Herniated disc / sciatica / something else?

[sadgrizzly]

Hi, so just after anyone else's experience really.
About a year ago I was diagnosed with sciatica. Classic sciatica pain, along with a bit of numbness on the foot.
Doctor prescribed painkillers. It comes and goes, I get on with it, but it has been coming and going, worse at night etc etc.
Anyway the last couple of nights it's been really really bad, been doing a lot of playing trains on the floor with my toddler so possible caused it to flair up.
Was having a Google at 3am this morning and was wondering if it's more than sciatica and possibly a slipped / herniated disc.
The other thing I have, and I've had this lots longer than the sciatica, like years, is at the bottom of by back / top of my bum, there is an area that if pressed is just agony. I remember having a massage at a spa and it was just excruciating. If little one jumps on my back for a ride and hits that bit I'm like a bucking bronco!
I've never mentioned that to the doc as I didn't think it was connected but now I'm wondering.
I'm 39, a bit fat but apart from that pretty healthy and strong.
Do these symptoms sound familiar to anyone?
Thanks in advance!
😁

Sciatica will have a cause: often a herniated disc. Can you see a physio? Or a good chiropractor that someone has personally recommended?

After some gardening I had immense pain and tingles down into my leg, physio said it was a slipped disk pressing on sciata. Called the gp who sisd the same but won't send me for a scan to confirm it.

However after googling there are two types one where its pressing on your nerves I think that's the herniated one, another I think is lumbar where its the other way.

Each have slightly different things you can or cannot do.

Thats what an mri scan is important to diagnose it but seems like spending money on that isnt something my gp wants to do. Instead just rest for a few weeks it'll get better. Like wtf happened to preventative medicine. What happens if I do something that makes it worse later on and then costs more to fix.

I'll probably end up going private and paying for one its around £200.

I cant believe you waited a year. Go back to your gp or if yo mu can afford it just pay for a scan. Your back is important.

Thanks for your replies. Spoke to go yesterday who said it doesn't sound like a slipped disc. He is sending me for some bloods to check for inflammatory markers, and has sent me some exercises, which I will have a go at but are a little beyond my capabilities!
I was considering paying for a private session but not sure if it would be physio or chiro.... Its so expensive I can't afford to get it wrong!

I had sciatica for the past year. The physical therapy did not work. The only position that I could stay was on the floor, on my belly, elbows on a pillow or flat. I kept one of my legs, the painful one, elevated on a stool. I had two back injections (ghastly pain, I would never do one again without general anesthesia), and the pain subsided to a point that I could start walking, slightly limping... little by little, I stopped taking Tylenol. I still have a lingering pain in my calf if I stand too long. I still spend time on my belly, it helps with the pain. I invested in a Herman Miller office chair for work. If it wasn't for corona, I would love to spend time in the pool. Hope you feel better!

Good luck OP. I have a herman miller chair! Worth every penny I spent on it.

My alleged slipped disc is improving but I think I might shell out for a mri scan myself for peace of mind.

My sciatica came on last April like a storm! I could hardly walk to the corner shop without tears, it really was agony. What I'm left with now is I can walk miles and miles without a twinge but once I lay down in bed Omg I could cut it off, it aches, cramps, pins and needles.

I had exactly this last year. Top of my foot and my big toe had a weird pins and needles sensation, almost a hypersensitive feeling. Couldn't lie on my side because it aggravated the discomfort. Also an extremely painful leg and lower back for a couple of days before. Gp thought it was a disc issue so started me on pregabalin and referred me to spinal team. They offered me an mri but said it probably wasn't worth it as the result wouldn't change my management. They don't operate unless you have specific red flag symptoms. In the end all they could offer was physio which consisted of a few youtube videos
A year later I'm still on pregab as the symptoms are still there. Really wish I'd had the scan now...

@Juliettbravo

I had exactly this last year. Top of my foot and my big toe had a weird pins and needles sensation, almost a hypersensitive feeling. Couldn't lie on my side because it aggravated the discomfort. Also an extremely painful leg and lower back for a couple of days before. Gp thought it was a disc issue so started me on pregabalin and referred me to spinal team. They offered me an mri but said it probably wasn't worth it as the result wouldn't change my management. They don't operate unless you have specific red flag symptoms. In the end all they could offer was physio which consisted of a few youtube videos A year later I'm still on pregab as the symptoms are still there. Really wish I'd had the scan now...

Sounds the same as me... And obviously with covid all the appointments are way in the future. I suppose I just wait and see if the bloods flag anything and go from there. Hope yours improves x