Question
Dear Doctor

I am 26 years old male patient of lower back pain and radiating it into left hip and left calf and ankle. There is no pain in the left thigh region. I am suffering from pain since october 2012 and finally i took a epidural block in april 2013, the effect of the injection stayed for a month or so but the pain was back again. This time the intensity is less but its not comfortable to lead a normal life and also numbness is felt on the left sole. I have recently started acupressure and acupuncture treatment and it gave me instant relief. The relief again is short term and after 5-6 sittings its back. My MRI scan shows a mild to moderate bulge but not to the extent that I should get a surgery done. No doctor till now has advised surgery but because I am young and suffering a lot because of it I need a permanent solution. Please help me out on the same.

Regards

Answer
Dear Aditya Vatta,

The doctors haven't diagnosed sciatica?  Your symptoms sound like nerve impingement, of which sciatica is a variety.

Please see my article on sciatica and follow the recommendations given:

A Way to End the Pain of Sciatica in 1 - 3 Weeks | http://somatics.com/sciaticasymptoms-piriformissyndrome.htm

The disc bulge follows from tight muscles of the spinal column.

See this article on back pain:
http://somatics.com/wordpress/chronic-back-pain/

The following somatic education exercise addresses hip joint pain in the back:

http://somatics.com/video_pages/hip_pain,_posterior.htm