Sciatica advice sought

[me-and-pippo 12]

Just looking for abit of advice,

My wife has been suffering with really bad sciatica and it doesnt seem to be easing. Does anyone know of any treatment or methods to ease the pain, as we are going away in a few weeks and I don't want her to be in pain.

 

Thank You

 

I presume she seen a Doctor about it ?

[mmitchell 10]

I presume she seen a Doctor about it ?

 

Yes she's been to the doctors, and also she went down to A&E last Sunday due to the pain being so bad, and their have put her on tramadol 50mg and Amitriptyline 10mg

[jayne67 10]

As a follow sufferer, I understand her pain

 

Frustratingly, there seems very little that you can do to ease the pain, apart from strong painkillers and hot baths...my pain is so bad sometimes I can barely walk.

 

Jayne

[shaunfl 10]

Tell me about it Gazza, her pain threshold is normally very good but this has knocked her for 6

 

I had it bad a number of years ago and had quite a few visits to the hospital physio for core stability exercises, they told me the routines and most of them were done at home.

Have a search for core stability online. Some will need a big exercise ball , they are very gentle movements but the results were good with very little effort and also had a lasting effect on me. It must be 5 years and it has not recurred.

 

Best of luck and please ask if you have any questions.

[Owls6 10]

I have not been diagnosed with this but I am sure this is what I am suffering with. I have had lower back pain for couple of years made worse when walking up or down hill. I am now having pains in tops of legs and its really painful at times.

[shaunfl 10]

I have not been diagnosed with this but I am sure this is what I am suffering with. I have had lower back pain for couple of years made worse when walking up or down hill. I am now having pains in tops of legs and its really painful at times.

 

That sounds like how mine started, eventually I managed to get my back x-rayed and found I had osteoarthritis in my lower spine. Because of this my spine was out of line and was effecting the big nerve that goes down the leg, hence the sciatica.

 

My job involved a lot of heavy lifting and I was retired on health grounds after 40yrs service.

[RJRB 688]

I believe that there are a number of causes of sciatic pain,but in my case having tried the doctors ,painkillers and physio,I obtained virtually immediate relief after being directed by my physio to an osteopath.

The back ache and muscle spasms improved in hours and the residual sciatic pain down my leg and shins disappeared in weeks.

Unfortunately my first practitioner is no longer about,but Mark Wilcox at Wainwrights Therapy centre on Kenwood Rd has sorted me out on a couple of occasions,following a recurrence having overdone it playing sport or lifting.

My first bout came out of the blue and was attributed to the amount of driving I was doing,but that was some 30 years ago and I now know where to go if I have any problems.

I thought it was the best money I have spent,and if you are in the Westfield scheme a fair part of your costs are covered.

One recommendation that I was given by both was rest and ice packs rather than hot water bottles,and it works for me.....mid sixties and enjoying gardening,bowling and badminton.

I wish you well as it is painful and does get you down.

[DT Ralge 10]

What worked for me:

- flat on back for several weeks

- physio clinic's advice on posture, sleeping position (crucially, avoid foetal position on-side with top knee closer to chest than bottom knee). In recent times, a "bad back" returned (with new mattress) and went away after a while with new mattress mark2 so the bed you sleep on makes a difference.

- osteo manipulation, useful but gave short term relief only

- lastly drugs to dull the pain I.e. treat the symptoms but leave the cause.

Edited June 16, 2013 by DT Ralge

[me-and-pippo 12]

Sleeping belly/face down can help, well it works for me.

[MrSmith 10]

Just looking for abit of advice,

My wife has been suffering with really bad sciatica and it doesnt seem to be easing. Does anyone know of any treatment or methods to ease the pain, as we are going away in a few weeks and I don't want her to be in pain.

 

Thank You

 

To start, don't waste your time with the NHS, they are useless, after 3 years of pain and many many visits to the hospital quacks, my wife went to a private physiotherapist, and with a combination of acupuncture and mobilisations over six weeks the pain had gone and she can once again bend over and touch her toes.

[El Cid 220]

I get pins n needles, mainly in my left arm. I try to exercise my body, circuit training or the gym, and it does seem better.

I put it down to bad posture. I have had it before, but it came back a little over a month ago. I need to get back into regular exercise, that should cure it.

[irenewilde 10]

To start, don't waste your time with the NHS, they are useless, after 3 years of pain and many many visits to the hospital quacks.

 

The NHS were absolutely fine with me, it completely depends on which doctor you get of course, so sweeping generalisations are no use to anyone.

 

The first time I had sciatica I ended up with several weeks off work as I found sitting absolute agony. The only thing that eased it for me was walking. Boy, did I walk..... I don't think there's a road in a 3 mile radius of here that I didn't get a really good look at.