Sciatica .... what can I do?

[crystaltips]

I am in real pain. Right butt-cheek and down my leg. Trouble walking and moving about
Cross and sore

[twiglett]

message withdrawn

[CountessDracula]

Pain in butt cheek is muscle compensating for pain around joint. Go to an ostopath and they will sort you out!

[crystaltips]

Thought that it was the "sciatic" nerve ...

Twiglett - yup - pain is intermittent and then excruciating.

CD - don't have time to see osteopath just yet ... packing for a weekend away in Londaon with the kids ... lots of walking around and sightseeing

I am looking for a very short term / quick solution.

[CountessDracula]

osteo is the only quick solution. If you leave it it will take ages to get better. Can't you see one in London - sure mine will fit you in!

[pupuce]

Get on all fours and strech the bad leg begind you and make it all wobbly (foot on ground), shake it gently, releasing any tension. Breath while doing it.
This is what I do with my pregnant women in antenatal yoga.

Osetopathy doesn't always work though

[Teletubby]

I had same problem when pregnant with both of my two (and afterwards) i spent hundreds on osteopathy, physiotherapy etc but they didn't work. As a last resort i went to an accupuncturist, whom i have always been very disbelieving in, and i limped in in tears and came out without a single bit of pain and have been like it since! The needles did not hurt one bit and he gave me some revolting herbs to boil up and drink afterwards as the remainder of the treatment (a real hold your nose and down jobby), in total it cost about £80 for two visits but it is much more cost effective than continual treatment with a physio who always want you to go back each week.
If you are in pain i would advise it to anyone as it is just like a miracle cure - i felt i could have run a marathon afterwards, i had no pain whatsoever.

[Teletubby]

I had same problem when pregnant with both of my two (and afterwards) i spent hundreds on osteopathy, physiotherapy etc but they didn't work. As a last resort i went to an accupuncturist, whom i have always been very disbelieving in, and i limped in in tears and came out without a single bit of pain and have been like it since! The needles did not hurt one bit and he gave me some revolting herbs to boil up and drink afterwards as the remainder of the treatment (a real hold your nose and down jobby), in total it cost about £80 for two visits but it is much more cost effective than continual treatment with a physio who always want you to go back each week.
If you are in pain i would advise it to anyone as it is just like a miracle cure - i felt i could have run a marathon afterwards, i had no pain whatsoever.

[Rae1973]

Hi, I used to suffer terribly from this and found out a remedy that works for me anyway. Take an ibuprofen tablet & two paracetamol (for the pain) then if you can either go into a sauna or have a hot bath, then very gently try and touch your toes or bend as far as you can a couple of times, I was told to do this by my fitness instructor and it really helped. Also acupuncture can be quite effective with sciatica, keep taking the ibuprofen though even if it stops hurting for about 10 pain free days to make sure all the swelling has gone.

[lalaa]

Lots of walking is good, as is gentle exercise on a stepper at the gym if you are a member - low impact stuff that is weight bearing. It won't work immediately, but if you do it today, you should notice a difference tomorrow.

A good stretch I find is to lie on your back. Bring the leg that isn't hurting up and bend your knee keeping your foot on the ground. Bring the leg that is giving you pain up and across your other leg so that the ankle is resting on your raised knee. You should look like your crossing your legs now, with ankle on knee, just you're lying on the floor. Now you need to stretch the buttock muscle so take your hands and put them around the thigh of the leg that doesn't hurt and pull it towards you. If you can't feel it stretching the buttock muscle on the other side, try holding your leg on the not hurting side further down - at just under your knee - and pull towards you. That should do it! Take it easy because this is a very powerful stretch.

Quite hard explaining that in words!

Lots of sympathy in the meantime. Bloody miserable when you get this.

[MammyShirl]

hello - i had this too when pregnant especially when i got up in night to go the loo and i would wake my partner when i would shout with pain. you need to take the weight off your hips which leans on all your nerves. every evening whilst watching tv i would go on all fours, lean over my birth ball or on all fours with bum in the air strecth your arms out infront of you on the ground. i found antenatal yoga exercises really helpful for this, cramp, restless legs anad back pain.