Alternative therapies for sciatica?

[nevernotstruggling]

Posting here for traffic. Before my recurring sciatica makes me cry please can you recommend any solutions/therapy I can pay for? Nhs unhelpful....

My DH suffers from sciatica, there's no easy answer I don't think. What he finds most helpful is exercise. There are stretches you can do which are meant to help but he finds them aggravating.
He uses a tens machine on his back which helps and sometimes heat/cold alternating helps. His is caused by nerve damage from a slipped disc so sometimes it's more in his back sometimes it's just sciatica down his leg, sometimes he gets both at once.
What have you tried?

I saw a chiropractor when I had sciatica. Sorted me out nicely. I recommend it.

Acupuncture!
Now recommended by NICE too.

Seriously, I’ve had it myself as well as my dad and it’s the one thing that helped calming it down when I was one the floor unable to move.
And it’s lovely and relaxing too.

TENS machine...

Get a really good physio. Mine did a combo of rebalancing exercises and the Bowen technique. I also found Pilates very helpful.

Tens machine
Oesteopath (providing not a disc issue as that needs to be ruled out)
Acupuncture extremely good for pain associated with sciatica

Acupuncture really helped me, it went away totally about 2 weeks after the treatment & never returned.

Pilates and a tennis ball

www.womenworking.com/how-to-relieve-sciatic-nerve-and-back-pain-with-a-tennis-ball/

Rolfing

Heat helps me - I have a big electric heat pad. I do regular physio which is a mixture of exercises, massage/manipulation and hydrotherapy. And I have a great osteopath - it seems like the worse it is when I go the more effective the treatment is, though it sometimes takes two or three sessions before I see an improvement. It does go in phases for me - when it's bad I think it's never going to end but it does improve

Another vote for acupuncture.

A wrap around hot water bottle or an accurpressure mat might help, and be easier to get than some appointments right now.

www.google.com/amp/s/graziadaily.co.uk/amp/beauty-hair/skin/buy-acupressure-mat/

It really depends on the cause of it. Mine was caused by my hips and pelvis and the physio stretches really helped but my friends is caused by a slipped disk in her back and physio made hers worse.

Another vote for acupuncture here! I had a completely frozen area on my glute that acupuncture sorted out over time. Other than that, really trying to strengthen your core - pilates is the best way to do that - and sitting on a tennis ball while doing a figure of 4 stretch - hurts like crazy but ease into it! Also pigeon stretches everyday. I’ve also found an acupressure mat helpful at helping the muscles to release. Good luck!

I go to a chiropractor when I get a flare. Great success, I had tried many things over the years, and painkillers do not work for sciatica in my experience.
Last attack was 3 years ago, touch wood, but if it happens again I will be straight back to him again.

I'd look for a McTimoney chiropractor, it's like witchcraft

You need a registered physiotherapist. Some also offer acupuncture or other therapies but all my back problems eased greatly with physio then subsequent strength training with a PT.

Do you know what the cause is? And what treatments have you tried?

I have several semi-herniated discs which press on various nerves, and made worse by a fall a couple of years ago. I had terrible lower back pain and sciatica after the fall.

The bulging discs were identified by MRI scan. I then had steroid injections x 2 (didn’t work), lots of physio (didn’t work) and finally a short course of Prednisone which worked. 2 years on and no flare up, so fingers crossed. Keeping my weight down and staying active help too.

For acute pain relief.. I agree that most painkillers don’t help but my Dr didn’t offer opioids (not in to U.K.), which I’m probably glad about. Tens machine was the most effective I found for pain relief.

At its peak I would not let an osteopath nor a chiropractor anywhere near me.

Courage.

Thanks everyone think I will try the chiropractor. Already using electric blanket which does help a bit.

I don't what the cause is as consultant didn't find any disc issues.

I'm already taking amitriptyline so thibk this flare would be a lot worse without it.

Clients rave about the tennis balls I must get some!