topic Re: sciatica in Wellness

sciatica

marzi 1 — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 11:50:40 GMT

Any help on this ?Please let me know if you have had this and what to do, going to Dr. next week, left side always in pain any suggestions? thanks...

Re: sciatica

lolakimono — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 11:57:02 GMT

@marzi 1

I have had it and at the time I would have paid a rabid dog to gnaw my leg off.

Anti-inflammatories, wear good, supportive shoes, and you could try to stretch it out and/or apply heat to loosen it up.

If I had it again, I would see my chiropractor or my acupuncturist as soon as possible.

Re: sciatica

cookie5 — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 11:59:04 GMT

I agree with lolokimono. I haven't had it since I had a couple of treatments by the chiropractor. What a relief!

Re: sciatica

Chrystaltree2 — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 12:09:49 GMT

Who told you the pain was sciatica? Sciatical just means spinal nerve pain, if that's what you have, they will do an mri to determine the cause of the pain. in my casem the sciatic is caused by spinal stenosis. My bff's sciatica is caused by a herniated disc. You can try Advil and rest until you see the doctor. My pain runs down the side of my left leg, it's not my whole left side. Hot packs on my leg give me a little relief. Some people get pain relief from ice packs. Lying down also helps me. But for longterm pain reliefe, I get cotisone injections. I get them every 3 or 4 months. I get about 90% pain relief, which is amazing. The pain gradually comes back around week 10. I don't know what type of doc you are seeing but if your pain really is sciatica, you should see a spine specialist and a pain specialist.

Re: sciatica

meallen616 — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 12:10:22 GMT

I have suffered from sciatica for many years. I found that treatments from the chiropractor helps alot! I hope you feel better soon.

Re: sciatica

luvmyjewelry — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 12:17:55 GMT

I have had severe sciatica more than once. I'm not a dr. but I suggest seeing a spine specialist to get to the root of the problem. I have had PT and epidural shots, also chiropractic. Weight loss if needed. I can empathize because I couldn't even get out of bed until I did 20 minutes of exercise, the pain was so severe.

Good luck!

Re: sciatica

151949 — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 12:21:17 GMT

I agree with chrystaltree - until you have an MRI to determine WHY you are having sciatic pain there is little you can do. I would try antiinflammatories like Ibuprofen and ice your lower back. Generally sciatic pain is a referred pain - which means the problem is not where the pain is but is in the lower back and the nerve being irritated is referring the pain to the buttocks. So if you decide to try ice - put it on your lower back. I know heat sounds like it would be more comfortable but ice is what you should use.

Re: sciatica

PINKdogWOOD — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 12:29:56 GMT

I had suffered with sciatica due to a herniated disc lumbar 3-4 in 1996. Eventually I had to have surgery to fix the disc. Honestly, my sciatica (down right side of my hip/leg) was so bad I really couldn't tell how bad my back hurt.

WOW - felt so great in recovery after surgery I could have easily jumped off of the table and done a jig with my Nurse!!!

I agree - MRI will be in order from your PCP. The MRI will determine the sourse of your problem. I took Aleve for awhile until we figured out my true problem. My surgeon took me off that, a good 7-10 days to get it out of my system, wrote me a better prescription to get ready for surgery. My Surgeon was one of the best. Of course there was some PT prior to to see if that would fix me but the disc buldged so far out of the spinal column, surgery was my only fix. PT after I healed, like a new woman afterwards.

Re: sciatica

violann — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 12:31:02 GMT

I spent 6 agonizing months in so much pain I couldn't stand my leg even touching the mattress when I tried to sleep.

When actually seen by a REAL MD, I learned that what I REALLY had was Piriformous Syndrome and IllioTibial Band Syndrome, readily treatable.

BOY did I feel silly upon learning that my MD was more proficient at diagnosis than I, a retired band director!

MORAL- unless you have actually been diagnosed by a REAL MEDICAL SPECIALIST, don't jump to any conclusions.

I ORIGINALLY injured my hip by carrying a tuba up a flight of stairs while balancing it on my hip, so I guess there was at least SOME connection between music and medicine.....

Re: sciatica

silkyk — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 12:32:41 GMT

My Mom had this SO bad and the surprising cure was a padded toilet seat. DR. told her that as we age we tend to plop down on hard seats and damage nerves. DH got her set up with a padded toilet seat and she was better in days. Now cured! Good luck and try it out.

Re: sciatica

GSPgirl — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 12:45:51 GMT

My PT told me walking is the best thing for that. Mine went away a few years ago. I do water aerobics 3 times a week now. No more hip or back pain. Unfortunately, sitting is the worse thing you can do for this pain. Get to a doctor and PT as soon as you can.

