OfflineI am in my late 50s & for the last week I have been experiencing terrible sciatica. I have never had a back problem in my life and I have very quickly developed a much greater compassion for anyone that has been dealing with one for any length of time.
I have the typical pain radiating down my leg & numbness around my knee area. The worst pain is right in my butt (and I'm not referring to any of my kids!) It's excruciating to walk more than a few steps. Lying down is also painful, but I'm usually ok sitting if it's not for too long.
I went to my GP & he took the history, did leg raises, etc. and gave me Naproxen & then Valium for bedtime. I also take Tylenol in between the Naproxen. But the pain hasn't really improved much. After the exam he said he didn't think I had a herniated disc & didn't need an MRI at this time. Since I haven't improved greatly with this regimen after 4 days he now wants me to go for PT. I'm just wondering if I should go for PT without having had an MRI first? Is that common? If they don't know exactly what is causing the sciatica how can they know what kind of therapy to do? I asked the nurse if I shouldn't have an MRI first & she said unless I was having leg weakness or bladder problems it wasn't necessary yet.
Just curious if any others have gone to PT without MRI first. Thanks for any input.
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Double laminectomy L4-L5, bulging discs, DDD, Bone spurs, nerve damage in left leg and hip, DJD, and that to familiar visitor,arthritis
Hi and welcome to Spine-Health. Below is a link to some pointers our moderator Ron put together to help new members with the forum.
If you think your doctor might be giving you a diagnosis which you don't think is correct or you want a second opinion for then ask for a referral to a specialist. My PCP has never ordered an MRI for me but has referred me to many specialists who have. Taking a conservative approach with the PT is your doctors advice for a starting point.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact (PM) any one of the Moderators here Priestess , Bruce , Paulgla , DiLauro
Again welcome.......Paul
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Cervical myelopathy, 15 surgeries to date, Severe OA, bilateral knee replacements, DDD, 13 MRI’s, 4 sets of spinal cortisone procedures and dozens of cortisone shots in other areas for OA. Upcoming scheduled surgeries include laminectomy and removal of synovial cyst located at left facet joint of L4-L5 (may require fusion); Right resection of A-C joint (left was done 12 years ago, by far the most painful of all my surgeries)
Hello, Oscar is it? Welcome to Spine Health! I am sorry to hear that you are having pain. I am dealing with the same kind of pain, but also have pain directly in my spine.
The first option I was given, was PT. I too was concerned about doing this, without a diagnoses. I can tell you that the physical therapists will work with you, and will be gentle. They will not give you more exercises than you can handle, and will start slow. They don't want to cause you any further pain, or any further injury. Sometimes, all it takes is a few exercises directed towards your specific pain, to help the body heal, and hurt less.
If PT doesn't help relieve the pain, then they will go in and look further, like with an MRI. After they get the MRI, and see exactly what is wrong, they can go on from there. If it comes down to getting an MRI, and they see that you have say, a herniated disk or something, then they can alter the PT with new exercises etc. Or, they may recommend other options such as surgery. Usually they will try to exhaust all other non-surgical options first.
I am not a doctor, but I can tell you from my own personal experience, and those of other people here, that PT is usually the first step in treatment. I think your doctor has you on the right track, so don't worry.
I hope that PT helps... make sure to follow through with all of their recommendations thoroughly, but don't over do it... and as I am sure they will tell you, don't do the exercises if it makes the pain worse.
Good Luck, and be sure to come back and let us know how you are doing...
Amanda
~My name is Amanda. I am 27 years old, married, and mother to a wonderful 2yr old boy =)
~Baby number two, due May 30, 2009
“If children have the ability to ignore all odds and percentages, then maybe we can all learn from them. When you think about it, what other choice is there but to hope? We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up, or Fight Like Hell.”
~Lance Armstrong
That is the order my treatment has taken (so far). First PT, then the MRI, now more PT and a series of epidural pain shots.
My doctor first ordered PT, and it was a waist of my time. Unlike some others, my pcp is the one who ordered the mri, and I went for more that one opinion, I went for 3 surgeons, and two of those three docs wanted the MRI report faxed to them first before deciding if they would meet with me, then when I was to meet with them I was to bring the MRI CD with me. Guess diff paths for diff docs.
May 9th. 2008 2 level acdf, C5-6 and C6-7, myelopathy, stenosis.
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