Sciatica

[Stumpy54321]

I’ve ended up with sciatica after pain in my back. The back pain has now subsided but my leg still feels numb at the back of top of leg and also my foot is numb and feels very strange to walk bare footed on hard floors. My calf feels like a cramp feeling. I’ve been walking a little more each day but my foot almost feels like it’s weak. The last couple days I felt I’d turned a corner with the pain but was agony last night keeping me awake until 3am. Been off work for 2 weeks now and due to go back next week, but I’m on my feet all shift and just worried my leg will get worse. Any advice would be appreciated

Try walking backwards a bit as front of your foot goes down first and stretches hamstrings, may help.
also sciatic stretch if your blood pressure is ok as you tilt your head back. Sit on a straight back chair, feet on floor. Lift the troublesome foot up in front of you 90 degrees. So leg is straight from hip, through knee to foot. As you do that slowly tilt head back to see ceiling to stretch the nerve, then foot back to floor and head back at same time to looking ahead. Repeat slowly a few times

What medications are you on? I had months of sciatica after lower back pain which mri eventually revealed was a mild herniated disc at l4-l5. Amitripryline, a medicine that works on nerve pain, together with naproxen took away the pain and made it bearable to live with. Physiotherapist exercises and walking as much as possible helped and it eventually resolved after several months. Pilates when you feel able will help strengthen your core. It’s truly miserable, you have my sympathies. My MRI results suggested a consultation for surgery but by the time I got the results the sciatica cleared up (apparently most herniated discs do resolve with conservative treatment usually within 6-12 months. My physio told me this and I was sceptical but it did happen. The right meds allowed me to be more mobile / active and I think this helped my recovery. I do hope you get some relief soon.

I've had it for almost a year now, sometimes not too bad, sometimes (like now) it's flared up & painful /pins & needles & I'm really fed up. I'm losing hope it will ever go away. 2 tiny disc protrusions so not sure why I can't seem to stop this pain & discomfort. I'm on nerve pain meds, maybe I need to up the dose. I've tried naproxen but it doesn't seem to help me. I just want it to go away!