Sciatic nerve pain

ccburn5

Sciatic nerve pan sufferers; at what point did you finally say "I'll deal with the pain." and start running / exercising again? I still feel the pinch/pain when I lean/twist a certain way but I feel like I could muddle through it and have GOT to start moving again! It will be 2 weeks as of this coming Monday that I have ran or gone to boot camp.

BeachGingerOnTheRocks

A few months ago. I've started sleeping with a thick pillow between my legs and it helps a lot. I've had it off and on since 2001. Usually when I stop running and pick it up again.

mustgetmuscles1

Mine has almost completely gone away since losing my weight. Something I have had since I was young and skateboarded and rode bikes.

I mostly do weight lifting though. Hiking and mountain biking still cause a flare up sometimes but far less often. I have tried just "dealing with it" before and it did not turn out well.

I make sure my waist band or belt is not to tight and no longer carry my wallet in my back pocket. Not sure if this helps but for those who have this, you know you will try anything. LOL

ETA: I also use the pillow between my knees if Im on my side or under my knees if on my back.

TMLPatrick

I had excruciating sciatic nerve pain from doing the elliptical daily for about 2 months. It cleared up within 2 weeks when I stopped. I've not tried to do the elliptical since, but the pain hasn't come back from any other forms of exercising.

FP4HSharon

Some people get relief from it w/Elderberry supplements, reduces nerve inflammation.

Iron_Lotus

I have spinal stenosis and am in constant pain, my sciatic nerve gets pinched all of the time but I have not let any of that stop me from working out. Also the pillow between the knees works wonders I never sleep without one.

DterMined2012

exercise is the best medicine! esp. stretching
hope you get the pain under control!

DterMined2012

I had excruciating sciatic nerve pain from doing the elliptical daily for about 2 months. It cleared up within 2 weeks when I stopped. I've not tried to do the elliptical since, but the pain hasn't come back from any other forms of exercising.

that's odd cause my hubby's sciatic nerve pain was relieved WITH doing the elliptical....diff strokes I guess

nightshiftzoomer

I have had this for 2 years, nothing i do gives me relief

ccburn5

Some people get relief from it w/Elderberry supplements, reduces nerve inflammation.

Elderberry? I'll give that a shot. I read about it and it seems as though it would be beneficial for a few things! Thanks!

TMLPatrick

I had excruciating sciatic nerve pain from doing the elliptical daily for about 2 months. It cleared up within 2 weeks when I stopped. I've not tried to do the elliptical since, but the pain hasn't come back from any other forms of exercising.

that's odd cause my hubby's sciatic nerve pain was relieved WITH doing the elliptical....diff strokes I guess

ccburn5

exercise is the best medicine! esp. stretching
hope you get the pain under control!

Yes, been stretching a LOT!!

ccburn5

A few months ago. I've started sleeping with a thick pillow between my legs and it helps a lot. I've had it off and on since 2001. Usually when I stop running and pick it up again.

Yes, have done the pillow trick for a few years now, can't sleep without it now.

twinketta

On a happy note...before I lost weight I would suffer with sciatic pain in my back/leg maybe once a month.

The pain was awful and I would limp around

For the last 12 months I (luckily) have not had one bout of it.

I hope for you OP it is weight related and the more you get on track with your weight loss, then, the less you will have this problem

hookilau

Gah. I was hoping to hear a miracle cure :ohwell: Right now my right leg is numb (lateral aspect) from my knee to my hip :sad: and it reallllly hurts.

I rented a Rug Doctor last weekend & thought I'd clean the upholstery in my XJ cause it's never been done since I've been driving it for the past 10 years. Apparently having done deadlifts the day before & leaning over in an awkward position for a couple of hours was a deadly combination.

I've been suffering since last Monday when I leaned the wrong way and it all went to hell really quickly. I'll try that pillow trick though.

