Sciatic pain : Once again I'm in agony due... - Endometriosis UK

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Sciatic pain

lizzyxx profile image
13 Replies

Once again I'm in agony due to sciatica pain in my left leg and my back, does anyone know how I can relieve the pain? I can barely walk, any help would be greatly appreciated x

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lizzyxx profile image
lizzyxx
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13 Replies

Hi Lizzyxx

yoga helps me with this pain as I have the same - I avoid specific poses for the sciatic nerve as I find they make them worse (for example pigeon pose) but hip opener poses like happy baby or reclined cobbler help. If you are new to yoga google the names :-)

If you need any help let me know xxxx

Devils_Advocate profile image
Devils_Advocate

Hi, I suffer with back problems (I might have to have surgery yay :() it is awful. Have you tried physio? I was given stretching exercises initially from my physio (you can look them up online). Avoid sitting or standing for long as it aggravates it. I have a tens machine and an overused hot water bottle lol. I also swim twice a week which I feel helps my back pain and used to help my sciatica. Failing that I was prescribed nerve blockers, although I can't take them due to the side effects.

I hope you get some relief soon x

luthien profile image
luthien

I've been having physio for my back / coccyx pain, I'd also get sciatic like pain sometimes.

My physio / movement specialist says that when the back muscles are aggravated - usually from a weak core due to endo symptoms (bloated, pain etc) and pregnancy / childbirth, these back muscles become inflamed putting pressure on other muscles / ligaments and nerves resulting in referred pain - so sciatic like pain, shoulder pain, coccyx pain, upper back pain, leg pain and calf pain.

It's easy to check with a physio as true sciatic pain comes from a tightness in the middle back, referred sciatic pain comes from a tightness in the lower back and or glutes / piriformis (bum muscles). An initial consultation at a physio will be able to tell you what it could be from. They will also be able to massage / manipulate the muscles / bones / ligaments to ease the pain and correct it long term.

Basically a pain means somethings not right so it needs to be looked at, we shouldn't just have temporary solutions; we need to look after ourselves :)

I've found my phsio sessions to be amazing! Happy to answer any questions xx

poppy75 profile image
poppy75 in reply to luthien

Hi there. I've just been diagnosed with degenerative disc disease, bone spur, 2 compressed nerves, arthritis of the spine. I presumed the sciatica was pressure from endo for 2 years so I'm devastated. Did you have an MRI? And is physio helping? I'm convinced I've got this at age 40 due to bad posture and bed rest due to severe endo for 25 years and all the meds I'm on that seem linked to lack of absorption of vitamins and nutrients. Xx

luthien profile image
luthien in reply to poppy75

I haven't had an MRI, I have just been to see a chiropractor and would recommend a check up; my spine isn't normal from the endo pain and partly just a rubbish spine. She's working on a treatment plan to make my spine more normal shaped. I'm not sure if it's something I want to do just yet as I have a lot going on!

The physio is helping with the muscles; they are a lot less tense and less painful: I can actually move without random spasms of pain.

poppy75 profile image
poppy75 in reply to luthien

Great it's helping you. So yours is more muscular? As my MRI showed degenerative disks, a bone spur compressing S1 nerve and L5 nerve my endo consultant instructed me not to see a physio or chiropractor etc until I've seen the spinal specialist as it could do more harm. So I'm housebound with debilitating nerve pain down my leg and god knows how long a wait for appointment.

luthien profile image
luthien in reply to poppy75

Mine seems to be muscular as it's all the muscles changing the position of my spine - which is why some bits hurt.

There are different physio people; perhaps check up one that can look at movement / massage and exercise strenthening rather than working directly on the spine itself. Check out mine James Hunt with Physical Element for an idea of what I mean.

Ahh that sounds awful :( Hope your appointment comes through soon x

poppy75 profile image
poppy75

Worth trying Love CBD balm. It helped me a lot when it was intermittent far more than any painkiller but I've now been diagnosed with degenerative disk disease, 2 compressed nerves, arthritis of the spine and a whole heap of other things via MRI. Until it got completely debilitating daily I put it down to endo, for 2 years, now devastated to discover I have spine problems. If it continues I would insist on an MRI. I am gutted I didn't 2 years ago - god knows if I could have prevented it becoming worse. Yoga stretches relieved it in the early days but now make it worse xx

lizzyxx profile image
lizzyxx in reply to poppy75

I've been doing stretches as that helped me last time but unfortunately it isn't working now, I'm still struggling to walk and my leg feels like it's on fire x

poppy75 profile image
poppy75 in reply to lizzyxx

Yep, stretches helped me for a long time. I don't know your history but if I was you I'd request an MRI of your spine. I wish to god I had when sciatica became more often. I don't know if you're like me but I think a lot of us with endo are used to chronic pain so when a new one gradually starts appearing we put it down to endo - that's what I did anyway. The other thing is a lot of us are on or have been on a lot of medications that can be linked to bone loss. Nsaids caused erosive gastritis for me so I've been on acid suppressors for a year - they're linked to osteoarthritis and for me due to unrelated ptsd I've been on SSRI antidepressant for 7 years. I was gutted to see a list of my drugs related to bone loss after my MRI results. GNRH agonists are another. So depressing. If it continues for a length of time or becomes more frequent I would def get an MRI so that you know what you're dealing with and then can look at physio, osteopath, etc once established it IS endo related. Sciatica IS common with endo depending on where endo is so I don't mean to worry you, I just don't want anyone else leaving it too long and ending up in the position I'm in now. In the meantime get in touch with Love CBD via their website - they offer one free sample of the balm per address so you've got nothing to lose and hopefully gain some pain relief. Xx

Lulububs profile image
Lulububs

Yoga helps me!

Stretching ! If u google sciatic stretches it shows them and there fantastic really work

lizzyxx profile image
lizzyxx in reply to Lulububs

They have worked for me before but don't seem to be helping this time

123tree profile image
123tree

Hi, I struggled from this a lot, I found seeing an osteopath helped hugely and now with weekly appointments, i find my pain very manageable x

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