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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask for your sciatica success stories?

42 replies

EggbertHeartsTina · 17/05/2019 11:13

I had my second baby last week, was dilated and pushing for about 5 hours. I’d had sciatica symptoms in last week of pregnancy but the labour has made them so much worse. I can’t walk, sit and can only breastfeed lying down so I’m basically trapped in the house.

So far I’ve tried:
TENS machine (helped immensely for one day only)
Chiropractor (seeing him again today)
Booked in with osteopath next week
Back exercises
Heat and ice alternating
GP who prescribed Naproxen and also codeine but it’s not considered safe for breastfeeding
Paracetamol

I’ve had back pain before but nothing like this. I’m so miserable, I feel like I’ll never get better. My newborn is a fab little guy but I don’t feel I’m enjoying him like I should be, and DS1 isn’t even getting a look in. My DH is amazing but goes back to work in a week.

I’m basically hoping for people to tell me that in their experiences it’s gone away without referrals to surgery etc.

Thanks

OP posts:
Knowivedonewrong · 17/05/2019 11:20

My mum had Sciatica last year after spending time in hospital.

She'd tried everything then had some sessions of Acupuncture.
Pain has not come back.

Hadjab · 17/05/2019 11:26

Chiropractor and walking has worked wonders for me

Original poster
EggbertHeartsTina · 17/05/2019 11:45

Thanks @hadjab - did you just walk through the pain? I walked about 200 metres yesterday and was in tears by the end.

OP posts:
uggmum · 17/05/2019 11:51

I suffered for years. Literally tried everything. Physio, acupuncture and every drug known to man.

The only thing that resolved it was a course of diazepam.

Now when I get a flair up I have a weeks prescription and it works every time

Hadjab · 17/05/2019 11:56

@EggbertHeartsTina it was a combination of chiro twice a week for 3 weeks and a 40 minute walk every morning alongside - bloody painful, but worth it! The first time I had sciatica, it took 3 months for it to subside, this time I was sorted in around 4 weeks. I still go to chiro once a month for an adjustment, and have changed the way I sit at my desk which has helped to keep it at bay.

Original poster
EggbertHeartsTina · 17/05/2019 13:28

Thank you all. I know being sedentary is supposed to be the worst thing but I’m finding walking so unbearable Sad

OP posts:
Chowmum · 17/05/2019 13:41

This might be a bit tricky in the circumstances, but I love this stretch for sciatica (and I've suffered with it since I was a teenager)

www.athletico.com/2016/06/22/stretch-of-the-week-seated-piriformis-stretch/

Can't do it at the moment, due to knackered knee, so suffering.

ishouldbedoingsomework · 17/05/2019 13:42

A friend of DM's physio advised 'plucking £50 notes from the ceiling' for back pain!
You reach up with one arm, then the other and 'pluck' them from the ceiling.
Sounds a bit batty but it has always really helped me- and the plucking action does seem to help!

ishouldbedoingsomework · 17/05/2019 13:45

And btw did have a very severe bad back when I was 19- it did last for about six weeks although slowly got better during that time, and was fine afterwards- no surgery etc.
Hope you feel better soon.

Bloomburger · 17/05/2019 13:46

One of my clients hasn't suffered since we starting doing lots of standing calf raises 🤔. Not sure if it's a coincidence or it's helped but it's free and you can do them at home do no hurt in trying.

FinalNameChange · 17/05/2019 13:46

Chiropractic, perhaps Pilates (talk to Chiropractor about that).

mmgirish · 17/05/2019 14:17

2 things worked for me. The first was moving to a hot country (probs not a helpful suggestion) the second was making sure I wasn't constipated!

latebreakfast · 17/05/2019 14:25

I had dreadful sciatica for about five years. Nothing would make it better. Then, on the advice of my doctor, I started gentle swimming (front crawl, never breast stroke), and gentle cycling. The change was almost magical - within a few weeks the sciatica had gone and has never come back. I still swim or cycle nearly every day - and if I go 2-3 weeks without doing so I start feeling stiff again...

Karigan195 · 17/05/2019 14:28

Only thing that ever worked for me was beating it into submission through exercise. Strengthening the muscles around that area by exercising totally got rid of it. I was virtually in tears just walking but to be frank just pushed on and gradually it went as I got fitter.

Corndog · 17/05/2019 14:32

Osteopath and walking up gentle inclines sorted mine.

Bamaluz · 17/05/2019 14:32

Stretching exercises, physio and changing my kitchen chairs cured mine. And two weeks off work (lots of bending and lifting involved), not because of the sciatica, just Christmas holidays.
I couldn't sit comfortably on the old chairs, and spent a bit of time sitting at the table on the laptop, so changed them for lower chairs with a smaller seat.

bettyblueeyes83 · 17/05/2019 14:41

Poor you Thanks

I have had intermittent sciatic pain from piriformis syndrome for several years, it's god-awful and I've also been in tears, holding onto walls to walk, crawling up stairs etc. Made worse by long periods sitting or standing without breaks and by long walks/runs.

I have heating/cooling pads, sprays, gels etc for when I get a flare-up. Voltarol and ibuprofen with codeine work well. The main thing was finding a brilliant osteopath who also does acupuncture when it's bad - I really believe he's made a big difference, especially at the beginning when it was coming on and off every week or so. My last flare-up was at Xmas and since then I've had my work station adjusted and started regular cross-functional exercise - only the mildest twinge since! Still see the osteopath every couple of months.

Neron · 17/05/2019 14:44

True sciatica is due to structural issues.
I recommend going to see a soft tissue therapist (they'll need to be level 5 qualified). A lot of people have a tight/inflammed/overused piriformis muscle which is under the glutes.
The piriformis muscle sits on top of the sciatic nerve and in 20% of the population, the nerve runs through it. This means it mimics the symptoms and pain of sciatica.
If it's the muscle causing your problems the therapist will use massage, muscle energy & soft tissue release techniques to sort it

Original poster
EggbertHeartsTina · 17/05/2019 17:17

Thanks all this is v helpful

OP posts:
PookieDo · 17/05/2019 17:57

You need to keep mobile

I had very bad coccyx issues during late pregnancy and it was awful but it did improve on its own
I’ve had 2 ruptured discs and the first symptom for me is sciatica.

I had a lot of physio and accupunture - 6-8 weeks it can take to improve

2nd time it did not improve and I couldn’t actually walk by myself by 6 weeks, I ended up with a spinal injection which solved it

But the whole way through they told me to keep moving and mobile and that my core weakness was the cause of my back problems

fairweathercyclist · 17/05/2019 17:57

My mother had some relief with acupuncture.

If it's piriformis related massage from someone who knows what they are doing should help.

PookieDo · 17/05/2019 17:58

piriformis Pain is horrendous. I feel ill remembering it!

PookieDo · 17/05/2019 18:00

The pathway for GP’s is usually referral after 8 weeks
It usually isn’t surgery it could be a steroid injection so don’t fret

CostanzaG · 17/05/2019 18:02

I've had terrible sciatica since I had a car accident last year. It's awful.

Being active definitely works ... I find it can be painful while walking/running but it means I get some relief later in the day.

CostanzaG · 17/05/2019 18:04

Oh and I find sitting on a tennis ball ( put it under the painful side) helps as does getting my DH to stick his elbow in!