Question about Contreras injury

[LosMediasBlancas]

I know that sciatica is sometimes the long term result of a back injury. Is it possible to develop sciatica without a back injury? I know originally the Sox said Jose had back and hip pain.

[DABearSoX]

I read something about it agrivating his hamstring...

[LosMediasBlancas]

The sciatic nerve starts in your lower back (I think) and runs down the back of your leg. That's why back injuries can send pain and numbness shooting down your leg, butt and hip and casue your foot to go numb as well. That condition is called sciatica. Not trying to run wild with speculation about Jose, just wondering how you'd develop sciatica without a back injury.

[Baines3]

The sciatic nerve starts in your lower back (I think) and runs down the back of your leg. That's why back injuries can send pain and numbness shooting down your leg, butt and hip and casue your foot to go numb as well. That condition is called sciatica. Not trying to run wild with speculation about Jose, just wondering how you'd develop sciatica without a back injury.

 

 

Regardless it can be very painful.

[effectivelywild]

I'm a medical student, so I have a limited knowledge of the syndrome. Sciatica is often caused by inflammation and can clear up in as short of time as a couple of weeks (though it can last for a few months). Most of the time, there is no real need for surgery---I'm assuming the fact that he has been placed on the 15 day DL means it is not a result of a herniated disc, which would be more serious---there are some stretching and physical therapy measures that can be done, as well as some anti-inflammatory treatments. Certainly we should keep an eye on things, but we should wait for news on what treatments are being given, how he responds, etc. Regardless, this blows---Contreras has been lights out and this can be very painful.

[LosMediasBlancas]

I heard 'bulging disc' this morning on Mike & Mike.

[SoxFanInDallas]

I'm a medical student, so I have a limited knowledge of the syndrome. Sciatica is often caused by inflammation and can clear up in as short of time as a couple of weeks (though it can last for a few months). Most of the time, there is no real need for surgery---I'm assuming the fact that he has been placed on the 15 day DL means it is not a result of a herniated disc, which would be more serious---there are some stretching and physical therapy measures that can be done, as well as some anti-inflammatory treatments. Certainly we should keep an eye on things, but we should wait for news on what treatments are being given, how he responds, etc. Regardless, this blows---Contreras has been lights out and this can be very painful.

 

 

I have been a sciatica and herniated disk (bulging disk) sufferer for the past 6 years. I didn't do anything specific (injury wise) to cause it. Epidurals work good for a short term and you have to use that time to begin your abs/back training. But, physical therapy, epidurals, etc. do not always work (as is my case). Some days things are great. Others, like today, I am in constant pain.

 

My doctor also told me that if you did an MRI on the whole population, you would likely find about 40-50% of people with a bulging disk. MOST of those people do not feel any symptoms. It is really dependent upon what that disk is touching, impacting, etc.

 

Long story short, this could be a quick fix, or this can be a Dustin Hermanson situation. Lets hope for the first option.

[LosMediasBlancas]

I have been a sciatica and herniated disk (bulging disk) sufferer for the past 6 years. I didn't do anything specific (injury wise) to cause it. Epidurals work good for a short term and you have to use that time to begin your abs/back training. But, physical therapy, epidurals, etc. do not always work (as is my case). Some days things are great. Others, like today, I am in constant pain.

 

My doctor also told me that if you did an MRI on the whole population, you would likely find about 40-50% of people with a bulging disk. MOST of those people do not feel any symptoms. It is really dependent upon what that disk is touching, impacting, etc.

 

Long story short, this could be a quick fix, or this can be a Dustin Hermanson situation. Lets hope for the first option.

 

 

I'm right there with ya man. I have had disc problems for about 10 years and have only recently developed sciatica as well. Like you said, symptoms can go from one extreme to the other as in the cases of Hermy and Crede. Let's hope Jose can recover soon.

[Frankensteiner]

Contreras was sent immediately to a hospital for pain medication but told Schneider on Monday he thought he might be able to pitch.

