Sciatica

[Bluetoybear]

Hello, I have sciatica from the bottom of my back to hip and down to bottom of my thigh😥 I have had it for just over 4 weeks now and its getting better a bit but I am still in pain especially when standing up say in a shop que. Its ok lying down in bed or sitting down but awful walking etc. I have codine tablets to take 2 x 4 times a day and a nerve easing tablet 1 x night time..any help or advice will be welcome..I have also a back exercise sheet from doctor.

Bump 🙂

Do the back exercises you have been given as reasonably often as you can, not just once a day. Yoga or Pilates might well help, but you need proper instruction from a qualified teacher. You may, as I have, find that certain exercises/ positions bring lasting relief (wide legged downward dog for me). Don't sit or stand still in the same position for ages, move/fidget about as much as you reasonably can. Sorry, can't help with the pain walking, except for to say to try to avoid it.....I have been known to get about the house on hands and knees through a bad bout.

Thank you the pain walking is awful isn't it..I have a Telephone appointment with a physio next month (long waiting list due to covid etc) and the exercises doctor gave me I try to do a couple of times a day but building up to do them more frequently 🙂

@StapMe

Do you get it regularly? This is first time I have had it.

The nerve is trapped in your back. You need to stretch it out.

I do hamstring exercises. Legs wide, breath in and slowly touch the floor while breathing out. Don't bounce.

Keep doing repeatedly and then do at various points during the day. You have to do any of those exercises multiple times a day until it's free.

Thank you xx I will do..my appointment with doctor was over the phone and I hadn't time to ask him much, so thank you for all your help x

Look up Nerve glide. It's an exercise for stretching out the sciatic nerve. My physio told me to just do it very gently, only go as far as I can without pain, even just a little way will help. Do a few times a day.

I found exercises of limited use. I exacerbated mine but straining ligaments in my knee after falling over causing me to walk really awkwardly. I eventually went to GP to ask for gabapentin but instead was given high strength vitamin D and had bloods taken. Bloods showed I was v deficient in vit D and that causes leg pain. Whilst I had sciatica originally, the deficiency pain had taken over. Worth taking vit d too

I had successful surgery years ago for a spinal injury which caused excruciating sciatica, but I have had the odd recurrence of that horrible pain, so I know a bit, though I'm not a medic. Best advice I can give is to continue with the exercises even when you are better. Whenever I neglect that, I pay the price! More so as I age, I've got a touch of arthritis there too these days. Long term, you need to strengthen your core, your pelvic floor and loosen your hamstrings and bum muscles. Which is where the yoga /Pilates comes in. The pain is caused because something is kind of leaning on the nerve. There may be inflammation, also the muscles cramp, which leans on the nerve even more. Drinking plenty of fluid helps with reducing inflammation, I find ibuprofen is good for that too. Painkillers just don't work for me, even the extra strong ones you can't drive with. Your doctor has already prescribed muscle relaxant and codeine, don't take ibuprofen on top of that lot without consulting your doctor.

The first time I had sciatica it lasted about 6 weeks. I had a lot of pain sitting down but could do everything else. One day I had half a day at work (struggled to sit), then rode my horse for 2 hours (fine), ran for an hour (also fine), went home and again couldn't sit down .

This year I got it again but so much worse. Just about everything was painful except lying still. I tried stretches, moderate exercises etc. but nothing really improved it except time (many months ).

Codeine did nothing for me but gabapentin helped.

If you work at a desk I recommend a saddle seat (e.g. Bambach). This was the only place I could sit comfortably for more than about 15 minutes.

Google Jessica Valant sciatica - she's in YouTube but is also a qualified physio. I love her exercises. She shows you the nerve glide mentions by a Pp. It's a short video, worth a try, good luck

Oh no you definitely need a physio not just pain relief. My physio did like 5 min back massage in my first appointment and I was pain free for the next 4 or so weeks. YouTube ‘nerve flossing’ and get on to a physio.

Osteopath and deep tissue massage. I get it a fair bit and have never needed to go to gp for pain relief, massage, osteopath and exercise manages it really well.

I saw an osteopath for months and it didn’t nothing, suffered on for a couple more years and the physio and Pilates has made the world of difference.

You should not be taking codeine alone as it is habituating and more effective in combination. The pain ladder suggests opiates should be used as top up to paracetamol 2 four times a day and/or a anti-inflammatory if you can take them

And, please please take a laxative with the codeine! I took it for 4 days for a painful hip problem that developed over a weekend and was in an absolute state after the 4 days

Thank you for all the great advice I have done my exercises today but still in so much pain Hopefully it will start getting better soon .. Taking laxatives with the codeine xx

Thank you all for the help and advice for my sciatica I have stretched my muscles and done the exercise everyday that you lovely people adviced today after about 5 weeks my leg and hip has settled down.. I have had 4 children in natural child birth and have a hysterectomy and the pain from the sciatica was so much worse!!!! Thank you all so much for your good advice xxxxx

First night I know I will get a good night's sleep the pain has really eased.

I have got out of bed today without shaking in pain From tomorrow I am going on ibuprofen and stop taking codeine..hopefully I will get better with each day... I will never take my back for granted again.. Stretching back and legs exercises every day from now on.

Very wise. Every day should keep you right. It's the same with kegals. They need to be done daily.

Yes.. Thank you, you don't appreciate your back until something goes wrong .. Its the the worse pain I have ever had.. The advice on here was spot on!.. I have lost 3 stone due to the pain in only 4 to 5 weeks of not eating.. I have had the first nice meal age's today in ages (steak, onion rings & chips which lovely oh cooked) .. I really enjoyed it!. I haven't felt like eating due to the pain. Please everyone look after their backs etc as if you don't the results are terrible

What a lovely site this is! People taking the time out of there day to answer people like me... Thank you so so much!!!

There is a series where the lead detective has sciatica and limps around. In one scene the killer has him at gunpoint and tells him to sit down on a low step, which the detective does. I thought, if that were me I'd say, "Not doing that, you'll just have to shoot me!"