discs, y'all did a phenomenal job as always. I love these tutorials you give.
@Suzie Carr Jesus... I can't even imagine. SMH. This is just one of those things nudged somewhere just out of reach for modern science to fix.
I hope you're doing better now. The road is long and hard but hopefully there is relief somewhere before the end. 🤞
@Matthew Taylor Dear, my pain started in 2003 & has continued until even now. So 5yrs is nothing compared to 20yrs. I just merely relayed the moment in which my sciatic nerve had finally became so inflamed from the constant rubbing of my L-5 disk that NO amount of pain medication including Dilaudid on top of my prescriptions of Percocet, Morphine, Lyrica, Gabapentin, & Ibuprofen would not touch it or ease it in anyway & I finally had to give in & have surgery that I had been trying not to have. It then became an emergency surgery.
Try 5 years and counting hurting as I'm typing 😔
Thank you for explaining this. I've recently been diagnosed with lower lumbar facet arthropathy from L4-S1 and now I better understand why I experience lower back pain and leg pain with pins and needles, muscle weakness, and partial numbness in my right leg. Very informative, Thank you. 😊
As a sufferer of these kinds of medical issues, I endorse this informative video!
I wish my lectures were like this 😁
Interesting, easy to understand, and highly applicable to everyday life.
Usually, anatomy lectures causes cognitive overload and I get headaches. Information is very dense with one concept introduced every 3-5 minutes. This is a good review of everything I've learnt so far but with practical applications.
I really like how you connect many different pieces of information to form a whole, cohesive picture on sciatica.
Often facts are learnt in isolation, so it is really hard to connect the dots when you're just mentally tired.
THANK YOU so much !!! I had an accident in December 2020 and my lower back was pure agony. Due to the lockdowns I only got diagnosed in March 2021 with a hernia ( I live in France ) they operated about a week later. But I still have excruciating pain lower, to the point that I cannot do much by myself and have been prescribed morphine since the opp. I kept complaining about the pain, even saw other neuro surgeons but not one took me seriously. I also wanted/needed to understand what was happening to me, but nope.
One day after numerous MRI’s ans scanners, I was sent to do an EMG with a very kind and understanding neurologist. She nailed it, she saw another hernia and described my L5 nerve as being « severely damaged » and that it hadn’t been released during my opp.
Sadly the so called specialists I saw after refused to look at those EMG reports and instead keep prescribing me morphine...
I am very grateful to my physio for teaching me how to walk again and rebuilding my muscles but unfortunately only a neuro surgeon could help me by operating...
Every one I have consulted refused to explain things to me, but you just did that ☺️ so thanks to you I finally understand what happened to me and why I am still in a lot of pain. Thank you so so much 🙏 I will be recommending your channel to everyone I know ☺️
Thank you again ☺️🙏
Why won't a Neuro-surgeon agree to operate?😟 That doesn't make Any sense! 😬
That sounds absolutely horrible, hope you’re doing ok and good to hear your pain is being managed somewhat
I'm a retired physician who has sciatica and this clarified, even for me, why the sacral nerves can ba compressed. Nothing like a good cadaver and a willing teacher to explain pathology. When we study anatomy in our freshman year, we are not relating it to particular pathology. Thank you for this. I will go back to my surgeon and tell him that you made it finally clear why I will now agree to having this surgery (and the same in my cervical spine. 😮😢
Writing this before I finished the video, but I’m glad you’re going through this. I have degenerative disc disease, and have some bulging discs as well as stenosis. Five back surgeries haven’t really helped and I have nerve damage that causes my legs to burn. I’m only 36, but have been dealing with this since I was 16, and it’s not any fun, that’s for sure. I have two artificial discs at L4-L5, L5-S1, and they had to be fused with a cage around them, and a cadaver bone. Then both left and right SI joints are fused. The stenosis and disc bulge is at T-11 T12 L1-L2, L2-L3. Now, it’s hard to get the pain medication that’s needed to help me have a good quality of life. I’ve done 2 spinal cord stims that caused more pain than I was in before the trial phase of it. Both times I had to have it removed early bc of how badly it hurt. Injections only get me so far, and it’s incredibly frustrating and downright painful.
Try lion mane mushroom
@Melinda Tarnow I have bad artherits in my knees and sciatica. It's gotten much worse over the last couple years. I don't take ANY pain meds, ....YET! But, I'm dredding the day, which is coming pretty soon, that I will have to turn to prescribed pain meds! The HORROR stories that keep constantly coming about patients flat out Denied medication that is Proven to work makes me Shudder!!!😨
@Gloria Mary Haywood getting harder. They supposedly eased the restrictions, but my clinic switched owners and they're constantly asking me to lower my dose, and i walk at almost a 90° angle.
@Jake the snake There are some in Indiana but so hard to find anyone. Was a nightmare when i moved back 3 yrs ago. I moved back to where i was because i had access to a great pain clinic and they took me back. Look up In opioid laws.I couldnt even fill my scripts in the area i lived. Made me wait exactly 30 days. If you live near the state line of Illinois,you will have much better success. Good luck.
@Southernlivng777 what states are ok with it? I live in indiana, am I screwed?
That was incredibly helpful!
I would be VERY interested in you doing a video similar to this but showcase Bertolotti syndrome and what exactly "lumbarization of the S1" means. I assume after watching this video that those central nerves in my case are causing a lot of pain. However, for me, it's the compression of my spine (sitting when it's really bad) that instantly will stop the deep stabbing I experience while doing certain tasks.
