Sciatica...how to get relief

Had it for years. Sometimes worse than other. Had a steroid shot once- instant fix, but temporary(only lasted a couple weeks).
No magic for me, but a routine of streching good in the shower every morning, being carefull, drink lots of water, ALWAYS use lumber support(I have little pillow in my office chair, etc etc), and use of an inversion table I bought off Cragislist.
All of the above manages it quite well.

 

Physical rehab. Maybe a chiropractor can help you.

 

I had sciatic symptoms for quite a while in/out of the hospital. After release I spent 4 weeks in in-patient therapy - speech, physical, occupational, etc. The therapy was at the Miller-Dwan facility in Duluth MN - a very highly regarded facility. I was lucky to get accepted. M-D is part of the Essentia health network. I think Essentia had spent so much of my insurance money that they couldn't deny me the therapy... Great care by highly educated and dedicated people. I owe everything to Essentia and M-D.

Anyway - I had pretty bad sciatica - a lot of pain. My right hip was bothering me and making it difficult for me to walk. The physical therapists had many exercises that they put me thru daily. One of them is demonstrated in the following video. It starts at 3:25. The young woman (Dr. Jo) refers to it as the 'clam shell'. I called it the 'chicken wing'. My therapists had a more formal name for it that I have forgotten - actually I was so mentally fried that I couldn't remember the name. Therapists got me thru that too.

https://video.search.yahoo.com/sear...=29dcf43a90db95f8db6d7e69f04b7d70&action=view

I didn't use the band that the woman in the video uses. Hell, I couldn't raise that knee with a bed sheet on it. My leg was too weak and it hurt too much. I could struggle thru the exercise with no restriction - belt or covering.

I really made progress after I got home. Daily I would go thru the exercises I learned at M-D. I found that sitting in a chair - feet flat on the floor and back straight - and pushing my knees sideways into the arms of the chair pulled that sciatic nerve. I never did it to make it hurt - just enough to feel that the exercise was working the sciatic nerve. The results were astounding. I started walking more and more and within a week or two could go 2 miles - up and down hill. The pain left and has never returned - I think daily walks may keep it at bay.

The best chair that I have found for this is one in one of my doctor's waiting rooms. These chairs are designed for one to sit up straight in. See link.

https://www.amazon.com/Upholstered-Ergonomic-Support-Reception-Version/dp/B07HGVFHYR/ref=sr_1_9?

 

I thought it was because not every treatment works for every cause and not every cause of sciatica is the same. IVF stenosis from degenerative disc disease or degenerative facet joint disease, Facet inflammation, Disc herniation, Infection, Piriformis syndrome, Sacroiliac joint inflammation, acute nerve injury from trauma, etc... And sometimes things to happen to heal up while we're busy trying things that end up getting the credit.

Saying "sciatica" is about like saying "headache". Is that headache a sinus infection or a brain tumor because there are a bunch of things that can cause a headache. And some internet videos shouldn't be then end of one's search when symptoms persist.

 

^^^^^GREAT points.

I've been going to PT (Physical TORTURE!) for most of this year, for Sciatica.

My back is SCREWED UP, from T11/12 to L5-S1.

Injections in my spine, Sacroiliac joint injections, hip injections, and FOR NOW, the ONLY thing that's helping is "dry needling".
That was described as "accupuncture with voltage".
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE this!

Gabapentin helped, but then it stopped.

Meloxicam, Tramadol, and Tizanidine.
(Arthritis med, pain pill, muscle relaxer.)


Gettin' old is a PITA (and the back).

 

I feel for you, luckily I'm on a good month with my back issues. Only thing that ever helps me is stretching. I have really tight hamstrings, bending over I bet I can only get about 18" from the ground. I stand on concrete everyday at work, so stretching while I work is needed

 

and to prevent this from coming back, strengthen your core muscles (abs in particular). this takes a lot of stress off the back. Oh, and pay attention to posture...always.

