Back/sciatic pain but MRI shows nothing

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Alx790

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Piriformis is active when your foot is turned outwarRAB. I think the chriopractor may be onto something. Even if he has sorted out the piriformis muscle itself by treating you the symptoms can take some time to go (can be more than 6 months sometimes) as nerves can take a while to repair themselves and can be symptomatic until fully repaired..
 
PS Steroid injections can be very affective in this area and in some cases give immediate relief - but that is only when it actually IS those structures causing the problem - it relies on an accurate diagnosis of course!
 
I had an injection like that too. they put the anesthetic in and if its the si joint causing you pain you will feel immediate relief, then they inject the steroid. after 2 days i felt wonderful. please let us know how you feel afterwarRAB. i'm still new to this pain thing and i'm trying to learn how to cope with it.
 
Thanks for the input. I saw a spine specialist and he is thinking it's Sacroilitis and only 10% chance of it being piriformus. Wants to see MRI but someone had mentioned that a standing MRI would be a better option.

I will let you all know if I hear anything more.

Thanks much
d
 
I am currently in a lot of pain from a car accident back in July of '07. The MRI showed some narrowing tween L4-L5 which doesn't sound too bad but the pain is terrible. My chiropractor says that the "paraformis" muscle that wraps around the sciatic nerve has been aggravated and now I get pains that shoot down my leg. It happens mainly when I turn my foot out, like when I change a direction while walking or getting up. There is a spot in buttocks tween the spine and my hip that is extremely tender to the touch.

Any ideas what might be going on? My PCP says that he doesn't find anything wrong but that the symptoms are there. He has sent me to a PM dr that specializes in the spine, that appt is tomorrow. Is there anything I might be able to tell the dr that might help??

Thanks for any help
d
 
Thanks for all the advice. I picked up my MRI images and dropped them off, appt is Monday at 430. I can't wait to find out if this is the problem and he can fix me. I've had 4 steroid injections at L4-L5 and they never helped.

I have been doing yoga and other stretches to help with some of this pain. It's really a day to day thing. I actually played golf today with manageable levels of pain (stretching every few holes) Other days though its a struggle to just do my day to day activities. I've started an eating program and dropped 57lbs so far. I found that this has helped as well.


Thanks again for the input and help

d
 
Your chiropractor is on to something. The "piriformis" muscle can certainly cause sciatica. There are simple stretches that can help immensely. Google piriformis stretch and you'll find them.
 
Super congrats on the weight loss!!! GOOD FOR you!!!That is really impressive considering all that you are going through! When i hurt my back, I gained 50 Ilbs.

I hope the appointment goes well on Monday. It will be interesting to her what they have to say.

Good luck
 
hi, i too was in an auto accident and had a negative mri. i was then diagnosed with sacroilitis. my pain is located exactly where you described and goes down both legs. i also have hip pain and low back pain because of it. i am interested in hearing what your doctor says.
 
His first thought is to inject lydacaine (sp) and see if the pain goes away. If so, then he was talking about a possible steroid injection to that joint.

I will let you know

d
 
i think its cool that your staying active even with the pain. i've not been active much but i've not gained or lost weight since i've been in pain about 5 months now. my physical therapist said his goal is to get me active again. we will see.
reading posts like yours make me want to live normal again, accept that the pain is there and go on. thanks!
 
This new diagnosis would also make sense with the piriformis problem as piriformis attaches to the ligaments around the sacrum and illia and would become inflammed if those structures are inflammed aswell. So with you it is possible the cause is the Sacroilial joint and the symptoms are being aggravated / maintained by the piriformis muscle. Obviously this is conjecture at this stage! If you want any of my opinions - just ask!
 
I agree that the piriformis could be the issue - that being said "some narrowing" isn't really that descriptive so another option could be a standing MRI which might show more. A had a friend who had a normal MRI but lots of pain, until someone recommended a standing MRI and it turned out that she had a bulging disc.

Good Luck
 
I was just reading an article about this the other day and it said that annular tears and small lateral herniations don't always show up on MRI and many people have a clean MRI with symptoms.
 
Well I had my appt yesterday and it just how I figured. I was actually quite surprised I was required to make this appt just for him to read my MRI and tell me the same thing he told me last time. So basically, no new news. I did find out that since this was caused from a car accident that I've received settlement for, I will be required to pay for it out of pocket.

Frustrated today, but the pain is manageable. Maybe I don't need the injection.

d
 
i am so glad i read your post. mine was from an accident as well but i haven't settled yet. i know those injections are quite expensive.
i'm still doing physical therapy (for 5 months now) and having injections. my physical therapy seems to be helping the most. i have had 6 days almost pain free now. for the last 4 months my therapist has worked solely on my low back due to the extreme pain around my sac joints. last week he began working on those joints, i just had to suck it up and let him (yes i did cry like a baby) but it was the best thing i ever did. since then, i have felt wonderful. for a while i thought i had been misdiagnosed and i thought i had cancer because the pain so unbearable. then i had come to the realization that i will have to live with that pain forever. i was certain it was permanent. i'm now starting to see that it is possible to control the pain. although its not gone, its much more bearable and i am much happier now. i hope you get to this point soon as well. keep in touch!
 
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