sciatica

[essexgirl58]

I have today been diagnosed with sciatica. I have heard it can be very painful but mine is not that bad. I can walk fine but when I sit down I get painful twinges and then as I go to stand up it is quite painful but once I am up an on my feet and walking again it is fine and the pain has gone.

The hospital doctor said no two people are the same and whilst one person has it very badly, another has it mildly. I was given naproxen but it has not helped at all. I wass also given co codamol but am reluctant to take it because the side effects are drowsy and dizzy and I do not wnt either of those.

I do have some Anadin Ultra which I got from the chemist over the counter and I am wondering if that would be better at easing the pain. I am sat up in bed at the moment and if I try not to move too much its ok but if I suddenly move I get painful twinges.

Any advice. ? On a scale of 1 to 10 , my pain is about number 4 which is not tht bad compared to some who say theirs is horrendus. Mine is more annoying than anything

Get to the osteopath to get the root of the problem sorted. Anadin Ultra are very good, as is cocodamol for the evening. Icing is your best route, ice for ten mins then lay off for ten and repeat. I was told not to heat, as you are trying to reduce inflation,which is where icing comes in. Do not rest to much, as with sciatica you need to move around a bit. Don’t overdo it though.

@WowIlikereallyhateyou

Get to the osteopath to get the root of the problem sorted. Anadin Ultra are very good, as is cocodamol for the evening. Icing is your best route, ice for ten mins then lay off for ten and repeat. I was told not to heat, as you are trying to reduce inflation,which is where icing comes in. Do not rest to much, as with sciatica you need to move around a bit. Don’t overdo it though.

i nee a referal to an osteopath and honestly if my GP thought I needed to see one she woul dhave mentioned it. She is a goo dotor.

ok let me explain. I saw my GP. She performed a LOT of maneuvers in my body. I can bend down and touch my toes. I can bend backwars, I can sway from side to side. I can lie down and rais my legs very high up and to the side.

I did all these things without any problems at all. The GP said i am extremely supple. She also asked me if i have tingline or numbes in the leg and I said no. She also said sit down on the floor and cross your leges an I could do that.

Her conclusion was that i do have sciatica but only very mildly and with the back exercises she gave me I will be sorted within about a week. She also referred me to see a physio.

I honestly think that if she thought I needed to see an osteopath, she would have mentioned it.

People on this form have not seem my sitution. People here are basing it on perhaps a worse case of sciatica.

End of conversation. I am out of here

Ok. We were just trying to help.

@Peridot1

Ok. We were just trying to help.

I appreciate that,. I have a couple of questions.

My GP did not mention an osteopath. Should I phone the surgery again and ask the receptionit to query it because quite frankly I forgot to ask about it at the appointment. Also I was given naproxen by the hospital doctor and one of the side effect can be drowsiness but my GP said no it doess not cause you to fall asleep. I googled and this is what I foound

The most common side effects of naproxen are confusion, headache, ringing in the ears, changes in vision, The most common side effects of naproxen are confusion, headache, ringing in the ears, changes in vision, tiredness, drowsines

I do not like the sound of these but it says tirednes and my doctor denied it,

The other thing my doctor said was do not sit up in bed but sit in a hard backed chair with a rolled up towal at your lower back. I was told that sitting on a sofa or an armchaar is no good because they are too soft. However hard chairs give me spasms and I am not prepared to sit for an evening in a chat tht caues spasms. I do not get spasms sitting in an armchair or on a sofa or ssitting in bed.

Would it be better to get hold of an osteopath myelf and do it privately and not mention it to my GP? I know they can be expensive and my funds are a bit limitd

The average initial consultation fee is £48 for a 30-minute session

Just found this on an osteopath website. This is dooable. I thought the fee woul be £100

See a physio, preferably one who specialises in sports injuries, they will be able to tell you where it is coming from and give you exercises to release the nerve. Google nerve glide.

