Relief from Sciatic nerve pain.: Good morning... - Pain Concern

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Relief from Sciatic nerve pain.

Samvegl profile image
33 Replies

Good morning everyone. I have incredible pain apparently caused by impingement of the sciatic nerve and have recently had a nerve block steroid injection which has not relieved the pain. It will be weeks before the after treatment appointment so has anyone any advice concerning the correct exercises that may help. It seems I am on the maximum dose of morphine according to my G P but no hope for an early appointment with a pain treatment consultant. It seems I have hit a dead end and am getting really frustrated verging on depression so any advice would be amazingly helpful. Thanks

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Samvegl profile image
Samvegl
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33 Replies
johnsmith profile image
johnsmith

See a chiropractor.

dobefriend profile image
dobefriend

Hi, I have had nerve pain in the front of my leg due to a back problem and have had an array of various drugs including morphin. I was told by my consultant that Morphin will not help nerve pain and i needed a drug that was for nerve pain. This I now have and my pain is much better controled. Hope this helps.

Barbola profile image
Barbola in reply todobefriend

You must have a Doberman pincher! I did, best dogs? Am i right?

dobefriend profile image
dobefriend in reply toBarbola

Yes I have 2 and have always had Dobes. Hence the back problems. lol I guess your not in the UK as you call them Dobermann Pincers. lol

Barbola profile image
Barbola in reply todobefriend

Doberman Pincher Sting i loved him yes, im in USA. It was in the eighties and i just adored the group „Police“ lead singer Sting. Now im old and my dog is an american rat terrier. Easier to walk, for sure. Feel better. I went for a set of three xray guided epidural steroid injections and they helped me enormously to get the nerve inflammation down. Tramadol did numb the pain somewhat, oxycodone for the worst attacks, hard to get prescription, have to see Dr. Every month for just 30 pills. Good luck!

dobefriend profile image
dobefriend in reply toBarbola

I am on pregablin, helps the pain butv side affects not good. awaiting back op now. Good luck to you also. x

hypercat54 profile image
hypercat54

Hi my mum had this for months and was in agony. She started seeing a chiropractor who worked on freeing the nerve. It took some time but she managed it eventually. I would suggest you see one too. She had no more problems after that. x

Barbola profile image
Barbola

Hello, poor you! Sciatica nerve pain is the worst. Emergency room numerous times, morphine did not kill pain. So i sat in leather recliner feet up for a few days. Tramadol and oxycodone so hard to get! Try to hoard those for the worst attack. Im 82, try to look my best, move around as much as possible. Sitting long time is a killer altho it feels good while sitting. Cannot walk distances like i used to. My Orthopedist prescribed a series of three CT guided epidurals ( i declined to be sedated, but could ask for it....it really does not hurt much. ) With some weeks in between injections.....tomorrow is my third. It does help to get the inflammation down in the nerve. It did help. I can get up to four injections a year. No more. Since the nerve is impinged not only by disc herniation but bone spurs and arthritis i wont opt for chiropractor.....but 3x week physical therapy with TENs, massage und stretch exercises and some core strenghtening. I MUST stretch every day on my own.....there are so many youtube videos to show you how....also there is a DVD and booklet „back to Life“ and her gentle stretches help ..... go slow at beginning bc the wrong stretches can be detrimental. Make sure to have an Xray and MRI so the steroid goes to the right place, i go to a Sports Doctor for the injections. Thats all he does ..... man, never thought id ever have so many doctors! Sports/pain doc, Orthopedist, therapist, in addition to all the other docs. Avoid Nsaid drugs...bad for kidneys. Took to many down the years ......FEEL BETTER!

Hi, I have sciatica too, mine is a long term chronic problem. I take Gabapentin, it's for nerve pain. I'm not pain free and I also take Co-codamol but Gabapentin definitely helps. There are a few other medications in the same group, I'm sure you will find one to suit. Good luck.

MarcDear profile image
MarcDear in reply to

You do realise that Gabapentin are not pain killers.

BluHaze51 profile image
BluHaze51

Lyrica! I have been doing anything & everything to postpone lower back surgery... PT, Meds, Tens, Injections, cannot go to a chiropractor... I always end up in the ER with severe spasm...anyway, I have severe pain down Both legs now and some days I can barely get out of bed let alone walk! However, the Best nerve pain relief by far that I have achieved, was with Lyrica!

