Sorry it is not AIBU posting for traffic
Some years back I sustained an injury to my back which did not get better on its own and I ended up needing a CT guided steroid injection in my spine. Luckily this healed it and I didn’t have to have the surgery. During this time I could barely walk unaided (I had crutches) as the L4/5 disc had ruptured and impinged my leg nerve so badly I now have permanent nerve damage in one leg. One whole area of it is numb. I didn’t even ever have back pain, I had a leg that burned intensely day and night, it would twitch on its own, my foot was was stiff and I couldn’t move it, so painful it was like sciatica on steroids. I was like this for about 6 months until I got the steroid injection as they kept telling me to give it time and it would improve on its own. I had physio, acupuncture, everything nothing helped. I had relief within 1 hour of that steroid injection and it just kept getting better.
I know that you can’t even get an MRI until 6-8 weeks of symptoms and that most sciatica’s do resolve on their own but I am still traumatised by spending 6 months like I did. I didn’t sleep for months, my relationship broke down and I developed an alcohol problem due to depression and poor pain management, I’ve worked really hard to get back from it. I’m really fit and healthy now. They told me once you had a rupture it could be weak and happen again.
Felt stiff on Sunday, tried to go for a walk last night and my bad leg was stiff and burning. It burned all night I couldn’t sleep, it’s radiating across my abdomen and in my hip exactly like it started last time. I am so afraid of this happening to me again. I don’t know what to do. I know all the physio exercises, I will keep moving as much as I can, what else can I do to stop it getting worse. Has anyone had this before