Great video Jonathan, really explains what happened to me a few years ago with my back injury. Thank you ❤
I was just released from the ER for this four hours ago. I got a steroid shot, anti-inflammatory shot and muscle relaxers all in a nice cocktail. Was great, dropped my pain from a 10/10 to 4/10 in the course of 30 minutes. It's now 2:42am and I am awake and in horrible pain, this is like the worst least-threatening thing ever😅 it was entirely random on my end, no clue what I did. I'm not obese at 160 pounds(like 73ish kg?) and exercise regularly, walk several miles, use back support when sitting, yada yada. I'm sort of a health nut, sciatica is just an ass who targets any and all haha
I just wanted to take a minute to say thank you for this video. I am on day 9 of a herniated disc in my L2 L3 and I cannot begin to explain the pain I have been in. Went to two chiro's, an ostepopath and an RMT and NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THEM even took half the time of this like you did to teach and explain this. Thank you so much
I’ve been waiting for you to cover this topic! Ive had lower back pain for several years, but opted to try everything except surgery. I’ve gotten good results from radio frequency ablation - life-changing, in fact. Could you do a video on exactly how RFA helps alleviate back pain? Thanks!
@Maaikie LS What does SI stand for please?
Ive suffered from severe backpain with radiation down my right leg, even sometimes falling because the nerve would stop giving signals to my leg.
It turned out my SI joint was slightly off. I've been going to an osteopath. For me the pain was gone after the first time I went. I've been going ever since. It is a weak spot and stress or a misaligned joint anywhere else is going to effect that joint.
Hope it helps you 😊
After 4 back surgeries and currently trying to avoid my 5th, I absolutely love learning more about my spine! It’s always so interesting ❤️. Thank you for an amazing explication as always!!
Choose your surgeon VERY carefully. Only use a MAJOR medical center.
@jessica Wynn That is some really good info Jessica, thank you for sharing it with us and I wish you well with your pregnancy.
@furonwarrior hi there I had 3 microdisectomies and a laminectomy (sorry for the spelling). Currently I have nerve damage in both legs. Left is mainly my outside upper thigh and right is almost my whole leg is numb but I’m am blessed to be able to still walk and do normal things I just trip over myself more lol. Currently I am pregnant so we are doing preventative physical therapy and keeping my muscles strong. Before pregnancy was the same thing. Keep your core strong and posture correct and it truly helps out a lot. Pregnant or not we know that I would eventually need another surgery possible fusion as from my L2-S1 have been unstable for years. Main problems are L4-S1. Between degenerative disc disease and years of sports my back is just telling me hey time to slow down. I should also mention I am only 30. I didn’t listen to my doctors after my first 2 and now I’ve been able to prolong the surgeries in between. Unfortunately the last 2 were due to a simple slip and my disc herniated. Between keeping your body in shape or your muscles strong and eating healthy and exercising it really makes a difference! I hope this helped! Feel free to ask any questions and I will try to answer the best I can!
What surgeries did you have? What’s your current condition? How can you avoid your 5th surgery?
Dealing with sciatic nerve pain right now. Sometimes it can be excruciating. I work a job that involves a lot of walking and bending over and I think that is the culprit as I never experienced this pain before until I worked this job for about a year. I called it my “pain in the butt” before someone identified it as sciatic nerve pain 😅
I have a doctor appointment in a couple weeks. Fingers crossed something gets resolved.
Thank you! You described everything perfectly. I’m not a doctor, but I know what I was feeling, but didn’t know how to describe it or articulate it. Watching this video brings me much joy because I’ve been dealing with SI pain for about 20 years on and off and this is the only time I heard about solutions after trying everything and exhausting all my options. Thank you a ton!
20 years?! Glad you found this mans video. Early days but has it been helping?
If that's my future I'm taking up yoga once I can chop carrots without it jarring my back.
i have scoliosis and had sciatica for years that doctors always told me was untreatable without surgery. over a year ago i began working out and targeting all the weaker muscles in my body (as well as pressure massages on their counterparts) it’s been life changing and my back is noticeably straighter now
Wow. You used layman’s terms and medical terms in a way that made this make perfect sense. That was about the best explanation and demonstration possible! I feel like I could graduate from medical school with ease if I had you as my professor.
Absolutely!! I have learned so much in this one video, everything explained so well!
Could you please talk about Spondylolisthesis of the spine? This condition is totally different from bulges or herniations. This is where the whole vertebral column goes in two different directions causing severe pain for some people. People don’t talk about this condition enough and your detailed way of showing things would be helpful with explaining this spinal condition.
Thank you for this!! I was permanently disabled in a car wreck & have many of these issues, including a synovial cyst in the L5, severe spinal stenosis (was told my spine was 80 @ the age of 40), DDD & many other issues. This video was perfect as it helps me to "see" what's going on in my body!
Thank you again!! I love your videos as they're extremely informative, even for the laymen.
Look up Gonstead Chiropractic!
