Hip/ Sciatica pain

chgonzalez1978

Any other runners ever suffer from sciatica pain during prolonged runs? Any remedies or suggestions are welcome. I started running about 2 years ago for weight loss and over all better health and Ive lost 130 lbs. Running has become a daily regimen for me but, about 4 months ago i started to have hip pain, not muscle pain because i know what that feels like. Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions.

successgal1

See a doctor to get a correct diagnosis. Then take it from there.

tcunbeliever

if it were me I would go see a chiropractor

Spliner1969

I suggest an orthopedic doctor/surgeon. He'll probably tell you to lay off for a while and possibly prescribe steroids and/or some exercises to help. The most beneficial for me has always been yoga stretches designed to push the discs back in their correct position and to help loosen up the piriformis muscle. You can google stretches for sciatica, and for working on the piriformis as well, but do consider a doctor's advice. The sciatic nerve does a lot, it runs from your lumbar spine through your hip, down your leg, and all the way into your feet/toes. Imagine if that nerve was inflamed and angry what kind of pain that would be. Trust me, you don't want that. Last time it happened to me with a herniated disc, not even the max dosage of Percocet would touch the pain.

vikinglander

tcunbeliever wrote: »

if it were me I would go see a chiropractor

THIS!!!

A good neurologist can help as well.

ew_david

Echoing others to go see a doctor. I played Dr. Google for this issue for a long time and ended up having a more serious problem (herniated disc that is causing sciatica).

Spliner1969

http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/exercise-sciatica-a-herniated-disc the first two stretches on this page helped me the most with my sciatica and herniated/bulging discs. I now do them daily, probably for about 3 sets each, about a 1 minute hold each. Keeps the discs where they are supposed to be, and not bulging out into the nerve bundle. The next thing that helps is core strengthening exercises. For that, I do planks constantly, as well as crunches (when your sciatica will allow it).

successgal1

Sorry, but do you KNOW you have a back problem resulting in sciatica pain? Sciatica pain is from the spine, not the hip. The hip could be anything, like arthritis.

I HAVE sciatica pain. I have a bulging disc in my back and degenerating discs. The pain from that is nothing like when I get hip pain. Hip pain I can get from overuse of all the surrounding muscles and ligaments. I have nothing yet that I can identify as being in the joint itself.

You (OP) stated you know what muscle pain is like in the hip and its not that. You then imply its in the joint. This requires a correct diagnosis.

burtisfamily7

Same issue, But for me it was a deep muscle issue. Piriformis syndrome. irritates the sciatic nerve, causing sciatica pain, low back pain ... Functions to assist in rotating the hip and turning the leg and foot outward ... Felxibility training, yoga, deep stretching etc has helped this SO much! But It requires everyday.

It can be causes by bulging discs, or joint dysfunction. I love my chiro, but he could not diagnosis this. And it wouldn't be appropriate. AS the moves to release tension were unbearable, my left hip was severe, and it cause more inflammation and pain to be adjusted. I'm not a run to the Dr girl, but you need an ortho and diagnostic tests to see if it is a structural cause, or if lack of proper movement (even though you run, you might have a desk job? or do not stretch that muscle as often)

Good luck! I am a nurse, so of course I self diagnose haha and i put off this severe issue for years! It eventually pulled my hip out of socket. But I also had a bad Moto cross accident and mangled my leg, so for 1 1/2 years I was not walking proper and threw my hip alignment out . That and 5 babies that caused issues before my accident! Start doing hip flexor stretches, and sciatic stretches and go get seen!

jcraig10

Have you tried K-tape?

burtisfamily7

successgal1 wrote: »

Sorry, but do you KNOW you have a back problem resulting in sciatica pain? Sciatica pain is from the spine, not the hip. The hip could be anything, like arthritis.

I HAVE sciatica pain. I have a bulging disc in my back and degenerating discs. The pain from that is nothing like when I get hip pain. Hip pain I can get from overuse of all the surrounding muscles and ligaments. I have nothing yet that I can identify as being in the joint itself.

You (OP) stated you know what muscle pain is like in the hip and its not that. You then imply its in the joint. This requires a correct diagnosis.

The muscles can absolutely cause Sciatic pain. It is not just bugling discs or structural, When my issue flares, It irritates and contracts on my Sciatic nerve! Awful, hip and sciatic at the same time. But I agree, he needs to get a correct diagnosis, as other issues can imitate sciatic nerve pain. Hes not clear in post though, Hip or hip and sciatic nerve?

And As Ortho nurse for 8 years out of 17 in nursing. Almost EVERYONE has degenerative disc issues after 35, some minor, some major, but a natural process. Bulging dics too. Unless they herniate so bad they touch or compress spinal cord. Very common issue. Not easy going, but 8 out of 10 have them. Stretch stretch stretch! haha hydrate, and move!

successgal1

burtisfamily7 wrote: »

successgal1 wrote: »

Sorry, but do you KNOW you have a back problem resulting in sciatica pain? Sciatica pain is from the spine, not the hip. The hip could be anything, like arthritis.

