L5 vertebra and sciatica

[Cobblersandhogwash]

After a year of pain, I've finally seen a consultant who tells me, after an MRI scan, that my L5 vertebra has shifted 2 or 3 mms.

It's pressing on my sciatic nerve.

It's wear and tear he says. The rest of the spine is fine just this one vertebra.

He's offered me injections that might work to reduce the irritated swollen nerve.

But there's nothing else really to be done. Osteopathy would just aggravate it further.

Has anyone else suffered with this? I can't believe I'm going to be with this pain and restricted movement forever.

In a similar position although mine down to arthritis. Can you describe your pain please

Is it the bone or disc in between the two that has moved?

Bad lower back ache. Stiff back. Shooting pains in buttocks and then in the left calf. That's the nerve pain.

Pilates might help?

cobblers I get all that apart from the calf. I get a dull ache in my leg but nothing major. Mines bad by lunchtime and for the rest of the day.
Pilates can help. Do you take medication?

Are there any chairs good for this?

I have spondylolisthesis. Grade 1 so not that bad but bloody painful!

I too have spondylolisthesis with degenerative discs at l3 l4,l5 but I’m going through a better phase now( hence replying). I actually think that Pilates has helped and stretching my tight hamstrings. It’s taken a while though. I tried Pilates ages ago when first afflicted and it did not seem to help, ( actually possibly made it worse) but then I joined a gentle class for people with bad backs and that seemed to help. There are some Pilates exercises to avoid if you have a spondylolisthesis so it’s wise to choose a knowledgeable teacher.can your specialist refer you for physio to set up specific stretches?

I have bad degeneration of the disc L5/S2 along with two bulges L4 and somewhere else, can't quite remember, think it may be 2. Pilates didn't really help me at the time but I'm going to give it another whirl now my sciatica has calmed down. Go to a proper physio pilates class though, I've been told to avoid exercises such as cobra stretch ones where you arc the back inwards. Of course this was before I had my mri and I had been given such exercises by the gp

Building up your core is pretty essential when you are feeling up to it as it helps support the back.

Have you had your feet and that checked out too? Turns out a lot of my problems comes from having pretty hypermobile joints. Proper specially made insoles has helped slightly.

My mum has had the steroid injection in her back and it was fab for a year and a half. Unfortunately it came back.

The pain sucks. I've had it for two years and have come to terms with the fact now it's something I'll have to live with in some low level way when it's ok and conscious of it can get worse again.

No advice really, but just to say it can eventually get better.
I suffered L4 and L5 disc prolapse after childbirth 20 years ago and was in agonising nerve pain for months. My consultant said it would improve after 5 years,which was not comforting news at the time and it was handled conservatively. I did opt to have what I think was a lumbar puncture in desperation. I was later advised by another consultant that this procedure was completely unsuitable and I found infact it made the pain even worse.
Generally the nerve pain has gone,but to this day I am very mindful of my back, careful lifting and bending as the slightest thing can unsettle it. I have been left with some weakness in the foot of my leg which suffered the nerve pain.