Sciatica - frightened of cause of it!

[snowflake293]

Hello all

Been a while since I posted, and in general my health anxiety hasn't been too bad. However, for the last couple of weeks I have had back pain radiating down my right buttock and down the outside of my leg.

I have had this before and it can last between a few weeks and 6 months! I know I shouldn't be worried - but I am.

I have very mild scoliosis (curved spine) and stenosis (narrowing between the discs) in my lower back. I have had back pain on and off for about 10 years but tend to manage it well with physiotherapy exercises I try and do every morning.

Freaking out cause I was reading up online about sciatica and one of the causes can be cancer/tumours! (why oh why do I have to Google...:doh:) anyway, minds gone into overdrive now thinking "what if I am unlucky enough to have cancer" and "what if I already have cancer somewhere and now it has spread to my spine"

I know the most LIKELY cause is due to my ongoing back issues, but my mind is spinning like a hamster in a wheel now!

Feel cross with myself for letting the health anxiety demons take over again, I'd been doing so well!

Also, the pain is effing horrible and ibuprofen just isn't touching it :weep:

[Buster70]

Hi , I felt the same way through December and January couldn't think of anything else , had an mri and it was worn and dry discs in the middle and lower back , crunches and hurts but it wasn't as bad as I was thinking and you are probably the same , mine has eased up since I started taking cod liver oil could be that it's just healed some , got some new health and family worries now to replace it it's never easy is it we just hop from one worry to another , listen to your rational side , take care .

[snowflake293]

I am the same, I hop from one 'illness' to another! I am much better than I used to be though and I think I am getting over my health anxiety. I have never had an mri on my back but I had an xray last year which showed the issues I have. I just worry that I have a tumour also and they missed it :(

[Buster70]

You know deep down its very unlikely they missed somthing but if it gives you peace of mind get them to check again , I ignored my bad back for years just putting up with it it only became an issue when I devoloped the health anxiety , I used to ignore everything unless it was bleeding or falling off now I panic at every ache and pain , maybe the pain will subside soon and you can mark it off as just back ache, now if I can only convince myself I'm ok , take care

[countrygirl]

Understand totally. I have prolapsed or hernaited discs in my neck and lumbar spine that cause me pain all the time to some degree or other and have disabled me but my lumbar spine goes through phases of siezing up totally for days at a time with sciatica inbetween. then it can settle down for weeks/months!
I have had many mri scans over past 10 years because like you I always think what if this time etc etc and every time the results have been the same damage showing.
So I know how you are feeling. maybe go and chat to your Dr and explain your fear and hopefully they can reassure you.

[Josh1234]

You've had it before. It's an ongoing issue. It's not a tumor!

[MyNameIsTerry]

Sciatica can be a pain in the backside (:winks:). You know it's the same anxious thinking that told you that you had something sinister with all the other worries. Plus you know you have issues in that area of the body, why and for a long time now.

It can take time to get rid of it, mine took ages, but just keeping doing the exercises and trying things for it. The rest is anxious thinking and each time you have come through the other side of the other worries so they are your evidence of why this thinking is the main issue here.

[snowflake293]

Thanks for the replies. I still have the pain but I noticed one day last week it really went off for about half a day then came back. If it was due to a tumour or cancer of any kind surely I'd be in more pain and it would be constant?

The pain is getting me down to be honest and causing my to be quite anxious and ratty (gonna post sommat in another page on the forum about anxiety and irritability) been taking pain killers and using heat pads but just gotta accept its gonna hurt for a bit.

I'm my own worse enemy cause I know if I do all my exercises and lose some weight I will feel loads better and my anxiety would be better too, but unfortunately I always tend to gravitate towards lying down and drinking... oh dear...