It occurred to me that I could use my steel boned corset to support my back, because I couldn't figure out which way I NOT to move until it was too late. I wore it for a day & the pain went away completely, didn't wear it for the second day & now not only does my back hurt, but it's accompanied by acute sciatic pain now (and of course there's that odd numbing of the skin, feels like I've got lidocaine on o___O )

Hopefully the pillow trick will help me tonight.

ccburn5

On a happy note...before I lost weight I would suffer with sciatic pain in my back/leg maybe once a month.

The pain was awful and I would limp around

For the last 12 months I (luckily) have not had one bout of it.

I hope for you OP it is weight related and the more you get on track with your weight loss, then, the less you will have this problem

Very true! I have had little to no back pain since getting my weight under control (am at my "ideal" weight now) but this was, from what I can tell overdoing it. Had ran 10.5 miles Saturday, 6.5 Sunday, then went to bootcamp the next morning and felt it pinch while doing slider push ups. Went to work and tried to muddle through it but when I got home, thats all she wrote and I was down!

boonognog

For me it has been less a problem of weight and more of weakness. I don't know what your normal exercise routine is, but my trainer worked with me to eliminate my problem. Used to be my right leg would go completely numb within 30 seconds of standing on concrete floors. Now I can outlast my wife!

cupcake570

I'm a massage therapist and treat sciatica a lot. I have it myself. Sometimes it's not true sciatica. If it's sciatica you will have pain that goes down to the ankle. If not, you might have pirformis syndrome.Either way, If you can go to a massage therapist, that can help, if not, a good stretch is to sit on a chair, put the ankle of the affected side on the opposite knee. Push the knee that is up towards the ground slightly and lean forward. That will stretch the hip, buttock area and give some relief. You can also lay on your side and have someone take the heel of their hand and dig in the but muscles a bit, near the tailbone and around the hip. Really does help.

jen_zz

Sleeping sideways with a pillow between my knees really help to relieve the strain.

watercolorarteest

Bumping to share with my Mom who suffers from sciatica (or some form of it).

hookilau

pillow trick did nothing for me :ohwell: I ended up using a large bag of chopped frozen spinach to my lower back and intermittently using the heating pad. While this provided some relief, large doses of NSAID's made it possible for me to actually sleep.

While my leg is still numb, at least the nerve pain is now bearable.

OP; hope you were able to fair as well or better :flowerforyou:

LosingExtraKristy

Edited to remove an OOPS post. :happy:

LosingExtraKristy

Gah. I was hoping to hear a miracle cure :ohwell: Right now my right leg is numb (lateral aspect) from my knee to my hip :sad: and it reallllly hurts.

I rented a Rug Doctor last weekend & thought I'd clean the upholstery in my XJ cause it's never been done since I've been driving it for the past 10 years. Apparently having done deadlifts the day before & leaning over in an awkward position for a couple of hours was a deadly combination.

I've been suffering since last Monday when I leaned the wrong way and it all went to hell really quickly. I'll try that pillow trick though.

It occurred to me that I could use my steel boned corset to support my back, because I couldn't figure out which way I NOT to move until it was too late. I wore it for a day & the pain went away completely, didn't wear it for the second day & now not only does my back hurt, but it's accompanied by acute sciatic pain now (and of course there's that odd numbing of the skin, feels like I've got lidocaine on o___O )

Hopefully the pillow trick will help me tonight.

:frown: I have been in your shoes my friend. the first time I was in that much pain, I went to the hospital. I started physical therapy. After the first night of stretches, it was a HUGE improvement. That was 10 yrs ago. I didn't stick with the physical therapy, because I couldn't afford it at the time. Maybe if I had, I wouldn't have any lingering numbness...but who knows. Best of luck...and maybe talk to you doc.

