Pregnancy sciatica (aka literal pain in the arse)

[adlertippa]

I finally finished work 10 days ago and immediately got bloody terrible sciatic type pain which hasn't relented since.

It's stopping me really doing anything, standing and walking is particularly bad. Annoyingly I also have pregnancy carpal tunnel so can't even hang out in bed and sew.

I'm 37+5 with my first so potentially have a month to go, it's hard not to get frustrated. My midwife made a physio referral but it'll take at least two weeks... I was thinking about taking the hit for one private physio session in the hope that I could get a couple of good days.

Anyone got any advice? Paracetamol was doing nothing so I've been taking co-codamol if I have to do anything and otherwise lying down with no painkillers which is fairly comfortable. I'm not really sure what physio would involve, is it stretches and stuff?

Pregnancy currently feels like a taster of being 65...

Can you afford a chiropractor? I suffered pelvic girdle pain which also caused on/off sciatica. I used to go for regular sessions throughout pregnancy and it really helped. DH gets sciatica too and sees the chiropractor when it flares up. Physio was a load of boll@cks. Taught me how to get in out of bed - did nothing to cure the pain.

My sciatic pain actually wasn't sciatica but a misalignment of my sacroiliac joint. If you pain tends to focus around your bum and not radiate below your knee then (apparently) it's likely that it's this and not sciatica. I found the physio to be a lifesaver. She gave me an exercise to relieve the pain which was to lie on my back and draw my knee up to my chest (adjust to the side for bump if necessary and try to move bump out the way as much as you can) whilst holding your leg with both hands, get someone to use their hands as resistance and push up on their hands with your knee. They should then release a little and you should be able to bring your knee in towards your chest a tiny bit more and go again. I hope that makes sense!
It's really horrible having the pain and you have my sympathy

Thank you both so much! The pain is mostly in my upper arse (technical term) but occasional spreads to my knee and groin. None of the electric/shooting type pain I'd expect from sciatica so I probably shouldn't self-diagnose.

I wonder if a chiropractor might be better than a physio, I don't have all that long left and am dreaming of some immediate relief. Just one day properly out the house would be amazing.

Try an osteopath, I wouldn't be waiting for physio referral.

I had sciatica. It wasn't at all like you describe. I had shooting pain down my leg. See GP. Self refer for physio? Should you be taking co codamol?

Wolfiefan I don't have the classic shooting pain but the pain does radiate and it's constant and one-sided which points me at it (I'm a paramedic), also have had other nerve issues in the last couple of weeks. I've been taking the minimum dose of co-codamol for 3 days max, in line with advice, going to come off it now and hope physio/similar can help.

I have sciatica , get a ball with nodules on ( dog toy you can pick up from pound store for instance) and sit on it with the bum cheek causing problems. Wiggle on your bum so it kind of gives a deep massage movement. Hopefully will help a bit xxx

Try doing this- www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/rehabilitation-exercises/hip-groin-exercises/early-stage-hip-groin-exercises/clam-exercise, really slowly. If I looked at my bum in the middle, the left cheek looked considerably less defined than my right. This exercise strengthen your glutes and should help.

My physio marked a spot on my bum with a marker everytime I went to see her, and my DH would press into it- really hard. It would give me very temporary release. Go swimming, if anything it takes the weight of it all.

It's really bloody painful- I had it when pregnant and had morphine patches, and some other stuff. Then I got it after pregnancy so the medication was increased but nothing touched it, at all. It was hell.

Hope something helps. x

Agree with PP it could be SI joint as what you're describing is sounding sadly familiar. My shooting pain was in my hip and meant I couldn't stand on that leg for anything up to 5 mins until it passed. Chiropractor is far more useful than physio. I also find that using a tens machine helps if you're getting muscular pain from the aggravated point- just be careful about where you put the pads, use the right frequencies etc. I also used a support belt earlier in pg but by this point I can't stand to wear it

I've found a groupon for a chiropractor so going to try that asap :) have actually just got a tens machine for labour so might try that too! Thanks for all the advice everyone, much appreciated x