Dr Rahim here on KZclip is a good place to start :)
@Bionic Momma Your experience along with many others, makes me not ever want to get into a car/truck Ever Again! How one incident can truly change your life Forever! I'm so sorry you've been put thru the wringer by not only your injuries, but a callous and inept medical system!!😬
I am experiencing sciatic nerve pain in my left leg! I injured my back a few months ago by doing something as simple as taking a package of steaks out of the freezer! Can you even believe it?😜 I lifted the package from a sideways position as I didn't want to take the time to move a step-stool out of the way! #BadMove! I mostly resent not being able to do yard work like I always enjoyed! Hopefully this will correct itself if I am careful not to do stupid stuff in the future!?🤐🙃
@Extra stuff thank you!! I'm sorry to hear of your hip replacement, but also know how much it can help you.
I was told by 1 Dr I had AS as well & treated me for it & it helped greatly. However, bc I wasn't consistent with ALL her "other patients", she felt it was a placebo affect (which royally pissed me off). The next rheumatologist couldn't "see" inflammation in my X-RAYS after 6 months of treatment & therefore took me off the meds. Now I'm back to square one as the Dr I would like to see (& was recommended to me by the person who mapped my spinal cord stimulator implant surgery) isn't accepting new patients at the moment.
It's definitely been a long hard road after dealing with all of this for 11 years now (was 37 when the wreck occurred). Even though my chief complaint has always been the left hip/ lower back area, it took the Dr's 5 1/2 years to FINALLY do a MRI of my hip. Left & right hip surgery has been done now 5 years apart (IT band release, scope, worst case of bursitis surgeon has ever seen removed & the periformis muscle injection). But still nothing done about lower spine & neck.
Also just found out I've been walking on a broken for the last 4 years!!!
Thank you again for understanding. I hate saying that as I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. Ok, maybe my worst one, but not every enemy! Lol. I hope your hip replacement lasts you many successful years!! I hope your pain is minimal & sending you gentle hugs!!! Thank you again!!💜💜💜💜
@Jane Evans not necessarily. You would be amazed at how many doctors, including surgeons herd you through like cattle.
Like Extra Stuff explained, you don't always remember to ask specific questions when you're in constant pain, your doctor's are doing different tests to narrow down the issues & most will not sit with you for more than 15 minutes. Not only does this time constraint limit time for testing, but also for in depth answers with diagrams, models or cadaver examples.
So, no, the surgeons don't explain this. It's extremely limited.
@Jane Evans I would hope so, but I do think that most surgeons will have less available time/expertise at explaining this to the lay public. And it does help that with this explanation it's not all about your own scenario and future treatment options but an explanation with many good clear props and that can be (re)watched at your own pace while hopefully not being in much pain. They are certainly more detailed than explanation videos for patients I'm used to from my hospital.
Just an example:
I had quite a few questions/things I was curious about before my total hip replacement last year. But once you're in the hospital all the other stimuli going on will distract you. New people, getting on the examination table, leg being manipulated to test the joint, some inevitable pain and then the surgeon discussing some things. Specific details if they do come up in conversation might not fully register in that state of mind. Only managed to remember to ask a few of the questions I had about how long they last in my scenario and long term issues after maybe 40 or 50 years. It was (and still is) a bit of a long term concern since I got that total hip replacement at 36 years of age, but better to be able to walk normally again and without pain.
I did get the questions answered by reading up on it a bit more and calling the orthopedic department later and while the surgery was delayed more than expected everything went excellent (worst of hospital covid burden coincided with my waiting period). But I did learn from that to bring some notes/questions on paper for any hospital adventures since it's easy to get distracted while there.
At least I was there with the knowledge that after the surgery and recovery a fairly normal life would be possible with a "simple joint" problem and the appointment confirmed that. Although my spine is properly ruined too but that is a story of its own and also the cause of why I needed that total hip replacement: ankylosing spondylitis. Scary in itself but even before the diagnosis you gradually get used to those changes already and it's pretty slow, different from a life changing event in one moment. I would expect to have a hard time thinking properly and generally being worried about the future in the car accident scenario Bionic Momma described up there.
This was so much easier to understand than how my doctor and surgeon explained it. Thank you so much! 🙂
i came across this on my home page and realized a year ago today i went on medical leave for a herniated disc (l4/l5) and had surgery back in november. definitely the worst few months of my life.
this video taught me so much! i had a good understanding from prior anatomy classes, google, and my surgeon; but i’m taking a lot of the stuff i learned in this video with me to make sure i’m being safe with activities and work.
the part on dermatomes also made me put 2-and-2 together to realize my intermittent cervical pain is definitely attributed to the numbness i get in my arms and hands. seems obvious but pictures and diagrams are helpful, you make all the info and jargon digestible and easy to follow. sometimes the adhd makes it hard to absorb information and stay focused and not let your mind wander with questions. this was just easy to follow because of all the attention to detail and editing 👍💻
tldr; *great video!*
Just had revised micro discectomy for my L5 to treat extreme sciatica and stenosis, the diagram at the end was a great explanation of how the nerves are impacted.
It truely is the worst kind of pain, not an injury ppl can see and being in my early 30s makes it difficult to explain to people that I’m disabled from spinal issues.
Just want to reiterate the gratitude expressed by others - you're a true MVP to humanity and we thank you!
Been getting stuck in some comical positions / situations (for others to watch). Was doing some gardening, after painting a fence, went to stand up, something pinched and trapped - head butted top of the fence, grabbed it and was left with a bloody paint impregnated forehead balancing on one foot looking like Mr Bean trying to dance and sniff his armpit simutaniously.
