Which is worse? The disease or the cure? For sciatica patients, it can be tough to know. While many treatments are prescribed for sciatica, no standard intervention boasts compelling long-term outcomes. Justin B., like many other sciatica patients, bounced from treatment to treatment, and some of his attempts to solve the problem set him back further.
Category: Patient Profile
Shannon’s Story: The Test of a Sunny Disposition
It was like he had stepped on a lightning rod. The current curved from his back through his left hip and reached down through his leg and ankle. “It was just the most painful thing I’ve ever felt,” Shannon said. “It was so painful I couldn’t speak. All you can do in moments like that is hang on for dear life.”
An Unwanted Constant in a Time of Change
While Amelia U.’s young adulthood included all the adventures and growth opportunities you’d expect, she also dragged an unwanted companion named “sciatica” around with her.
When Your Sitting Pain Starts Where Doctors Won’t Look
To chronic pain patients, the following situation is all too familiar: They start having pain, which worsens until everyday activities become unbearable. They go to their doctor, expecting treatment or at least a diagnosis. But the doctor scratches her head. She is looking for an obvious cause. Say, a knife sticking out of a patient’s chest. But there is no obvious cause. So the patient starts a scavenger hunt of specialist visits, general therapy, and alternative treatments. Maybe there is some degree of relief. Maybe not. There sure isn’t a diagnosis, or any specific problem identified. Hillary B.’s experience was…