Sciatica? Any help?

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1210553-exercising-with-sciatica?hl=sciatica#posts-18932010

Apart from getting physiotherapy I'd say a foam roller and a tennis ball are your best friends. I sometimes suffer from sciatica and have found stretching out the hip flexors and rolling out the piriformis muscle (either with the foam roller or tennis ball) to be of great benefit. There's some good stuff here http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/stretches-and-exercise-sciatic-pain-piriformis-syndrome. If you search 'foam roller' on YouTube there are lots of videos too.

Good luck with it!

Biggest thing you can do is core training. I spent the month of February doing physical therapy due to long term back/sciatica issues. Funny, I always thought I had such great posture, others have said so as well, only to learn I wasn't walking correctly. I also learned it was not just sciatica with me, it was SI and piriformis issues. I was giving in to the pain. Search the net. There are a lot of videos on sciatica relief, core training, stretches, and yoga. Don't give up. I am amazed that once I started to work the core, I became dedicated to exercise again, both cardio and strength, and have a bigger desire to eat right.

I'd go to a Sports Medicine doctor/practitioner.

I see a pain management doctor for dry needling. It is sort of like acupuncture, but they only put the needles where there are trigger points, or adhesions, in the connective tissue. This helps loosen the muscles and relieves pressure on the nerve. I also do physical therapy exercises (stretches) to loosen the piriformis muscle, which can play a role in sciatica. My husband had a cortisone shot directly into his piriformis to reduce the inflammation on the nerve, which also helped. The pain management doctor we see is a physiatrist--that's phys-i-a-trist (not psychiatrist, LOL). Physiatrists specialize in pain management and rehabilitation from injuries. I also see a chiropractor who uses an activator instead of doing the "cracking" thing. He applies the activator to the areas where the problems are. Plus he uses laser therapy on the area of the back where the nerve comes from. All of this has been helpful for both my husband and me. Sometimes I have no pain at all from that area. Other times, I have just a little pain. But, it's never unbearable. I go to physical therapy twice a week and exercise at home the other days.

I had physical therapy for sciatica in the fall. Two-three visits a week. Very worth it. Made me bend and do certain stretches. But which stretches to do are specific to the pain and it's location for each person.

This is just a small thing that men might overlook. Do you carry your wallet in your back pocket? If so, stop doing that. It places pressure on your sciatic nerve every time you sit down. I imagine an exercise bike seat could have the same effect if your bike is anything like mine. Good luck, I hope your pain resolves.

You can also look up stretching exercises on youtube to target sciatic pain.

I'm in this boat. The root cause for me is a herniated disc. I'm trying to get a surgery done because I can't stand temporary relief. Looking to do minimally invasive discectomy, laminectomy or foraminotomy.

Just wanted to add that I've dealt with sciatica pain for most of my adult life I always feel best when I do loose some weight. I need to stick to lower impact exercises though. Things such as an elliptical or shorter walks outside. Yoga is great too, as it releases a lot of the lower back tension. I always feel best when I do move and exercise. Also, the type of chair I sit in at work makes a big difference. I need one with some back support, and with light padding to avoid putting too much pressure on it.

For me the real lifesaver has been seeing a chiropractor that is licensed in trigger point therapy. I am on maintenance of one visit ever 3-4 weeks, and can go in for flair ups as needed.