Never experienced a pain like it, had surgery on my ribcage (late teens) and that healed faster, hurt less and dare I say was a walk in the park in comparison.
To all those getting stuck in weird positions, losing sanity from lack of sleep and the ability to stand, sit, lay down and walk - wish you a speedy recovery and a good night sleep!
I dealt with this for more than a year and only began to feel better very recently. Motion is healing. Keep moving (walking, running, swimming), and as you start to feel better incrementally you need to strengthen your muscles. It might feel counter-intuitive, but low weight squats and deadlifts are your friends.
As someone dealing with the exact herniated discs you described (L4-L5, L5-S1), i'm so grateful for this video!
I fought almost 10 years with this pain. Well, it never got a name but the pain I was having was migratory and unbearable. Sometimes, even a long breath used to trigger the pain. Doctor used to do a lot of tests but never came up with actual problem or solution. Some doctors said it was sciatica but they also added that since I wasn't even 20 that time, that couldn't be the case. Funny, during my masters I shifted to a totally different geographical hilly area. The environment healed me. I still get some pain sometimes when I am over working, but now it is almost gone.
Thank you very much for this informative video. You guys are Angels ❤️
Did you had to walk a lot in the hilly area ?
This is incredibly helpful! I have scoliosis- 15 degree curve in my lumbar, thoracic and neck. I suspect the nerves in those areas are being compressed and it causes me a lot of pain. But recently I’ve been experiencing this awful pain that starts right at the small of my back then radiates down to my left leg and hip. It’s horrible and if I keep walking on it eventually the leg goes completely numb to basically too weak to move and only does sitting down help relieve the pain. Google told me it was sciatica.
This video however helps me understand that one I need a better doctor and two that it might be something else.
Interesting! That drawing really helped and the explanation made it even more straightforward.
I started getting back pain about a year after a Bilateral Nephrectomy that was done in 2000. It's only the R side that hurts though. Both scars go halfway around my back, meeting about 2 inches (estimating here) from my spine, but I still feel the nerve pain right from the L-4 nerve if I stand, walk or sit for too long.
Amazing video as always. I learn so much/refresh so much knowledge from your videos as an RN, despite getting very good marks in anat+phys. Also strangely helps to visualise the nerves... pretty sure I have an L4/L5 bulge that has taken about 8 weeks so far to heal and is still very annoying in the evening.
I'm wondering if it has to do with natural cortisol release timing or more to do with just bearing weight all day... or both.
A few Physios I've spoken to do not recommend stretching exercises for LBP/Lumbosacral raducilopathy and say strength training is much more effective. I understand why strength training helps... but why does stretching hurt?
Does the sciatic nerve actually become inflamed? I always imagined it was the actual nerve itself rubbing on the lumen that caused the pain.
Great stuff. 16 years ago I had my L5 disc replaced. Looked like 2 coins with holes in. Changed my life totally. Was walking 2 days after op. Incision was anterior thru my abdomen. LOVE progress of medical technology.
are you able to run and play sports now as i have the same thing and i am the same age
My pregnancy gave me sciatic back pain and I can confirm it’s so painful.
@Gloria Mary Haywood thank you so very much. I appreciate you. Truly.
@Exquisite Candy Yikes! Back labor sounds beyond Brutal!😨 Here's hoping you are able to get the surgery you so desperately need!!😉
@keeponrockin it’s where you feel the contractions all the way around like normal labour, but all the pain is in your back from the baby’s head pressing against your spine &/or tailbone.
@Exquisite Candy what's back Labour?
@By God's Grace I had back labour with all my pregnancies. I had nightmares about it for weeks afterwards!
I recently had a hospital stay due to L4/5 rupture. I’ve had spinal surgery before. This rupture was off the scale with spasms worse than labour. It was horrendous. What amazed me was how quickly it went again - 72 hrs - it was horrific though
Thank you for explaining this so wonderfully. I am fused at L5 and S1. I had complete loss of disk between them. It is a horrid spot to be fused but I had to do it as the spine was collapsing. Several years later I am still struggling with pain but it isnt moving any more!
Fantastic explanation. Clear and comprehensive. I wish more people could explain things this way.
I just had emergency disc replacement surgery in my cervical spine and am waiting (impatiently) for my nerves to heal so I can use my left arm for handstanding again (hopefully). This video was timely. Thank you!
Great video! Been dealing with L4/5 and L5/S1 issues and surgeries most of my life. This was very informative. I also have conjoined nerve roots. I'd love to see a video on that topic.
3 Effective streches for Sciatica must watch
kzclip.org/user/shortsyuM8anDxEak?feature=share
It'd be interesting to hear about just muscle based back pains. I've had 3 episodes where I felt a stretching sensation in my lower back near the pelvis, followed by days to weeks worth of pain and cramping so bad I'd curl up into a ball even if standing. Weirdly I wasn't lifting or doing anything stressful all 3 times. First time, I was standing up a restaurant, and hit a shoulder high obstruction which made very slightly bend forward. Second time I was picking something up off the floor. The last time, I had at least spent time bent over my car engine, but it was days after this, when I started having problems.
@Craig Dupree it progresses a week at a time if you just let the thing run its course. You get a few 1 week episodes before you get a few two week episodes. Next thing you know it's a month at a time. Then 6 weeks. The sad part, it goes from 6 week episodes to a 6 month episode with your 1st real experience with sciatic nerve pain.
