Pedundal nerve block and siatic pain symtoms

[stratts]

Hi i am a new member and just posted my story. I had my first pedundal nerve block injection on saturday, i am now experiencing some pain.

At first couldnt tell much as my bum hurt from injections!!

But now i am experiencing very bad pain in the right buttock mostly on the outside edge on the corner and all the way down the side into the hip. I am also getting like bad muscle cramps down the back of my leg, particularly in the calf muscle and at the back of my foot??

The doctor told me their is possibility of siatic damage when injecting, but it is rare? I am just hoping to god he hasnt damaged my siatic nerve. Hopefully just irritated it.

Has anybody had one of these nerve blocks and if so did you experience this problem. i am just hoping the doctor hasnt damaged my siatic nerve.

I had some symtoms like this before but not as bad??

Any experience would be appreciated?

[HerMajesty]

I had this problem after having a piriformis injection done, not a pudendal block...but I believe the principle is the same in that the sciatic nerve was irritated, not necessaritly "damaged".
I had to sit a lot less and as I work from home off the computer a lot, I wound up buying a laptop and working on by bed lying on my stomach. I also spent a fair bit of time watching TV while lying with the painful side of the buttock resting on a heating pad. I took naproxen (Aleve) at maximal doses daily. It took about a month to be mostly gone, and still flared up occasionally for another month or 2. It hasn't been back for a long time now. The Docs told me it is a possible side effect which resolves on its own. So it's probably not really long term damage, just baby it for a bit.

[Violet M]

Hi Stratts,

Sorry to hear you are having a bit of a flare-up after your injection. Did the physician use some type of image guidance like CT scan or fluoroscopy? I've heard of people having numbness due to the marcaine diffusing into the area of the sciatic even to the point of not being able to walk for a few hours but don't recall hearing of anyone developing full-blown sciatica. I suppose it's possible if there was no image guidance used especially if you were to have any variations in anatomy. Is the physician you went to experienced at these types of blocks? Did you have any relief of the PN pain even temporarily for an hour or two? If not, it could mean that the injection did not hit the intended area near the pudendal or it could mean the pudendal is not the source of you pain.

It's not unusual to have increased pain for about a month after a nerve block so hopefully things will settle down for you quickly. It might help to ice the area regularly.

Take care,

Violet

[donstore]

As my signature says, I had an unguided nerve block that gave me sciatica that lasted for 5 months. Since I had a back in injury 20 years ago that left me with herniated disks and sciatica that lasted for a year, I may have been particularly susceptible to this complication. The same thing happened a few years ago when I had a cortisone injection into my back. The funny thing is that the marcaine (local anesthetic) mixed in with the prednisone (cortisone) numbed my perineal pain area until it wore off which is a diagnostic for pudendal entrapment. Entrapment was recently verified by Hollis Potter MRI. I swore if the sciatica went away one more time that I would never have another shot of cortisone. Even though it is often prescribed, it doesn't seem to have cured anyone who posts on the forum and many have reported flares and a few long term problems. Maybe those who are cured by nerve blocks don't post. The good news here is that the sciatica will probably go away. It did for me but as my signature says "no more cortisone for me". Good luck.

Don

[calluna]

Hi stratts and welcome to the forum! I note that you are up in Yorkshire - did you have this done locally? We don't know of any PN specialists up there, people have been travelling to London or Bristol. Could I ask who did your nerve block?

Up til now the doctors here in the UK have a very good record of not causing problems when they give nerve blocks, I am sorry that this has happened to you. Was the block guided? What method was used?

I do hope that it settles quickly, I would echo Violet's advice about ice.

[stratts]

Thanks guys for all your replies.

WOW so many people on this site have similar problems to me even with bulging discs!!

It is nice to finally speak to people that understand your pain and problems. I find myself feeling extremely lonely because you explain or should i say try to explain your problem or pain to your family and friends, and i always feel that they havent understood at all. This is supported by the comment i made in my story that i always get asked simply "hows your back", which frustrates me. My back hurts, dont get me wrong with 4 bulging discs! however, its the other symptoms, in my private areas, bladder, pelvic floor and legs from nerve pain which i find the most troubling and hard to live with.

But no matter how much you try to explain this pain i know they will not understand. Its difficult to even try to explain nerve pain anyway and like i said even most of my doctors dont understand, so its understandable others dont!!!

Dont get me wrong i wish this pain and problem on nobody, but it feels nice to speak to people who understand.

My nerve block was guided by X ray and performed by the Pain Clinic at Castle Hill Hospital in Hull.

I am hoping this will settle down soon. i go to Majorca on wednesday to Cala dor for 11 days so i will have time to just relax in the sun. This always seems to make my symtoms better every time i go. I dont know why maybe because the heat relaxes my tense muscle and therefore, releases my nerves??

[stratts]

Maybe we should just go on a permanent holiday all of us to cala Dor !!!!!! LOL

[Violet M]

Stratts, I will have to put that on my list of top ten vacation spots to visit. The photos look fantastic! Have a nice time.

[stratts]

Hi Violet.

You do that!!

It is really nice i have been three times before and it is really nice place!!

[HerMajesty]

I explain it by saying "I have neuropathy", because that sounds ominous, and if questioned more I say something to the effect of, it is a neurologic disorder that causes the nerves to fire off pain and other abnormal signals. Something to that effect...it keeps my modesty about my "privates" but still lets them know I am having a serious struggle not a backache.