I had really really bad sciatica .. it would flare up and sometimes mean that even the simplest tasks ( going to the loo.. putting a load in the washing machine) left me in tears .. I started a gentle yoga practice .. then moved to a daily practice and now do Pilates and yoga mix . I don't want to jinx myself but have zero incidents in a year. Started with YouTube yoga Adrienne but you can also find yoga for sciatica on Google .. It's amazing ..

I was at the stage where my first movements were literally almost no movement at all as lying down was not possible so without support and sitting on was painful

Even if it's 'not that bad' get on top of it now because it will escalate.

Take the naproxen to remove the inflammation that is part of the problem.

Leave the Co-Co alone unless you're really in pain and need the relief.

If you can afford it get to a reputable physio, preferably one with a strong rehab practice (usually Pilates based but not always) and do the exercises religiously every day or as advised.

Sorry to bring unwelcome advice but the other cornerstone is that if you are above the healthy range for BMI then you will do yourself a big favour if you are able to lower your bmi.

It's not worth the grief letting this spiral. You're lucky to have a chance to nip it in the bud.

Good luck!

@NeverRTFT

Even if it's 'not that bad' get on top of it now because it will escalate.

Take the naproxen to remove the inflammation that is part of the problem.

Leave the Co-Co alone unless you're really in pain and need the relief.

If you can afford it get to a reputable physio, preferably one with a strong rehab practice (usually Pilates based but not always) and do the exercises religiously every day or as advised.

Sorry to bring unwelcome advice but the other cornerstone is that if you are above the healthy range for BMI then you will do yourself a big favour if you are able to lower your bmi.

It's not worth the grief letting this spiral. You're lucky to have a chance to nip it in the bud.

Good luck!

I do not need to lower my bmi. My bmi is 22 which is correct for my height. I am 5 foot 6 and 10 stone and I am not overweight.

I am on the waiting list to see a physio through my GP but my GP said that by the time I get the appointment I will be better due to the waitingn list. In actual fact my GP did not feel there was much to be concerned about because I am a mild case.

Is my GP painting a false picture?

GPs in this country don’t tend to recommend osteopaths or chiropractors. It is seen as a bit ‘woo’ by some. I lived overseas and there was a chiropractor in the medical clinic I went to. They are very much seen as a ‘proper’ medical discipline.

If you can afford one I would make an appointment with a local one. It’s not as expensive as you might think and could really sort your issue out very quickly without you depending on medication.

Sit wherever you are most comfortable. Get up and move around often though.

@Peridot1

GPs in this country don’t tend to recommend osteopaths or chiropractors. It is seen as a bit ‘woo’ by some. I lived overseas and there was a chiropractor in the medical clinic I went to. They are very much seen as a ‘proper’ medical discipline.

If you can afford one I would make an appointment with a local one. It’s not as expensive as you might think and could really sort your issue out very quickly without you depending on medication.

Sit wherever you are most comfortable. Get up and move around often though.

Thanks. I have phoned round a few osteopaths and they are roughly all the same cost at £65. Not sure if that is deemed expensive or cheap.

I took some naproxen this morning as you have to take it three times a day and it does cause me to feel very drowsy so I am almost asleep now. What kind of doctor says oh no they do not cause you to fall asleep. I have nad three lost of naproxine now and each time I just could not stay awake so that proves that they bloody well do make you fall asleep. I am losing all faith in doctors who say things that are not the cae. My GP said to me co codamol make you fall asleep but naproxen certainly do not. Well my GP is WRONG. i am of for 40 winks now. Laters

i have just booked an appointment with an osteopath for tomorow morning.

How did your appointment go @essexgirl58? Really hope it was helpful for you.

I had it when pregnant along with coccyxdinia...
Was signed off from 5 months as I could barely walk never mind sit! Was referred for physio who wouldn't do anything but massage my back as I had low lying placenta....that was pointless. My dh bought me a long hot water bottle which I used to have underneath my leg when it was bad, and the dr eventually prescribed me codeine as I wasn't sleeping cos of the pain. I still get twinges every so often now, and I get the hot water bottle and painkillers out ASAP!

