Sciatica Help

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gmmendenhall
gmmendenhall Posts: 24 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I had been watching my diet and exercise religiously for 2 and a half months. Then a week and a half ago I woke up with SEVERE sciatica. I did the bed rest for two days, ice for the first two day, then alternate heat and ice after that. After the first two days I forced myself to get up and move, but the pain was intense. The doctor gave me 4 days of Prednisone, but as soon as I went more than 32 hours without it the pain started in again.

I have been swimming and walking on the treadmill every day. But I am still hurting a lot.

Any ideas what I can do to help relieve this pain, aside from chiropractor, doctor, etc. Any stretches, particular exercises, things to avoid... Anything that help me sit without crying.

Replies

  • GaJavaGirl
    GaJavaGirl Posts: 25
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    This may sound funny, but massage the thigh of the leg that is hurting. Use your knuckles and really get in there, especially on the outside of your leg. Hope you feel better!!
  • kfavulous
    kfavulous Posts: 106 Member
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    you're talking to the queen of back problems!!... here's what I got:

    Sciatica
    Light scoliosis
    inverted dorsal
    disc bulge L4-L5
    Busted S1 joint
    Arthritis in my hips/spine

    I was diagnosed when I was 26 - no accident or anything, I simply stood up from my desk at my office, took a few steps, collapsed and couldn't feel anything below my waist. I'm now 29. I spent 2.5 years on oxycontin/morphine. I spent almost a year on bed rest only getting up for a light walk, doctors appointments etc. At times, I couldn't get myself to the bathroom by myself.

    Anyway... blah blah blah...

    Dry needling and weekly massages. That was the ONLY thing that got me moving and off the drugs. Physio, chiro, acupuncture, yoga, inversion tables - nothing helped. Ask your doctor if he/she can refer you to someone who does dry needling. It hurts like a mofo, but it is worth it and YOU WILL start to move freely again ...

    Look for trigger foods in your diet too... and add Omega 3-6-9 and fish oils to your diet (helps with stiffness)...

    Good luck... it does get easier
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    I have a great chiropractor that can fix it in minutes but I also have stretches he gave me to do in emergencies. No idea what Prednisone would do for sciatica!

    Anyway, lay flat on a hard floor with your arms out so you look like a T. Bring your right leg up to your chest and keeping your shoulders on the floor bring your right knee across your chest toward you left side as far as you can comfortably pivot while keeping your shoulders flat. Do it slowly and hold that position as you let your muscles relax into it. Repeat on the other side.

    It takes the pressure off the sciatic nerve that is causing the pain. Laying in bed or icing won't help.
  • CaffeinatedGlitter
    CaffeinatedGlitter Posts: 201 Member
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    There are pressure points in the feet that you can rub to help ease it (look it up on google, but I think it was close to the heel/under the sole)... I have seen some yoga poses on pinterest as well, but I haven't tried them.
  • go2grrl
    go2grrl Posts: 190 Member
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    I was in PT for sciatica last fall. We did lots and lots and lots of core work (supermans, balance boards), glute and hip flexor work. And I learned to perfect the yoga cobra pose. I ended up adding the core work to my regular strength training and haven't had a thing happen since.
  • thegilly6
    thegilly6 Posts: 137 Member
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    It sounds like your condition is far worse than mine. I came down with the pain just as my running was becoming a real joy and my times were improving. I'm currently off of running and sticking with my elliptical machine for the next few weeks. I've also found these stretches http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbZzeO4P9YA to be helpful.
  • retiree2006
    retiree2006 Posts: 951 Member
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    I agree with another poster who mentioned massage. It sure helped me!
  • gmmendenhall
    gmmendenhall Posts: 24 Member
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    One of the properties of prednisone is a powerful anti inflammatory. It helped immediately. This pain is all the way across my back, severe abdominal pain, then shooting down both legs.

    I will try the exercises you gave me. I had already strengthened more core like crazy doing Body Revolution. Lots of Core workout in those. Supermans, swimmers, etc. But as soon as I can bend without crying I will start Body Revolution again.

    Thanks for the advice!
  • kdhamner
    kdhamner Posts: 309 Member
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    I have major back issues - bulging discs, herniated discs, annular tear, etc. I completely understand sciatica pain. It is awful! The BEST thing I have found for it after years of dealing with it is yoga. I got on youtube and searched yoga for sciatica - been a true blessing!!!!
  • kdhamner
    kdhamner Posts: 309 Member
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    Make sure you stretch the back of your thighs really good - that can cause issues with your sciatic nerve as well.
  • Blitz_40
    Blitz_40 Posts: 110 Member
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    Look up the stretches folks have posted links to. I do mine every single morning. When it does act up massage workssomewhat, but my TENS machine works better!
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    One of the properties of prednisone is a powerful anti inflammatory. It helped immediately. This pain is all the way across my back, severe abdominal pain, then shooting down both legs.

    That doesn't sound like sciatica. It's usually one side and the pain radiates from just above your butt and down the leg on that side. Having it both sides, abdominal pain etc sounds more like a disc in your spine. Sciatica is just inflammation or pinching of the sciatic nerve. You don't want to mess around with it if you have a spinal issue. I've had sciatica to the point of just laying on the floor in agony but it's always only been down one side and bending wasn't the issue.
  • ladyanne47
    ladyanne47 Posts: 3
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    I just finished two months of therapy and chiropractor for Sciatica, the chiropractor could do nothing for me, I then went for therapy which included stretches while laying on my back, six different sets of 30 times each, three times each, standing stretches, time on a bike, etc. It took forever, but I have to say the doctor had recommended intense massaging from the waist to the knees for 60 minutes once a week, the therapist laughed and refused to do this. I think the doctor was right.......it would have helped..........the stretching exercises did help, but so did time, and lots of pain. I feel for you. Push through the pain.... a little more each day.

    My pain was excruciating across my lower back, buttocks and down my both legs, more on the right side, my leg would get numb with the pain and my feet prickly also. If the pain did not get better with the stretching exercises, I would have had to go for x-rays and cat scan, but that would probably involve surgery which is risky. Or a tumor which can be removed but risky also.
  • NonnyMary
    NonnyMary Posts: 982 Member
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    I feel for ya, i used to get back spasms, and they HURT !!!!

    I dont know if this can help, but when my back hurts, I find the soothing hot water and bubbles in a jacuzzi to help A LOT. Maybe your gym has one..

    if nothing else, those two things are a great help to anyone feeling stress on their body. simple heated water!!!
  • 1longroad
    1longroad Posts: 642 Member
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    I have sciatica and just got over a bad attack of it. It takes time unfortunately. Sometimes lots of time, but always more time than I like it to take. :frown:

    The thing avout sciatica, is that when you are in the middle of an attack, it is al,ost impossible to get comfortable. The worst for me is standing. Walking, sitting and lying down hurt, but standing still is the worst.

    I know several people who have been helped tremendously by chiropractors and others who said it didn't help at all. I tried massage and unfortunately I didn't see a difference. I am sure it would depend upon who you went to though.

    Best of lick to you for a swift recovery. I wear crocs, started with my first sciatica attack and it was the only thing that helped. Now it acts up, even though I still wear my crocs.

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