This is also where you 1st experience the physical therapists and learn various exercises and stretches to help - and they do. The workers comp therapists are more effective than the therapists at the hospitals. They push harder and teach you exercises to do when you are amid a pain episode or sense one is coming on from excessive activity or stress.
The injury is also greatly acerbated by stress. Greatly. Possibly the top trigger. That is what always starts an episode for me. As for medications, only Bio-Freeze pain gel has worked - and that only takes the edge off. And since it's always nerve and not muscular, ice and not heat. The heat actually inflames the nerve and I sense it immediately. Put ice on the bad disc area, not where you feel pain.
I also tend to avoid pain meds because I need to know if how I'm sitting is aggravating the injury. After a certain amount of time, it tells me to stand up. Sometimes, I only get 5 to 10 minutes before I can feel symptoms, there's no arguing with it. Time to stand up and get the blood moving. Walking regularly helps but listen for symptoms then also.
For me, I will get the slightest twinge and it will cause no issues. But I know I have to be careful for the next week or so. Many times I've forgotten and got slammed hard just doing day to day things like brushing the teeth or wiping. I call them tremors.
You learn you have to react to certain symptoms quickly to avoid longer episodes. Pain meds allow you to sit, stand, walk longer than you should and this doesn't allow the nerve to calm down - it actually aggravates it more and you realize it when the meds wear off and that is how the pain med cycle starts. Yea, it gets boring, but boring is a blessing in comparison.
It really is just 1 little spot pinching on the nerve causing all those symptoms. The pain is very real in those areas but it's not since there is nothing physically wrong where you are experiencing pain. I've had it so long, the muscles actually learn to not react to tremors - but I still have to be wise.
I'm now back to 1 week to 4 week episodes, sometimes 72 hours, the level of pain varies and duration depends on what area is hurting. Even though the pain in my calf is very real, compensating over a long period of time causes real injury in my other leg from fatigue.
Be careful of this. I once had turf toe from a longer episode. The back pain went away and then my toe was killing me all of a sudden. Went to pet a cat and man my toe never felt such a thing. The toe joint was so swollen as I couldn't put weight on my heel during the episode.
After that. I really concentrated on posture. Yes, the old ladies that told you to sit up straight were doing you a favor. Ears over shoulders, shoulders over hips.
It does get better as you get older because you lose bone mass most during middle age. A man loses the most bone mass between 30 and 50. These are the years when the injury is most difficult and I'm at the tail end. 30 to 40 was much worse than 40 to 50...
@Deductive Reasoning Wow thanks. This actually what was I wanting to know. I guess I had inferred that I was hurting muscles because I would get muscle relaxers in addition to pain meds. It makes sense that this just to stop the cramping while everything else healed. Also, the last time I had this happen almost a week passed between me being bent over my car engine, and the problem starting.
85% of the population will develop disc issues. 85% of that 85% will not develop more than the symptoms you describe. The other 15% deal with all the more extreme examples you are reading about in the comments. As for extreme examples, 85% of them happen in an elderly state.
Sounds like you have an impinged nerve end; I've had all those symptoms too many times to count. I once spent 2 years, constantly in that state. You are in danger of falling into the other category. I fell in at a young age, a 1% chance - it's brutal.
The stretching feeling is the nerves that run along the spine coming across a protruding disc. The protruding disc is poking/stretching the nerves ever so slightly and this causes the sensation to be felt in the muscles the impinged nerve controls. Always remember, the pain is not muscular based, its nerve based or there could be a disease on the discs or vertebrae.
When my leg would hurt excruciatingly, I would tell my brain, "there is nothing wrong with my leg, it is the disc, focus on the disc."
I also have degenerative disc disease and stenosis. The disc disease causes an irritation feeling and the stenosis a crippling squeezing feeling. An impinged nerve can also cause many other sensations in any area the nerve ending is responsible for.
A stretching/poking feeling is usually the 1st sign. Those lead to a constant tightness/squeezing feeling and progresses on. After the poking becomes a more painful stabbing feeling from the nerve being inflamed from constantly being poked and grinding on the protruding disc, there is a constant weakness and fatigue feeling.
The weakness is a numbing sensation from the constant impingement. The weakness/numbing sensation leads to varying degrees of muscle loss/deterioration (muscular atrophy) and loss in function - but not before the most painful sensations of tearing and burning. The constant stabbing and grinding on the protruding disc cause the sensations of tearing and burning in all parts controlled by the impinged nerve end.
Most people don't get past the burning point without surgery. If they do, it's called a miracle. You need to be careful, thinking it's a rare muscle issue is wishful thinking. You are clearly more injured than the average person in the 1st 85% group.
Having your back aggravated from simple bending means more than average disc issues. You are clearly injured or have a disease. One friend had what was described as a plaque on the vertebrae.
The best way to assist is a strong core and keep your weight at optimal levels. Don't do what you know will aggravate it - you only get to aggravate it so many times before it progresses.
It is also way easier to deal with when you're skinnier than normal. Even if you are slightly overweight, you will get flareups like you experience a few times a year...
I have scoliosis, spinal stenosis, and to add insult to injury my spine rotates. I had no pain until I turned 57. I am 75 now and have been living with this pain for almost 20 years. I've now been told that any surgery would not significantly relieve the pain and may, in fact, cause more problems. So, I'm stuck with finding a good pain management center/doctor. Stay well all. We have lots of company that's for sure. Best wishes.