 

This will hurt, you need to stretch back. Have this for 30 years. At night, never in morning, hold toes for 60 seconds, if doing in morning risk injury. Will take Three days to feel relief but it will happen. I've not had back issues in maybe decade but when I was 15 had episodes where I could not walk, felt like ton of volts going through back. The other exercise is wall or bed humping. Keep lower back flat and flex gut, it is tiresome. Your obliques should burn.

Depending you may need to strengthen back more directly, If you are drinking a ton expect back to hurt. Do back extension but stretches are mandatory.

edit, didn't say rightly, for my chemistry, alcohol tightens my back. At least for some it makes back hurt. If you decide to do stretching let us now how it worked. I've worked many people through this but accurate data is hard. If it doesn't work want to know.

Had the MRI's, the whole fandagle. Do the stretching at least.

 

Sorry that so many are in pain. I've had a bout or two of sciatica that resolved with chiropractic and specific exercises. No one has pointed out the need to get a good diagnosis! There can be different causes of sciatica and an MRI can see if there are vertebral misalignment issues impinging on the nerves causing inflammation. If so that might be fixed by chiropractic manipulation. If there is significant disc damage or stenosis (narrowing) of the nerve channel surgery is indicated.
Start with your family doctor, he/she may refer you to an orthopedist, physical therapy, or perhaps a surgeon after diagnostic testing. In the meanwhile, try whiskey, hot tub soaks and anti-inflammatory NSAIDS with acetaminophen on a scheduled 4-6 hour basis. You have to keep the meds on board to stay ahead of the curve. Good luck!

 

Nope

 

Very gently or they may aggravate the nerve

 

and...there is a right and wrong way to stretch hamstrings...especially when you have lower back problems.



right way (below)

 

I went to the doctor. He gave me a shot in the butt. It never came back...

 

I don't know. My chiropractor is a smaller man. Tosses me around like a rag doll when he wants to. I'm 6 foot currently about 220. He's probably 5'6" and 160. Never had a problem.

For me seeing my PCP and getting drugs only helped a little. Saw a physical therapist for about six months with only a little relief. And that was doing the stretches and exercises religiously. Finally broke down and went to this chiropractor at the recommendation of a massage therapist that I went to. Two weeks after starting to see the chiropractor I was feeling better than after six months in physical therapy. Now whenever it flairs up I see the chiropractor and it's over with in one visit. But you still need to stay on top of the stretches and exercises. My back feels best when I'm in good physical shape, which I'm not right now.

And like durwood mentions above alcohol does seem to play a factor. I've been drinking way too heavily for some time due to trying to numb myself because of a deteriorating marriage. I currently haven't had a drink for several days, got a away from the stress, and my back is no longer bound up in the morning when I get up.

A couple people have mentioned that there are multiple causes of sciatica. You have to find the treatment that addresses your cause.

 

The natural history of sciatica regardless of tretmnent is to improve spontaneously with time, but that time can be as long as 9 years ( well documented Swedish study)
At which time the outcomes from surgery and non surgery are equivalent
Surgery is indicated for progressive neurological deficit and cauda equina syndrome ..loss of bowel and bladder function.
All the non operative treatments are about equivalent.
If you are in severe pain and there is no relief with well directed management for a three month span of time, microdiscectomy may be indicated and it has a 98 % success rate (provided there is a positive tension finding imaging study correlating with the nerve root involved, and an objective neurological finding on exam and if any one of the three is absent the success is only 50-50), and can return one to Full duty work or quality of life.

 

An exercise ball is good for building core strength.

 

An exercise ball is good for building core strength.

Oops...dreaded double post, but don't think anybody will complain...

 

This!

I have had back pain off and on for decades from my days of heavy weightlifting. Three months ago, I started stretching every night for about 30 minutes before bed. I gotta tell you, the results thus far have been amazing!

For years I would wake up after being horizontal for 5.5 to 6 hours with a pain in my back that felt like I was getting stabbed. About a month into the stretching, that was gone. I can now sleep as long as I want with no pain in my back.

Another interesting side effect is I can actually feel that my spine is mobile. I told my wife that it no longer feels like my vertebrae are all fused, I can actually feel motion in my spine when I twist or move.