Mobilemuscle

First step is to locate the problem
Sciatic pain is a SYMPTOM
It could be from a herniated disc, the sciatic nerve being compressed by the short external hip rotators, weakness in the stabilization engine of the spine leading to excessive compression, scoliosis, mis-aligned pelvic girdle, etc etc etc

hookilau

First step is to locate the problem
Sciatic pain is a SYMPTOM
It could be from a herniated disc, the sciatic nerve being compressed by the short external hip rotators, weakness in the stabilization engine of the spine leading to excessive compression, scoliosis, mis-aligned pelvic girdle, etc etc etc

Yes, I get that it's a symptom & there are a myriad of causes, and it would be great to find the root cause, however, I don't think my issue is something that can't be avoided. I hit my 1RM of my bodyweight the day before on DL and then spent about 3 hours bent in an awkward position steam cleaning the upholstery in my car. I"m for SURE something is misaligned causing compression, according to google, from the pattern of numbness & pain, it's L3 or L4.

Although I lost 28# I have 20 more to go & I expect that once I get to that point, if this pops up again, it's time to look at herniated discs, etc.

ccburn5

First step is to locate the problem
Sciatic pain is a SYMPTOM
It could be from a herniated disc, the sciatic nerve being compressed by the short external hip rotators, weakness in the stabilization engine of the spine leading to excessive compression, scoliosis, mis-aligned pelvic girdle, etc etc etc

Yes, I get that it's a symptom & there are a myriad of causes, and it would be great to find the root cause, however, I don't think my issue is something that can't be avoided. I hit my 1RM of my bodyweight the day before on DL and then spent about 3 hours bent in an awkward position steam cleaning the upholstery in my car. I"m for SURE something is misaligned causing compression, according to google, from the pattern of numbness & pain, it's L3 or L4.

Although I lost 28# I have 20 more to go & I expect that once I get to that point, if this pops up again, it's time to look at herniated discs, etc.

L3 definitely! It starts right above right butt cheek and down to just above right knee.

mustgetmuscles1

First step is to locate the problem
Sciatic pain is a SYMPTOM
It could be from a herniated disc, the sciatic nerve being compressed by the short external hip rotators, weakness in the stabilization engine of the spine leading to excessive compression, scoliosis, mis-aligned pelvic girdle, etc etc etc

Yes, I get that it's a symptom & there are a myriad of causes, and it would be great to find the root cause, however, I don't think my issue is something that can't be avoided. I hit my 1RM of my bodyweight the day before on DL and then spent about 3 hours bent in an awkward position steam cleaning the upholstery in my car. I"m for SURE something is misaligned causing compression, according to google, from the pattern of numbness & pain, it's L3 or L4.

Although I lost 28# I have 20 more to go & I expect that once I get to that point, if this pops up again, it's time to look at herniated discs, etc.

L3 definitely! It starts right above right butt cheek and down to just above right knee.

Thats mine also. Never goes below the knee for me.

hookilau

O crap.

We're all in the same boat :ohwell: :laugh: :flowerforyou:
Today I'm a wee bit better, the NSAIDs are helping a great deal...hope all goes well with everyone else. Though the numbness hasn't subsided, the skin feels less 'foreign' to me & I'm hoping that's a good sign:blushing:

hookilau

Found this website that explains a few things that may help narrow the scope of what may be going on.

So far, my back doesn't hurt at all anymore, however, my right quad is freekin so numb that I can feel a tightness and pulling if I sit the wrong way. Driving is hellacious, and I'm a dog walker, so I've been walking through all this silliness all. damn. week.

I work for myself & I have no alternates, so no work = no $$ :huh:

Walking hasn't hurt me at all, it's the driving....luckily all of my appointments are local but I still drive to each one (6-7 per day). By the end of the day, the last one is really uncomfortable.

Anyhow, aspirin daily has helped and at least the nagging back pain is gone. Since I'm a little more comfortable, I started to look into stretches & massage to stop this and came across the following site, thought it may help someone.

(acessing sciatic pain) http://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/index.php/article_id/2064/Assessing-Sciatic-Pain
(massage therapy for your quads) http://saveyourself.ca/articles/spot-08-quadriceps.php

For the record, I failed the Straight Leg Test but passed the Piriformis test easily.

jen_zz

L3 for me too!!

jassyjan1

Bump