sciatica

[reggie]

I am suffering quite bad with this at the moment the doctor has put me on strong pain killers but sadly they only last an hour or two has anyone got any tips or is there alternative remedies any help will be appreciated

[Hidden]

Let the GP know your painkillers don't last long enough. Another may suit you better!

[rozzieb]

Reflexology keeps me moving. You might also have a pain management clinic at your local hospital - I went on a course they ran and found it helped psychologically to feel in control of the pain instead of it controlling me! Hot water bottle or ice packs sometime help too. And keep moving if at all possible. Best wishes.

[Fusion8d]

My spine is degenerating and I therefore get a lot of back pain and sciatica. I use a mixture of slow release ibuprofen, Tramadol and occasional co-codamol, heat pads and neuro TENS, which I bought from Amazon for about £45. The TENS does really help but you can't use it constantly unfortunately, hence the need for the drugs as well. If you do decide to get a TENS check that it is safe for you and that it isn't one designed for childbirth!

[sassy59]

When Pete had sciatica in 2007 he was sent to physiotherapy which did help. You may be able to have a TENS machine used on you which is supposed to be good for back pain but do check that you can use this as it is not suitable for everyone. Pete could not because he had his heart stented and has heart problems. Do get better pain killers if you need them but this will all take time to improve so do take care. Get well soon. xxxx

[Knowledweller]

I have found a daily dose of cod liver oil helps this condition long term. For immediate relief have you thought of acupuncture. It helped me. Good luck.

[Hidden in reply to Knowledweller]

We have a GP in our practice who does electro acupuncture - and I found it to be of great benefit. After the treatments, I didn't need to use any pain relief medication.

[Setthecontrols in reply to Knowledweller]

Since my last sciatic nerve pain (doc said I was developing arthritis) eight years ago I’ve taken a spoonful of cod liver oil every day. No pain at all until a couple weeks ago. The pain is a quarter of what it used to be. It’s totally manageable now with ice packs and stretching (and CLO of course). Not a cold or flu in those eight years either, and I don’t get the flu shots. It’s like oiling the tin man.

[tanyamarie]

Dog Oil. You can get it from most health stores like Holland and Barratt. Its about £2.99. It was originally used to treat racing greyhounds for their aches and pains in their joints and has gone from there. My dad had sciatica and when it played up, boy was he is pain. He used it and so does my mum for her arthritis. It is very greasy and needs to be applied regularly to work and the most important thing is to really rub it in where you need it, really work it in. I have recommended it to so many people and they all say its the best thing they have tried.

2 years ago, my mum had to have a wheelchair because her back and knees were so bad. Everytime she feels her arthritis and sciatica starting to play up she gets rubbing in the dog oil and thankfully she has never been that bad. There is no active ingredient in there so it shouldn't interact with any other medication, just check before using to be on the safe side.

[Hidden]

What I do is ..

place your foot flat to the wall (which ever side is affecting you most) and as high as you are as nimble to do so. then gently and slowly lean forward to touch the wall. It untraps the nerve. I realise this isn't going to work for everyone but if you are agile enough it should help. The longest I have had a bout of sciatica is a few hours using this method.

[Tamara70 in reply to Hidden]

Your recommendation of placing foot on the wall sounds as if it may work.

Could you be a little more specific. For example, does one lie flat when placing foot on wall? And leaning forward, which part of the body touches the wall when leaning forward? Ad for how long to keep this pose?.

Many thanks Tamara

[Hidden in reply to Tamara70]

No, just stand about 2-3ft away from the wall, distance will be determined I guess by how tall or short you are. Once your foot is above waist height, your foot is flat on the wall and you are comfortable (more so stable) then proceed.

[phillips1]

Reggie I don't know much about sciatica but I wish you well in your search for some pain relief. I am sure someone on here will come up with something. Bob

[Hidden]

Are you 100% sure it is sciatica.

