topic Re: Sciatica, pain relief in Wellness

Sciatica, pain relief

goldensrbest — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 13:22:03 GMT

My mom is 84 soon,she has had this pain for about a month and half, seen doctors, nothing they have described has helped, mean while her family doc,has retired,so new docs, had x rays, new doc does not want to do cat scan yet, has anything helped you ,if you have had this?

Re: Sciatica, pain relief

PINKdogWOOD — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 13:33:06 GMT

@goldensrbest If I understand I think your post indicates new doc did do an xray.

If not, someone needs to, not necessarily a CT scan but an MRI foloowup to xray. It's possible your Mom has a herniated disc, perhaps just one thing to cause sciatica.

This is what my problem was, sciatica with very bad herniated disc lower lumbar. Much needed surgery took care of what ailed me.

Just a suggestion, something to thiknk about.

Re: Sciatica, pain relief

dex — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 13:35:26 GMT

My dh goes to the chiropractor for this and gets relief...maybe it could help your mom too.

Re: Sciatica, pain relief

goldensrbest — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 13:45:31 GMT

Yes, she had xrays, exercises, pain shots, chiropractor, she says has to be paid out of pocket. I live in maine,her in indiana.

Re: Sciatica, pain relief

Foxxee — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 13:45:09 GMT

If her diagnosis is only sciatica, then she might be sitting too much. Can she walk OK? Even walking with a cane or walker helps.

It was very painful for me at first, but I walked anyway. The alternative wasn't acceptable. Took Tylenol for the pain.

I found walking always cured my sciatica within a few days.

Re: Sciatica, pain relief

goldensrbest — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 13:47:28 GMT

@Foxxee wrote:
If her diagnosis is only sciatica, then she might be sitting too much. Can she walk OK? Even walking with a cane or walker helps.

It was very painful for me at first, but I walked anyway. The alternative wasn't acceptable. Took Tylenol for the pain.

I found walking always cured my sciatica within a few days.

She can not walk far,has a walker, she says when pain hits ,she has to hold on to something ,it is so bad.

Re: Sciatica, pain relief

alicedee — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 14:01:40 GMT

Back pain is so debilitating.....I feel badly for her, @goldensrbest . At 84, I would hesitate to advise her .....she should talk to her doctor about how much she can do physically...exercise, stretches, walking, etc. ... and if he thinks shots or surgery would help her he can recommend something.

Sending good thoughts to her for some relief.

Re: Sciatica, pain relief

goldensrbest — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 14:25:54 GMT

@alicedee wrote:
Back pain is so debilitating.....I feel badly for her, @goldensrbest . At 84, I would hesitate to advise her .....she should talk to her doctor about how much she can do physically...exercise, stretches, walking, etc. ... and if he thinks shots or surgery would help her he can recommend something.

Sending good thoughts to her for some relief.

Like i said , new doctor, she has been to a few.

Re: Sciatica, pain relief

NicksmomESQ — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 14:27:31 GMT

DH had sciatica a couple of years ago. He had P. T. for 6 weeks & it went away.Doc told him if it comes back he will send him for another round of P. T.

Re: Sciatica, pain relief

chrystaltree — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 14:32:40 GMT

She needs to continue see her doctors. Sciatica isn't a disease, it only means lower back pain and there 100 plus reasons for lower back pain. They need to determine the cause of her lower back pain and treat that. She's 84 and we don't know what physical condition she's in or what other health challenges she has so what other people have or have not taken to relieve back pain is totally irrelevant. If the doctors she is seeing haven't diagnosed a cause for her back pain or if there is no treatment for it, she should be referred to a Pain Specialist for pain control.

Re: Sciatica, pain relief

Shelbelle — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 14:44:41 GMT

My DH also went for PT, then just did the exercises at home, the pain may linger for quite a while.

Re: Sciatica, pain relief

Effie54 — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 14:48:32 GMT

@dex wrote:
My dh goes to the chiropractor for this and gets relief...maybe it could help your mom too.

Definitely right......I have it, and get much relief from a chiropractor.

Re: Sciatica, pain relief

millieshops — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 15:12:14 GMT

I've had severe and long-lasting sciatica pain several times in my life. I don't think there's one path to relief. I did have x-rays way back in the early 1980's, so I know there are disk issues. I've been able to get success with a combination of a great chiropractor and exercises most often, but we've also used acupuncture on occasion. I've been fortunate not to have much trouble for about 3 years now, but I also know any morning I could not be able to move without severe pain.

