[Personal Experience] Is it true that sciatica "heals naturally"? Pain changes with Lyrica (pregabalin) and health risks for the FIRE generation

For several years, I had a strange sensation from my buttocks to my lower back.
At first, it was a mild pain, but it gradually reached a level I could no longer ignore.

As for the symptoms,

• a tingling, nerve-like pain

• a dull, slowly spreading pain

It was a sensation that felt like a mix of these two.

And what was characteristic was that
it was clearly more painful in the right buttock than the leftpoint.

I think it was a typical presentation of what is called sciatica.

■ The first treatments were a series of "ineffective" results

I visited a local orthopedic clinic.

The first things I did were

• low-frequency therapy (electrical stimulation) on my lower back

• Loxonin tape

• Voltaren

which is what you call the "standard initial response."

However, even when I took Voltaren,I felt almost no effect.

In particular, the electrical therapy just felt "pleasant" and didn't seem to lead to any fundamental improvement.

What I realized here was

a sense of unease. The pain kept getting worse and worse.

■ A word from a veteran doctor

The doctor who treated me was a veteran who excelled at judo.

During the examination,

he determined. And so, I was sent to a large hospital with an MRI.

■ The "slight abnormality" seen on the MRI

The test results showed,

• a mild herniated disc

On the MRI scan, the intervertebral disc was just slightly 'protruding'.

He explained that it was touching a nerve and causing the pain.

However,

• it was not at a level requiring surgery

• we will monitor it with conservative therapy

was the decision.

■ Actually, I had also looked into surgery

At that time, my anxiety was strong, and I was searching online for hospitals with doctors who were skilled at herniated disc surgery.

• Yokohama City University Medical Center

• Toranomon Hospital

I was checking hospitals famous for hernia surgery like these.

"If it gets worse, will I need surgery?" I thought, but I am truly glad that it did not come to that in the end.

■ The turning point was "Lyrica (pregabalin)"

What was prescribed was

• Lyrica (generic name: pregabalin)

a so-called "medicine that works for nerve pain."

Since I started taking this,

the pain has clearly decreased.

The kind of pain that Loxonin-type drugs couldn't touch,

• the tingling pain

• the uncomfortable sensation that touches the nerves

I felt this just fade away.

I was surprised at how much of a difference it makes when the medication is right for you.

■ However, I also had "anxiety about the medication"

On the other hand, when I looked it up online,

• talk of side effects

• concerns about dependency

and other quite scary information came up.

Furthermore, in my case,

• ADHD medication (Concerta)

• sleeping pills

I was also taking these, so

I had significant anxiety about the drug interactions.

I felt that this is a point that should be approached carefully while consulting with a doctor.

■ Result: Improvement through conservative therapy

Ultimately,

• without surgery

• medication + passage of time

my symptoms settled down with so-called "conservative therapy."

What I felt here is that

is true.

■ "Signs of recurrence" still exist today

It hasn't completely disappeared, and

• sometimes I feel discomfort

• the feeling of "Oh, it's coming"

is still there today.

Honestly, I do have anxiety about a recurrence.

■ The reality of FIRE and health

While thinking about FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early),

I realized once again that

is true.

When sciatica is severe,

• going out becomes a burden

• activity levels drop

• and your mood sinks

—your quality of life drops all at once.

Even if you have assets, they are meaningless if you cannot move.

This is something I felt very strongly.

■ Summary

The lessons learned from this experience are simple.

• There are different types of pain (nerve pain is a different beast)

• Finding the right medication can change things dramatically

• There are many cases that heal without surgery

• However, there is a risk of recurrence

And above all,

it was the obvious fact that "health is the greatest asset."

*This article is based on personal experience and is not intended as medical advice. If you have symptoms, please consult a medical institution. *This article was created using ChatGPT.