Get your doctor to recommend you for physio so you can start strengthening the back muscles

you should really get an xray to see if you indeed have a bulging disc...

You most likely do have a disc injury. Just try not to sit as much.
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Try rolfing. It's not usually covered, but they do effectively treat disc injuries. Also try acupuncture for pain and numbness in your legs.

my bf is a physio and he read through this whole thread... and he definitely thinks you should see a physio for a proper assessment.

he thinks it's a disc problem, doesn't sound like sciatica, but you will need to be physically examined to be sure. pm me if you have any further questions/concerns.

Sciatica can be caused by a disc injury.....

sciata is an umbrella term for any type of aggravation to the sciatic nerve that can be described by a number of symptoms...

Yes, I agree, sciatica is very much a vague term that is used very loosely to describe a variety of symptoms in the back. But by definition, a disc injury aggravates nerve roots, not the sciatic nerve.

sorry to highjack this thread, but im having something similar to this, got in a car accident, and my mid lower back is having a lot of pain, 2 days ago i awkwardly cracked my back and the pain disappeared, but now its my ankle that has tingling feeling and it gets numb/hurt at time, i suppose i will see my doctor again, he just said its normal whiplash and it should disappear...

Sounds like referral pain from the low back. It's common for people to have no localized back pain when sciatica symptoms and severe.
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Pm me if you got more questions.
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ohh god sounds terrible... i think i had the same thing years ago, lasted for 2 years. It was a pinch nerve I believe. Pain in my lower right back that shoots pain all the way down to my calf... especially when I bend back. Went to vegas with that pain... brutal had to walk around in that pain was deadly.... Chiro didn't really help... time did

Forgot about this thread lol
Heres an update

I finally did an MRI a week or two after I started feeling pain. Had to wait till pain subsided so I could drive and walk to the MRI.

Results came in and I have bulging disk l4/l5 lumbar or something

well fast forward today and it has been 3+ months.
Hasn't got any better and I feel like an old man can't lift or do anything. Even brushing my teeth over the sink hurts my lower back.

Been going chiro twice weekly and it has been helping with the pain.
ICBC is taking forever to approve funding for the Rehab but eventually it will be started...

Thanks for the responses guys really helped me out figuring WTF happend lol

I'm going through the same shit right now. I found that a few excercises really really helps me get through the day and the morning. Basically what I learned is that the disc has a hard time getting nutrients and stuff to heal itself. But you can aid this and I've felt some really positive things with the things I am doing:

For me: I use one of those excercise balls, sit on it and lightly go up and down on it while sitting straight up with my arms to my side. It was explained to me that this pumps the disc very slightly to manually get some of the good stuff into it and pump some of the bad stuff out. Do this very very gently. You should even lift your but off the ball.

Second thing is just marching in place gently. This helped me quite a bid.

Sleep on your side with a pillow between your knees. If you sleep on your back, put a pillow under your knees. This helps me get through the night with a very noticable decrease in pain.

Use ice on your back where your L4/L5 lumbar spines are. Ice will help reduce the inflamation of the nerves. Using something hot will most likely cause the nerve to inflame.

Of course I'm not a physician or medically qualified to suggest the above. But this is what I did and it has helped tremendously. Do the above at your own risk. I have an appointment to see physio and a spinal surgeon myself.

Good luck and know that you're not alone.

Thanks for the tips, but I don't want to risk doing any exercises without a proper supervision.

I used to do super slow squats with no weights, just my own body weight and go as low as I can, that helped a little bit but now I can't do it anymore because it would hurt to much next day.

For the sleeping tips that's exactly how I sleep lol, but instead of using a pillow I just bunch up my blanket.

Hope you get better soon as well. It is really annoying injury to live with day to day.

Good decision in not doing any exercise. Hopefully we can get you in sooner than later. Hang in there.
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Your nervous system originates from your spinal cord. Depending on where you injured your back, associated areas of the body will more or less be stimulated.
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First off...not all chiro's are the same!
For sure you have something wrong with your spine...hence the numbness - the spine holds the most important thing in your body - your nervous system!
Going to the right chiropractor will help you immensely. The awesome chiro I see would NEVER tell you to sit at home for he is an ironman competitor and totally is against all drugs and conventional thinking.
Best to look into other options because if you aren't getting better you haven't tried the solution that will work for you!
Check out my chiropractor:
Chiropractor | Vancouver Chiropractor
Dr. Trevor Kilian will have you moving and out of pain so fast you will be shocked!
Good luck!

He is doing a lot better now. He is seeing me for treatment.
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Thumbs up for Antony!

In his active rehab program and it is doing wonders. He changed what I do day to day and it has helped tremendously.
Little things like walking, brushing my teeth, sitting. That kind of stuff i would never think I needed changing to recover.

I am not 100% yet but hopefully I will get to that point.
Its night and day from what I was before.

Anyone that needs some physio should pm him!