Newbie needing advice on sciatica

[camarenanakia]

Dear Dan, my heart aches for your predicament. I have been helping people to understand that backs are often suffering from muscles that are shortened on one side, and pull unevenly at the spine. Do you think this could be the case? Often chiro's find this, or that one muscle is tighter than its opposite one, and there is a potential for some damage at any time, as the vertebrae is pulled unevenly.
Sciatica is a little different, in that a wave of neurological activity races down that nerve, affecting many things, including the bowel, on its way. Like all neuralgias, the reason for this is still unknown.
I had sciatica for a while when I first began to get IBS. When I calmed down the nerve, both conditions were relieved. I couldn't believe how much pain it could cause. It was a searing pain, sometimes off the scale. Now, I realise that it was the discharging electricity that was the cause of the pain. I was electrocuting myself!
I often speak to people to reassure them about their own situation. I know it can seem hopeless at times.

 

[Peach]

hi dan!
you are asking the million dollar question!! i, too am seeking the answer and will let you know if i ever find it. i have had horrendous sciatic pain in my right leg since march of this year (with prior episodes that have all gone away by themselves over the past 7 years...this is definitely a possibility...i just woke up and the pain was gone).

Here are some of the things that have been suggested to me this time around: i have had no long term success with any of them, but you never know...

physio - finding the right exercises that reduce your pain is the key to this working. i found that an exercise that helped one week, made things worse the following week. i think this is cos the discs can move around, and indeed away from the nerve completely, therefore taking away the pain.

therapeutic massage - i find this really eases the pain during the massage, but it is often back soon after.

reflexology - as above. only had this once. nice at the time, didn't feel any different after. weirdly, the reflexologist 'diagnosed' the problem areas in my body without me telling her anything about my back and leg issues.

reiki - again nice and relaxing at the time, but no long term effects, despite having this weekly for 5 weeks.

accupuncture - i am a big wuss and scared of needles so only tried this once and was too traumatised to admit that it helped....not sure that it did but may give it a try again as am desperate!

exercise - do not run a 10k. i did, it was very stupid and has left me with regular cramp in my right leg. i have found swimming helpful, although mainly just walked up and down and can no longer manage the trip to the pool. i find sitting on a gym ball while watching tv or using the computer much more comfortable than on a chair.

herbal medicine - i even gave this a go...was given a black cohosh tincture, which is supposed to be a herbal analgesic, but tasted rotten and the only info i could find online related to the menopause, which i am hopefully still decades away from! my friend swears by allicin garlic extract supplements as the cure for everything. am yet to try this.

prescription painkillers - i have been taking diclofenac (anti-inflammatory), co-dydramol (60mgs 8 times a day) and amitriptyline (knocks me out at night) for a while. these don't really affect the pain, but take the edge off of everything. i have just been given tramadol to try for a week from today. my bedroom is like a pharmacy. will let you know if it's any good.

over and above everything else, i have found being distracted by friends and family and even dvd boxsets to be the best form of temporary pain relief there is. 24, prison break and lost are my top tips, although with a young child to look after, that could be difficult!

phew! it's amazing to see how much time, money and energy i have put into trying to get 10 minutes relief from this pain in my leg. i am now waiting for the operation and hoping to get a nerve block injection before then.

hang in there....it will get better.
take care,
jess xx

 

[veelalynne]

ps...i am only taking the co-dydramol 4 times a day, not 8!

also, forgot to mention having tried osteopathy in the past (hurt) and saw a chiropractor 4 times in may/june this year. i found this to be very sore and unpleasant at the time and afterwards and simply couldn't afford to pay the cost of the mandatory 3 appointments per week for 4 weeks at £30 an appointment... xx

 

[Guy bein a Guy]

since last year my back problem has got worse, i have a pain all the time in my left leg but it now feels deeper than sciatic pain if you know what i mean. last week i had a bad week with my lower back if i touched it i would be in pain. now when i am sat on a stright backed wooden chair the pain in my leg throbs. i am on eight tramadol a day and 2 antriblyne at night but as jess found it only takes the edge of. i try to do a little walk each day, i take my grandaughter to nursery which is only round the corner but i take her baby sister in the pushchair which means i have something to hold on to, and this helps. i too have tried all the usual things that you have mention, in the end my doctor told me to stop going to physio as it was making me worse. the hospital consultant told me to go away and learn to live with it as a operation could make me a lot worse. i do have my good days and bad but i am not going to give up . and yes friends and family make you feel better and laughter, when you having a good laugh with your friends life does seem a little easier, also in the great shceme of things it could be worse.

 

[TurLanuuua]

yep had sciatica since late April most of the pain mostly gone, just got cramp in 2 of my toes(makes them go stiff) so annoying and i get the tingling up my leg every now and again.I have had a couple of PT sessions.
I think i am gonna see the doc again next week and get a private MRI. Anybody else had the cramp? How long to clear? what do you do to get rid of it? I did have the cramp in the calf this cleared about 4 weeks ago and just left in the 2 toes and a small part of the upper foot next to the 2 toes. Any suggestions would be great thanks alot

 

[too_shy_4_ya_843]

Hi,

Before i had the op i had cramp in both my legs, hamstrings and lower leg mainly. I used a heat pack most of the time as well as pain killers. For me the cramps lasted about 10 weeks then i had the op. You need to keep moving which is harder said than done when you are lots of pain. If you can get yourself to the pool and do a bit of swimming and try stretching in the pool.

Sorry i cannot suggest anything else but my cramps went when i had the op so i do not have the answers.

Cheers Olli