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has anyone tried acupuncture for sciatica

Posted , 7 users are following.

sue72189
sue72189

This is my 5th week in severe pain MRI SCAN this Sunday can't come soon enough my right side is in constant exuiating pain i cant even touch my right leg for me heat makes the pain worse but cold compressions sooth my leg slightly I'm so down I feel like crying with this constant pain i still am up and down because I have a 9 month and 2 year to look after and both are teething so sleep is also a distant memory but the leg and foot pain keeps me up u been put on every medication already mentioned on here I have had to stop taking all because of feeling to tired and drowsy and having reactions to them I'm at my wits end is there any relief for tge pain without harsh medication I. On Ibrofen and cocodimol x

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • marshall71
    marshall71 sue72189

    Posted

    Yes Had it years ago worked well only had it the once did help and its painless I would recommend it
  • patricia4866
    patricia4866 sue72189

    Posted

    Hi Sue. Nice to meet you. I am way older than you and I am in the US, but 4 months ago I had a L4-L5 posterior fusion secondary to a cord.compression that progressed over 13 months eventually causing sudden loss of both legs. MRI showed spinal stenosis and a prolapsed disc between the L4 and L5 vertebrae. I am a RN, recently retired from a university teaching hospital trauma center on its Orthopaedic Surgery Unit.

    I was also fortunate that the NeuroScience and Neurosurgery Dept(and doctors)were down the corridor. Point being that I was able to pick my . surgeon, so of course I chose the best of the best. Even so, No matter which side of the pond, MDs tend to be highly conservative when in comes to back pain. My ordeal was 13 months from beginning of lower back pain to day of surgery. And it started with a nagging discomfort that became progressively worse until I was falling bc my legs suddenly stopped working (cord compression) and ambulating bent forward for a few feet at a time. I also had prolapsed a disc which was causing the cord compression. Removal of the disc freed pressure from the nerves, which in turn alleviated the comfort and safety issues, but before surgery I was verbalizing that I would rather die than to live with that horrible pain any longer. That is my back-story..........what helped me get through each day was Ibuprophen 600mg every 6 hrs, ice packs (I purchased a dual purpose belt that can either go into the freezer or the microwave), and a very sturdy (has plastic spines in it that are positioned on either side of your back bone) back brace.

    Your children are young. You are going to need help caring for them. (easier said than done I know) Pain will increase with the irritation of bending and lifting, hence the reason we take anti-inflamatory meds. I found that the brace reminded me not to bend/twist as well as to help with pressure off of those nerves. There is also an aide you can purchase from the internet (Walmart over here) for less than $30. It is a swivel seat for the car and it was the best $30 I've ever spent. IT keeps you from twisting when you get into the driver's (or passenger)seat.

    I hope this helps Sue. Please let us know how you are doing.

    Patricia

    • sue72189
      sue72189 patricia4866

      Posted

      Omg Patricia thankyou so much for your detailed reply you have really been through it since I last wrote this I was due to have my 2nd session of acupuncture but unfortunately when he saw me he refused to do any further treatment because my nerves were far to inflamed for any kind of treatment he did recommend I maybe see a ostiophath the minute he walked out of my house I bust into tears thinking that's it I'm stuck but my hubby straightaway found a ostiophath and took me there that evening I was in excruciating pain he did what he could as he said I have very tight muscles in my lower right hip he treated that part with trying to loosen it after the treatment at the pain got worse especially where he had treated me but to my surprise that night the edge of the pain eased up and the first time in 5 weeks I managed 4 hours solid sleep and writing this today i feel improvement still in lots of pain ice packs have been my life saviars through this time MRI on Sunday should finally reveal the root problem

      Thankyou again

      (Sorry for typo errors writing through my mobile x

    • flo222308
      flo222308 patricia4866

      Posted

      did u try acupuncture or swimming? or did u go straight for an operation? if so what kind of an operation & did it help?

      thx

      flo

  • patricia4866
    patricia4866 sue72189

    Posted

    Hi sue,

    So glad your trip to Osteopath provided some relief. Please let me know how it goes with you.

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