Stay strong 💪
I teach at the medical school and I enjoy watching your segments. Your presentation skills and demeanor are fantastic. Keep up the good work
Thanks for such an informative video. I learned a lot with this post!
I had such a bad bulge in my L4-L5 that I had to have 2 different surgeries and am now held together with a titanium cage where those discs used to be. I also have Cauda Equina Syndrome that was caused from the discs being in the shape they were before I had surgery. 💔😢
I woke up one day in excruciating pain and found out I had undiagnosed degenerative disk disease and all my sciatica pain over the previous half a decade was because of the DDD. Had 2 bulging disks, DDD, and arthritis and stenosis in my spine. Being diagnosed at 22 was absolute devastating.
That explains sooo much! I have a recurring L5/S1 disc bulge from an injury in the military 25 years ago. Two years ago L4/L5 decided to join the party. I have functional stretches that I do to help stretch my lower back to relieve pain but never got the "why" or "how." If I knew all this back then... things would have gone differently! Thank you so much for this video!!
You awe me every single time. What a simple and right on point explanation, your channel is my go to channel for anatomy. I am a yoga teacher and I suffer from a herniated disc and "sciatica" pain. Thank you so much for sharing anatomy with us 💜🧘🏽♀️🙏🏾
Many yoga or aerobic teachers are having many issues with their back or hips etc.,because they have yoga as job(4-6 classes per day) and that's main reason why their body is damaged already when they are 30-40 years old...Yes,yoga is healthy but 45min per day max...otherwise you are desiable at age of 40...
Thank you for the video and explanation! For 6 months I was in severe lower back pain that would shoot down behind my right leg to my knee! X rays showed no bulging discs but I’m not sure because after a heavy squatting set i immediately had sharp pain in my L4-L5 region. I went to physical therapy and it went alright but didn’t get rid of the pain. I still lift but don’t barbell squat or deadlift and instead do a lot of dumbbell movements and take time stretching my back and strengthening my core. The pain was really bad to where I couldn’t bend over to put on my underwear, I just laid in bed icing, and couldn’t even run! Now I’m much better with slight sciatic pain that comes every once in a while but I’m back to doing everything I used to do just keeping an eye on how my back feels.
I have been suffering from this disease for 28 years since I was a teenager. This disease shaped my life and changed my life into something other than I wanted it to be. I learned to adapt, understand it, and always be prepared so as not to be surprised by this problem. You can lose your girlfriend first, then your job, then your confidence. You can be healthy, but in an hour you will see yourself, unable to get out of bed to go to the toilet. You can reach the toilet and be unable to sit down to .... How difficult it is not to be able to get to take the phone that is no more than 30 cm from you, and yet your hand does not reach there. I didn't want to go to surgery. I always tried to adapt, and I started to avoid physically demanding jobs. I do not carry weights greater than 10 kg, I do not move furniture, and I apologize when I am asked to help with moving or carrying. They helped me a lot to escape, obviously, and some medicines that I always try to have close by.
Great work! As a PT it's good to see people learning about their body!
Thank you for the work that you do!
You are a genius! You made it really clear why my surgeon fused the level he did! Seriously I’m going to send him this video so his patients will understand. Years of A&P and pathology (I’m an emt, massage therapist and yoga teacher trained) didn’t clear it up the way you just did in the last 2 minutes! Amazing! I love your videos and your superior explanations! Thank you!
I’ve suffered with sciatica for about 17 years. I’ve learnt more about the possible causes from this video than I have from my doctors, physiotherapists & A&E docs!! I was also tested for cauda equina syndrome about 7/8 years ago as I suddenly lost all feeling in the leg affected by sciatica! Fortunately the sensation returned within 6 hours but being told there was a chance of emergency spinal surgery for scary!!!
I have DDD (Degenerative Disc Disease) because of me experiencing this for a year and some change now. All happened because of a physical assault.
It was hard explain to the people closest to me about this specific issue as they don’t understand how bad it can become, so thank you-from the bottom of my heart- for making this video so that others can be made aware of this kind of complication.
I currently have 3 bulging discs that are pinching nerves within my cervical spine (left side specifically) and I’m not able to lift anything more than 10 lbs. Anything you think I should do in terms of this?
@KGS Thank you for telling your story I'm 74 and thank goodness I am so far doing very well health wise .Not so my 51 year old son in law he fell down a hole at work two years ago and been in dreadful pain ever since .Poping endones like lollies . They sent him to a retreat with a shiciotrist who changed his tablets. and put him In hospital with pain from his Prostrate couldn't pee caused by the drug .When we Google it Prostrate first side effects 50 to 100mg they put him on 200mg you tend to loose faith in the medical industry all about money💰. $1000 a night to make things worse
@KGS You might try researching Kratom, a botanical that some people use for pain relief. Consumed responsibly, and gotten from a good, trustworthy (reputable) vendor, it can be quite effective. It is legal in most states of the union (U.S.A.). Probably not as strong as Percocet in terms of pain relief. Individual results, and tolerances, will vary. Taking too much the first time is easy to do. Start slowly, to find your "barf" (or heavy nausea) point. It's a "do it yourself" option to try. I used it to cope with post-surgical pain (major hernia repair) when the surgeon refused to prescribe any "narcotic" for the pain relief -- unless I begged very skillfully, I suppose was the condition -- and instead said I should just take acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen for pain relief. What a joke! Kratom got me through OK. However, I realize that there are probably pain conditions in which Kratom would simply not be strong enough, taken in the meager doses that my body seems to tolerate, which is about 3 grams (at the most). Many people can tolerate much higher doses than that. You buy the powder, and then encapsulate it yourself -- into pills. It needs to be weighed carefully, in order to arrive at the correct dose for your own individual body. You'll need a scale that can differentiate between 100ths of a gram, to get reliable and consistent doses. When you ingest it, from my experience, it will "feel like a pain pill". Effects happen, at their maximum, about 20 minutes after ingesting it (consuming it orally, in capsule form). Pain relief lasts for about 4 to 6 hours, for me. Other peoples' experience will vary. This approach might work for some people. It doesn't do any curing; it's just purely symptomatic relief for a while!
