motorup25
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 12/08/02
Posts: 327
Loc: FV/HB CA.
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To put it simply, lately I've had some left side lower back pain that has transferred to some deep butt pain that has sometimes gone down to the left leg and even caused a little tingling in my left foot. It starts to flare up after I've been sitting for awhile (like at the movie we saw yesterday). Nothing serious yet (out of the water for a week), but I would like to control it naturally before it does get serious. The original cause was 16 years ago I was backpacking with a very heavy load (almost half my weight) on an El Niņo destroyed trail. I did alot of boulder hopping. Like most guys, I thought I was invincible, but it caught up with me (late 50's now). I've been researching on the internet and I have read about sciatica, piriformus, yoga, message therapy, accupressure, and other related topics. Has anyone been able to control this naturally? Any helpful information would be appreciated.
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LeeD
Kelly Slater status
Reged: 06/26/03
Posts: 8203
Loc: Berkeley,CA
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This prolly not helpful....
Seems sciatic problems go away by themselves, with light exercise and normal schedule...
I'm 56, had bouts at 40, 47, and now fine for almost 10 years, but I don't stress myself too much anymore, except for heavy load working.
Sometimes I can't even walk, but it slowly diffuses itself and goes away.
But I'm not a cause and effect kind of guy, I kinda let my body to the healing.
Other's will have other and different ideas.....
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LeeD
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Diego
Grom
Reged: 09/17/05
Posts: 37
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MOST (about 60%) of "sciatic" problems go away by themselves in a few months. A good rule of thumb: if you can tolerate the pain, then you're probably OK. You probably have a bulging disc- if/when it herniates, you'll know. 
A week's worth of Ibuprofen at anti-inflammatory doses (600mg, 3 times per day with meals) works wonders if you're otherwise healthy. Other than that, use proper biomechanics, and don't do weight bearing exercise for a bit. Stretch your hamstrings by lying on your back and pulling one leg up at a time (straight leg raise). Do not do that "trunk twist" thing!! Crunches will help stabilize your back by strengthening your trunk muscles.
I observed that when I'm dehydrated my back seems to hurt worse. I have NO facts to back this up- it's just my own observation. Still, it won't do you any harm to stay well hydrated, and at least you'll have good kidneys to handle that ibuprofen load! 
Good luck.
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motorup25
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 12/08/02
Posts: 327
Loc: FV/HB CA.
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Great advice. I read about hydration somewhere. I felt almost completely normal this afternoon so I started up some yogalike exercises (static stretching). I've been lax in my exercising this year and I think I'm paying the price. Someone once said to me, "Wow, surfing must keep you in great shape." Wrong. I responded that at my age I better be in good shape before I surf or I will pay a price for those free rides. Thanks again for the response. Surf Doc, you out there? What do you think? You gave me some great advice two years ago after my hernia operation. Boy, getting old is tough sometimes, but I'm still out there having fun and not getting in anybody's way.
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SurfDoc
Billy Hamilton status
Reged: 12/19/02
Posts: 1421
Loc: Huntington Beach
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Sure you can treat it naturally. But if you want to ease the pain do the tylenol, ibuprofen, hot packs, stretching, see the doctor, see the chiropractor, see the physical therapist route. It does sound like sciatica and could last for months and come and go, too. When in doubt, see a doc.
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Peace,
Surf Doc
Be safe, surf smart, know your limits! Check this: www.happyshark.com
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Doug93003
Michael Peterson status
Reged: 07/08/03
Posts: 2138
Loc: Ventura
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Quote:
To put it simply, lately I've had some left side lower back pain that has transferred to some deep butt pain that has sometimes gone down to the left leg and even caused a little tingling in my left foot. It starts to flare up after I've been sitting for awhile (like at the movie we saw yesterday). Nothing serious yet (out of the water for a week), but I would like to control it naturally before it does get serious. The original cause was 16 years ago I was backpacking with a very heavy load (almost half my weight) on an El Niņo destroyed trail. I did alot of boulder hopping. Like most guys, I thought I was invincible, but it caught up with me (late 50's now). I've been researching on the internet and I have read about sciatica, piriformus, yoga, message therapy, accupressure, and other related topics. Has anyone been able to control this naturally? Any helpful information would be appreciated.
Give it some time. The deep butt pain is a telling sign of something a little more then an aching back.
Sounds like you could have a herniated disc. The ass pain really comes from L4-L5 which a lot of times is accompanied by L5-S1.
Depending on the pain you can wait it out, try motrin, and ice after exercise. Keep streatching out your ham strings.
You can either warm up before exercise or apply heat. Warming up is much better IMO. Never heat after exercise. Always use an ice pack after exercise. The main cause of pain in inflamation. Heat isn't going to help that. Stretch every morning. You should feel better in less then 2 weeks.
If it persists see a specialist. Physical therapy is a waste of time for a disc injury. If time doesn't work it's really important at this time to get an MRI. Even with a disc injury you can still heal with time. If not the next step is a series of epidural injection which usually works great.
