Anybody have L5-S1 nerve irritation not from spine?

[mmarsh]

WOW! I seem to have hit upon a sensitive issue! My nerve test does indicate a problem in the L5-S1 nerve root, but both MRIs have shown nothing. I have been walking 2.5 miles every day and stretching. Some days I can walk in 45 minutes, but sometimes it takes an hour or more. Exercise is difficult. I can play golf (with lots of drugs), but only once every 2 weeks or I pay dearly. What else can I be doing to find out if this is in fact not spine related? Pelvic MRI is scheduled for next week. Again, thanks for all your input.

M-

[Jack-of-all-trades]

Have you considered this: Piriformis Syndrome and Piriformis Muscle Stretches There are physical maneuvers design to elicit a response are available.

[Justin]

Have you considered this: Piriformis Syndrome and Piriformis Muscle Stretches There are physical maneuvers design to elicit a response are available.

Good point, Jack. Piriformis Syndrome is underdiagnosed. Here's some more information from the Spine Patient Society Educational Library found on our Homepage: Spine Patient Society Educational Library -- Piriformis Syndrome.

[mmarsh]

Guys

My piriformis is not the problem. I've been stretching it for years and at many times in the past it has been much more tender and tight without the referal pain I'm experiencing. It was a good thought, however! The pain is not that deep and is a bit higher in the buttock/hip area. The discomfort/pain I feel in my foot is what makes me the craziest. I get this feeling that my foot is buzzing. It's like the pins and needles are so close together that there's no relief and I get the feeling that it's buzzing. The foot also tends to cramp quite severely especially as the day progresses. Sometimes it's in the toes and other times it's in the foot itself. During my walk it can also feel numb. I can also get cramping in the back of the thigh. The calf is in a constant state of spasm as it's tight all the time. If you have any other ideas, I'm open for suggestion!

M-

[Nairek]

Tenderness over the SI joint would lend itself to ligament problems, but tenderness is involved in many other spine dysfunctions as well. Thus, there's really no "clear cut" diagnosis for ligamentous injury--it's almost a diagnosis of exclusion.

Oh I have more than tenderness over the SI Joint. You can't even touch mine without me screaming & whipping around to knock your lights out!! Just ask my last pain management doctor. Good thing he has fast reflexes. Otherwise I would have been hauled off in handcuffs for sure!

I was diagnosed with sacroiliitis. Guess it showed up nicely on both sides on x-ray.