topic Re: Sciatica... in Wellness

Sciatica...

nana59 — Sat, 25 May 2019 16:22:36 GMT

any home remedies for this awful pain?!

Re: Sciatica...

Katcat1 — Sat, 25 May 2019 16:33:35 GMT

@nana59 I had surgery for L5-S1 and yes it is painful. The pain runs horizontally in your buttocks down your leg and my calf was very painful. Any way the best pain relief is NOT sitting or limiting your time sitting to 5 minutes.

Re: Sciatica...

sweetee2 — Sat, 25 May 2019 16:41:09 GMT

I pulled a muscle in my back many years ago. Hubby made me go to a Chiropractor. I won't go into that hoopla, but one thing he told was how to get rid of Sciatica .

Twice a day lay on your back. Raise your knee to your chest as far as you can. Count to 10. Do the same with your other knee. Do this 3 times with each leg. I would do this in bed before I'd get up and when I go to bed. I've never had a problem since.

I best friend has Sciatica in her hip to where she has to get a shot every time they go on a trip. I told her about this and it has help her.

Re: Sciatica...

sweetee2 — Sat, 25 May 2019 16:45:09 GMT

Also I want to mention that when you have a pinched nerve it also make the tissues swell. Ice helps to reduce the swelling with helps release the nerve.

Re: Sciatica...

Foxxee — Sat, 25 May 2019 16:50:29 GMT

Walking...the best remedy for me. I get it if I sit too much or too long at a time. Sometimes, I had pain when I was sitting too...sat on a heating pad and took Tylenol.

Re: Sciatica...

JeanLouiseFinch — Sat, 25 May 2019 16:52:25 GMT

@nana59 wrote:
any home remedies for this awful pain?!

You may try alternating heat and ice, but you also need to stretch it out.

1. Lay down in the center of your bed. Keep the good leg straight and bend the bad one. Bring your knee up and clasp your hands round it, pulling your knee as far as you can down to your chest. Hold it there for awhile. Relax and repeat a few times.

2. Doing the same basic motion, when you draw back your knee, stop around your waist area, then cross your bent leg across your body as far as you can while keeping your back in contact with your bed. Hold the position for a little while. Relax and repeat a few times.

Do these a few times a day until you feel relief.

Re: Sciatica...

Pook — Sat, 25 May 2019 17:05:17 GMT

The massage therapist I go to for my neck issues said to lay on a tennis ball and roll around on it in the area that is the most painful in your back.

Re: Sciatica...

mousiegirl — Sat, 25 May 2019 17:09:12 GMT

@nana59 wrote:
any home remedies for this awful pain?!

@nana59 There are exercises you can do, maybe some are online, but DH received different sets of exercises from three different people in the medical profession. He thought he had sciatica, but after over a year of debilitating pain, finally an MRI was ordered, and he was referred to a spinal specialist who told him he had a sprained thigh, but he says now that he has the exercises, he is doing great.

Re: Sciatica...

x Hedge — Sat, 25 May 2019 17:49:27 GMT

@nana59 : Traction.

But reduce swelling as @sweetee2 posted, and follow with the description by @JeanLouiseFinch (which is indeed traction).

Move the legs only as far as is well tolerated.

Also, many beds develop a slight 'trough', through the center from constant body pressure. Avoid laying down in your usual place/position until fully healed.

To do my traction exercise I'd sit on the foot of the bed and lay back, keeping the good foot flat on the floor. The mattress in that area was totally flat and gave equally firm support under my back while raising my knee.

At it's worst, I slept in a recliner which made getting up to a standing position much easier.

I moved the pillows to the foot of the bed and slept that way too. If you're not in a twin size, try sleeping sideways, asross the width of the mattress, near the foot end of the bed.

Occasionally I'd sleep face down. (hard to get up tho, don't do it if your shoulders aren't strong.) Since I'm not normally a stomach sleeper this position was actually an effective short term pain reliever.

