Anyone have sciatica?

[Simba's Mom]

If so, how do you treat it? I had it around 7 months ago, but it went away by itself after a few days. This time it really hurts. If you've ever had it, what kind of home treatment do you recommend? Is it likely to go away by itself again? And if so, about how long will it last? I tried a heating pad, but that didn't seem to do any good. Should I try ice? Lying on my back feels alot better, but I don't know if that's a treatment or if it just feels better for the time I'm there. Any comments will help.

 

[becka]

I have sciatica and I have struggled with it for quite a while. I spent a few years trying home treatments but I finally got fed up with them. I was always extremely suspicious of chiropractic care but I was in enough pain that I finally tried it. Now I am still not sure any of that alignment business is the real deal but they used a TENS machine (little electric pulses) on my back and it really seemed to help. He also suggested that I use ice at home and not heat which I have done since then. I don't go for the "maintenance" they would like me to do but if I start feeling a flare up I will go back for a treatment or two. Just my two cents....

 

[kimmikayb]

Yes, I have struggled with it for years. My main problem is my weight. If I can keep it down, the pain goes away. I find doing exercises really help. If it gets too bad to exercise you can get a steroid shot that will relieve the pain for weeks and allow you to get back on the exercise program. Also, physical therapy....ultrasound massage did wonders for me and if you're willing to try acupuncture, that REALLY helped me but was expensive.

 

[lynxstch]

it flares up occasionally..when it first happened,and this was about 20 years ago (I picked up a pail of water, heard a snapping sound and was in total pain..couldn't straighten up and couldn't stand straight when I did..I went to a chiropractor..which only aggravated it for me and I will never go back to one ..as a result..I ended up in the ER and then spent 2 weeks flat on my back in bed at home before I could move again..now when I get a flare up, I take some tylenol arthritis strength, put some icy hot or a back pain patch on it..try using a heating pad if you have one..cold on it never seemed to work for me..I have adjusted to the fact that it's going to be with me forever, but at least it only flares up badly a few times a year.
Good luck and I hope your back feels better soon!

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

I had a horrible bout of it that lasted about a year, about two years ago.

I would have burning pain from the middle of my right butt cheek (that sound so bad, but I can't think of another way to word it!), down the back of my thigh, to the back of my knee.

My back never hurt though. It was excruciating to stand though! And pulling myself into an upright position when I was laying down was almost impossible it was so painful.

I was diagnosed after an MRI. I have a bulging disc in between the 4th and 5th vertebrae (I think it's those two - I could be wrong) that was pressing on the nerve.

My orthopedist put me on anti-inflammatory meds and they worked like a charm! I have had it flare up once since then, and I took the pills for a few days and it went away and has never come back.

 

[grinningghost]

DH has it. The product you NEED:

http://www.toastproducts.com/pages/stoast.html

 

[kimmikayb]

DH has it. The product you NEED:

http://www.toastproducts.com/pages/stoast.html

Where does he apply it? Where the nerve starts in the back or where the pain shoots down? My pain gets really bad in my butt then down in my leg but I know the origin of the pain is one of my lower disc.

I might just try this! Thanks!


Sorry OP for hijacking your thread.

 

[Libby X 3]

Another sufferer here. I put off going to a doctor and put it off until the pain was unbearable. The MRI showed two bulging lower discs pressing on my nerve. I had no choice but surgery by the time I went in. I am fine now but do have nerve damage as a result of waiting too long to see a doctor. If it is bad see a doctor...Hope you feel better soon!!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Thanks everyone. The fact that it can "flare up" and then go away gives me hope. Right now I'm using ice on it-that seems to really be helping. The heating pad and Ben-Gay did no good. At the moment, I'm in the "20 minutes off" stage, pretty soon I'll go back to "20 minutes on". I've been doing this for about 2 hours and it help a lot. The anti-inflamatories, good idea! I tried those this morning, but switched to the ice, forgot about doing both (Duh!) Boy, it really helps to know that I'm not alone and that it's something lots of people deal with sometimes.

 

[anewvance]

I had it a few years ago for the first time, it's painful but not much i can do about it, my doctor suggested pain management but I declined. Then I had it after my car accident last year, but not so bad, pretty much flaired up because I was limping from my broken foot and messed up knee.

And now I am having it in my pregnancy. I've been on bedrest for 4 weeks and the lack of movement has really made the sciatica flair up, it's really bad. But absolutely nothing I can do about it... :-(

 

[Evil Genius]

If it continues ask your doctor to suggest a naprapath to go to. They use the machines like mentioned above, but they don't do any aligning. I've gone to one for years and it helps when I have flare ups.

Good Luck

 

[Aisling]

I get sciatica flare ups, and both my regular doctor and a chiropractor said not to use heat. They said heat spreads the inflammation. Use cold packs and extra-strength pain reliever. And try not to sit for long periods oftime. Even if it hurts, try to walk a bit, and then rest.

 

[Diva of Dragons]

Chiropractic has kept me walking for years. I very very rarely have problems with it now and when I do, one visit takes care of it. I have also used accupuncture for hip pain. Two visits fixed it!

 

[aprilgail2]

I use anti inflamatories and also the TENS machine. I have one for home so I don't need to go to physical therapy every time I get it ( which is not often). The insurance company covered it in full plus pays for the contact pads. Its great to have since I hurt my knee last year and used it for that and also for a heel spur in my foot.

 

[grinningghost]

Where does he apply it? Where the nerve starts in the back or where the pain shoots down? My pain gets really bad in my butt then down in my leg but I know the origin of the pain is one of my lower disc.

I might just try this! Thanks!


Sorry OP for hijacking your thread.

Middle to lower back. This stuff gets REALLY hot, so you can only use a tiny little dab and rub it in good. It takes an hour or so to fully activate - so when it starts working, it can shock you. But he SWEARS by it - and he has a horrible, horrible back - 2 slipped disks, sciatica - sometimes can't even put on his own shoes. After using this junk, he always feels great in a few hours.

 

[mla2177]

Another sufferer here! Mine comes and goes with a couple months span in between. My mom also suffers from it badly, and her doctor has given her cortizone shots, then eventually an epidural.