Sciatica - Please Help!

[syednc]

Hi, hope you guys are doing well in life.

My father is 55, he has just been diagnosed and Doctor’s reports claim he suffers from Sciatica. What can I do at home to reduce the effects? Any kind of physical activity someone can reckon or some sort of exercise and special diet that could help ease the symptoms.

Warm regards

[annalou1978]

Hi syednc, there are some really effective exercises that you can do alongside other self management strategies. Get him booked in with a chartered physiotherapist who can explain the do’s and don’ts!

[syednc in reply to annalou1978]

Thank you for being helpful. I will start looking for a credible physiotherapist! Hopefully it will be healed.

[Zest]

Hi syednc

I am sorry to hear your father has got sciatica, and I hope you find a good Chartered Physiotherapist to help him.

I haven't watched this video, but there is an animation video on NHS choices website about Sciatica - so might be worth a watch:

nhs.uk/video/Pages/sciatica...

Zest

[syednc in reply to Zest]

It sure helps! Thank you Zest for always being there.

[Zest in reply to syednc]

You're welcome, glad it was helpful - I've just watched it, and there is more information here, if you want to have a look:

nhs.uk/conditions/sciatica/

Zest

[syednc in reply to Zest]

You are amazing! Thanks a lot 🙏🏻🙂

[Activity2004 Administrator]

Does your father have any allergies to certain foods? What did the doctor suggest for exercise?

[syednc in reply to Activity2004]

Hi, no he does not have any allergies to certain foods. Doctor has prescribed calcium flouratum 6x (2 tabs 3 times daily) and in-Drop D Muscular injection (1 in 15 days). He also suggested to do casual walks and prohibited from using stairs and riding motor bike.

[Clare1410]

I suffered for years and was talking pain killers constantly, there are some extremely effective yoga exercises on Utube that I practice and have been pain free ever since, some exercises give instant relief as you need to stretch out the sciatic nerve - I prefer Jen Hillman’s videos - good luck!

[syednc in reply to Clare1410]

Thank you Clare for sharing from your experience. Hopefully it will get healed with proper exercise and doctor’s prescribed medicine.

[Jof84]

Hello has your father been told the cause of the sciatica? That can make a difference what he should do. Ultimately movement and stabilising and strengthening the core muscles. He might struggle with that Currently. I have 2 prolapsed discs and a dislocated disc. My sciatica is at bay currently but triggers at times. I found ice packs helped as swelling was causing some of my issues also a nerve blocker like amatrypiline (still can't spell it) helped. Now I manage with monthly visits to osteopath, regular walking and just started pilates to build my core which is to prevent further damage. It maybe worth him requesting to get MRI to find route cause of the problem.

[syednc in reply to Jof84]

Hi Jof, Thank you for sharing from your experience. Doctor did not tell any cause but Dad had been lifting weights and his job make him sit on chair for longer periods.

He is doing better from yesterday with some special exercises for Sciatica pain relief.

[Sally12345y]

The best thing for backs is movement as I have discovered, walking is great also pilates/yoga which I'm not sure your dad would be into basically a stronger core leads to a stronger back

[syednc in reply to Sally12345y]

This is true. Special exercises and Doctor’s medications for sciatica pain relief are proving to be very beneficial and the results are positive in just 2 days. I hope it gets fully healed.

[Savbing]

There is a yoga pose called pigeon that helps. It can be done lying on your back as well.

[syednc in reply to Savbing]

I’ll look for this on Youtube! Appreciate your kindness 🙂

[foxyloxy25]

Your poor dad, sciatica pain is like having permanent toothache only in your leg/hip/buttock. He needs sympathy. It will go, suddenly as it appeared. I find a tennis ball or hard object against my buttock, and chair/car seat etc helps ease the pain. Physio will help him.

[syednc in reply to foxyloxy25]

I will let him know about this! He is getting better also with exercises and doctor’s medics. Thank you for sharing from your experience. Appreciate this a lot! 🙂

[andyswarbs]

The four main ingredients in foods that may help sciatica are magnesium, potassium, B vitamins and omega-3. Please don't consider that a reason to go out any buy supplements, except on doctors orders!

Instead it is very much better to buy whole foods rich in these ingredients. On the last one, omega-3 it is more about the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6. So olive oil which is rich in omega-3 actually has much more omega-6 and so consuming that is detrimental. I would recommend dark leafy greens for your omega-3. These also are a top source of magnesium. B vitamins are in all legumes and pulses aplenty. Nuts and seeds are brilliant for magnesium. potatoes are a good source for potassium as indeed is broccoli and sweet potatoes.

[syednc in reply to andyswarbs]

Thanks Andy for sharing what a proper diet should include. It helps a lot indeed! 🙂

[carrly]

I also suffer from sciatica and there are a number of gentle stretching exercises that can help (a search on the web will give you some ideas) and I find yoga particularly useful. However, its worth looking up anti inflammatory diets to see if this could help aid his recovery. It's very bland but I suffer from endometriosis which is also an inflammatory condition and this has been really effective.

[syednc in reply to carrly]

Thank you for being helpful. Yes! Exercises and Yoga seems to do the trick for now.

Hope you also get fully recovered. Appreciate your reply! 🙂