Sciatica

[Colossus]

Recently I've suffered pain in the lower back and left hip/buttock from time to time. The pain can be quite bad, but never takes long to subside and doesn't reappear for several days or weeks. It usually seems to be worse when taking my stance, or trying to walk backwards.

Today however, I've had no pain, but have had a pulsing feeling in my left thigh. It feels just like I have a mobile phone in my pocket on vibrate.

I've asked several people about what they think it could be. Several have said, its just a nerve, others having said its just the blood pumping through your veins, but everyone has said its nothing to worry about, they've had the same.

Tonight in work however, one guy has said "thats sciatica". He has suffered with sciatica in the past, and reckons its the sciatic nerve trapped somewhere in the lower back. Now, I don't know anything about sciatica, but its got me worried now.

Has anyone here suffered with it? Has the golf been the cause of it? How is it likely to affect my golf in the future?

Anyone any advice?

[marksman007]

Stop listening to all these people and got to a doctor if you are worried.

[SBL]

Col, sounds like a trapped nerve to me and is nothing to worry about imo.
I'm not a Dr but when people talk about Sciatica, it's a real pain, as in disabilitating at times, so it's not that.

[Colossus]

Col, sounds like a trapped nerve to me and is nothing to worry about imo.
I'm not a Dr but when people talk about Sciatica, it's a real pain, as in disabilitating at times, so it's not that.

Again Neil, thanks. Been talking to another guy who has suffered with sciatica, and I think you're right. He talked about not being able to lower himself onto the toilet without being in intense pain, and I was nowhere near that at my worst. Might just book an appointment with the Doc if it keeps up, and get myself back to a physio to look at my back again.

[Nick Davis]

Recently I've suffered pain in the lower back and left hip/buttock from time to time. The pain can be quite bad, but never takes long to subside and doesn't reappear for several days or weeks. It usually seems to be worse when taking my stance, or trying to walk backwards.

Today however, I've had no pain, but have had a pulsing feeling in my left thigh. It feels just like I have a mobile phone in my pocket on vibrate.

I've asked several people about what they think it could be. Several have said, its just a nerve, others having said its just the blood pumping through your veins, but everyone has said its nothing to worry about, they've had the same.

Tonight in work however, one guy has said "thats sciatica". He has suffered with sciatica in the past, and reckons its the sciatic nerve trapped somewhere in the lower back. Now, I don't know anything about sciatica, but its got me worried now.

Has anyone here suffered with it? Has the golf been the cause of it? How is it likely to affect my golf in the future?

Anyone any advice?

I sufffered quited badly a year or so ago...got to the stage that I could not walk. However....it might not necessarily be that the problem is with your back....the Sciatic nerve is very long running down your back and down the back of your leg... just because the pain appears in a particular area it doesnt mean that that is where the problem is!!!

In my case my pain increased over several weeks and started off as being a dull ache in my right thigh (cant remember if there was any pulsing like you describe but they may have been...dull aches can often feel like a pulsing as the pain increases and recedes) and ended up seeing me unable to get out of my car and walk with crippling back pain... this was allways at the end of my daily commute to work.

I eventually diagnosed the cause of my problem being due to worn padding in may car seat (I do about 36k miles a year commuting) causing a small part of the seat frame to gently dig into the back of my leg and irritate the sciatic nerve. As the irritation became more frequent the effect became more and more debilitating.

I bought myself one of those beaded car seat covers and within a couple of weeks the pain had totally disappeared. Removing the beeaded cover for only a couple of days and the symptoms returned.

When I took my car in to have the seat looked at it was discovered that part of the subframe of the seat had become distorted causing a lump of metal to push up against the padding right underneath my right leg.

With the car seat changed I suffered no further problems and have been back pain free ever since.

So its easy to say "pain in back" therefore "problem is in the back" but it might not be. I dont know what you do for a living or what your daily lifestyle is but it could just be an issue with maybe a seat that you sit at all day long...posture problems...or indeed it could be a specific problem with the Sciatic nerve.

The fact that you relate the pain in your lower back and hip/buttock would seem to indicate a Sciatic or similar problem. Seek some medical advice and examine your daily lifestyle to see if there could be a contributory issue with something you do regularly.

When I went to the Docs he also mentioned slipped disc as being a potential source of the problem.

When I asked him if my weight could be a contributory issue (I'm on the heavy side of normal...BMI around 27-28) he kindly replied.." it almost allways is with back related problems"!!!

[Jahmoo]

Col, I have had to take time out of golf because of a bad back. Felt like Sciatica, but no one could tell me for deff what the problem was, as the Doctors just send you to the Physio, which is crap also. I hope your doctor is better than mine. I had X-Ray and all confirmed that nothing showed up, all Normal, I have sufferd with a lower back problem since I was 19, Still no answers, I have payed for Chinese Medicine, Chiropractors, Osteopaths, Sports Massage, the lot, but only all quick fix.
It sounds like this has progressed over time and to my knowledge will get worse, if not treated, but what treatment to use, well, the cause could be down to a lot of stuff, Golf, sitting in the office or sitting in the car(my problem 3 years ago)
I got a Laguna for work, did not notice the lovely unsupportive soft seats in the car, well, as some of you know, I took a year out, it was caused by this, as I REP! I spend a lot of time in the car, 30.000 miles a year, It has got better, but due to a couple of things, BMW Sports Seats for the 2 1/2 years and a Inversion Table.......What!!!

http://www.teeterhangups.com/home.html

This does not work for everyone, but it has done me wonders, You should work on you core and leg muscles also, I know we hate the gym, If needed I could send you some stuff, which is easy to read and easy to do at home. It works on the fact that you work different muscle groups and the large muscles which help you to strengthen your core and burn Fat all at the same time, but main reason, it will strengthen your legs and lower body, which could help.

I am not cured, I am still suffering a little, but Golf, seems to help my back instead of hurting it, I have come a long way, its not been easy and not quick, but I'm getting better.

PM me if you need any more info about the exercises, can email details, also on the Inversion Table, be carefull, as are cheaper products on the market, but do not last as long, also do not do well with heavy weight:D;)

Take care:smile:

[Colossus]

Sounds good Jahmoo. Might be the answer. I'll PM you later.