Re: sciatica

millieshops — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 13:41:47 GMT

so agree with @lokokimono. Sciata pain is among the most awful I've ever had. It once shiut down al my nerves from the hip to my toes and I thought my leg had fallen off because I couldn't feel it!

With maybe the fourth episode, I finally found a chiropractor who was able to give me relief, but it took a few weeks. She worked from x-rays (I'm not even sure there were MRI's at the time), not just from her practiced hands and the pain relief was far better than I got anywhere else.

I sometimes still have pain and even pain chiropractic doesn't get at. Fortunately, that same doctor is a trained acupuncturist and we've used that. Whatever works to let me live with a smile!

One reason I wear the shoes so many posters call dowdy is that both that great chiropractor and my podiatrist tell me that wearing the wrong shoes undoes their work in less than a half hour! The choice then is between dowdy and pain. I'll take dowdy, thank you.

My advice to OP - get a proper diagnosis - not from us or local friends and go from there. It's worth the effort. Back problems have a nasty way of being chronic.

Re: sciatica

VaBelle35 — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 15:18:56 GMT

@GSPgirl wrote:
My PT told me walking is the best thing for that. Mine went away a few years ago. I do water aerobics 3 times a week now. No more hip or back pain. Unfortunately, sitting is the worse thing you can do for this pain. Get to a doctor and PT as soon as you can.

Water Aerobics is what fixed mine as well. The warm water and the stretching of my leg in the water was the best remedy.

Re: sciatica

marzi 1 — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 15:19:31 GMT

Thanks everyone for your help! Good to know the "community"is out there!

Re: sciatica

GCR18 — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 15:27:19 GMT

I had it once. It took about a month to get better. The chiropractor was the thing that worked for me.

Re: sciatica

hckynut — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 22:15:39 GMT

@marzi 1 wrote:
Any help on this ?Please let me know if you have had this and what to do, going to Dr. next week, left side always in pain any suggestions? thanks...

if you can take an anti-inflammatory like aleve/advil that might help. i personally used ice on my leg. mine was the L-5 lumbar disc and the S-1 disc below it. my pain was all in my right leg. I needed open back surgery as my discs had completely ruptured into my spinal canal.

other than that? for me it was finding a comfortable position, until it was no longer comfortable.

I wish you the best

E.T.A. As others have said here, the source of REAL sciatica cannot be 100% sure without having an MRI. X-rays and others show very little about all components that make up the Spinal column.

While I believe in GOOD Chiropractors, I would never let any one of them adjust my back using only an X-ray, and most Chiropractors do not have access to an MRI. A good friend of mine is a Spinal Specialist and works only on the spine. He removed my ruptured L-3 back in 2009.

hnj

Re: sciatica

AKgirl2 — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 21:15:21 GMT

My first bout with sciatica was in my early 30's...my husband was seeing a chiropractor at that time and suggested I go...I did and had immediate relief after the first treatment. Went for another 3 scheduled treatments and had no recurrence until years later.

Re: sciatica

ECBG — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 19:24:37 GMT

OH my! Boy! Did I ever!

My developed after retiring from teaching with my first position working in clothes. Everyone wanted me to style them because I had taught design, and everyone used my dressing rooms causing me to have to carry those clothes half a football field back. With pushing clothes together to pick up a large group at one time when stocking, I had searing pain at thre top of my left hip.

I got to the point I literally had to "walk up my legs when I crawled out of bed. I had to use the restroom handicap stall at work!

I left and went to a chiropractor who was first class. He worked with me six months three times a week until the inflamation took over.

By the time I took myself to the medical doctor, the PA had to CARRY me to the treatment room. I have known my doctor thirty years. He couldn't believe it when I couldn't get up out of the chair for him to examine me.

I've been doing great for five years on Meloxicam, which is an

anti-inflammatory. The dr is very tall, and he takes it too. I still have to carry heavy things "centered" in the middle of my body.

Re: sciatica

Reba055 — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 03:10:34 GMT

It depends on what's causing it. Until you see the doc, anti inflammatory meds are about the best option. And ice can really help too if it's inflamed. The only thing that ever really gave me relief was spinal steroid /lidocaine injections because I have a few problems causing it. I still have issues if I overdue it, or do certain things. Can't stand for extended periods or walk too much.

Re: sciatica

Big Sister — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 06:47:58 GMT

I also would suggest a chiropractor, one who is recommended to you.

Whenever I have pain down into the leg I make an appointment with my chiropractor and it helps a lot.

Good luck and I hope you feel better soon.