@Peridot1

How did your appointment go *@essexgirl58*? Really hope it was helpful for you.

It was absolutely brilliant. She asked me to explain my issue. Then she asked me to bend and touch my toes and then bend back and then swivel my hips from side to side. I had no pain.

Then she said lay on the couch face down and she said she was going to pres on lower back etc. She pressed quite hard and said if it hurt she would pres lighter. I said no pain without gain. Anyway she sai my lower back muscles are tense and my lower back is going inwads insstead of straight due to tension. She then asked me to lay on my back and lift one leg up in the air and then the other three times each. She said does that hurt and I said no. Then she preed on the top of my leg on the leg wehre i get the pain going down it an i said it is slightly painful towards the groin an then I said why and she sand all nerves are connect so thats natural.

Then sshe preed arund again and I said have you got long nails beaue it felt like a nail digging and she sand no so she said that was a natural bit of stab pain.
She said I have quit mild sciatica which is what the hospital and my GP said. She wants me to go back in a weeks time for another session. She also said sit in a warm bath an put epsom salts in and that well help with lower back.

I asked her about a sciatica cushion and she sai no that is not for me because sciatica cushions are made of memory foam and would be too hard for me and I need a pillow or a very soft cushion.

I said my GP recommende sitting in a chair and rolling a towel and putting it in the small of my back. The osteopath said no because my lower back is arced due to tension and by putting a towl there will archh it even further and then she said your GP is not trained in muscular skeleton and whilst she was trying to help, a towel behind your back is not a good idea but for another person it is.

I am obvioiusly not 100% but I feel loads better and went about my day and did not have to take any painkillers which means the pain has subside dramatically. Yes I have a few ahes but not enough to take anything for it. Obviously I will carry on with the anti inflamatory.

I am sorry some people have sciatica very badly and I sympathise

Very glad it went well!

@Peridot1

Very glad it went well!

I am by no means out of the woos because I can only sit for short perios becaue then I get very stif and find walking an issue because I dont get pain but get quite stiff.

I will discuss this at the net appointment

I see a chiropractor rather than an osteopath but they are similar. I have found that after a couple of appointments mine continued to improve. I’m still a bit stiff and sort of wary of certain movements particularly going up and down stairs but mine has definitely improved.

@Peridot1

I see a chiropractor rather than an osteopath but they are similar. I have found that after a couple of appointments mine continued to improve. I’m still a bit stiff and sort of wary of certain movements particularly going up and down stairs but mine has definitely improved.

i have also improve somewhat but it comes an goes. The good thing is that I do not need to take painkillers anymore because the pain is not that bad. It is more of an uncomortable feeling.

I cannot see a chiropractor becuse I have osteoporosis an cannot have my bones clicked so I have to see the osteopath. As I said I am loads better but I think I am trying to run before I can walk. It will take time and I am not good at waiting

i atually do not like the sound of what a chiroprator does. Even if I did not have osteoporosis I do not like the thought of spine manipulation No thanks

The one I used to go did manipulation but not always. The one I go to now doesn’t.

I have suffered from sciatica in the past, it’s not much fun. In my case, it has always been caused by postural or seating issues and the key to resolving it is to figure out what’s causing it, then change that.

Example one : I had got into the habit of sitting with my left leg bent to 90 degrees and the left ankle on top of my right knee, this put strain through my pelvis causing the sciatica.

Example two: an office chair with insufficient lumber support. I binned it and got a replacement.

Example three : I was given a company car with awful seats which didn’t support my back properly. I replaced it.

Good luck with sorting yours out.

I was advised to use epsom salts. However after having my first epsom bath I feel light headed and fatigued. I looked up the side efects and have decided not to use epsom salts again. I feel kind of spaced out an was not like that before I had the epsom salt bath. I think just an ordinary bat of hot water will do just as well.

Also someone said a heat pad or a hot water bottle. The osteopath said only use for 5 minuts but my friend sleeps with her heat pad thrugh the night and said it really helps. However what she fails to understand is that she does not have sciatica. She has a pulled muscle