Who Determines Your Medical Treatment
Sciatica and I go way back. We’ve had an ongoing relationship for over a decade now, and like any long-term relationship, we’ve had our ups and downs. But, for the most part, I’ve managed to keep it under control.
Over the years, I’ve put in the work — strengthening my core, keeping my back stable, and doing all the right exercises to keep flare-ups at bay. The occasional flare-up has been annoying, sure, but nothing I couldn’t handle with a few days of the right exercises, pain management, and rest.
That was until about three weeks ago when I met my match: an object on the ground. It’s amazing how a seemingly harmless item — one I’m sure was plotting against me — can turn your entire world upside down.
I tripped, I fell, and the second I hit the pavement, I knew something wasn’t right. The pain was immediate, sharp, and intense. I couldn’t catch my breath, and as I lay there, I thought, “Well, this is going to be fun.” But in the back of my mind, I hoped it would be like every other time — a few days of pain and then back to normal.
Except this time, the pain didn’t go away. Days turned into weeks, and instead of feeling better, I felt worse. The usual tricks — stretching, ice, heat, rest — were doing nothing. Every movement and no movement was a reminder that something was very wrong, and the pain was…
