Low Back and Left Hip Leg Pain

I am a 43 year old female.  Hx: of car accident hit in behind at a stop light.    Had lots and lots of X-Rays and test done.

Diag:   Herniated Disk L5.  with Sciatica pain  &  Whiplash

Problem:  Constant low back achy pain with sharp pains going down both legs (rotating will be one leg one time then the other the next)   does not come daily, but low back ache's hurts all the time.  Shooting pain down legs come when it wants to can not associate anything with this either..

Main Complaint:   Left hip/leg pain wakes me up almost nightly, some nights I could cry pain so bad.

Question:   Dr. wants to give me a injection of (? cortizone) in my back under X-Ray to relieve the swelling.  States will take pain away, hopefully.   I wonder how severe the risk are with this type of injection???   I understand cleanliness is the most important to not get an infection.   But, my concern is what are the odds of him slipping or ? and causing me more injury than good, I did not even do a spinal tap with my kids for fear of this reason!!!

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-CS]

The actual spinal cord typically ends above the L2 level, therefore if the injetions are below this level there is no risk of hitting the spinal cord. Below the level of the spinal cord there are the individual nerves. You have not told me which type of injection they are planning, therefore I can not provide particular information. However in general, with fluroscopic guidance the chance of injuring an individual nerve is unlikely. However you should ask your doctor what his individual risks are. He should provide you with some statistics. Good luck.

[kids4me]

Is their anything that you can take....???....   suggested to rid me of this pain?  Or do...   I have had physical therapy, water therapy ,   ?    actupunture, (which did help for short 1 day )   I do not count myself as obese or even heavy I am 5'6" tall and weigh 142 lbs.    Female.
I have Flexeril / Ultracet / Darvocet     ?????

Diagnosis:   Lumbar   HNP    L5    S1

[LylaSue]

1 also have a ruptured disk L5 along with a Harington rod (3times)spinal stenosis degenertive disks. I had 2 of the epidural injections they did not work for me. I'm debating on going for the third (facet injection)The other two were different one nerve block the other they called a midline somthing, I also have the very painful hip can't sleep many of nights even if i'm not lying on the hip thats painful.Is this the same with you? I sometimes take 2mg Ativan is helps me sleep. I've been on all kinds of meds for other problems (conective tissue diseases) And nothing totaly kills my pain.
Walking or standing are very painful for me are they bothersome for you ? I'm 44 forgot to mention that.i hear the epidurals do work for some people wort a try. I never got any type of infection. i think infection is a possibility with any of them.
I hope I was of some help. I'm always a reader of this forum but never post my own questions, feel stange to ask the doctor. hope this gave you some answers.  
Good luck

[nurse12hr]

If you have a documented herniated disc with sciatica, why has no one recommended surgery to you?

Cortisone shots are iffy at best, but may provide significant relief for a time.

Personally, I had a big L5-S1 herniation, was reluctant to do surgery but had a microsurgical procedure that was the BEST thing I ever, ever did.  Was an outpatient procedure, missed less than a weeks work, and by 3 months post op had ZERO-NO-NADA pain.

Don't put it off too long--the longer you have a herniation, the less chance surgery (or cortisone) will help you.  You might wind up with residual pain that won't go away no matter what you do.  I had pain and sciatic for 6 months prior to surgery.  That sciatic pain is HELL, especially at night.

Get a good consult with a reputable neurosurgeon and start getting opinions.

[tynimite]

I was told that I have degenerate disc disease, Is there any cure for this? I have chronic neck and shoulder pain on the right side. I have had two epidurals of chortizone in my disc, but no help. I also have lower back and leg pain on the left side, could all of this be related?

[desperateinflorida]

I am a 41 yr old female, and I suffer with my right leg and hips hurting.  I have had a MRI done and they did find the start of arthritis but nothing serious yet, I have went to a chiropractor and he said it was a sciatic nerve, I do not believe this, I don't have a shooting pain down my right leg from the center of my buttock, I have a continous DULL ACHE that goes from my hip down to my ankle, I have NO numbness or my leg or foot goes to sleep, it's worse at night, I can't sleep unless I take a pain pill with codine in it, I have tried everything over the counter but nothing helps.  This started when I was around 17 years old but it only ached once in a while, I remember laying in bed and rocking myself to sleep with my foot pressed on the footboard, last May 2004 I had to have my ovaries taken out and since then it's a continous pain day and night the ache never goes away now, I don't have any shooting pains it's just a very very strong dull ache, very uncomfortable.  I am now getting to where when I sit for a few minutes it's hard to get to walking, and my feet hurt until I take a few steps. I feel like I should be much older than I am.
Any ideal of what this could be, would be greatly appreciated.

[shemoe]

You don't have to have sharp pains per say for it to be siatica. I have had severe siatica for two years now and most of my pain in my left leg and left buttocks is a deep dull ache and it never goes away completely. On the number scale 0-10 how bad is your pain my pain usually stays between 5-8 which means I hurt pretty bad most of the time. Pain meds and pain management helps some but there is never just complete relief. My pinched nerve is in my hip area so I have been told and I tend to agree but they say there is nothing that can be done about it, so I live like this and yes it gets very depressing but you learn to adjust the best ways you can...but like I said it can be a sharp or dull and or burning and yes tingling it is all apart of some form of siatica.................it affects people differant depending where your pinched nerve is located I am sure...not a doctor just a survivor of this pain.....

