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

[IlanaK]

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.

My partner says he was stretching the spine out to release the pressure on the nerves. A technique he had used for other pregnant friends in the past. Good Luck with getting yours sorted out! xx

Tens machine?

Ilanak I can't recommend going to a private physio strongly enough. I used to travel for a 2hr round trip to see one and every mile was worth it. Brief history for you.. i broke my back 2 years ago. for 18mths i had severe sciatic pain and was told by numerous NHS physios that i was lucky to be walking and that i should learn to live with the pain. i didn't take this as an acceptable answer so did some research of my own. I found an amazing physio and after just one session i noticed a dramatic decrease in my pain levels. I mentioned this to him at the 2nd session and asked if it was in my mind. His reply "if you're doing what i taught you then of course it isn't!". I then had 3 more sessions with him and now walk without a stick.
I admit i still have bad days (especially now pregnant) but you know what, now, i count myself lucky that i'm walking WITHOUT pain most of the time.
I'm sure there are good NHS physios out there but i didn't find a single one and apologies to anyone who's offended, this is purely from my personal experience.
Ilanak, my physio is based in Chelmsford but he also has a clinic in Old Harlow and somehwere else,Brentwood i think. I'm more than happy to pass on his details to you. He accepts insurance referrals but you can also pay direct (£50 for half an hour and worth every penny).
if he's just too difficult for you to travel to, try and find an australian trained sports physio. they are trained to a higher standard than UK and non-sports.
the non-sports physios seem to have a lower criteria for you to reach ie nhs physio was happy that i could walk from bedroom to bathroom (irrelevant of how much pain i was in) but aim of sports physio was to get me back to my level of fitness pre-accident.

You will be amazed at how easy it is to change how you walk,sit,stand etc and the dramatic effects it'll have on your pain levels. i know this is rather a sweeping statement but trust me, if your experience is half as good as mine, you'll agree in a few weeks.

please please don't suffer with the pain, its completely unnecessary

miamla

lecture over! and no, i'm not getting any commission for recommending my physio!

HI, I had this at the end of 1st pg and from about 10 weeks with 2nd, its horrible I have every sympathy for you. I saw a reflexologist throughout the 2nd and it was amazing, I know you wouldn't think feet can make a difference but I would be i tears before going with the pain and would spend every night in weird positions on a birthing ball trying to be comfortable. Might be worth ago if you can find one trained to do maternity stuff.

I am 23weeks with DS3 and no pain (YET!!) but am hopeful and being really careful no hovering which made it bad last time, so there is some hope...........

Hi
Thanks for all your messages and words of wisdom..i THINK baby MIGHT be shifting as the pain seems to have subsided a little...so i will keep my fingers crossed that he or she does not move agin until it's born....horrid horrid sciatica..not to be recommended at all!

I am 14 weeks and have had flare ups of sciatic pain throughout my pregnancy so far. Its really scary and I sympathise with you a lot. I've found hot water bottles helpful, as well as using lavendar oil on my temples to help relax, plus paracetamol. Im going to try acupuncture as well as it can really help with pain relief. Ill let you know how I get on! Hope yours improves.

it's gone! Baby has shifted and i am pain free - what a relief..i never want to experinec that kind of pain again!