This sounds really difficult and I am sorry you are suffering so much. I have a great deal of arthritis and now other muscle types of pain. I recently had bursitis of the hip (arthritic hip) and my PCP recommended what is called a sports medicine doctor here. Its an orthopedic doctor not trained in surgery. I went in and he showed me the area where my muscles are tight (the IT band) and gave me some stretches and muscle relaxers. We later did a steroid and NSAID shot. I was sort of disbelieving about the muscles that get tight and then impact my hip bursa and create pain. But this doctor is so kind and teaches you so thoroughly, I decided what the heck, try it and see. I tried the stretching, didn't work well, but weeks later revised the stretches to change how they do them and found they work. I also started going to a massage therapist. First time with the massage was like torture, whole body in pain the next day but better on the third, but the third session it really helped. I laugh now but the massage therapist kept telling me to relax and not moan in pain. Then I got sick and haven't been able to make another massage appointment. Muscle relaxer drugs managed to relax my muscles so that I could heal but frankly, this is a limited medication treatment. I also take gabapentin but much less, as I don't tolerate NSAIDs for my arthritis pain. The sports medicine doctor said NSAIDs are really helpful for these muscle injuries because they tend to reduce the inflammation. Then I had the steroid shot in the bursa and boy did that help. I am not 100% fixed but I have more pain relief. I still can't lie on that side without getting the stinging, buzzing jolts of pain you describe. The IT band causes pain from my hip to below the knee to the calf area. Sitting in the car does flair my pain up, I try to change how the seat is angled, I go up in the back, down in the back of the seat, but it works only slightly. I might also suggest you get some really good orthopedic shoes, I like Drews and Orthofeet brand. Wear good shoes even in the house as you do housework. I also use lidocaine patches and salanpas patches here in the USA. They do help. None of this might be helpful to you but I hope you can find some relief. I have also used accupuncture for my knee and feet pain and it is fabulous after about 2-3 treatments. Maybe google search stretches for the IT band and see if they help - try them for at least a week, done daily. Writing to you has reminded me that I need to do my IT band stretches today as I have been lazy and I can tell as it is flairing up. Something else to try is to get a spiral notebook and hand write a journal every day. Write down how you feel, and write 3-5 things you are grateful for. This helps us relieve our thinking and our depression and the gratitude thing helps us focus on the good we do have in our lives. I wish you the best.

You need to stop moving boxes and other things. That activity can cause the pain and damage to worsen.

When you wash your clothes. Take a few things to the washer at a time. When you put your clothes in the dryer. Put a few items at a time in. Lifting and moving anything usually causes, the pain to get worse. Depending on the weight of what you move. It can also cause, more, damage

Be careful with NSAIDS. They can cause bleeding with no warning I took NSAIDS for years. Last August, I required a blood transfusion due to gastric bleeding caused by NSAIDS. I can no longer take them. Fortunately, my pain doctor increased my opiates.

I just dealt with this with my MIL she had to to and get a steroid injection at the Spine Center, that was the only thing that gave her relief.

So you might check with your Spine Dr. or Orthopedic Dr.

Your post brought some comfort to me this morning. Chronic Pain seems such an isolated illness. It brings about depression , guilt and shame for me. I had a third level Cervical Fusion a few years ago L1 to L7 all of them and the surgery failed. I work but I had to miss two day's this week because it rained and my arthritis flared. I have it throughout my body.
Your post brought me comfort because I could feel your distress and despair in your post and I could relate. Do you get any pain med's ?

Hello catskyn, they gave me oxycodone and it helped however, I was still get the electric shock. And they would not refill and it was only the first bottle. Anyways they just made me not mind as much about the shocks. What's funny is when I got my first shock it didn't bother me and I didn't know what it was. Then when I started paying more attention to it then it start to becoming a problem. I been dealing with this for some years now and it's getting worst and everytime I get a shock I react. Embarrassing in public. Ppl looking at me like WTH is wrong with him. My doctor did say from my dec mri to my Feb mri the disc is healing. I am still not working my paycheck stub said 0 dollars I never received a check like that. I am keeping my spirits high and positive thinking. I may try and get another injection to see if that helps because I need to get back to work. I am about to lose everything. I am behind on rent, electric, car payment. I have stocks taking from my check as well as for bills like car insurance etc. . I have never been in this situation before. It has awaken me tho because I should of had some money aside for a rainy day and I don't. I am smoking marijuana and it seems to relax me to the point I can sleep. Not medical just recreational. I don't even know if we have a real medical marijuana place here in washington. With everything I just told you. I still have alot to be thankful for. You take care.