I've known others who needed surgery to get relief and just like with my choice, some get excellent results and aome have to tweak the surgery even.

Whatever path you choose - finding a doctor/pracicioner you trust is vital. My chiropractor and I are growing old together. I have no idea what I'll do if she retires and my sciatica moves in again!

Re: Sciatica, pain relief

danedylan — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 15:18:43 GMT

I did have sciatia & hopefully won't have it again--I did have an MRI and after that what really helped is having an epedural--I had it in May & I have 2 say it very much helped--best wishes 2 ur Mom & I hope she gets relief-------------------Mary nj

Re: Sciatica, pain relief

Havarti — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 22:58:32 GMT

I had it about 10 years ago and I could hardly move. It was very difficult and painful for me to even get to the bathroom and I had to hold on to something the entire way. I tried chiropractor and acupuncture (they were both out-of-pocket) but neither helped me at all. I have degenerative disc disease and also spinal stenosis. My pain ran down my entire right side - down to my toes. Mine required an MRI to see what was going on with my back.

The only thing that helped me was 6 weeks of physical therapy & occupational therapy and that did help it totally go away. The pain reversed up my foot & leg very slowly until it was totally gone. In my case the doctor explained that the discs in my back are like an Oreo cookie and the "stuff" in the middle that pads the two dry cookies from coming in contact with each other is disintegrating. This causes the dry bony discs to come in contact with each other and sometimes a nerve gets pinched between the two pieces of hard disc. The nerve hurts and swells from the injury due to being pinched and the bigger it swells the more it stays wedged - getting pinched more. When the nerve is pinched it sends out lots of pain messages. It is a vicious cycle.

Physical Therapy helped with exercises to strengthen my core, but the Occupational Therapy helped me the most. It taught me not to bend so the nerve would stop being pinched and give it time for the swelling to go down and eventually return to normal and get free from being pinched. It is much easier to say not to bend than it is to actually do it and so many times you don't even realize you are truly bending. I had to change how I was doing things like sweeping, vacuuming, laundry, shave my legs, etc. I also needed to get a cross-body purse rather than one that I carried on my shoulder, elbow or in my hand - so the weight of my purse was better distributed to the core of my body. Occupational Therapy taught me how to do all the daily chores without bending in a way that continued to pinch that nerve. I didn't believe it at first when they explained it to me, but it was the only thing that worked for me. Any time I get the slightest tingling that it is starting again I review my activities and adjust my approach. It was the best 6 weeks of information.

I do not know if your mother has the same back issues I experience but I pass this information along with the hopes there is something beneficial in my story that might help in your search for a solution. It is horrible pain so I sincerely hope you are able to find the help your mother needs - it will change the quality of her life when you do. Bless you for being there for her!

Re: Sciatica, pain relief

sizeme — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 15:48:14 GMT

I had this problem also. Went to chiropractor 2 weeks every other day. Took aleve,slept in recliner for 3 months. Was the best for me. ICE ICE!!! And yes walking did help.

Re: Sciatica, pain relief

hckynut — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 16:10:48 GMT

@goldensrbest

Unfortunately for me, I had Sciatica that was caused by having, 2(L-5/S-1)completely ruptured discs. My only solution was surgery, this however was in 1974. Same thing with my L-3 disc in about 2009. Completely ruptured, another, but much easier invasive surgery.

An MRI is one of the best procedures for finding the cause. I feel for your mother as Sciatica is a very painful thing to endure.

hckynut

Re: Sciatica, pain relief

Kachina624 — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 19:11:00 GMT

>
@NicksmomESQ wrote:
DH had sciatica a couple of years ago. He had P. T. for 6 weeks & it went away.Doc told him if it comes back he will send him for another round of P. T.
@NicksmomESQ. This was my experience also. I had a one-time bout with sciatica, was referred to P.T., went for several. weeks and the sciatica went away. Knocking on wood, I've never had trouble with it again.

Re: Sciatica, pain relief

vsm — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 17:10:26 GMT

@goldensrbest When you say "pain shots," do you mean lumbar epidurals? I felt relief 6 weeks after the second one.

Also, does her doc have her on any anti-inflammatory meds? Inflammation may be adding to her pain. Meloxicam helped me.

Fingers crossed for your Mom, and for you -- it's hard enough to care for an aging parent who lives close by, but harder still from far away.

Re: Sciatica, pain relief

shaggygirl — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 17:24:06 GMT

My sister-in-law who was in misery for months and actually walking with a cane is another one who was helped tremendously by an epidural shot. It's been about 6 weeks now and she's still feeling the relief it gave her.