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.

Chiropractor was the only effective treatment for me, it was miraculous

For temp relief, the 'dead bug' position is amazing - takes all the pressure off your spine - even better with a (thin) ice pack under the affected area. Kind of like the pic but with feet on sofa /chair - no way in hell I could have done that position without support during a flare up!

After that for me it was Chiro, lots of ice and walking little and often.

My back was finally fixed after pregnancy with my son (opposite of what often happens I know). Dd buggered it up worst then ds fixed it (although the pregnancy was hell)......not sure that's a fix I would suggest as it does have some long term side effects!

Codine and Naproxen

Had sciatica before our first family overseas holiday after lockdown no way was I not going

Took full dose of naproxen and codine (take a laxative as well) drank a bit of wine, walked, gentle enjoyable walking, all day most days, came home, went to a&e on return (about 8 days after it hit) because i was convinced it was down both legs, got sent to urgent care, they felt back, sent home, did physio stretches, it started to improve afterwards as they said, took about two months, spine discs will got back naturally a lot of the time.

It was emphasized by everyone do not walk around barefoot at home. Get sturdy slippers,slip ons.

Amitryptiline has helped me most with Naproxen during the day. A hot water bottle can be really soothing. It’s miserable so really sympathise as I get it regularly because of severe spinal degeneration.

Exercise - Tom Morrison mobility stuff cited above is good but generally building core strength and reducing high impact work.

Tens machine was good. I liked heat bags, didn't like ice.

I used painkillers at night only so I could sleep.

Took a year to go away for me. Have spent the last 6 years trying to keep it away. I never ever want to repeat the experience.

DM has it bad due to prolapsed disk and degenerative Disk Disease. She had all the NHS treatment and exhausted all NHS optione which was very temporary.
Thenonoy thing that has helped is osetopathy and Mctimmny chiropractor treatment she only goes once every 3 weeks now but initially she had 2 sessions a week. Along with regular exercise and awimming once a week. She attended pain clinic with a group snd that taight them ways to distract and more of the mental aspect.
Tens machine is great also.

Cold not heat
Naproxen and zapain
Keep moving
Familiarise yourself with the red flags on the NHS website,
My sciatica progressed to a paralysed left leg and inability to pass urine which resulted in an A&E trip and ultimately surgery

Acupuncture! Was in agony like you for days. Nothing touched it. Very sceptical re acupuncture but it worked for me. After the session the practitioner said pain would go I 2 days afterwards and it did. Never had it again fingers crossed 🤞

Stretch your back, find a kids climbing frame or suitable doorway, and hang from it. It stretches your lower back, but my dh recommends crutches as when he broke his lower leg and had to use crutches, his sciatica vanished!!!

Besides pain relief in the shorter term you could be see an experienced physio or sports physio. When I had sciatica it was caused by a pinched nerve trapped by muscles that needed treatment.

Thanks everyone, really appreciate the responses and suggestions. I have ordered the tens machine and a back support so fingers crossed that makes it a bit more bearable.

I had sciatica a couple of years ago, luckily resolved after a few weeks so hoping this bout does too 🤞. Sorry to hear so many other people have had it too, hope everyone currently suffering feels better soon.

I've had sciatica on and off for 33 years, since having my 1st (vv large) baby. Mri's have shown bulging discs at L4/L5.

Firstly, please don't go messing about trying to cure yourself before you've seen your gp. Your back is too precious. When mine was really bad the gp would give me a steroid injection and some anti inflammatory painkillers, sign me off for a week or two, and advise me to see a physiotherapist whenever the pain had eased.

I was advised to alternate heat and ice, however I found that heat worked best for me. A small pillow between my knees at night also helped. I see the physio every couple of years when I feel the pain starting again, or when my back "locks". A sedantary office job really doesn't help.

Be careful (for the rest of your life) to not lift anything heavy. I didn't take my own advice when my babies were small, and I'm sure that's why my sciatica never really went away. If however I was asked for help lifting or pushing anything else heavy, I had no qualms about refusing.

Good luck OP.

For those mentioning Amitryptiline can I ask you how much is an effective dose?

Diazipan helped because it relaxed everything. Once you have a bit of movement then you need to move through the pain. I found moving in the swimming pool and yoga helps. The more you stay still the worse it is.

I went to see a chiropractor. For me, it helped.

@TisUnbelievable
10 mg is the usual dose for nerve pain

The only thing that helped me was stretching exercises. I found some in YouTube. Might be worth a try.

Yoga and Pilates then small weights to strengthen my back. If I don’t do my weights it’s back with in a couple of weeks.

My DM had Sciatica and back pain for 30+ years and tried numerous treatments and £££ trying to cure it. Eventually she was referred to a physio in the NHS who performed Ystrap neck adjustment. It took about 10 minutes and she said she could feel an instant shift in her spine & hear a big pop then the pain was gone. She has had no further problems since and this was done 20 years ago.
www.tungatechiropractic.com/what-is-the-y-strap-adjustment/

rehab leg exercises back not just the back , hamstrings use a table or counter
similar to running stretches i do cooking when i do them, these help too after 2- 4sessions i have not had problems since and this went on for decades before i met these people

www.healthline.com/health/back-pain/sciatic-stretches#Mindful-Moves:-15-Minute-Yoga-Flow-for-Sciatica

I take 30-40mg every night

I thought I had sciatica but it wasn’t it was it was GTPS, a physio gave me some exercises, it really helped.
Its very common that sciatica is misdiagnosed for this.

www.newcastle-hospitals.nhs.uk/services/newcastle-occupational-health-service/physiotherapy/greater-trochanteric-pain-syndrome-gtps/

Physiotherapist/osteopath

Walking and moving a lot however painful

No heels or complete flat shoes ever

Never walk barefoot

Keep weight down

Change position often

Another recommendation for a chiropractor here. I was on morphine from the gp the pain was so bad but after a couple of sessions it had eased!

Physio was useless. The chiropractor was a god for getting rid of that pain!

Firstly I would make sure it is sciatica. I know you said you have had it before. I start out with the excercises found online, laying down bending knees to chest rocking.i had it recently after falling straight from standing into my sacrum (wet grass) the way I was having to sit,/pay to get off it gave me sciatica. I was told by the ed Dr to take co-codamol, she gave me a box of over the counter strength, I told her I have a hiatus hernia and get acid reflux, I didn't take any. I found,yes, keep moving. I have a brilliant osteopath been seeing the practice for 40 years, but I would only get one on recommendation of a trusted friend. This one is now a 70 mile round trip,so I have to be desperate! Yes, I did the ice. Where can you get an MRI for £200, I live in the SE corner,near the sea,they are "from £600".