Do your homework first and talk with your doctor about the pros & cons... As much of a wonder drug I feel Lyrica is.. I cannot take it everyday. I get very weird & very annoying nerve tics all over my body, if I take it every day. So again, research it & speak with your doctor to see if Lyrica is right for you! Good Luck!

Toplady profile image
Toplady in reply toBluHaze51

Hi! Just wanted to say that I also take Lyrica and also suffer with quite bizarre 'twitches'? I asked the pain clinic about it and they said it was a side effect but a fairly rare one. Until now, I hadn’t heard of another person with the same side effects so just wanted to say hi!

I find the Lyrica to be a fairly effective for my nerve pain, it’s made quite a lot of difference to the pain, it’s not gone but it dulls it down. 👍

Mohammed1985 profile image
Mohammed1985

See if dr or pain specialist can prescribe

Pregabalin

Mohammed1985 profile image
Mohammed1985

Also see an wholistic osteopath

Joalan profile image
Joalan

Basic Pilates stretches ‘very gently’ are what I have used over the years plus I see an osteopath that practices cranial osteopathy which specialises in treating the nervous system.

I would agree that you need to research extensively any drugs that act on your nervous system as they can bring other problems. Also that there are loads of videos on YouTube that will help you exercise.

‘Body Control the Pilates way (Lynne Robinson). (First 10 basic exercises are really good stretches, ‘if you take it slowly & only do the ones that ....don’t hurt you .....and build up the repeats slowly’)

oldowl profile image
oldowl

This just came out today in my emails. Take a look, it may help. I suffered 3 ruptured discs years ago and had to have surgery, it was successful. But this may help you.

go.fixingyou.com/paralyzed-...

Best of luck and blessings to you.

cj75s2017 profile image
cj75s2017

I'm on gabapentin for my sciatic nerve pain. Take 2700mg a day plus top it up with naproxin when it's really bad. Doesn't kill it but helps quite well. I also do a stretch every now and then by just sitting straight, lift whichever leg is bad, place that ankle on other knee and push down on bad knee. Try to hold it for twenty seconds. For me, once I release it, it's like a shot of anisthetic. Pain eased by ninety % for maybe half an hour but comes back like a banshee!!

Hope you find some help.

kellyplewis66 profile image
kellyplewis66 in reply tocj75s2017

I wish they would give me naproxin my gabapentin I think is low... not sure... LOVE the stretch info I am going to try that... do you have anymore?

Gtcncmp68 profile image
Gtcncmp68

Try cbd oil. It won't do much for your pain. But it puts you in a better place in your head which i found helped me cope a little better. If you do decide to try it. Make sure you get it from reputable sellers. I get mine from H+B.

Emma2017 profile image
Emma2017

Hi you have had quite some suggestions. I still suffer nerve pain after 3 ops, albeit not as bad. The drug that helps me cope is pregabalin topped up with tramadol at night. (sister drug of gabapentin).

Lulububs profile image
Lulububs

My mother has same and the only thing that worked for her was osteo or chiropractor, nothing else worked.

Now she does all the google exercises for the sciatic nerve.

So just google “ exercises for sciatic pain or youtube.

There briliant.

I have herniated disc in lower back so i do the ones for them and it works

A treat

Barbola profile image
Barbola

Going for my third, in a series if three, CT guided steroid epidural.. all ca. 2 or 3 weeks apart. There are very good you tube films on specific exercises for sciatica, stretches mostly. Look up on your ipad , iphone or computer. You will be able to throw away your morphine. I take Tramadin or oxycodon only on baddest days.