 

An MRI exam revealed normal wear and tear in Contreras' lower back. Contreras will embark on a program designed to strengthen his back and abdomen, Schneider said.

 

But Contreras vowed he wouldn't alter his mechanics or his variety of arm angles.

 

"No way," Contreras said. "I've been pitching this way for 12 years. No one is going to touch my mechanics."

 

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...-home-headlines

 

Would an MRI reveal a bulging disc?

 

I've read several stories on Contreras this morning with no mention of a bulging disc. You would think it would be reported somewhere if that really was the case...

[SoxFanInDallas]

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...-home-headlines

 

Would an MRI reveal a bulging disc?

 

I've read several stories on Contreras this morning with no mention of a bulging disc. You would think it would be reported somewhere if that really was the case...

 

 

An MRI CAN reveal a bulging disk, but it may NOT as well. But there are many things that cause the sciatica problem.....muscle inflamation could cause it if the muscle or some other part of the body presses on the the nerve. Or, if it is pushing your back out of alignment, the nerve can get pinched.

[LosMediasBlancas]

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...-home-headlines

 

Would an MRI reveal a bulging disc?

 

I've read several stories on Contreras this morning with no mention of a bulging disc. You would think it would be reported somewhere if that really was the case...

 

 

Mike and Mike said it very quickly and in passing.

[SpringfieldFan]

Like you said, symptoms can go from one extreme to the other as in the cases of Hermy and Crede.

 

Going into this year I was really praying for "back to back", but this isn't quite what I meant

 

SFF

Edited May 10, 2006 by SpringfieldFan

[ptatc]

As everyone has said, sciatica pain being referred down into the leg. It can be casued by a variety of problems. It's a good sign it has gone only to the hip. Much easier to treat than if it goes down to the knee or foot. The most common cause is a disc problem. The disc pushes on the nerves which shoots the pain into the hip. Other causes can be a "piriformis syndrome" This is where a muscle in the posterior part of the hip compresses the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve runs under and sometimes through this muscle. If he turned his hip wrong or was too tight this problem can trigger a sciatic pain. Also inflammation of the sacroiliac joint can cuase this because the sciatic nerve runs right by it.

 

I have not seen any confirmation of what the actual injury is. But if it happened the other day just from a bulpen seesion and extends only to the hip, I don't think the problem is too serious. A 15 day DL stint with the appropriate anti-inflammatories and exercises should do it. His lumbar spine mechanics will need to be closely watched so there isn't too much strain for awhile.

[YASNY]

As everyone has said, sciatica pain being referred down into the leg. It can be casued by a variety of problems. It's a good sign it has gone only to the hip. Much easier to treat than if it goes down to the knee or foot. The most common cause is a disc problem. The disc pushes on the nerves which shoots the pain into the hip. Other causes can be a "piriformis syndrome" This is where a muscle in the posterior part of the hip compresses the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve runs under and sometimes through this muscle. If he turned his hip wrong or was too tight this problem can trigger a sciatic pain. Also inflammation of the sacroiliac joint can cuase this because the sciatic nerve runs right by it.

 

I have not seen any confirmation of what the actual injury is. But if it happened the other day just from a bulpen seesion and extends only to the hip, I don't think the problem is too serious. A 15 day DL stint with the appropriate anti-inflammatories and exercises should do it. His lumbar spine mechanics will need to be closely watched so there isn't too much strain for awhile.

 

Dude, I appreciate you medical input. Thanks.

[Rowand44]

Dude, I appreciate you medical input. Thanks.

^^^ It's nice to find out what all this stuff means.

[LosMediasBlancas]

As everyone has said, sciatica pain being referred down into the leg. It can be casued by a variety of problems. It's a good sign it has gone only to the hip. Much easier to treat than if it goes down to the knee or foot. The most common cause is a disc problem. The disc pushes on the nerves which shoots the pain into the hip. Other causes can be a "piriformis syndrome" This is where a muscle in the posterior part of the hip compresses the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve runs under and sometimes through this muscle. If he turned his hip wrong or was too tight this problem can trigger a sciatic pain. Also inflammation of the sacroiliac joint can cuase this because the sciatic nerve runs right by it.

