The good news is that the damage to the disc in my back is, according to the neurosurgeon, not nearly severe enough to even consider surgery.
The bad news is it may reach that point down the road. Oh, yeah, and I will probably continue to have painful flare-ups every year or so (and maybe more often as I get older and the disc deteriorates further) that will require anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxers, and (this is the biggie) cortisone shots in my hip.
Ok, let me back up, because I haven't really posted anything about my back issues on here, just emailed some people about it.
Over the past five years, I've had four painful episodes related to my sciatic nerve (the largest nerve in your body--it runs from your lower back down both legs). Normally, it results in painful muscle spasms on the left side of my back. This time, it has manifested itself through muscle spasms in my right leg, and my right calf and foot feel like they're perpetually asleep. They finally sent me for an MRI and found that I have a bulge and a tear in one of my discs. Basically, a little bit of the chemical that is inside the disc leaks out from time to time and irritates the nerve.
When that happens, I have a flare-up and get to do all the fun stuff listed above. Doing certain exercises to strengthen my back can help prevent flare-ups, but it won't completely eliminate them. If it eventually gets to the point when I'm in pain most of the time, then I would have to look at surgery as an option.
So while it's good news that I won't have to go under the knife, I've got to say that the thought of facing cortisone shots every year or so is not a pleasant one. I've had three of the monsters over the past few years, and it's really hard for me to psyche myself up for this next one, particularly since the pain in my leg is not nearly as bad or dehabilitating as what I normally get in my back. I keep thinking that I'd almost rather tolerate this pain and wait for it to hopefully subside in a month or two than to have the extreme pain of that shot--I have pretty high pain tolerance, but it's all I can do not to cry when I get one. But this pain actually started near the beginning of August, so it's probably not going away anytime soon on its own.
Anyone want to get a shot for me?
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1 comment:
I wish it was as simple as getting the shot for you. It's hard to think of anyone I love - especially one of my sisters - in pain. Just remember you have friends for are with you in spirit. Draw your strength from us. If there is anything else we can do, please don't hesitate to ask. Take care!
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