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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Desperate. PLease help me with sciatic nerve pain. Please!

32 replies

IlanaK · 18/01/2008 19:55

I am 12 weeks pg tomorow. This is mythird pregnancy. I am having back problens which an osteopath is treating successfully, but he is not helping with the sciatic nerve pain.

The last two days it has been so bad that it has left me in tears laying on my bed unable to move (not great with two other kids int he house).

The osteopath has bascially said that I have to manage it by changing the things I do, the way I stand and rest. I have stopped using a pushchair for my youngest as this was aggravating it. We are barely leaving the house. But a 10 minute walk to and from swimming lessons today left me in so much pain that on the way home I just wanted to stop in the street and not move anymore.

Has anyone found a way to alleviate or manage this sort of pain in pregnancy? I have 6 months to go and no idea how I am going ot manage it.

OP posts:

Weegle · 18/01/2008 20:00

Get to a physio on an urgent referral (your midwife can do this) - you can be seen in under two weeks this way. The physio can teach you ways to do things to minimise the pain. They can also try out if various support belts help.

Try to find some time to go to the pool just you (I can imagine hard with 2 LO's) and just float and very gently move about.

If all this fails go to your GP. There are painkillers which are safe to take in pregnancy which can be given prescription only.

pinkteddy · 18/01/2008 20:02

I would ask your midwife if you can be referred to a specialist womens health physio urgently. Not every hospital has a team but most do. They are experienced in dealing with pregnant mums with disabilities, SPD, muscle pain, back pain etc and can give you expert advice. They can also follow you right through your pregnancy and afterwards if necessary. In the short term take paracetomol, rest as much as you can and how about investing in a tens machine or hiring one? I do sympathise, I have an arthritic condition and suffered from SPD in pregnancy but fortunately didn't have toddlers at the time. Have you had anything like this before? Have you got any help? If you have children under 5, homestart might be able to help you - ask your hv. HTH

pinkteddy · 18/01/2008 20:04

Snap! cross posts - how are you weegle? missed you on the other thread and it fell off my 'threads I'm on'!.

Original poster

IlanaK · 18/01/2008 20:38

Thanks for the quick replies. I have had this in the last pregnancy, but not so severe so early. I also ddeveloped spd much later in the pregnancy. The consultant I saw in antenatal clinic just told me to put up with it.

Would you believe that I do not even have an appointment with a midwife yet? They are all hospital based here (central london) and they lost my GP referal so I spent part of this week fighting to even get into the system. It could be up to 2 more weeks before I even have a first appointment.

Physio sounds good - I will definately push for it when I eventually get seen. Can they actually do anything to alleviate it or is it just advice about how to live daily life?

I haven't been taking any paracetamol, but maybe I will try some. The osteopath told me anti-inflammatories like neurofen would not work for sciatic pain.

OP posts:

Jennster · 18/01/2008 20:49

I found heat helped me with mine. If I squeezed my buttocks really tightly and shuffled a couple of cms forward I could move....Not helpful with toddlers I know but the heat might help.

Original poster

IlanaK · 18/01/2008 21:17

Thanks. I will try a hot waterbottle.

OP posts:

foodfiend · 18/01/2008 21:33

Hi IlanaK. I had similar problems in my first pregnancy, and am starting to again (now 10wks). (Toddler not impressed with the not-picking up mummy...) Similarly - I had one-sided pain early on which turned into spd (which thankfully disappeared completely as soon as I had her).

What hospital are you likely to be at? I had R at St Mary's and they had a fab system (once FINALLY booked in at 16 weeks - they lost my referral twice!) where instead of waiting months to see a physio they referred you to a weekly class which ran through loads of basic stuff about how to move more safely. This meant if you needed further help (which I did later on) you could see a physio individually almost immediately. A friend at the Whittington had to wait nearly 15 weeks to see a physio .

I can't believe you were just told to put up with it! This site has some useful info, though it does focus on the more extreme end of the problem. www.pelvicpartnership.org.uk/2805.html

When I saw the physio, she prescribed me a support belt which went round my pelvis and a giant tubgrip (I felt like a sausage!), which did help both in relieving pain and enabling me to do more. I think you can buy the belts but I guess you should probably get advice first.