Most importantly DO NOT SEE A CHRIPRACTOR. If you have a disc injury there is absolutly nothing a chiropractor can do about it except aggravate it. Attempting to align a damaged spine is dangerous. It would be like a DR performing heart surgery without taking cat scan.
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I've been told many times on this BB that fins drag so i am no longer using them. -Greg Griffin
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Diego
Grom
Reged: 09/17/05
Posts: 37
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Quote:
Most importantly DO NOT SEE A CHRIPRACTOR. If you have a disc injury there is absolutly nothing a chiropractor can do about it except aggravate it. Attempting to align a damaged spine is dangerous. It would be like a DR performing heart surgery without taking cat scan.
Oh man, I wrote the exact same thing and didn't have the nuts to post it! I TOTALLY agree- do NOT let a chiropractor mess with you. "Maniupulating" your L-spine feels great in the short run. In the long haul, this does DAMAGE. I'm not saying that chiropractors are quacks or anything- just that acute back injury isn't the right time/place for them to mess around. If you want more details, I'll be happy to post. I'm sure the chiropractic cohort is going to chime in, but I'm not interested in flames.
I speak from experience as a doc, a medical researcher, and most importantly as a patient. I've had cauda equina leading to 2 back surgeries, and I know back pain very well. Stick with the "conservative management" as long as you can. When you need surgery, you will know.
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surfflexx
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 01/28/04
Posts: 367
Loc: usa
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getting old is fun, huh? the aging spine. there's a saying in yoga "you're only as young as your spine is flexibile". great advice on the board. at your age(our age)there is a natural degeneration called spondylitis which is the wearing out of the disc causing all sorts of instability. dis bulge(radiating nervepain) and bones rub (athritis) it's not a pretty picture. With diligent and intelligent strength and flexibilty training you can stabilize the lumbar region so that you can avoid flare ups. You must chose your exercise properly and have them designed in a progressive program. I have trained many indiviuals, myself included that have gotten out of pain and back doing activies they love from surfing to triathlons. We're old not dead! A Physical Therapist is a good place to start. The water suggestion is great! Drink 1/2 your body weight in ozs of water a day. For many people this in itself relieves the pain. Disc remember are 90% fluid. Chiro can be OK if they are not the "crack and pop type" It would seem muscular flexibilty is your need not ajustment. Then take a good long hard look at your posture and how you can improve it. What good is it to exercise for 1 hour and then undo all the good work with 23 hours of bad posture.
good luck!
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pfcspengler
Grom
Reged: 11/10/05
Posts: 1
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Sorry for the derail as this is not surf related, but I've been suffering from pain in my rear end (feels like a dull pain about .5" straight into my rear). I had assumed it was related to a bowel condition I have, but is it possable it's related to my sciatic nerve? I only ask because I took an office job 3 months ago, so I've been sitting.... on my butt... a lot. If so, what can I do to make it clear up? It's maddening. 
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LeeD
Kelly Slater status
Reged: 06/26/03
Posts: 8203
Loc: Berkeley,CA
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Sciatic is usually not core related, but more just outside and behind the spine.
Mine was bad in my butt, about two inchs in, but not inside the hip bones. Outside of the back of the leg down to back of the knees, up the right side to the right shoulder blade, just pins and needles, stiff, some pain with forceful movement.
What, you approaching 40?
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LeeD
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waves4ryan
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 06/04/03
Posts: 242
Loc: Of-The Sea
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I've known this exact pain on and off (mostly on) for the past 2.5 years. I treated it with PT, lots of meds, and during intense flareups, the steroid epidurals (I'm 29 and herniated the L5-S1 disc moving wet sand up a steep slope with CA parks). I had a doctor in La Jolla who wouldn't do anything until "I came crawling in on the floor" and failed to monitor me (during this time, my disc went from a 4mm protrusion to an 8mm protrusion). It was the ups-and-downs that killed me, and being a very active person, threw me into fits of depression. (I could surf hard for hours and be a little stiff and other times my back would go out simply walking around a book store.) I left him and found a good doctor who was proactive, but not aggressively knife happy.
I'm 8 weeks post-op after a "microdiscectomy." I was expecting that miracle cure that's not quite there yet, but I'm feeling much better. I'm doing the phys. therapy (yet again) and feel that I'm finally working torward a positive outcome and goal setting--Snowboarding by late January as well as surfing. My advice would be to stay aware of what's going on, core strenthen, and if you're seeking surgical intervention seek second opinions with a doctor who can appreciate your active lifestyle and not simply settle for the fact that being able to walk around again is not good enough for you.
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Even monkeys fall out of trees...
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Mason
Michael Peterson status
Reged: 03/25/04
Posts: 2422
Loc: THE EAST
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my mom had to go to physical therapy and get an MRI for chronic sciatica...be careful, p.s. that ***** is miserable soooo sorry 
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We're not in infinity! We're in the Suburbs!
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