Sounds like the electric shock feeling is from nerve damage. Oxycodone doesn't help that type of pain. Although it can help other types of pain that can make the nerve pain worse.

Are you seeing a Pain Management Doctor? I assume you are not since you were not drug tested. If you need to seriously consider it. Although you will have to stop smoking Marijuana if you want to receive opiates monthly.

There are other medications that can help with nerve pain, besides gabapentin. I can't think of them right now. But OlderCPer knows them.

I had another idea listening to a natural healing MD on the radio. Lack of magnesium can cause muscle spasms and sometimes nerve pains he said. My foot has been "buzzing" feeling when I walked on it and I was having muscle spasms in that leg. Started taking a powdered magnesium supplement again and I am better, foot buzzing gone. Also, lack of vitamin D can cause odd side effects, depression, so it something most doctors will do a blood test to check. A friend told me she uses a product called Nerve Renew and it has helped her diabetic neuropathy in her feet which is different from what you have I realize. Do your research and see for yourself, I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice just something I thought I'd pass along. The thing about pain and nerves is research has shown these pathways sometimes do not 'unlearn" easily. Lastly, I just found this book and have ordered it but it looks helpful: When there is no cure: how to thrive while living with the pain and suffering of chronic illness by Craig Svensson. You can read the reviews on amazon.

What type of doctor are you seeing? It makes a difference. Ask to see a physiatrist or pain management doctor. Like you I suffer from multiple disc injuries, nerve compression, arthritis, chronic pain and sciatica. Gabapentin/Nortryptaline Does help some. It never did work for me. I use a combo of pregablin, baclofen and tramadol. I take each of these 3 times a day. Taking a lot of ibuprofen and Tylenol is bad for your liver. I also have epidurals, acupuncture and before COVID massage. Also I have done traction when I feel really bad. Their are also simple exercises that take time but does help as well as rehabilitative Tai chi. If you can find a pain management program and support group it does help.

Lyrica, Cymbalta and Neurontin are all used for Nerve pain. Also if you have any Mental Condition and are taking any Psych meds Tramadol is not a safe pain med to take as it has a built in antidepressant and it can cause Serotonin Storm or Syndrome.

Sad about your condition! I can understand the difficulties you are facing with your problems. I too had gone through some difficult situations as a result of sciatica. Now I'm slightly recovering with the help of massage therapy [ https://www.physiomobility.com/ ] from my nearest physiotherapy clinic. It helped me to reduce the symptoms. Massage from a well-trained therapist will help to soothing tense muscles and reduce pressure on your sciatic nerve. Also, avoid some food items that contain sunflower oil, corn oil, sesame oil, margarine, and partially hydrogenated oil and do not include caffeine, processed food, soda, refined sugars, and chocolate in your diet since these foods create more stress to your body.

Ice the area a few times a day and especially before bed. Yoga stretches for the back, massage therapy a few times a month.

Try a chiropractor or acupuncture. I go to both every week. My chiropractor has a massage therapist I see before I see him. My acupuncture doctor has an assistant that does cupping on my back and all along or on my spine. I have had chronic spine pain since December 28th, 2013. I was attacked and injured by 3 men. I had multiple concussions and a broken neck and broken back and broken tailbone. I was diagnosed with spinal discs protruding at c5c6, L4L5, as well as sacrum damage and t10t11t12. I was unable to turn my neck or bend down to touch my toes. Years and years of these treatments and physical therapy helped me greatly. I can now touch my toes and turn my neck. I will always have chronic pain and stiffness the rest of my life. And I do have arthritis. But I do what I can do when the pain and stiffness gets bad. I use ice packs and lay down on them. I take hot or warm Epsom salt baths. I use heating pads sometimes as well. The heating pad sometimes makes things worse. Good luck and God bless you.