Hope that's useful - lots of sympathy. It was bad enough last time without sprogs to deal with.

CoteDAzur · 18/01/2008 21:45

My sciatica pain started around 6th month and disappeared at 8th month, just when I was seriously wondering if life would be worth living if this pain continued after the birth.

After much suffering, I hobbled to a very good osteopath, who cured it in minutes. Unfortunately, it would come back in a day or so, and I would hobble back his way.

He told me that this happens in pregnancy to women who had (before preg) the habit of sleeping on their belly, with one knee to the side iyswim.

I hope you feel better soon. Keep seeing different osteopaths until you find one who knows how to treat you.

CoteDAzur · 18/01/2008 21:45

My sciatica pain started around 6th month and disappeared at 8th month, just when I was seriously wondering if life would be worth living if this pain continued after the birth.

After much suffering, I hobbled to a very good osteopath, who cured it in minutes. Unfortunately, it would come back in a day or so, and I would hobble back his way.

He told me that this happens in pregnancy to women who had (before preg) the habit of sleeping on their belly, with one knee to the side iyswim.

I hope you feel better soon. Keep seeing different osteopaths until you find one who knows how to treat you.

Heated · 18/01/2008 22:02

Sorry you are in so much discomfort.

Just to add to all the other good suggestions, when I could nor sit, lie or stand comfortably, I found sitting on a yoga/exercise ball a blessed relief.

Tigi · 18/01/2008 22:18

my back 'went' when pregnant, and i had a lot of physio (and massage) to get me moving again. I was given lots of excerises to do at home too, such as leaning back away from cupboards, and on all fours, back up and down etc. The best think I was taught was to use my stomach muscles to take the pressure of my bac, somethin i now do without thinking about. I never thought my back pain would go, and be able to walk down the street without crying, but it did. The pain and stiffness lessened dramatically after the birth. Unfortnatly sciatica came in its place, and it was evil, the worst pain imaginable. It would kick in if i stood still for more than a few seconds. I had to keep moving. I had more physio, and a mri scan that showed a trapped nerve. I had injections in my spine, and that, with the excercises worked. The physio said try pilates (afetr some time) but that made it worse, and i never tried again. i now play netball, and i think that the constant flexing of my back keeps it supple and pain free, but at the time its very very hard to believe it will go away. Try and get some physio sorted, and excercises to do at home.

Tigi · 18/01/2008 22:21

I've also tried some 'bowen' treatment when the sciatica niggled, and it showed one of my legs slightly shorter (!) due to a tight pelvis, which may have caused the pain. She stretched me out a bit, and it felt a lot better afterwards.

sweetkitty · 18/01/2008 22:23

Can I ask a really stupid question - what is the difference between SPD and sciatic nerbe pain. The reason I am asking is I suffer from SPD (I am in my third pregnancy and it has flared up at 12 weeks) I do get some pain across my syphilis pubis joint at the front but a lot more on my coccyx and sacro iliac joints, the pain is more internal IYSWIM and also radiates down my hops one more than the other.

I got told "back pain is common in pregnancy" and put up with it. Also got a support belt whihc doens't help that much.

I suppose I'm lucky in that I don't need crutches or wheelchair and can still get around albeit slowly and painfully. I find it worse after periods of lying or sitting, such as truning over in be or getting out of bed.

Original poster

IlanaK · 18/01/2008 22:26

Foodfiend - it was St Mary's where I had my last baby and was told to just put up with it! I have booked into UCH this time as I can't stand a repeat performance at St Mary's.

Cotedazur - that is exactly how I sleep! Always have done.

