Not All Tingly Tingles are Fun

So it turns out, I've been dealing with this piriformis syndrome for more than just the past two weeks - try 10+ years.  'Back in the day' (no pun intended, but hey hey...), like circa 2005 when it was starting to get pretty bad, and then again in 2008 when it hurt enough that I actually went to see an M.D. - turns out this exact same pain I have right now was the same then, and it is/was from piriformis syndrome.  The initial diagnosis was Degenerative Disk Disease (aka "DDD") and the treatment was serious physical therapy.  Well, it was either that or fusion surgery and I'm not interested in sautering my L5-S1 and such.  What I didn't know was whether I should have sought a second opinion or not.

Should have.

Still, pain management is not like anything else I've ever dealt with, ever.

It's hard to describe this pain in the lower back and arse, I just know that I wouldn't wish this on anyone, not even those that have done me seriously wrong in my past.  Imagine a walnut (or two, or three) wedged in between those gluteus maximus muscles.  Now imagine a pair of vice grips gripping the muscle mass and twisting it - clockwise or counter clockwise, you pick.  This muscle tightness plus the inflammation pinches on the innervating nerves which refers pain down the ITB track and down the outside of the calve -  that 'tingle' is not fun.  The numbness on the bottom of the foot - so not cool.  Walking like a gimp - and it's not even Halloween?  Totally not sexy.

So that was a fun trip down memory lane - now I have a good looking path forward and that's where the focus shall be.  It's good to look back, don't get me wrong - we should all learn from our past - but we must learn wisely and proceed boldly.  Persist, discipline yourself, set goals, and just be positive.

Just Keep On Running,
-am3er