I was treated for sciatica for 18 months and some days could hardly walk for the pain. One day I was getting a shower and was standing in front of the mirror and thought I looked lopsided, one of my hip bones was 1 ins lower than the other, I honestly thought I had had a stroke. I went onto the website and typed in, 'I am lopsided'. Many results came back but one stated misaligned pelvis. I read all about it and it said that as you get older your pelvis can drop at one side, one of the treatments was to see a physio but they could not guarantee your pelvis staying put. Another treatment was to measure the difference in your hip drop and put a shoe lift inside your shoe to bring your pelvis back up to re-align with the other one.

I put the lift in my shoe and it cured it. The other day the pain came back and I looked at the shoe lift and it had gone a bit flat so I just replaced it with a new one and I am fine again.

This may not be the answer for you but it is worth a try.

[dall05]

Hi Reggie, I was suffering from sciatica for months when a good friend told me of an exercise that may help.

You lie flat on the floor or bed and raise your knees in the air keeping your feet flat on the floor/bed.

Then you twist your back by pointing your arms to the right and your knees to the left then arms to the left and knees to the right and repeat this around 10 times.

This can sometimes free the trapped sciatic nerve.

It worked instantly for me to my amaizment, having suffered for so long.

Its worth trying because it worked so well for me and you've nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Tony.

[gel1]

Hi Reggie, My husband developed sciatica when we were on holiday in Tenerife last year, he couldn't get out of bed so I called the doctor, who gave him an injection (painkiller, anti inflammatory and vitamin). Within an hour he was up and moving , another injection the following day, and he was swimming. Managed the flight home then the sciatica flared up again and he was off work for weeks, taking tramadol and other anti inflammatorys until it eventually settled. No such injection in this country, it was amazing.

[reggie]

I would like to thank everyone for there comments I will endevour to try all

[whit]

i had sciatica really bad (few years ago now) i tried all the above suggestions ,but it got that bad my employer had to finish me through ill health . i had to argue with my doc about having a scan, when they actually did one they found a bone spur on my spine trapping a nerve.one operation later i am walking fine no pain no walking stick, i dont know about you but if it is that bad ask for a scan. i do know how painful sciatica can be

[peege]

I would see an osteopath. The sooner you see someone the sooner you're fixed.

A good one will diagnose, treat you and show you exersises to do to help yourself.

We're all different and hold our stresses and strains in certain ways. Some people get it literally in the neck!

Sciatica can be caused from the above (IE holding ones self in an un-natural way thereby creating tensions in certain areas). Sometimes it's caused by a trauma/accident/fall in the past. The nerves become inflamed, muscles cease up, squeeze the sore nerves, vicious circle.

Painkillers deal with the pain - if you find one that works - but they wont deal with the underlying cause.

At the first twinge of sciatica I get out a tennis ball, lie on the floor with head supported, place the tennis ball between the floor and the muscle area below the sacroiliac bones and really push hard. If you get it in the right place you'll feel the relief.

If you sit a lot you need to get up & move around & stretch every half hour.

Also when sitting down ensure your knes are lower than your knees.

Hope you get the drift of what I'm trying to explain. I've got some more excersises to help if you'e interested. I also practice the Alexander Tecnique (google it plus exersises for sciatica).

All the best P

[peege]

knes = knees!! For example, sit with a cushion under your bum to raise it to a higher level.

[perky77]

i too suffered with sciaticia. the only thing thay helped was doing 3 specific exercises..also horse linement i got at the farm store.I tried chiropatric but physical therepy was what finally brought me back to feeling normal

[puffed]

Can't think of anything that hasn't been mentioned! Sometimes there may be inflamed nerves, so even if the nerve is no longer trapped the pain's still there, I found a pack of frozen peas helped!. Take care and hope you feel better soon

[D1N064]

I stopped the meds after all they did was make me sleep god knows what I would be like with them now with my epilepsy meds as they have the same effect.

[Maximonkey]

Hi Reggie, I have been down the route of taking strong pain relief for sciatica and frankly it just made me depressed. I decided to go back to Aqua aerobics as this is very good for pain relief in general. I have been going twice a week for the past 2 weeks and the sciatica was immediately relieved, now I do not have any pains. Swimming the crawl or backstroke also works for me as my spine is curved at the base and these stokes loosen up the hips, pelvis and spine. Don't be put off if you are male, many men go to the daytime session I go to. Good luck. Maximonkey