 

I have not seen any confirmation of what the actual injury is. But if it happened the other day just from a bulpen seesion and extends only to the hip, I don't think the problem is too serious. A 15 day DL stint with the appropriate anti-inflammatories and exercises should do it. His lumbar spine mechanics will need to be closely watched so there isn't too much strain for awhile.

 

 

Just the man I was hoping would jump in, Thx!

[RockRaines]

I'm right there with ya man. I have had disc problems for about 10 years and have only recently developed sciatica as well. Like you said, symptoms can go from one extreme to the other as in the cases of Hermy and Crede. Let's hope Jose can recover soon.

I slipped a disc about 4 or 5 years ago during my competetive waterskiing days. It was very painful for a brief period of time. Now it will maybe act up once in awhile, but due to some stretches and strength exercises, im perfectly fine.

[WCSox]

I slipped a disc about 4 or 5 years ago during my competetive waterskiing days. It was very painful for a brief period of time. Now it will maybe act up once in awhile, but due to some stretches and strength exercises, im perfectly fine.

 

One of my roomates back in grad school slipped a disc (too much running w/ tight hamstrings - apparently he wasn't stretching them enough) and he was in moderate pain for a good month or so at first and wasn't back to normal for about 3 months. But I don't recall him having hip pain like Count is experiencing.

[LosMediasBlancas]

I was listening to The Score a few mins. ago and they said Jose had an epidural injection today and that they'd evaluate him in a day or two to see if he needs another one. Does anyone have a link or any more information on this?

[greg775]

Good thing we acquired Vaz. If need be, he and McCarthy can complete the 5

man rotation and we still should be OK.

[Baines3]

A friend of mine had surgery for a severe case of it, can be very painful.

[Whitewashed in '05]

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb...t=.jsp&c_id=cws

 

Seems like Count if right on schedule.

[Pastime]

Here, read this and then let out a deep "whew."

 

Nathaniel Whalen, White Sox beat-writer(?) or staff writer for the Daily Southtown, has a White Sox blog.

 

http://blogs.dailysouthtown.com/whalen/

 

A painful injury in more ways than one

 

And now for the part of the Jose Contreras story that isn’t likely to get into many newspaper stories—mine included—because of space and how many facts we need to get in.

 

Contreras could not walk down the steps straight on—he needed to go down sideways—because his leg was in so much pain on Tuesday. The part that hurt him more, though, is that he feels as though he’s letting the Sox down.

 

This is a guy that has gone through more than any of us could ever imagine: escaping Cuba, constantly being worried about the safety of his family and getting booed by 50,000 people on a regular basis.

 

What has helped him prevail is his work ethic and his love for teammates—I honestly believe that. That’s why his answer to the question, ‘Are you sad this happened right now?’ was, I thought, the most telling moment about Contreras as a man, teammate and competitor.

 

Worried about the team: “It’s really bad I have to miss a start, especially when I’m pitching so well,” Contreras said through interpreter Ozzie Guillen Jr.

 

Pride: “The part that upsets me the most is that I wish it would have been on the mound or during my workouts. It was just when I was throwing really soft with Freddy on the side and that’s when I felt the pain for the first time.

 

Competitor wanting to fight through: "It turns out to be something bigger then, I thought I was tight or something.”

 

This is a man who feels as though he’s let his team down. Fortunately for the Sox they have a nice little lead in the Central and have the best team in the Division and can live without their true ace for a while.

 

So while some Sox fans get worried that Contreras is going on the DL, know that he’s a lot more upset and angry about it than any of you will ever be.

Edited May 13, 2006 by Pastime

[Greg The Bull Luzinski]

FYI. Today's trib said Count will start on Sunday the 21st against the Cubs and not the 20th.