sciatica question

[JENNIEO]

I have had sciatica on and off for the past 6 years, and also a few 'isolated' episodes even prior to that.  I've been on naproxyn pretty much non-stop for the 6 years, and saw a back surgeon last year who said it was stenosis causing nerve compression and I would need anterior lumbar fusion with cages - a bad operation.  Now that I am having the MS issues, I can't help but think that the sciatica (which I have again today, by the way) is something related to MS.  Can anyone relate to that?  Cortisone injections 2 years ago for the sciatica did nothing - and I opted not to have the surgery.

[6-paq]

I have lumbar stenosis and si joint disfunction, so I can relate how your symptoms can get muddied.

At a suggestion from my physical therapist, I went to a Physiatrist/Pain Medicine doc who helped sort out what is causing what.    Perhaps this is an option for you?

[Quixotic1]

Sciatica is indeed a mechanical compression of the big bundle of nerves that run together to innervate the leg.  It is not part of MS.  It is much more a problem of the lower back.  MS only involves the central nervous system, which is the brain, brainstem, and the spinal cord.  The spinal cord ends at the bottom of the thoracic spine, so the lumbar and sacral spine are part of the peripheral nervous system.

Now, that said, you can definitely see problems with already existing sciatica caused by the problems of spasticity and poor core support caused by MS and muscle weakness.  My guess would be that the back problem from 6 years ago is separate from the MS.  But, your MS may be maying things worse.

Does that make sense?

Quix