Sciatica - Help any suggestions please?

[jersey]

Hi, I have had sciatica in my right side and down my leg since a few weeks before I was pregnant. The doctor has given me exercises which seem to releave the pain for a short while. Now its really bad and I'm having trouble sleeping, getting up and down and going up stairs as any weight on the leg is painful. I'm 8+5 weeks so am limited in what I can take, does anyone have any suggestion please or is it back to the doctors?

Thanks

acupuncture has worked fantastically for me. It does come back every 3 mths or so but I just go for some more (only takes half an hour at the most) and I am back to rights within half a day. Seriously I had tried most things. My sister in law is a chiropractor and she helped realign my back etc which also helps.

Thanks cocoliver, its the needles I'm not sure of with acupunture!! I have a fear of needles!!

i had sciatica when i was 30+ weeks pg and it was sssooo painful that it made my stomach turn everytime the twinge came on worse.. midwife advsd me to go for a swim on that nite and if not any better the midwife will give me an injection but i couldnt move very well so i ended up not do anything so i rested for the nite.. (meaning i didnt move all nite whilst dp was running around for me ) and the sciatica went...

the sciatica came on when i was doing too much

Hello
I have had it with both preganacies - the first time I had two weeks off work (I am a teacher and my job involves alot of standing during lessons and walking up and down several flights of stairs from one room to the other) I also saw the physio at the hospital and she helped alot - I went from being unable to walk up or down stairs to just having a niggling pain most of the time. I had to wear a belt - That I must admit I found uncomfortable but sometimes worked.
This time around I have had it for longer but not as bad - I use a birthing ball to sit on and it really helps. Some days I know that I should not do much walking so I tend to take it easy - I am not at work at the moment so it is easier for me this time around (apart from running around after my 15 month old)
Try to get your doctor to refer you to the physio (there is one specifically for pregnant women at my local hospital) Wear soft shoes and put your feet up when you can, long warm baths are also great.
Good luck with the pregnancy

Thanks everyone for the suggestions hope to get some rest over Xmas, if not any better then will see if the doctor will refer me.

Hi, I have had sciatica on and off for years - funnily enough the only time I don'tget it is when I'm pregnant.
First I would ask now to be referred for Physio - you can always cancel it if you do get better with rest.
Spending time in the "cat" position (on all fours) can sometimes help, and is good when you're pregnant anyway.
The exercise I had from a physio which also helped was to lie flat on my back and have her pull gently on the painful leg - DP also did this for me, with pretty good results.

Hope you feel better soon, and good luck with the pregnancy.

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Thanks jasnem will see if I can get an appointment at docs this week, there a bit like gold dust at our practice!!

Some practioners will do acu pressure , which is like acupuncture withought the needles.

My midwife suggested I used my tens machine - It was a real help!
Lots of relaxing baths, acupunture and also I would suggest not lying down/sitting down for long periods of time as this seems to make it worse - Perhaps get up every half hour/hour although this is slight impratical when you are trying to sleep. I do hope it gets better for you!

Thanks, DH convinced me to ring docs today and I have anappointment tomorrow with a doctor I haven't seen before. So will see what he says.

Good luck. Let us know how you get on...

but the needles are really nothing like injections. Not even remotely. Do try it if you can. It is quite powerful and is such a release if you can relax. Good luck! Plus you won't even see the needles...