Hi! Has anyone had sciatica or nerve compression and any helpful solutions to deal with it?
I have it on the right side from the lower back to the side of the leg. Lying down to sleep makes it the worst causing excruciating pain. When I get up, I can after a while get relief, but once I sit on lie down, it gets set off again.Also, am having much tingling and numbness in both hands. I am wondering it my lupus has triggered all of this? Any thoughts? Since I am recovering from broken ribs, I do not want to fall again from this.
Thanks for any help at all.
Healing hugs.
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Pumpkin2009
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Hi..sorry to hear your in so much pain..probably about 8 weeks ago my sciatic pain began from lower back right ride down to the my toes.. it sounds very much like the pain your experiencing..I used a hot water bottle which gave some relief and was prescribed naproxen and amitriptyline along with physio referral who kept in touch and provided exercises..the pain has now gone slowly reduced painkillers as the pain lessened..please see you GP..I had never experienced pain like it..it was so painful to sit or sleep..the numbness in my toes latest the longest..I continue with the exercises and feel this helps my psoriatic arthritis pain too..
tjo52, Thank you for your information. I have extensive back and neck degeneration from deformities, surgeries, breaks, etc and recently broke multiple ribs just standing up. I did try Kelbol1's knee pillow advice as I knew I was putting pressure on the nerve no matter what position I was in when trying to lie down. It seemed to help last night so see what will happen tonight.
Hi - I had compression in between C5/6 but also get numb and pins in needles in legs from knee down if I sleep on my back. Had mri to diagnose compression and bulging disc in neck but only slight problem with lower back. Just had nerve root injection after waiting a year in neck and it is helping but still getting pin and needles. I did buy a knee pillow to put between my knees so I lie on my side this does help with pressure on lower back and Hoping the nerve root injection works completely within the next few days for my neck and arm! Good luck
Oh, interesting. I too am getting numbness at night, particularly in thumb and index fingers, occasionally from hip downwards. My physio also suspects problem in C5/6 but wants Rheumatologist to see me first to dismiss AI involvement. May I ask if you had an old injury in that part of the neck or is it something related to your disease. Thing I would be lucky indeed to get an MRI but it wakes me nearly every night and at its worse several times. I am now getting exhausted by it. x
I didn’t have an old injury that I was aware - I had all the nerve tests and nothing could be found Rheumatologist ended sending me for MRI as been going on for years first time they said not much encroaching so they didn’t think this would be the problem - for the second MRI I contacted the doctor beginning of lockdown last March as my arm kept going numb with fingers loss of strength in hand and pain in shoulder, headaches (not really a problem in my neck) - GP sent me for another MRI and that’s when they noticed the difference- they said was bulging disc and basically arthritis off wear and tear but could see the difference between MRIs within the year! Due to lockdown took 4 month for appt with Neuro after a trip to a and e and lost feeling in one of my legs - the consultant said he doesn’t think there is enough problem with lower spine to be causing this but was encroachment at the neck and eventually got the nerve root injection last week! The lower they still not sure what it is apart from inflammation and the way I sleep - the knee pillow does help with pressure can tell on my hips - I was also put on codeine but only took when desperate! Go to your doctor as could be nothing to do with SLE - I was referred from doctor and rheumatologist made contact with the neuro as well. I also do exercises which u can get online which do help - good luck and let us know how you get on!
Hi Rosie A. I have extensive back and neck degeneration from deformities, surgeries, breaks, etc and recently broke multiple ribs just standing up. i did try Kelbol1's knee pillow advice as I new I was putting pressure on the nerve no matter what position I was in when trying to lie down. It seemed to help last night so see what will happen tonight. Thanks for you input.
Thank you so much. I tried the knee pillow and it seemed to take the pressure off the nerve. I hope it will continue to help. I knew that when i would lie down no matter what position I was aggravating, but didn't know how to help that. Thank you again.
Physio and regular stretch exercises and a monthly massage to stop things getting tightIf bad, I use a tens machine and got water bottle to manage pain
Avoid hot baths as you tilt at crucial point
Acupuncture can turn off sciatica
Keep moving and avoid sitting for more than 45 mins
Try not to tilt over sinks or baths or counters. Use a stool if necessary
Hi Hamptoms, Thank you for your help. I have extensive back and neck degeneration from deformities, surgeries, breaks, etc and recently broke multiple ribs just standing up. I did try Kelbol1's knee pillow advice as I knew I was putting pressure on the nerve no matter what position I was in when trying to lie down. It seemed to help last night so see what will happen tonight.
A it like an epidural they give local anaesthetic and then inject a steroid and anaesthetic into the space between the where the problem is - thought it wasn’t working but day 5 and I can tell it’s made a huge difference- down side waited a full year to get it!
I passed out one day, just blacked out the pain was so bad. I came round to hear someone talking but it was my tv, I was living alone back then. When I got up the pain had eased....for now. I was given a sheet with gentle exercises on it years ago after an x ray showed damage in my spine and widespread arthritis, I dont remember sciatica being mentioned. I was prescribed paracetamol which didnt touch it and later tramadol and I bought myself a tens machine.