I HAVE sciatica pain. I have a bulging disc in my back and degenerating discs. The pain from that is nothing like when I get hip pain. Hip pain I can get from overuse of all the surrounding muscles and ligaments. I have nothing yet that I can identify as being in the joint itself.

You (OP) stated you know what muscle pain is like in the hip and its not that. You then imply its in the joint. This requires a correct diagnosis.

The muscles can absolutely cause Sciatic pain. It is not just bugling discs or structural, When my issue flares, It irritates and contracts on my Sciatic nerve! Awful, hip and sciatic at the same time. But I agree, he needs to get a correct diagnosis, as other issues can imitate sciatic nerve pain. Hes not clear in post though, Hip or hip and sciatic nerve?

And As Ortho nurse for 8 years out of 17 in nursing. Almost EVERYONE has degenerative disc issues after 35, some minor, some major, but a natural process. Bulging dics too. Unless they herniate so bad they touch or compress spinal cord. Very common issue. Not easy going, but 8 out of 10 have them. Stretch stretch stretch! haha hydrate, and move!

Mine started in my early 20's.

flatcoatedR

I would a suggest finding good chiropractor with sports medicine training.

burtisfamily7

Mine to, but I have cervical herniation not lumbar, But I was very active, motocross, running, kickboxing, car accidents etc didn't get worse until 30s. My 21 yr old is showing degeneration, she choose to take the nursing route too! Hard on a body! Hope you are able to manage yours ok!

What do you do? Im fighting surgery on My C6 And C7 herniated discs. They aren't quite touching the spinal cord, but almost. Im 39, I Do NOT want fused discs at this age! So I keep it low impact, stretch, chiro care etc I had to quit racing dirt bikes and I keep quad riding to not bahahhing it through the dunes like I used to. Sucks, but better than surgery! My Spine specialist thinks I cant avoid it, but I have met other people successful at it! And working at Orthos office, I dont see very long lasting successful surgeries!

Curious to see how other people are avoiding surgery!

ew_david

burtisfamily7 wrote: »

Mine to, but I have cervical herniation not lumbar, But I was very active, motocross, running, kickboxing, car accidents etc didn't get worse until 30s. My 21 yr old is showing degeneration, she choose to take the nursing route too! Hard on a body! Hope you are able to manage yours ok!

What do you do? Im fighting surgery on My C6 And C7 herniated discs. They aren't quite touching the spinal cord, but almost. Im 39, I Do NOT want fused discs at this age! So I keep it low impact, stretch, chiro care etc I had to quit racing dirt bikes and I keep quad riding to not bahahhing it through the dunes like I used to. Sucks, but better than surgery! My Spine specialist thinks I cant avoid it, but I have met other people successful at it! And working at Orthos office, I dont see very long lasting successful surgeries!

Curious to see how other people are avoiding surgery!

I had a lumbar epidural steroid injection this week and it seems to be working. My pain has dulled. Orthopedic surgeon I originally saw said to start with injections. Per my pain management doctor, no surgeon should touch me at this point and conservative measures should be taken. I can have 2 more injections this year that my insurance will cover. Surgeon said if after those injections I have no improvement, I won't have improvement and surgery will be the next thing.

Spliner1969

_dracarys_ wrote: »

I had a lumbar epidural steroid injection this week and it seems to be working. My pain has dulled. Orthopedic surgeon I originally saw said to start with injections. Per my pain management doctor, no surgeon should touch me at this point and conservative measures should be taken. I can have 2 more injections this year that my insurance will cover. Surgeon said if after those injections I have no improvement, I won't have improvement and surgery will be the next thing.

I had the injections 3 times in 2015 within a span of three months. The first time was with a local doctor and honestly I think he botched it. It really did not work at all, I was in constant pain for two weeks so I went to see my usual ortho guy who gave me another injection. Within 1.5 weeks or so it felt like it never happened. I was stupid at that point and went right back to my previous exercise regimen (walking 4 miles a day 7 days a week.. yes dumb). Two weeks later bam, bulging/herniated disc again. This time MRI showed two bulging discs and one was the one I previously had surgery on years ago (laminectomy). /sigh.. back to the ortho for another set of shots.. took about two weeks, lots of pain killers, but finally it started to heal. This time, as soon as I could stand it I started the stretches (first two in the post above). As soon as I could do the second stretch fully extended (straight arms) I went back to my elliptical/stair stepper but not walking more than 1 mile. I also cut it down to 6 days a week, and reduced my speed for a while. Thankfully I have not had to go back. I now focus a large portion of my exercise regimen on my core 5 days a week. I take 2 rest days a week to let my body recoup and I keep doing those stretches both before and after my workouts daily. I even do them on rest days once in the morning and once before bed for good measure. They are designed to compress the discs forward rather than back into your nerves. I will never stop doing those stretches, the pain from the sciatica was the worst I have ever felt in my life and never want to have it again. Not even double doses of Percocet this last time dulled the pain fully. It was horrible.