could it be??????

[kingharold11]

This is maybe a long shot but could the debilitating sciatica I am experiencing at the moment be connected to the fact that over the last few months I have successfully been reducing steroids from 9 to 6 . Wendy

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It isn't SUCH a long shot. If it is myofascial pain syndrome, hard knots of muscle fibres form that are also concentrations of cytokines - cytokines are the inflammatory substances that our body secretes in the early morning. While the pred dose is relatively high it also reduces them and the associated spasmed muscles that pinch the nerve and cause the sciatica. You could stick at the higher doses - but it is actually better to deal with the localised problems.

Sometimes cortisone jabs will help - but the cortisone is aimed at the sore bits and not all over and the short-lived high dose around the injection site won't cause side-effects. Then there are manual techniques that physios or massage therapists use to get rid of the hard knots - no drug side effects.

It is a bit like the burnt on bits on your cooking hob. You can wipe it over with a cloth and a bit of soap and most of it will be clean again - but the burnt on bits need a brillo pad to get rid of them! The sciatica won't always disappear immediately - it depends how inflamed the nerve is and how long that takes to settle down once whatever is pinching it has been removed.

[kingharold11 in reply to PMRpro]

I am having a an aromatherapy massage tomorrow by my next door neighbors sister . I have been to see the GP again. He has changed the pills again this time to a straight forward pain killer. I didn't like taking the Naproxen they upset my innards. Hi going to hurry the phisos up so I hope I am getting somewhere.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to kingharold11]

I really do wonder sometimes if GPs have EVER heard about the fact that it is not advisable to mix NSAIDs and pred. Or, alternatively, whether they have any idea at all what group of substances the drugs they prescribe belong to.

In case I'm being a bit obscure : naproxen is an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug).

Do enjoy your massage - ask if she does mobilisation as well as nice smells.