I have good private health insurance, but it will not cover anything pregnancy related. My dh has suggested I go and see the GP to get a referal but not say it is pregnancy related (I have back problems other times too). So I may try that next week to see a physio quickly. Can anyone recommend a good private on centrally (marylebone area preferably)

OP posts:

foodfiend · 18/01/2008 22:29

I had some pain at the front, which is the symphisis pubis joint, I think. But all the joints in the pelvis loosen while you're pregnant in order to let the baby out, so the pain you're experiencing is probably that. I think sciatica just means any back pain which radiates down into the legs, as that's where the nerve goes. (admits ignorance at this point.)

Tigi · 18/01/2008 22:30

i went private to my physio when pregnant - are you sure? I know i wasn't covered for a private delivery etc...

CoteDAzur · 19/01/2008 09:50

sweetkitty - I didn't have spd, but I hear it is at the front. Sciatica is a piercing pain in the middle of a buttock (at the back), that radiates down your leg.

Ilana - Me too. Well, not always, but I had taken to sleeping like that for some years before I got pregnant. Now I'm trying not to sleep like that, hoping I won't have sciatica in next pregnancy.

Trix11 · 19/01/2008 09:59

I had this in my first pregnancy and the only thing that worked was acupuncture. After the treatment it 'disappeared' within 12 hours.

Original poster

IlanaK · 19/01/2008 11:01

I am farily sue that anything pregnancy related is excluded. But I also think I can get around it. I think I will go to the GP next week, explain the pain and the fact I have already tried an osteopath and see if she can refer me QUICKLY on the NHS. If not, I will ask about private refereal but mention that it would be better for it to not say anythign about the pregnancy.

OP posts:

pinkteddy · 19/01/2008 16:19

Yes as you are not already booked into midwife, ask GP to refer you to physio - as I said there should be women's health team who specialise in this area. If GP reluctant I really would insist - say you know this is available - don't give him or her a cop out by mentioning private options. (Ask GP to chase up midwife referral at same time!) You really want this physio to follow you throughout pregnancy and afterwards if necessary and preferrably be linked to hospital where you are having your care. Good luck with it and let us know how you get on! HTH

sweetkitty · 19/01/2008 16:23

CoteDAzur - I don't know what I get I get some pain at the front, most at the back at my coccyx, it feel like I have a broom handle shoved up my bum and it comes down both hips, especially one. MWs said it was Sacro-iliac pain last time but I don't know, whatever it is it's a pain in the bum (literally). But as I've said at least I can still walk could be worse and it goes the minute the baby is out.

K2be4 · 25/01/2008 18:54

ouch!! i had sciatic pain from time to time before pg, then about 10-12 weeks into this, my first pg - i was suffering within 10 mins of getting out of bed, wondered how i was gonna get thru the day and next 6 months. i remembered my chiro from previously had suggested cycling. so i pumped up tyres and have been on gentle cycle rides on the tracks nr where i live. no hills, nothing to exhaustive. it really helped - i also have been using a birthing ball. i don;'t know if any of this practical for you, but deff worth a try if you can. however i think i would consult specialist.

Nasreen · 02/02/2008 20:14

Help!
I have sciatica nerve pain - i am nearly 35 weeks and it is so painful to walk and do anything ! It is all down one side of my leg, hip adn bum - what can i do - i am so sick of it now -had it two weeks and could have it for another 6 at this rate!
Doing some exercises on my gym ball, midwife says it is down to the position of the baby!
What can i do to shift it?

ThePFJ · 04/02/2008 02:22

I had it bad a few months ago (am 31 weeks pregnant now) to the extent my ass went numb and one leg would go all dead and limp. Very painful. My partner massaged the area a little and then he asked me to stand in front of him. He asked me to lift up my breasts, and he put his arms around me underneath them. He then leaned back as he gently lifted me off my feet into the air. Something in my lower back would click and the relief was amazing. I am not advocating home DIY cures for this, but all I do know is that it seemed like a miracle for me. Maybe you could try to find out more about that method from a professional?

Nasreen · 04/02/2008 09:52

Thanks ThePFJ - will take it into consideration - i an waiting for an physio appt.to come through from the hospital..goodness knows when that will come through!
It is the worst pain ever..never felt anything like it to be honest and feel totally fed uo with it.

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