I would HIGHLY recommend that you DO NOT have surgery until and unless you have exhausted every other remedy available. Even then, think twice or three times first. I first had a ruptured surgery cervical disc replaced in my neck, but the pain never went away. The doctor, in his “great wisdom” (and even greater ego) thought that because his “perfect” surgery technique didn’t cure me, I must be depressed. I’m serious as a heart attack. He recommended I get psychotherapy. A few years later, I had a disc in the lumbar region blow out, so I had that replaced. The pain was only slightly better after that, but, over the next two years, I had the two discs below the previous lumbar disc blow out, and (yes, I’m sure I’m an idiot, but my theory was “there’s always hope. But I was wrong), so I got another surgery on each one. Turns out that I have Degenerative Disk Disease, and this will probably continue until they’re all gone. But, I will NOT get another surgery. One neck and three disk surgeries later and I’m on Percocet for the rest of my life (or until the doctors decide to discontinue my prescription for it because it’s “addictive”. That’s a whole thing now, and they’re already doing that to people. Sadly, there’s nothing to replace it in terms of pain relief), yet I’m in so much pain, constantly, that I really do not look forward to living many more years. I’m also now bent over at almost a 90° angle, and have to use a walker. Yes, I am 72 years old, but I’ve been this way for at least 10 years, and it is not how I envisioned my senior years, especially the pain. So, anyway, be very careful if anyone recommends surgery. Of course they will tell you there are people that it helps immensely, but I can tell you there are people it doesn’t. Good luck. I hope you find something that will really help you.
Physical therapy, adecuate exercises and osteopathic therapy is what helped me to live without pain. Good luck!
I literally just had a Foraminotomy and emergency disc shaving for my herniated L5/S1 disc 2 weeks ago, and you explained everything more clearly than my primary doctor, a chiropractor, a pain specialist, and my Neurosurgeon could. I now understand why I had such terrible back and leg pain for the last 3 years, but what I don't understand is the cause, since I'm not very old yet and I haven't done much lifting of things when they pain started.
Thanks for making the video, now I can show it to my folks to help them understand as clearly as I do now.
just happens for some people i think. i remember my ex had those kinds of issues ,no lifting and young. and im getting issues in my neck (i think its mines from bad posture maybe)
I always love back issue videos! I have really bad spinal issues from a bone and joint disorder. Had 2 spinal surgeries in 2017 (even have a spinal cord stimulator implant = yes, I'm a cyborg!) and am due for my 3rd now at 34 years old. I need both of my si joints fused.
I'd love it if you did a video on si joints and the issues they can have!
As a sufferer of back paid due to herniated disks, this explanation was very interesting and helps me understand what's going on better. Thanks you!
This video has explained a lot to me, I am soon to be 75 years old I have been retired since I was 59 due to I’ll health. I had an accident at work in 1972 where I tore muscle in my lower back and have I had back pain ever since, I never stopped working however I “managed” as they say, I always did manual work in heavy industry a lot of it in the steel works delivering heavy equipment until 1984. At this time I had a bit of time out of work due to back problems anyhow I got back to work but had to do lighter work unable to lift heavy things anymore. I continued working until 2007 when I was sat at my desk using my computer and it just felt lik3 someone hit me in my lower back area with a bit of 3x2 that is a piece of wood three inches by two inches for those that don’t understand the term 3x2. I went home that day and haven’t worked since. I was off on sick pay for nearly a year when work decided to terminate my employment. They wouldn’t sign off on sickness at first in case I got better and got another job, so I had to have a scan done at local hospital where they discovered that I had a torn dehydrated disc at L4/L5 protruding out. Now at this time I was having injections in my spine due to the pain in my back and w@s also suffering a lot of pain going down my left leg, they told me it was quite possibly nerve pain due to the disc protruding and aggravating the nerve running down my leg. This video has given me a lot more insight to my injury than the doctors and specialists could ever do. Thank you very much for posting this I am now a subscriber.
By the way they decided to sign me off as due to sickness so I got my pension after all.
the absolute best explanation I have ever heard in 60 years of suffering from back pain due to degenerative disc disease. Your ability to get a point across is astounding. Thanks, it's a relief of sorts to finally understand what is going on in there. Robert
Ah, if I had this available 25 years ago when I had my first sciatica episode. Now at 44 I have compressed spine. This was brilliant presentation, thank you very much!
