Chronic sciatica with no low back pain

by Jordan
(Big Spring, TX, United States)

Which of these describes your pain pattern?

Which of these describes your pain pattern?

Hi, for about a year now I have had severe pain in my right leg. When it started out I was able to take one Aleve tablet and that would last me for about three days. I have been taking Aleve on a regular basis since and I have built up a tolerance and now two tablets barely last 24 hours. I have been to the chiropractor and went through electric stimulation and none of this seems to be helping. Did he do no manipulation?


I recently purchased an inversion table and have seen slight relief. Although, when I get off the table my joints slam back into place and severe pain shoots down my leg; to the point where I am rolling on the floor in extreme pain. I am only 19 and I feel like relief will never come.

While on my inversion table tonight I realized that pain was radiating from my coccyx. I have bruised it before since I was an avid softball player in high school. I was wondering if there was any possible way that a fracture to my coccyx could cause this sciatica like pain? My tailbone is tender to the touch and it has been for quite sometime but I rarely notice. I am so tired of this pain and I just want to know if there is a certain stretch or a specialist I should see.

The pain in detail:
When laying down it circulates laterally on my mid right thigh and around my knee-cap. Sometimes the pain reaches my calf almost like shinsplints. I rarely have pain in my lower back, it is mainly from my hip down. Laying down makes it worse, and sitting in cushy seats aggravates it as well.

Also, I do not know if this is relevant but I believe my hips are out of alignment. My left leg is probably a half-inch or more shorter than my right. I was a pitcher for my softball team and I always landed on my left and dragged my right. So I think this may have affected its growth, or just messed up my hips' alignment. Like I said I do not know if this is relevant, but I felt the need to share that.

If you need more information I am more than happy to provide it. I am desperate for help. At 19, I should not be having problems like this. Anything is greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for your time.

Hello Jordan and thank you for a very clearly written account. Some Americans it seems can write in English!

Yes, I'm not surprised you are frustrated; rightly so and if I may so, you should have pursued this more vigorously a long time ago; you now have chronic pain, and that's a lot more difficult.

Firstly a few questions.

1. How many times did you consult the chiropractor and do you feel he gave you a good examination and explain where the pain was coming from?

2. Did he have anything to say about your short leg, and make any recommendations?

3. Have you had an x-ray taken, and what did it show?

4. Did your chiropractor give you any exercises, and are you doing them faithfully every day?

Then, off the Aleve, have you read the side effects by the way, would you spend the next few days, as accurately as possible noting what seems to provoke the pain in your leg and reporting back to me.

There's much to be done, and it's important; otherwise you'll have this for life. At this stage I'm not convinced you have sciatica, but the next set of questions will establish that.

Dr B


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