Depending on your shoulder, arm, and hand strength:

I would grip a 'chin up bar' type support, and hang my body weight by my hands. While in this position slowly 'march' in midair, lifting knees high, alternating left/right/left etc.

In this position, gravity acting on your body weight is supplying the needed traction to separate the vertebrae just a tiny fraction and creates the opportunity for it to realign via gravity.

And the slow 'march' helps release any nerve or other soft tissue that's been trapped (pinched) causing swelling and disabling pain.

The 'march' in midair is essentially the same exercise JeanLouiseFinch described for doing laying down. Gravity will work in your favor if you can do it upright though.

Once you're healed you might consider exercises for building muscle throughout your trunk, especially back and buttock.

Hope any one of these can help you.

Be well.

Re: Sciatica...

hckynut — Sat, 25 May 2019 18:04:13 GMT

@Katcat1 wrote:
I had surgery for L5-S1 and yes it is painful. The pain runs horizontally in your buttocks down your leg and my calf was very painful. Any way the best pain relief is NOT sitting or limiting your time sitting to 5 minutes.

@Katcat1

Had the same surgery in 1974. Sitting was by far the most painful position. I had a 20 minute drive to my job and I had to stop and get out of the car, going and driving home. Spent a lot of time standing and crawling on my hands and knees in my apartment. Makes sense since the Sciatic Nerve is the biggest one in the body.

Spent 3 weeks in the hospital while they were trying traction/mechanically stretching my spine and shooting me with Demerol. For me, surgery was the only permanent solution for my completely ruptured L-5/S-1 discs. One of the best medical decisions I've ever made and would do it again in a heartbeat if necessary.

hckynut

Re: Sciatica...

hckynut — Sat, 25 May 2019 18:13:50 GMT

@sweetee2 wrote:
I pulled a muscle in my back many years ago. Hubby made me go to a Chiropractor. I won't go into that hoopla, but one thing he told was how to get rid of Sciatica .

Twice a day lay on your back. Raise your knee to your chest as far as you can. Count to 10. Do the same with your other knee. Do this 3 times with each leg. I would do this in bed before I'd get up and when I go to bed. I've never had a problem since.

I best friend has Sciatica in her hip to where she has to get a shot every time they go on a trip. I told her about this and it has help her.

@sweetee2

Good info for everyone including those the have no back issues. Strong Abs and Flexible ALL BACKSIDE Muscles can prevent, or at least minimize many back pains, including Sciatica.

The William's exercise you mention, along with the many others that were/are included, have been known for decades, even the early 1970's. Every person would be, back pain or not, wise to make these, and other Back Side of the Body Exercises, part of their every day routine, and more than once a day.

hckynut

Re: Sciatica...

cantdrive55 — Sat, 25 May 2019 18:26:59 GMT

For me, the pain would start where the sciatic nerve passes through the piriformis muscle, and then go down the leg. The tennis ball helped a lot, but it is very important not to roll on top of that already irritated nerve. You have to stay on either side of the sciatic nerve.

There are videos on YouTube, if you are interested. I did not have tennis balls, so I stopped at a dollar store & bought dog play balls, which are great because they are firmer.

Re: Sciatica...

colliemom4 — Sat, 25 May 2019 18:39:16 GMT

I have had something like this off and on for years. I got an MRI done and they found nothing. I went to physical therapy and it didn't help me either. It's an extremely frustrating problem. I try to stay as active as possible and do take medication if I have to. I do exercises and stretches also. Sometimes I feel like it's helping me other times not so much. I use my heating pad a lot too.

Re: Sciatica...

hckynut — Sat, 25 May 2019 19:42:43 GMT

@colliemom4

For many having strong abs/specificity stretching each muscle group on the backside separately, help eliminate or minimize back pains. What specific ab exercises are you doing regularly? Too many overlook the role the core muscles play in supporting the spine from the front side.

