Sciatic Pain
Posted , 6 users are following.
Hi, I've had Chronic Sciatica for about 8 months and feel as if it is getting worse. I've seen a Chiropractor (just one session), Pilates, Stretches (given by NHS and a Doctor on Harley Street). Has anyone got someone they can recommend in London (hopefully South East) as I have very dull aches and pains from the buttock all the way down to the foot. The base of the back is really painful at times. I have to stand up all day for my job which sometimes is very tough with the pain. I haven't been taking anything but have found I have been drinking a bit more (and other things) to cover the pain from around 3pm. I'm getting a bit desperate to sort this out!!! All tips gratefully received.
0 likes, 9 replies
Reddave8 chris14830
Posted
Hi Chris,
I also suffer from chronic sciatica, through my pelvis down through my left leg. I have tried Pilates, Physio and stretches with varying degrees of success I have also purchased a small battery powered aid called "Sciaticalm" which comes with 2 different length straps with Velcro fasteners, 1 for around your waist and one for leg. This aid works by vibrations which seem to work for me, though not a permanamt solution it does do a decent job for me, so I would recommend you try it and it costs less than £30 so again not excessive!
I wish you well on your own pain journey.
regards Dave
Greebo64 Reddave8
Posted
Hi Dave
just seen your post above is the "Sciaticalm machine" just to use for one leg at a time ? ass you know I have it both buttocks & legs, first thing in a morning I dread getting out of bed, I have No Pain whilst in bed but as soon as I get on my feet the buttock pain is dreadfull, I have to force myself to move around holding on to things for some support, eventually it subsides somewhat in the buttocks, but then through the day I get various degrees of pain in both legs & the more consistent in is just in my right calf muscle I thought it could be a blood clot because the pain at times is only in the right leg calf , if I try to do any small jobs ,eg. clean the car, or sweep the yard, then the sharp pains come in all directions in both legs & thighs, I then can only get relief by sitting down.....sitting or laying no pain at all...but if I do rest for too long when I get up it all kicks off again...but as I said previously the worst pain for me is when I first get out of bed...why resting for too long causes the severe pain problem when standing up I don't understand.
good luck to all who are suffering in a similar way, I do hope we can all find a solution for this life destroying & common problem.
PS..did anyone see this
....thoughts
https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/885994/back-pain-cure-signs-treatment-lower-health
wayne54141 chris14830
Posted
I use ice on my lower back till its numb about 15 -20 min and 24 mg cbd oil twice a day and that helps me..
cherry75260 chris14830
Posted
Hi Chris,
I have Piriformis Syndrome, which is similar to sciatica, check it out on the Internet. I’m going to a specialist who has recommended taking anti inflammatories (Ibuprofen), 4 % lidocaine patches(you can find these on the Internet) along with physical therapy. There are a ton of sites that address sciatica and show some great stretches.I have found that you must be vigilant about doing these stretches as they do work!
Good luck
Cherry🍒
cherry75260 chris14830
Posted
By the way, if you choose to take ibuprofen and the lidocaine patches, it would not be a good idea to drink while using them.
Take care
Cherry🍒
CHICO_MARX chris14830
Posted
I've battled sciatica for decades. My encounters have fallen mostly into a few categories...
- Trauma... In my 45-years of playing hockey (ice and roller), I'd occasionally go out for a skate with no pads (not smart but young and dumb). If I'd fall on my hip at just the wrong angle, I'd wake up the next morning to a raging sciatica episode. Chiropractors have this "pretzel twist" technique. Fixed in 10 seconds. (PS: With almost 5 pounds of metal in me, hockey is just a memory...)
- Hip Alignment... This happens from bending, twisting, picking up heavy objects, etc. Again, chiropractor but this time it doesn't get fixed in a few seconds. In my cases, I'd go 2-3X/week for a few weeks until the new alignment held.
- Locked Sacroiliac (SI) Joints... The bane of my existence... Mine lock up all the time, especially with my back fusions and all the metal from L2 through S1. I see the chiropractor once every 2-3 weeks to keep the joints loose.
- Spine... There was one time when absolutely nothing worked. Chiro, drugs, PT, pain shots, etc. Lumbar MRI was inconclusive so my neurosurgeon went in. Found a bone spur literally "crushing" (his term) my sciatic nerve root at L4/L5. Spur removal plus a decompressive laminectomy. Same day surgery; all residual inflammatory pain gone in 3 days. Done.
The moral of the story... Sciatica can have many causes. Find the ROOT CAUSE of your pain and treat IT instead of the pain.
chris14830
Posted
Thank you so much for all of the great replies so far. The NHS know exactly what up - herniated disc. I haven't been taking any inflammatories - so this is something I am going to try. Any more advice would be more than welcome. I would really like to go and see a specialist as have found that the NHS (as much as I love the NHS) haven't been helping me as much as I would like!
wayne54141 chris14830
Posted
Ibuprofen helped me alot almost pain free but had to quit taking because it caused a ringing in my ears i could not tolerate . Im finding cbd oil works good but the amount (24 mg twice a day)i need to take is very expensive.but no ringing in my ears
CHICO_MARX chris14830
Posted
So now that you know what the root case of the pain is, you have to figure out how to treat it. You need to:
1. Do all the research into the treatment of herniated disks from least-invasive methods (chiropractic, PT, etc.), through meds and pain shots, all the way to surgery.
2. Armed with this good information, question your doc about the seriousness of your condition to see if any of the non-surgical methods would help you. If he/she says that it's so bad you need surgery, get a second opinion before jumping off that cliff. PS: Putting you on opioids long-term is NOT a good solution. Don't go down that road.
3. If surgery is your only option, talk about the different types available. Do the research. Laminectomies are quick and easy but may not be the solution if you have any instabilities in your back along with the disc issue. Then you're looking at fusions which you would love to avoid.
Again...all of this is hypothetical until you understand the ramifications of the diagnosis and the treatment plan your doc is recommending. Most importantly, be an educated patient. Know your stuff. Question all assumptions. Take control of your own health.