hard to believe but true - the history of Coca Cola

[Norm]

Awful. Nerve damage is horribly complex, annoying as hell, and drugs vary enormously by person. I had sciatica last year. It's gone. I don't know why. I went to PT, I did exercises for pinched nerves. I take 1,000 mcg B12. BUT, I now have a transverse nerve with damage, hypersensitivity, and left leg numbness. Gabapentin helps the pain. Also other associated symptoms that are annoying. I bought socks used by diabetics and they help, even though I don't have diabetes. I can regularly walk a couple miles now. But, forget two story home. And sitting is seriously painful. I apologized that I couldn't attend a LV party in Feb as I can't fly.

The linked N.I.H. article says you need 2.5 mcg B12. Perhaps that's right. But, I was advised to take 1,000 mcg a day. Sounds absurd. But, unlike some vitamins, B12 has rare adverse effects with volume. (Not putting down the N.I.H., but the current head of NIH did short-sheet me when I stayed at his parents house when we were kids.)

[drunk]

I had sciatica last year. It's gone. I don't know why.

I ruined my feet from 100s of hours of playing Bball on asphalt and hardwood courts - back in the day when I was playing they didn't have the great sneaks that they now do
everybody, even pros, work Chucks - Converse All Stars - and they provided minimal protection - it was cool to wear them but they sucked
I got older like most people do and I started limping like a dog
I got orthotics and it helped a lot

so, anyway, I had this buddy who was working at a store where he had to stand up all day
he was limping - for years - just like me, the same way - I told him I know your feet hurt - you need orthotics
he refused - he's one of these men who never goes to see a Doctor - there are lots of them

then, all of a sudden one day I noticed he wasn't limping any more
I asked him why and he said his pain disappeared

it was astonishing
I know he didn't see a Doctor
the human body is an incredible thing sometimes

[BoSox]

I had sciatica last year. It's gone.

I have been trying to get through a recent "rare" flair up of sciatica that started about three weeks ago and am losing the battle. Five nights in a row now I have gotten about one hour sleep each night, as the bed seems to be, for me at least, the most painful place to be. All brought on by over doing some yard work for some exercise LOL.

[Norm]

Exercise -- evil. My sciatica always flared on hot days last summer. I was afraid it would reappear this summer and didn't. You can try going to a physical therapist if you can find a good one. Get lots of tests first, nerve conduction, blood flow, and MRI, and take them with you. Some of these folks are pretty knowledgeable. Some aren't.

[BoSox]

Exercise -- evil. My sciatica always flared on hot days last summer. I was afraid it would reappear this summer and didn't. You can try going to a physical therapist if you can find a good one. Get lots of tests first, nerve conduction, blood flow, and MRI, and take them with you. Some of these folks are pretty knowledgeable. Some aren't.

Thank you Norm, I appreciate the advice.

[drunk]

............................


I underwent acupuncture for back pain - twice
the first time was great - the pain subsided for a few years
but it came back - the 2nd time I had it, it wasn't very helpful


also, Freightman said cortisone injections didn't help him
but they did help me quite a bit - I've been resisting getting one now out of laziness - and I prefer not to get drugs injected if possible


also, many of us in the modern world, including me, are overweight - lately I've been dieting with some success
the excess weight definitely strains the lower back

[drunk]

...................

almost all of the topical creams for back pain are worthless (IMHO) - they work for about 90 seconds
but there is one exception - Capsaicin- it does work for me and others for a significant amount of time - but there is a downside

it is some kind of pepper and it will make your skin feel hot and peppery
my theory is your body cannot process 2 types of irritation at one time so you only feel the hot, peppery sensation, not the back pain
and for me, that's a very positive trade off


this product gets a thumbs up from N.I.H. and the National Library of Medicine
btw, much of the research from the nlm is available free online re a great many topics



https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1954640/





Note: diphenhydramine is the active ingredient in allergy medicines such as Benadryl and store brands are cheaper - it is legal OTC

it will get you high in the small recommended dose if you are sensitive to medicine and if not you could take a double dose with no danger
the teens that want to get high from it swallow a whole bottle and go trippin - that's definitely stupid and foolish

it may relieve pain temporarily - it does for me

[drunk]

................

exercise, specifically stretching, is recommended for back pain
I've done that in the past but the help it gave me was minor

but recently I found a stretching exercise that helps a lot
my pain is on the right side - so I swing my right leg up like a punter in football - and then swing it back behind me

helps quite a bit - I haven't used my various topical stuff in days