Barbola profile image
Barbola

Bob and Brad sciatica.....thats one of the good exercise videos to do. On youtube.

kellyplewis66 profile image
kellyplewis66

I am so sorry to hear that this is happening to you.. I have close to the same thing, I have a buldging disc, arthritis, etc.. in my lower back area. Went to pain Management, they did 3 separate day surgeries each with steroid injections, then 2 separate day surgeries with Medial Block, then 2 separate day surgeries with a Nerve burn. For me the pain did not go away... I am still looking but my situation might be different from your's so hang in there... Yes it is normal for appointments to be spaced apart.. All of the above surgeries took me almost 6 months to complete. I have been to Physical Therapy several times and there are exercises you can do.. I was told that strenthing your core, working on your hip flexors, not giving in to the hunch back position (that is me..LOL) are things with can help relieve the pain.. You have an impigment (I had that in my shoulder and only surgery fixed it, they had to shave the bone and I am 200% better) so maybe some exercises might be more painful... they have given me a ton of exercises that do work especially Pool therapy that is great for the back, knees, etc.. my pain has changed so I am waiting to see the New Rheum. Doctor before doing anymore PT... I found this for you.. some of these are what I was told to do... maybe it will help ... Let me know and good luck.. I will be praying for you.. :) Kelly

h-wave.com/blog/4-stretches...

kellyplewis66 profile image
kellyplewis66 in reply tokellyplewis66

Thank you so much for all the information... I did do PT for 2 summers included the Pool PT but when i get home from work I am in so much pain (8) that once I put our pups out on their runs and get back inside I am dying and I am taking so many medications so I can move around that i am exhausted as well... Started seeing a new Rhuem. I am praying for answers. I know that he confirmed my Fibromaliga (I think) and now waiting for all the blood work and x-rays to come back... Just getting so tired and I want to lose weight but moving is a killer... plus I am depressed as well... this is going on 3 years...

Thank you for link and the support I need all i can get... :)

Sadzack profile image
Sadzack

Do not know if you live in UK. If you do you can go on NHS web site Some good exs there for your scatica.I have a protruding growth on my spine that traps my nerve and found that yoga helps.I take Gaberpentin . Hope this helps as

Sadzak

ChefD profile image
ChefD

I am going through the same. Epidural steroid did not work. Small benign cyst pushing on spinal cord. BAD mobility and pain. Oxy nor morphine working. I too am nearing depression. My next appt. in a month.

Teaup profile image
Teaup

Find a Physiotherapist who specialises in back pain. S/he will be able to teach you the stretches and specific excercises etc that you need.

Boriginal profile image
Boriginal

HiSamvegl, I am in the same situation as you are. The neurosurgeon who performed the epidural said I could not have another because of the pain I experienced. My consultant said he would not operate because of the damage to several levels in my spine and doesn't want to see me until the beginning of October. Where does that leave me?! I am in constant pain and would love my life to end. I hope you get better treatment than I have.

kellyplewis66 profile image
kellyplewis66 in reply toBoriginal

I hear you about the pain... it isn't just having the pain it's not being able to participate is life... whether it is family or outings or trips... and alot of people do not understand and sometimes are a tad sarcastic and rude about it... I understand your comment about your life ending, i feel that way too... it is so hard to get help I have gained almost 65/70 lbs since this started now i am like on the line to being a diabetic... I do alot of praying and crying... I do push myself and try to be more active however if my IBS doesn't get me my pain will just about 48 hours after... Hang in there okay... Pray to God for help, he is a great listener... slow worker LOL but a great listener and he will help you ... my friend says you have to be patient and give it all to God... I struggle with that sometimes due to frustration but I know he is helping... I am here if you need to chat... :)

Barbola profile image
Barbola

Please dont despair, the doctors will just have to prescribe narcotic pain killers for a short duration. I did not get them and wound up with kidney damage from the crap he made me take.....Meloxicam. Avoid that poison. Doctors here in US are paranoid prescribing Narcotics bc of overdosing addicts.

kellyplewis66 profile image
kellyplewis66 in reply toBarbola

What is wrong with Meloxicam? I am asking because i think i am taking that as a muscle relaxer like 2 times a day

Barbola profile image
Barbola in reply tokellyplewis66

Wound up with kidney failure after 9 weeks of smallest dose. Its a COX2 anti inflammatory. I had a devastating reaction to it. It was instertial nephritis, am left with chronik Kidney disease 3......can never take any anti inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen etc. Again and take Tramadin for pain if it gets very bad. Physical Therapy hthree times a week helps a lot and swimming. Have ablood test to check kidney function. Its a dangerous medication for some of us, good luck.

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