I would be interested to see what degenerative disc disease looks like one one of your anatomical models. I have it in both my neck and low back. I agree that the location of the bulge or herniation can influence the amount and location of pain the it causes. My neck, for example, causes my trap muscles to stay tight most of the time, but causes only moderate pain, while my low back pain is more severe as it is actually pinching the nerves.
It looks like having flatten discs. On an x-ray the spaces between the spinal bones are lessened or flatten.
I’ve been having sciatic pain in my left side for 2 months now. It got better for a bit but got worse again. I’m thinking it could be piriformus syndrome from right hip flexors, hamstrings, and my Achilles are always tight too. Pretty sure it’s minor, and it hurts, quite painfully even for it being minor. Can’t relax my back when I’m sitting up straight on a chair either. And when I’m sitting with my legs out in front, I have to keep the left leg bent because it hurts if I lay it out flat
I love it. I have spondylolisthesis and severe stenosis and you explain it lot better than my doctors.
I wish you can have Spanish subtitles so I can share it with my friends and family in Mexico
I had minor sciatic pain from getting piriformis syndrome. Oh my god it was so painful. And when I realized it was only MINOR sciatic pain?! I couldn’t imagine it. It sucks hard.
I have watched many videos after getting my mri. But, this is the best video out of all the videos I have seen. The language and explanation used aligns with the language the mri doctor used in the diagnosis . Thank you for making this clear video, you don’t know how much this has helped my anxiety.
THANKYOU!!!! I’ve been experiencing pain for 33 years and this is the first explanation that actually gives me the most complete specifics I’ve ever heard. I’ve been going to doctors and surgeons and pain management centers etc. for the last 10 yrs. They all just dump my pain explanation in a general category and want to give me injections which have given some temporary relief but I am in more pain now than when it all started so I am still searching for help. I feel like a human pin cushion!!! ( I’m also a seamstress so some of those pokes were my fault LOL) Your videos are very good and greatly appreciated!!
I love all your videos. You give us so much information and understanding. Have you already done a video on TOS? If not, I would love for you to make a video on that topic. I’ve had to have surgery for it and still don’t understand much about it. There’s also not a lot of information out there about it that I can find. Thanks so much!
I had this for 5 miserable years. It was horrible but I had surgery and I’m pain free. Thank God!
what surgery?
Wait, that’s it?! I was so engrossed that I didn’t want the video to end! The spinal cord development section was so fascinating, I wanted you to keep talking!! 😜 Great video!
Great video and explanation, mine L4, S1 acks up occasionally and after physical therapy I now know the correct exercises to elevate the pain. Thank you for your great work
A plus for the best explanation I have heard so far. I appreciate how deep you were showing the terminology, meanings and graphic with sample. The best for the Fisical Yoga school in your region!
I'm surprised you didn't quickly mention Piriformis Syndrome and how it can mimic Sciatica. Either way, very well explained sir. Thank you.
I was misdiagnosed, told I had Piriformis Syndrome. Went through six months of physical therapy with no improvement. Finally got MRI done at the 9 month mark. Oops. Sorry. Ruptured L5 S1 disc. Totally wrong therapies for the injury I had. Two years of sciatic pain. As this Dr explained, the contents from the ruptured disc needs to be taken away by surrounding tissues/blood supply, it takes up to 2 yrs depending on amount of contents. MRI showed complete rupture. Plus as it's an invisible injury, my family labeled me a very fat and lazy person who just needed to walk it off. I got zero help from them. I was a nurse for 25 yrs.
Thank you, very helpful as I’m finally getting treatment (prp) after a few accidents for “L5S1 and 4, facet, disc degeneration, and herniation.” None of that I knew about, understood, nor mattered, as no one would treat me for 20 years. 😂💁♀️
How did you know I’ve been in agony from this exact thing for two days? I feel like I really needed this video today.
You told me more about this injury than my doctor did through out my entire 4 years of seeing him for this exact injury, only to be fed pain pills until i stopped going to stop the addiction. He gave me an MRI instantly, gave me 3 rounds of epidural shots, then stopped trying/caring
was working at an animal feed store loading/unloading 50lb bags all day, eventually ruptured a disc, it compressed some nerves enough to make my legs go numb and limp if i moved randomly.
Best explanation I've ever seen. Excellent. I've had five spinal fusions from neck to lumbar plus Type 5 AC surgery twice, over last 33 years. Can still beat 21 year olds lol
You guys are so good. Thanks for all incredible videos and informative content ❤️
I recently recovered from lower back pain (my physio most likely said it's a sciatica nerve issue, however I never had a slipped disc or anything). But man, it hurts LIKE CRAZY. I'm still paying for it today, I'm not even in my 30s. Look after your back kids, get a good chair!
And a good chiropractor!! Some are truly so knowledgeable and educated. I've healed pinched nerve pain bc of my dr
Thanks for sharing! And hope your pain is improving!
For me my back pain didn't come from a bulging disk.
My SI joint was slightly off which caused severe pain that got slightly worse over time. Until I sometimes would "fall" through my leg. An osteopath helped me amazingly 🙂
What exactly did you do? I have L4/5-S1 pain for months. 2 epidurals. Therapy and all kings of things but nothing has gotten rid of the pain
Great video, really helps with understanding what's going on. Still hurts though 😁
My dad's had this his whole life. 20 years ago told he needed surgery but there was a risk he couldn't walk.
Still working but now with fused disks.