Sciatica and numbness - when does it go away?

[LemonLadybird]

Hello! Lucky enough to have only suffered with sciatica once before, however it started up again a few weeks ago after pulling my back and the pain was unreal. It eased off after a week or so, but I’ve been left with an awful constant deep ache in my leg and numbness in my foot and some of my calf. I’m so fed up of the pain and keep tripping on my numb big toe!

Is there anything that can help or will I need to wait it out? Thank you

You need to see an hcp… is there a physio connected to your gp surgery that you can book in with?
When you say you are tripping is this because your ankle is not working properly? Can you walk on your toes? Can you walk on your heels or does the numbness/weakness stop you? If so call 111 and let them know.

I had a terrible bout of sciatica during and after pregnancy. My heel and crook of my knee is still numb and the “baby” from that pregnancy is 6 years old 😢

Never got the GP to take me seriously sadly, luckily the pain went away after a few months.

Hi @HeavensWhatASnappyCharriot thank you for your reply I really appreciate it - I’ll definitely try and see the GP although trying to get an appointment these days is impossible (or weeks and weeks away) but I’ll certainly call tomorrow and see.

I can walk fine, have just tried walking on my heels and is quite tricky (although not sure I could do it anyway haha) I keep tripping on silly things like the stairs because my toe hits the object but I don’t feel if it, that makes any sense? Or things like rugs, my son’s toys etc. I’ve just noticed I’m tripping a lot and can only assume it’s because of my toe! It’s all just really frustrating and the pain is keeping me up at night, but in a very low level, irritating kind of way.

I have a lovely neighbour who is in her early 90s.
She is in excellent health apart from the occasional attack of sciatica which as you know is excruciatingly painful.
My friend very fortunately has a DGS who is a Chiropractor.
He was able to relieve his DGM of the terrible pain.
I don't know if that is an option but it worked for her.

Never for me. Permanent nerve damage, to the outside of one leg, from butt to foot., completely numb after probably about 10 years.

I’ve had sciatica since I was pregnant 12 years ago and it’s a pain in the bum. I went to physio not long after my DD was born. It didn’t do much. I do stretch every morning and night but if it wants to flare up it does. I get it on the left side of my back down my leg and my foot. My doctor always prescribed naproxen when it flares up and after a few of them it does start to ease. Xxx

@EggbertHeartsTinaOh bless you it really is the most foul pain isn’t it! Sorry to hear that you’re still numb after all the time! It’s so frustrating when pain isn’t taken seriously.

I had sciatica after both of mine. Second time it went further I got numbness and part loss of use on one leg. An mri scan highlighted a trapped nerve in lower spine. I had nhs physio with acupuncture and it freed the nerve. Still have some nerve damage though - mostly weak muscles. Am not sure if nhs still offer acupuncture via their physios though

@Nevertrustacop Oh wow, 10 years - I am so sorry and here’s me moaning about a few weeks! I truly hope it’ll ease because unless you have experienced it it’s just so hard to explain how uncomfortable it is.

Also gp never took me seriously until I had numbness

Physio will definitely take the numbness/ tripping seriously… try to get into them. Some nhs apps allow you to book straight into physio at your surgery-worth a look. Numbness/weakness/tripping would suggest an mri… some FCP (first contact practitioner physios that work within the surgery) can refer direct for mri.

Can you rise slowly up onto tip toe on that leg, and then slowly back down? You need to be assessed for foot drop. If not treated to relieve the disc pressure on the nerve then foot drop can become permanent.

I had terrible sciatica for over 2 years. Eventually developed cauda equine syndrome and had an emergency discectomy. Numbness in my calf and foot, pins and needles and shooting pain in the my foot are all still there and it’s been 14 years.