sciatica

[Siatica]

what’s best - to try and manage without painkillers or to have them? My reason for asking is that the painkillers cover the problem - am I potentially making it worse if I can’t feel the warning signals or as I’ve also heard does having painkillers help the problem by calming it down and also allowing you to move about?! Very confused!

[Madlegs1]

Look up the stretches on YouTube for sciatica.If you are going to try them-- gently--- then it is an excellent idea to take an nsaid - ibuprofen or suchlike.

Good luck.

Ps- I found a good recommended chiropractor to be very helpful in sorting my own sciatica. And I was totally crippled at the time.

[Bevvy]

I use both! I do exercises I got off internet in a swimming pool. I use ibuprofen to ease inflammation and as pain relief. Plus I use more heavy duty painkiller on prescription if pain severe.Finally I found an osteopath very helpful (at the time) in easing things.

[rabbits65]

Sciatica can be really really painful. If and when mine is bad I need painkillers . However I do not take them for long . I gently exercise it out and massage the sciatic nerve . If I am careful and don’t do any lifting I usually can keep sciatica away but as soon as I lift , even a heavy watering can will disturb my back . I think you must do what is right for you . I had my first attack of sciatica on my wedding day in 1973. Once you’ve damaged that nerve it seems to be there for life. Get to know your body. I don’t use painkillers very often because it will make me constipated and that just adds to the issue.Good luck to you . Your be ok

[putmebacktogether]

- sciatica stretching exercises on YouTube

- I found seeing a chiropractor (McTimoney Chiropractor - recommend here to me, more gentle/non-cracking chiropractor) solves mine as when I’m out of alignment - my rib ends up touching my hip it gives me a lot of sciatic pain. If I see my Chiro, get re-aligned & rest again then I have no more sciatic pain!

[KripTowers]

I wish it was as simple as just doing stretches for myself. I have severe permanent root nerve damage, which leaves me with excruciating sciatic pain in both legs plus over the last six months it's begun to affect my feet and toes causing numbness