Sleeping was difficult, I dreaded going to bed, and even now I get nervous about sleeping on my left side. The pain came from that side of my spine down the left leg and into my foot where it showered what felt like electrified pins and needles. Once I found a position that was relatively comfortable I stayed put, didnt dare move. Walking was agony.
My life is less busy these days, my mom passed away in 2010 after illnesses and my daughter moved away with her family so I've less to do. Housework went by the board and I still have to be careful how I use my back. Rest was the big thing for me and not pushing myself into pain, I didnt really get a lot of help for sciatica the main focus was osteoarthritis.
The problems in your hands could be carpal tunnel. I've had surgery on one hand, the other still needs it.
Chrisj, Thank you for post. I did try Kelbol1's knee pillow advice as I new I was putting pressure on the nerve no matter what position I was in when trying to lie down. It seemed to help last night so see what will happen tonight. You are correct about the level of pain. it is horrible. The hands are basically neuropathy, but gotten worse and may be a coincidence or connected to my lingering Covid symptoms from November. Lots of choices on what causes what including lupus.
Hey Pumpkin! I’m going to try and parse out different problems and things that helped me for each.
I have bad lumbar problems and horrid degenerative disc disease. When I started having radiculopathy symptoms, I went to PT. They gave me some exercises to help stabilize my back and they helped tremendously. I am now 2 years out the the pain has returned again and is crippling.
Now, I have horrid back pain from the disc problems and inflammation. I can only take Tylenol. I use a lot of topical therapies - lidocaine, voltaren, arnica, icy hot. I rotate through them throughout the day. I find voltaren after I shower to be the best. Lidocaine works super well for nerve pain. Heat is also a god send. Exercise and stretching also helps but the initial pain on stretching isn’t for the faint of heart. I did get a medical marijuana prescription which I know is still not legal in UK. It helps a lot with sleeping with pain. I also plan on getting steroid spinal injections by pain mgmt after I see Physical Medicine & Rehab on June 1.
I got a lot of numbness and tingling when I was b12 and vitamin d deficient. Since these have been repleted, the numbness and tingling have improved. I still get it from time to time and if keeping me from sleep, I rub a little CBD lotion on my feet and hands and it quiets them down for a few hours. I have had multiple EMGs and despite the parathesias, my nerves are intact. I think it’s from lupus but don’t know what the mechanism is.
Some people find sciatica relief with gabapentin and/or lyrica (pregabalin) but these can be sedating. Duloxetine (a SNRI antidepressant) is also first line for neuropathy and sciatica if you can tolerate systemic therapies.
I hope you find relief soon! Back pain and radiculopathy is the pits. Sending hugs. ❤️xx
Hi Pumpkin 2009I had the same problem also on the right side the pain went all the way down my leg to my foot and the pain was excruciating especially laying down, my husband took me to the hospital emergency room and for some reason they had to do an EKG and I had to lie down and even though I told them how much worse it would be if I did but they said I had to before I could get something else for the pain so I did and it hurt so bad I was begging them to cut my leg off and crying and after what felt like an eternity I finally got something for the pain...what a relief. When Monday came I called my orthopedic dr and had surgery to fuse the disks in my low back 2,3,4 as well as 1 in butt and it was a big relief, the pain in my leg was gone. I thought all was well but I ended up with excruciating pain in left side of my back, went back to the doctor and he took x-rays and kept telling me nothing was wrong and gave me prescription for pain meds and well they didn't help at all. I finally went to a different orthopedic whose specialty was the back, I saw his PA and she sent me for an injection under some specialized x-ray machine so that dr could see where to inject pain medication and it worked for about a day so I ended up having the nerve burned 🔥 and so far so good but I still have pain across low back and a limp. Apparently the first fusion failed so I'm stuck with it. Don't do fusion if you can help it because there is no guarantee it will work so find out what options there are first. I hope get the relief from your pain asap 🙏
Olderkitty, What you went through is frightening and horrible. I so appreciate your advice. I have multiple back and cervical disk problems as well as some surgeries and breaks from falls. Lots of fun stories there. I think that I probably do something without realizing and it set off the pressure on the sciatic nerve. Right now, it is a little better, but I can still feel some pain at the source. I will definitely take you advise about fusion. I was told years ago with my neck that any surgery would be extremely difficut and would result in more than one. When I broke the main neck bone last year, I was fortunate to avoid surgery. I wore the neck brace for what seemed forever and my neck did heal although is very crooked not much motion on the left side. But I can live with that. Thanks again.
Me too and I can relate to most of the replies, I thought it was back trouble but now I’m convinced it’s lupus related. Thad it for about 25 years now..Numbness in hands, bad right hip down the leg ..I just pace myself now absolutely every day every.. I’m not allowed anti inflammatory any more so it’s painkillers. Hope you feel better soon..
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