Tag Archives: Disc

In April 2007 I overexerted myself walking (long strides) and the next month was an endless string of emergency room visits, Demerol, Oxycodone, and ultimately oral steroids. I had a lumbar MRI done in May 07 and it showed I had a “slight” problem with a bulging L4/5 disc that “may cause some discomfort”. I would have laughed if it hadn’t hurt so terrible. One doctor ran a small picky wheel over my foot and it indicated to him a problem with the sciatic nerve. He was of the opinion some pressure was being place on it by the bulging disc but he also didn’t reckon I was a candidate for surgery because I hadn’t lost any motor skills or bowel control. My right leg has been numb since May 07. My hips and lower back ached all the time but most likely from lack of use… I was worried to do much because I thought I’d make it worse.
In April 08 I had another MRI done and the report stated my discs really looked better than in 07. Excellent news, but the numbness was still there. I bought an inversion table and found it to be helpful overall. I use it twice a day at 30 degrees. My most vital revelation but, is that I kept reading about the piriformis muscle. My overexertion walking (which nobody ever addressed) could have strained, pulled, or otherwise hurt the piriformis muscle on the right side and also place pressure on the sciatic nerve, leading me (and apparently everyone else) to believe I had sciatica due to bulging discs. I have been doing deep stretching exercises for the piriformis and the numbness in my right leg stays away for 8 hours or so. I am now of the belief that there is scar tissue on the piriformis and I must continue stretching it many times a day to ward off numbness and pain. I have copies of the 2007 and 2008 MRIs and I want to know if there is any way to determine hurt to the piriformis from those MRIs?