Many thanks to all for your prayers and thoughts on The Ravishing Mrs. TB and back/side/leg problems she has been experiencing. Your pleas and remembrances have had an encouraging effect.
The genesis of this whole experience, so far as we know, was a rather innocuous fall some months ago that caused her a rather large amount of pain, an x-ray, and months of physical therapy. The outcome of all of this was that the fall had apparently aggravated or compressed the sciatic nerve (as well as revealing that sometime in her youth, she had fractured a disk and had not known it). Through 4-5 months of physical therapy and the resulting stretching exercises at home, she was able to gain some relief and most of her previous mobility.
She has started stretching again (and it is a 20-30 minute process) and has commented that she feels this has been helping. However, she also recalled that during the original healing process, she received a shot (I really do not recall what it was; maybe a steroid?) to help manage the inflammation. The shot administrator told her it would eventually wear off, so we may reaching the end of its effectiveness.
So we will continue to monitor, and she will continue to do her stretches. Her spirits have certainly been more upbeat in that the stretching seemed to offer some relief.
Again, many thanks for your prayers and your kind thoughts. They are working.
Well that’s good TB. It’s usually the stupid little stuff where the big injuries occur.
ReplyDeleteGlen, it is nice that we have an idea. The less good thing - to Ed's point - is that it is likely endemic at this point and something that will always impact our lives.
DeleteMy dad who suffered from a compressed nerve does regular stretches to keep it feeling good.
ReplyDeleteEd, thanks for letting us know that this works. I think this will just become part of the regular part of life from now on.
DeleteWhen my wife has/had sciatica. When she was here, I'd have her lay on the bed, and I'd straddle her lower leg. Hook both arms under her knee and then just lean back. Quick little traction-like maneuver. Repeat on the other side. I figured if compression caused her sciatica, then the opposite would help relieve it. And it worked really well. I never yanked on it, just slow, gentle even pressure.
ReplyDeleteI spent a day bent over working on a four foot tall device once. That night I had sciatica. I eased the hurting leg off the bed and let it hang. That helped to relieve it.
Looking a the human body as a building really helps me understand it. There are structural members with signal wires running between and around joints. If the structure settles, the signal wire are compressed. Too simple an explanation, but it helps me understand...
STxAR, the realization that this is a chronic condition instead of an injury to be recovery from is sinking in for both of us. Besides stretching, likely some lifestyle changes in order as well.
DeleteI also have sciatica resulting from an accumulation of injuries; I bought a relatively inexpensive inversion table from Sportsman's Guide, and I can tell you that hanging nearly upside down relieves a lot of tension and is the best way I know of stretching the spine.
ReplyDeleteI recommend it!
CC
CC - Thank you for the recommendation! Glad it helped you and I will certainly pass it along.
DeleteCortisone shot most likely. My husband has had many due to something to do with L5/S1, if I remember right.
ReplyDeleteAnd a spinal fusion that only helped a little.
Praise God she is feeling better.
A blessed weekend to you all.
Thank you Linda. It is something that appears that this is something we will need to pay a great deal more attention to .
DeleteHave a friend who has always had a problem back. Her doctor finally got her some relief with cortisone shots. They do wear off in 3/6 months. I've also heard that what anonymous said about being a bat really helps. I'll keep Mrs TB in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteThank you GL. I think you are right about the nature of the shot. And thank you very much for the prayers.
DeleteFor me, only a good chiropractor gives me total relief from sciatica pain.
ReplyDeleteIt may come into the pictures Tewshooz. I have a great many friends that have used a chiropractor to great effect.
DeleteSo good to know the probable cause. Also good to know that a stretching regimen is helping. The times I've suffered from sciatica, I've always found specific stretches to ease the pain. We will continue praying for her improvement.
ReplyDeleteKelly, I think the reality for both of us has set in that this is a long term thing at this point and we will have to act appropriately. Thank you for the prayers.
DeleteMiranda Esmond-White is a great one to consider. She has numerous videos out called Classical Stretch. Their geared towards relieving pain. 22 minutes long. I do it 5 or so times a week. There's some on you tube and our local PBS has a it on a couple times a day or one can order a series of the dvds. It keeps me going and if I miss to many the pain reminds me I've been slacking.
ReplyDeleteAnnie - thank you very much for the kind suggestion. And thank you very much for stopping by.
DeleteI will say that The Ravishing Mrs. TB does think less rigor in her stretching has contributed to this.