[desperateinflorida]

Thank you Shemoe for responding to my question.  They say that it's a siatica, I just had a hard time believing it only because of a couple of people I know that has siatica it affects them differently than it does me, they have sharp striking pains that shoot down the back of their legs from the center of their buttock and mine is nothing like that, mine aches front and back with never a sharp pain.  I would put it on a scale of 5-8 as well, during the day I can deal with it but at night (when it's stronger) I can't, I have even read about the restless leg syndrom (syndrome) but the Doc told me he did not believe that was what it was and I believe him.  Thanks again

[painhurts]

For two months I've had extreme pain that shoots down the back of my legs and butt (mostly on the rightside) with deep right shoulder pain that keeps me from raising my arms. My right side of my neck hurts bad. If I turn my head I get pain in the right back of my neck.
When I wake up in the mornings I cry in pain to get out of bed. This is the worst time...mornings. It's like I'm glued to the bed. After several hours of moving around and taking aspirins I can cope with the pain. But if I sit for more than 5 minutes I can't get up without terrible pain in my legs. By the time I start to get moving around pretty good, it's 3 in the morning and time for me to get in bed and start all of this over again.
I'm in my fifties, I am a small woman 5 foot about 110 pounds.
I've had seven healthy children. I have always taken good care of my health, exercise and the proper nutrition. I've never been in an accident. This came on me 8 weeks ago.
I am a sculptor, I think about the many hours I sit sculpting and I wonder if this pressure on my back and neck has caused this. I can't take this pain. I haven't been to a doctor because I don't have a doctor or medical insurance. I don't know what to do. Or where to start.
I decided to look on the internet for answers and I found this forum.
My children are grown and they say, go to the emergency room.
What do I do? Why is this worst in the morning? I have wet myself in the mornings because I can't get up fast enough to get to the bathroom.
If someone has an idea what this is please let me know. I feel like I'm falling apart. Thanks

[I got a hurtie.]

I'am sorry to hear of your intense pain. It's hard to enjoy life when you feel this way. I too have chronic pain and have tried so many things. Many drugs which I detest. Some things that have worked for me are simple over the counter drugs. Sinus Motrin was one option until I couldn't tolerate the ibuprofen any more. Ice packs help and sometimes heat. I do a lot of stretching of the hamstrings, lunges, gentle stretching. A few times massage has helped but this gets expensive. However when I did have massage done I asked her to concentrate on my low back, hip region. The next thing I'am going to try is a small device called a Sacro Wedgy. You place it on the floor or bed and lay on it, making sure that you place it at the small triangle of your back between your hips. I'am going to try this because I had some Cranio-Sacral work done by a massage therapist and it did relive the hip pain.Also, when I get slightly dehydrated my pain increases signifcantly. The best to you, I hope of have been of some help.

[carmudgeon]

Does anyone know if Social Security Disabilty will consider Degenerative Disc Disease.  I am currently employed and on sick leave.  I have been to pain management which my Dr. told me yesterday that when He gave me the first epidural he took pictures I didn't even know he was doing that.  Anyways he told me that my problem was severe enough that he didn't think he could help me.  My disc on the 5th verebre is total gone and I have bone on bone.  A section of my spine has slipped forward and that I have degenerative spondylothesis. I would like to talk to someone with similar problems and how they are working through this kind of pain.  I can't sit I can't stand I can't walk very far.  If I go out to the grocery store my husband has to push my in a wheel chair.  I can barely get out of bed in the morning. I can't even put the toilet seat down by myself. How in the world am I going to go back to work I can barely function and with the hydrocodone I really am out of it

[Wednesdayschild]

I was so sorry to read your comments. I thought I'd pass along some ideas in the hope you get relief.  I am your age, and your son is right--if your problems are more serious, you have to see a physician.  If you have no insurance, perhaps a payment plan could be worked out.  Barring a serious health problem, you might try what I did.  I haven't taken pain medication in years, am physically active, and only have occasional twinges, thanks to something so simple as a new mattress (there are always sales on last year's models, and it's well worth the investment), a "Bucky" pillow that I sleep with every night under my neck, and several pillows stacked under my knees, which I adjust to comfortable heights.  Essentially, I sleep in a sort of stretched out "W" position, but never, ever flat.  I tried an adjustable bed that gets into a similar position, but it couldn't be manipulated the way pillows can to conform to your body.  At night I just prop pillows under my legs and especially my right arm and with the foundation of an excellent mattress, I am pain-free.  It takes some getting used to at first, but now I can't sleep any other way.  It's so simple--just takes the pressure off.  Maybe it would work for you.  I hope so.

[Ninal]

HEllo,

I am a 27 year old female.I have had a L-5 S-1 fusion.I have had nothing but problems since I had the surgery done.The doctor who did the surgery messed up my nerves in my right leg.I am constantly in pain with my back and my leg and doctors can not seem to find out what is wrong.I am taking alot of medication and that don't seem to help.I have been through physical therapy and that has not helped either.I am also trying to get dissability but they keep denying me. Why? I don't know what to do any more and either do the doctors.If someone has advice I would appreaciate it.

[Ninal]

HEllo,

I am a 27 year old female.I have had a L-5 S-1 fusion.I have had nothing but problems since I had the surgery done.The doctor who did the surgery messed up my nerves in my right leg.I am constantly in pain with my back and my leg and doctors can not seem to find out what is wrong.I am taking alot of medication and that don't seem to help.I have been through physical therapy and that has not helped either.I am also trying to get dissability but they keep denying me. Why? I don't know what to do any more and either do the doctors.If someone has advice I would appreaciate it.

[Jilly2]

I've had disc surgery and epidural injections (3), nothing
helped.  Doctor now has me on topamax and ultracet.  Has
anyone had these medications and did they help?