I own a Teeter Inversion Table and find it very valuable doing much of my ab exercises that cannot be done any other way. Doing full inversion for me feels good and seems to help my blood flow throughout my body. It does not cure back or spinal pain, but for many it gives them enough temporary pain relief, which makes their days much better.

You have probably read my spinal(back) story so I won't mention it here. Were it not for my persistence with following all the things I have mentioned there is absolutely no way that I could ice skate, pain free for 2 hour sessions.

I cannot take any pain med other than acetaminophen(tylenol) because of my colon bleeding issues. But though I do get a occasional back stiffness, it never inhibits what I want or need to do.

Hopefully you find what works for you.

hckynut

Re: Sciatica...

colliemom4 — Sun, 26 May 2019 00:19:20 GMT

@hckynut Thank you. I do abdominal strengthening exercises given to me by a physical therapist. Some of them are done with an exercise ball. It's a huge ball you sit on. You probably know what they are but I thought I'd say just in case someone was wondering. I'm also pretty active in general. I can usually keep things under control without medication, sometimes medication doesn't even help much to be honest, but every once in a while I'll start experiencing problems again. An orthopedic doctor/surgeon did speak to me about having strong abdominal muscles in healing back pain so it is something I am aware of and work on. I'm pleased to hear you are doing well and able to do the activities you enjoy. Your table sounds awesome. Maybe I'll get one someday!

Re: Sciatica...

SXMGirl — Sun, 26 May 2019 00:28:09 GMT

@nana59 DH went to a chiropractor and had massages there and it took two months for him to return to work.

One thing is you decide to treat at home: if you use a foam roller, my trainer says that you should use it right after a shower or bath so that the muscles are warm. She also said to press into it and use the roller on the wall instead of on the floor.

Re: Sciatica...

Reever — Sun, 26 May 2019 01:46:37 GMT

Dr said I had a degenerative disc. He claims it is very common and wants to treat it with physical therapy and if necessary steroid injections. He claims surgery is the last resort.

Re: Sciatica...

Kachina624 — Sun, 26 May 2019 04:45:00 GMT

Although I have chronic lower back problems, I've only had one bout of sciatica, about 25 years ago. Doctor sent me to PT and for the first time it was actually beneficial. Two weeks of treatment and I was good as new. You need yto see a doctor and perhaps he will suggest PT.

Re: Sciatica...

ECBG — Sun, 26 May 2019 04:58:28 GMT

After teaching, I worked for Dillards and I started with sciatica on my left side after customers found out I could style. I was carrying all of those clothes back. That, plus the habit of sitting with my leg under me moved my spine one inch!

There are stretching exercises on youtube by physical therapists or you can go to a physical therapist.

On amazon there is a really great gel belt that can be frozen or heatedby Ranico.

Sciatic problems have to have cold which decreases inflamation. Don't stand in the shower with hot water beating on the area. You are increasing inflamation and increasing pain.

Now I am on meloxicam to keep inflamation down. if I carry items, I make sure the weight is equal, not on one side.

Best of luck. I would suggest you see your doctor.

Re: Sciatica...

pepes mom — Sun, 26 May 2019 05:08:07 GMT

I am sorry that you are in pain. I didn't read all of the responses, so pardon me if this has been suggested.

There are over the counter pain creams like Aspercream or Icy Hot that have 4% Lidocaine in them. That is a topical anesthetic that should help to decrease some of the pain. It was recommended by my pain management doc.

Ice is helpful to a good deal of people. Ice 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off is the usual recommendation. Just put a barrier between you and the ice. Heat is also helpful. Do not use heat with any type of pain creams, as you can get a nasty burn.

One position that helps me is to lay on the floor with my lower legs on the cushions of the couch. It allows your lower back to get into a neutral position.

Physical therapy can be a Godsend. They can do moist heat, stimulation via a TENS unit and give you stretches and exercises to help with the pain.

I wish you the best.