Health Link: Looking to gain muscle? Buy Possible Sciatica
By Groovybabe • Oct 30th, 2007 • Category: gym, healthThanks to Diana the Scale Junkie, I have worked out that I may have Sciatica. Of course, I was hoping this would just go away and I would not need a medical diagnosis but it doesn’t seem to want to and I am no doctor, so as soon as the surgery is open I will ring up and make an appointment.
Last night laying in bed the pain was so bad. It seems to get worse after a workout. Before bed I couldnt even lift my right foot off the ground and it took me 10 minutes to get from one room to another. It was so bad that I started wondering if I had what my sister had a few years ago. The medics were at a loss to find an actual cause for the fact that her legs seemed to give up on her, they came up with everything from Guillain-barre syndrome, to MS but were never completely sure. But Sciatica sounds a more likely cause.
I am just really worried that I am going to be told I cannot go to the gym. Aside from it being really important for my weightloss, in jogging I have found a natural anti-depressant and I have never had such a mental equilibrium as I have had these last six months I have been working out. The gym is my life!
I guess there is no use in jumping the gun until I have seen a doctor.
EDIT: Just back from the doctors. He says it is not sciatica because I didn’t scream in pain when he performed some tests. He says I have pulled a muscle deep in my bum. He has given me two different types of very strong meds to help with the pain. I’ve been told that it is best to avoid the gym and walking as that is causing me pain. He suggested a deep tissue massage. He said it will hurt as they get deep into your muscles but it would be beneficial and to speak to my gym as they may offer that service. I think I have seen ads around the place for deep massage but don’t have the money for that this week. He reckons it could be with me for a while before it disappears. 
Groovybabe is 14.11 stones today and feeling in control.
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I had a similar thing for ages once, in the end I handled it by deep massage on my bum muscles!
That is a really big muscle and if it is tight it pulls the spine out of place, or holds it out of place. You can do it yourself, use your knuckles to rub deep….it is worth a try!
I find the gym does the same things for me. I hope it isnt sciatica. Are you taking a a multivitamin or fish oil? Fish oil is fantastic in so many ways for your health generally, but it’s really indispensable for joint health when you’re working out. It will very likely help if you try it. You can get unscented tablets that don’t make you burp up that awful fishy taste. Mine are masked with natural citrus flavour. My joints ache if I work out and don’t take them.
I just tried that and its sent an achy feeling all up my spine, so I think I’ll leave it for a professional to diagnose, lol.
Dana - Just back from the doctor. He said he doesn’t think its a sciatica/disc problem because I didnt scream when he pushed my legs backwards. He says its a pulled muscle deep within my bottock and has given me loads of drugs to get rid of the pain! Says it could be with me for a while and as the gym is causing me so much trouble I shouldnt do it… :’( Not sure I will be able to follow his advice on that…
Oh Dana, I forgot to add that I have just started (yesterday) taking a multivitamin called WellWoman which has pretty much everything in it. I got a 7 day free trial in that freebe gym bag I got yesterday, so it’ll be interesting to see if that helps.
whooaah, thats the worst advice ever! cut your exercise program?? LOL. Wow!!!
obviously you need to take it easy until you recover and the pain is gone, i would just say stretch a little more and warm up and take it easy when you get back to it.
elite athletes pull muscles all the time, do they stop their careers because their activities are “causing them trouble”… omg, hilarious!
it’s causing you soooooo much trouble too… 50lbs weight loss and permanently elevated mood since starting…. oh boy claire! you better quit your negative gym habit ASAP!!! LOL!!!
Just wow!!! I hate most doctors.
LOL you are too funny! Heh
How it happened was I said “I won’t have to stop working out will I?” and he said “you need to stop doing the things that are causing you pain so yeah…” so I was like ‘its just…. i love the gym! I’ve lost over 3 stones going to the gym…(he chuckled!) … and I am scared if I stop going, even temporarily, then it will counter the effects of weightloss…’ and he didnt say anything just stayed quiet. In another conversation he did say to speak to the gym as they are bound to see these types of injury so may be able to give some advice and see them about a deep tissue massage… but I dont have money for a deep tissue massage this week so that is a no go, lol.
The last time I have been to the gym, a couple of hours afterwards I have barely been able to walk and practically been in tears from pain so I do see his point that I need to rest the muscles. He did show me some stretches to do to help the healing… but I just don’t think I can stay out of the gym! I am addicted! LOL. I have a workout scheduled for tomorrow and all I have been able to think about all evening is the fact that I have to miss my cardio (I still plan on going to do some weights lol as thats an upper body workout) so I think I will go in early tomorrow as I know my instructor is in and I will get her advice on how to proceed.
I see your point too, not only have I lost all that weight and improved my moods, I’ve bought myself out of agoraphobia and a panic disorder plus gotten 500% fitter than I was. That is ALL down to the gym and exercise!
The last couple of times I have been to the gym I have been in pain a few hours later**
I’m so glad it isn’t sciatica! I’m hoping that your deep muscle issue can be resolved. Some of the massage schools here offer discounted massages from students practicing for their exams, do you have anything like that there? Did they recommend ice or heat or alternating between the two? Hopefully the stretches will ease it up some. {{{HUGS}}}
Thanks. The pain is barely noticable in my bum/leg this morning but I do have a prominent dull ache in the small of my back. I bet if I go workout today though I’ll be in loads of pain afterwards.
well. How does one pull a butt muscle???
Hope you’re on the mend and back to the sweat factory soon!
Thanks for the comment on my blog.