Husband in Agony...sciatic!

[Loveatthe5anddime]

Husband has had what we think a huge sciatic flare up, he’s had previously but never this bad!

He went to the Docs last week who prescribed pain killers and was signed off until Monday to come back in a get referred for physio but as it stands he can barely drive and is crying trying to get himself out of any sitting/lying position.

I wondered if anyone knows of any stretches or tips to help relieve, we’ve gone with hot water bottles, cold/hot showers, mild stretches but nothing is working as the very strong pain killers are hardly touching it!

This guy is terrific

And

Lots to choose from

youtube.com/results?sp=mAEA&search_query=Motivational+doc++sciatica

Don't lay straight. Keep well bent over especially when sleeping.

Does he know the cause of the sciatica? I have had it for years but mine was the result of a prolapsed disc. The treatment depends on the cause.

Gentle stretches for the glutes, hamstring and piriformis muscles is a start. Alternate hot/cold packs every 20 minutes. Avoid sitting and either stand or lie down on side with a pillow between the knees.

Be alert to the symptoms of Cauda Equina- this is a medical emergency and you must go to A&E without delay.

I’d consider calling 111 over the weekend if the painkillers just aren’t touching the pain though.

Sleeping on your side with a pillow between your legs can help. A Tens machine too.
Gentle stretching of the piriformis and glutes and hamstring.
It really fucking hurts for a while, ask for stronger pain killers. Diazepam is sometimes given and even morphine.

Mine was overloaded back muscles and poor posture, leading to a really tight piriformis so what helped me was physio and then pilates.

I know you've said hot water bottles, but I've found an electric heat pad is far more effective for me. I sit on a kitchen chair with pad against my back, and get up to walk laps round the table every few minutes. I spent an entire day doing this a few weeks ago, when I pinched a nerve and my torso muscles spasmed solid. It really helped, as the heat was consistent.

www.amazon.co.uk/Cosi-Home%C2%AE-Luxury-Electric-Heat/dp/B07SZ11CM9/ref=zg_bs_2826693031_16?psc=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&refRID=Z30ZH797SA7Y53BH508K

Sleep on side, pillow under hip and another between knees, it keeps the vertebrae open so stops pinching on nerve. I can't for the life of me remember though whether you lie on your bad side or have your bad side up, I assume it's the latter but Google it to check!

Oh yes, I second diazepam. It really helped and I only needed two doses to get my pain and movement under control.

Diazepam didn't help me at all and the doctor wouldn't give me morphine but I know people do find it helpful. Nothing touched it when it was bad for me tbh

Tens machine without a doubt. I genuinely think it saved my sanity when I was suffering with a big flare up.

If you dont know WHY your DH has sciatica, any of these exercises could be the wrong one for him (and might even damage things further. Can you get him to a chiropractor, osteopath or physical therapist who specializes in Spines. Then you will find out why and you can address that.

Thank you so much everyone...

So many good ideas but unfortunately I’m not a driver and DH driving is out of the question and quite a few of the options given we don’t have, heat pads, tens machine etc...

I will tell him to put a pillow between his legs

Unfortunately the job that he is in wouldn’t allow for him to take anything that hasn’t been prescribed, and there is offer random drug testing, which is a shame as we have a really love prescription diazepam in the cupboard which sounds like it would help.

I’ve checked for symptoms of Cauda Equina and thankfully he doesn’t have any. He is however abnormally constipated so keeping an eye on that!

He’s such a trooper (all be it a moany one) and has said he will suffer onto his appointment on Monday which seems crazy to me that he will go through another 36 hours of this!

Especially when I’ve just watched him elbow his way to the stairs in absolute agony to lever himself upright!

Few suggestions for a sleeping position here, the side worked best for me but back worked best for my brother in law.
www.healthline.com/health/how-to-sleep-with-sciatica

I have herniated discs in my lower back. Stretching exercises are a bad idea and make it worse. I have to do strengthening actually, for my core and glutes. I would recommend finding a good physio who specialises in this sort of thing, when he's able.

Naproxen is a nerve blocker and helps, it gradually builds up so need to take every day.

I got my tens machine on Amazon

Also double check that it is sciatica and not severe piriformis.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.spineuniverse.com/amp/51001

I had a couple of massive flare ups last year and diazepam worked with the first episode but not the second. Physio didn’t touch it and tens was useless. It was actually Piriformis syndrome and the pain was in the hamstring which was in permanent spasm GP prescribed anti spasmodic which worked but I am still taking a low dose as the problem is now chronic.
Eventually I was diagnosed with large fibroids which apparently are putting pressure on several nerves in the pelvis.
Keep a close eye on your DHs symptoms, sciatica can be the result of prolapsed disc which can sometimes lead to chordae equina. If he experiences any loss of feeling at the midline of the buttocks or between the thighs it’s an emergency and needs immediate treatment.
Walking is very good exercise but almost impossible in the acute phase.

With piriformis the pain starts in the crease of the buttock and feels very tight. The sciatic nerve often passes through the piriformis muscle so when it goes into spasm it traps the nerve. Mine is due to operating a foot pedal at work, I have now change legs.
Rotating the foot out then using it to depress a pedal can exacerbate it. Driving for long periods will not help.