Sciatica - what, if anything, helps😢

[Abstractwolves]

Starting the 2nd week of absolute agony & don’t know what to do with myself. Co-codamol not touching the sides. Anyone got any tips of what worked for them? Was thinking of buying a back brace / support thingy but there are lots on Amazon so would be great if anyone has any recommendations.

The only thing that's worked for me is amitriptyline. With that I can exercise which is also helping- without it I couldn't even get my socks on by myself.

Tens machine and osteopath!!!

Not a professional so caveat is seek medical advice rather than ransoms on t’internet but; I have suffered excruciating pain at times so this is just my humble opinion of what worked for me.
Back support def helps. Get ordering. Wear it all the time, even in bed. Lie as straight as you can on your side, pillow between your knees.
Max out your pain meds even if you feel they’re not great. They will hopefully stop you tensing to save yourself which just makes it worse.
DO NOT LIE DOWN FOR HOURS!!!
Stay mobile if at all possible even if that is just standing or taking a few steps.
Ice is better than heat (in my case was anyway) 20 mins of ice packs on and off for an hour or so.
My discs were bulging so I needed to bend backwards rather than traditional stretching/bending forwards.
Also stand on the balls of your feet on the bottom step of the stairs and push your heels downs for a few seconds at a time, then release. It stretches your calf muscles which seemed to help with the nerve pain in my knees and lower legs.
When I got a bit more mobile I stared stretching out my hamstrings too.
Ask you doc for better drugs.

Hope you feel better soon.

I have had bouts of sciatica caused by my disability so I absolutely get how painful it is
A mini tens machine helped a little
Stick on pads and electrical signals help block the pain
Gabapentin or pregabilin were the best pain relief which enabled me to walk comfortably
They are specific nerve pain killers
Co codamol doesn't work on nerve pain
Amitryptiline helped me sleep at least
There will be specific exercises on YouTube you could try

Pillow or lots of pillows between/ under your knees when sleeping. Try using walking poles, may help you move and excercise.

Thanks everyone.

@BouleDeSuif had to ask my son to take my socks off today.

those of you recommending tens machines - any recommendations?

@onitlikeacarbonnet do you have a back support recommendation?

@Normallynumb didn’t know that about co-codamol, explains a lot.

I haven’t seen my GP yet, thought it was improving at the weekend but worse again yesterday & today.

yoga has helped me so far. Today though it helped for a few minutes then I moved and that was it.

I hope you get some relief very soon

I got mine off Amazon. Just one of those neoprene ones with the industrial strength Velcro

Ice rather than heat. Tens machine is a godsend also I bought a strap that goes round your leg under your knee and puts pressure on the long nerve running down your leg which was better than back support

Hope you don't suffer too long. I had it for 3 months and it was getting better then moved the wrong way on Christmas Eve and then that was me for another two months of agony

Yes! Cat cow movement every morning really helps

Hi, I’ve had it since April. I’ve been on Naproxen since May and it does help. Plus stretches specific for sciatica.

I was given amitriptyline last week and it made me feel absolutely awful. So tired. Like a zombie. All I did was sleep and feel hungover so I stopped that.

I have an appointment with MSK in a couple of weeks.

At the moment my hip pain is very sore. Like a deep ache.

No success story for me as I’m still struggling.

I have no idea what caused it!

Tom Morrison exercises helped me
https://tommorrison.uk/blog/sciatica-lets-kick-its-ass

Heat heat heat, a really hot bath (if you can get in it... or a very warm/hot, hot water bottle. Really helped me when I couldn't move a few weeks ago.

I’d get an MRI done or at least an X-ray. If you can afford to go private you can have an MRI for about £200 in my area, so you’ll know what the issue actually is and go from there

I suffer from Sciatica a lot and in my medicine cabinet I keep 30mg Codeine, Naproxen and amytriptaline if it's real bad and I just want some f**ng sleep.
The most effective thing I've found though is a TENS machine. I have two, one with wires and one that clips straight on to the pad. Both are great but if a wire becomes detached from the wired one it'll send painful shocks into the very thing you really do not want to jolt right now.
I'd stick with something similar to what you see on the amazon link.

https://amzn.eu/d/00zkP3pv

@RhubarbAndFlustered amazing, thanks for the link.

I suffer with sciatica, I've had steroid injections into my back which have helped. I'm also on amytriptaline.

I know that the injections give me relief but they don't last forever. I also can tell the difference with amytriptaline. I would not be without it now. Naproxen didn't work for me at all.

I've had an mri and the problem with my L5 vertebrae can be seen. I've been offered a surgery to shave a little of the bone away but I'm too scared to do it. Push for an mri so you know exactly what the problem is. Best of luck.

My physio sent me the links for sciatica

Thanks very much @lovemycbf

It can aggravate it to begin with but will improve
Keep moving is also the recommendation 😊

Also forgot to say like @Perzival amitriptyline has been a complete success with me too ,I take it at night as it makes you sleepy but is brilliant for nerve pain

The minutes stop doing yoga it flares up for me. Even just child's pose or a sort of modified downward dog with Palma on a wall helps (you can Google it)

3 sessions with an osteopath cured mine after many weeks of agony, unable to walk, drive etc.