Sciatica, who's had/got it and how did you get rid of it?

Sciatica, who's had/got it and how did you get rid of it?

Author
Discussion

MH

1,239 posts

265 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
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Had it bad a few years ago, went for a scan and no.6 was pushing my spinal column. Up to that point I had put up with the pain for about a year (self employed at the time) but couldn't take anymore. Plenty of the correct back stretching/arching (as advised by physio) seemed to clear it up. Trouble was that due to putting up with it for so long I had been walking funny and had to have extra physio to stretch all my leg tendons. Huge pain killers from the consultant helped too. It comes back occasionally but I know roughly what to do now. If it's a disk then your body can absorb a certain amount of it but if that combined with the physio doesn't sort it you could be looking at surgery.

Mike

ashes

628 posts

253 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
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Probably rare, but my sciatica was caused by an allergic reaction to lactose in cows milk. This caused inflammation and intense pain (nearly crashed the car).

After I eliminated cows milk from my diet, the symptoms went quickly and (touch wood) have never returned.

Like I say, very unusual but you could try no milk for a few days, what have you to lose?

K

jet_noise

5,630 posts

181 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
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Dear RetroTed,

I feel your pain - mine.

Currently apart from painkillers (Cocodamol) my GP is rather shrugging his shoulders until a magic 6 weeks has elapsed. The condition than passes to chronic (IIRC) status and then referrals start.

I've been doing some web searched simple exercises.
I am pleased to say things have got a smidge better since Sunday. Can walk a short distance, mown my small lawn, washed a car, sit down for longer.
I hope there's another step (pun intended) change soon.

I like your description dental pain in the leg, thankfully the fix is not the same biggrin

regards,
Jet

Hyper10

432 posts

168 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
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I feel passionately about this and feel great sympathy when I read (and recall) the pain. I'm not medically qualified but can offer my own experiences.
In 1995 my back "went", the pain and summer heat were almost unbearable.
My friend suggested Chiropractor (biggest mistkae I made) left me in agony and then avoided me.
Went to GP, got painkillers and diazpem ( good but make you drowsey, painkillers bung you up)
Got Consultant appt. After MRI/CAT type scan, he told me, no problem we'll "Wip out a disc" and you'll be fine in a few months. I was 26 at the time and would have gone with it but due to the 1 year wait, I opted for physio.
GET PHYSIO-- they'll tell you to learn to stretch the hamstring/attempt to strengthen core.
In the physio room was a "pain management" patient, that basically means they're teaching you how to cope. He was early 30's, has the op twice and now needed a walker to get around.
A physio actually told me that Consultants at that time did op's because thats all they knew, stretching/strength work was all too boring.
A tip use ICE but most of all see a Doctor to get a scan to reassure yourself that it is what you think it is and nothing else. My experience is mine and hopefully you get some idea's. In 2004 I got lazy and didn't stretch for a few months, a repeat occurred and taught me that flexibility for me is crucial as is core strength

RetroTed

Original Poster:

1,025 posts

208 months

Wednesday 6th April 2011
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Teixe said:
I have it, a little better know after a nerve block injection.
I got an MRI done (suppested by the physiotherapist not the GP) that showed a protrusion of the disc, currently waiting for my next appointment, surgery.

If you can get an MRI done it will show how bad you are, it did for me.
I had these sciatic symtoms 3 years ago which got to the point that I was walking slanted and the pain did not go away. MRI showed 2 disc protusions and ended up with Cauda Equina Syndrome eek google it
Anyway rushed in and had my prolappsed disc removed L5 S1 or 2 can't remember so in theory it shouldn't happen again and guess what......

Anyways back onto this time, the pain is getting worse and no excercises are working so Monday cannot come soon enough.The only way I can ease the pain is by lying in bed...

On a pain chart I'm gonna give this a good 8.5


mickk

28,773 posts

241 months

Thursday 7th April 2011
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Just a quick note about the hot and cold treatment, i tried a cold pad on my leg last night for 15 mins. This morning i'm in agony exactly where the pad was.

So i expect different treatments work for some and not others.

RobM77

35,349 posts

233 months

Thursday 7th April 2011
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On a quick note about the swimming - swimming's great, but be careful not to put your spine into harmful positions and extensions. For some people for instance (me included), considerable pain results during arching of the back (during and after the activity), which rules out breaststroke entirely, and one needs to be careful even if reaching up to touch the side at the end of a length.

I have this arching of the back issue and can only swim the front crawl, if I'm careful about my alignment (and thankfully I'm learning a swimming technique called Total Immersion, which obsesses about position and technique). Swimming's superb for my back if I keep perfectly flat in the water with my spine in a natural position, and remember to stop swimming at the end by rotating to an upright position before I touch the side of the pool. The good thing about front crawl is that if done correctly it requires a lot of core strength, and involves twisting of the hips. This motion is superb for my own specific back condition, as it keeps the facet joints moving and also keeps tone in my core muscles.

Lost_BMW

12,955 posts

175 months

Friday 8th April 2011
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Like many on here - had awful problems with it and lower back pain from time to time following disc injuries. Some flare ups so bad that even though doctors recommended exercise and I knew I should it was impossible for weeks - even months on two occasions - but only got anything like better after I could.

Physio was variable - one nearly ruined me one worked wonders. Diclofenac is God's own juice! Brilliant stuff. Codeine the Devils' - for me, foul stuff (as was Opium); made me feel awful, didn't help much with pain then the constipation made the symptoms ever worse. Never again.

Medication aside the two things that really helped me were walking - daily up to 6 to 8 miles when I really needed to make improvements - and hyperextensions. These, and stretching, have been my saviour as my hamstrings have become really tight and tend to cramp + seem to set the back off again.

The way I've done them, which seems 'safe' and helps stave off issues (when I neglect them the stiffness and referred pain often comes back) is to lie flat on my stomach, arms either at my side or folded under my chest and then curl the body up and back whilst looking forwards/up. Gradually the height I can gain and the looseness I feel has improved, with good effects on my back. The doctor suggested up to 20 a session up to 3 times a day. BUT as ever take medical advice first!

RetroTed

Original Poster:

1,025 posts

208 months

Friday 8th April 2011
quotequote all
Lost_BMW said:
Like many on here - had awful problems with it and lower back pain from time to time following disc injuries. Some flare ups so bad that even though doctors recommended exercise and I knew I should it was impossible for weeks - even months on two occasions - but only got anything like better after I could.

Physio was variable - one nearly ruined me one worked wonders. Diclofenac is God's own juice! Brilliant stuff. Codeine the Devils' - for me, foul stuff (as was Opium); made me feel awful, didn't help much with pain then the constipation made the symptoms ever worse. Never again.

Medication aside the two things that really helped me were walking - daily up to 6 to 8 miles when I really needed to make improvements - and hyperextensions. These, and stretching, have been my saviour as my hamstrings have become really tight and tend to cramp + seem to set the back off again.

The way I've done them, which seems 'safe' and helps stave off issues (when I neglect them the stiffness and referred pain often comes back) is to lie flat on my stomach, arms either at my side or folded under my chest and then curl the body up and back whilst looking forwards/up. Gradually the height I can gain and the looseness I feel has improved, with good effects on my back. The doctor suggested up to 20 a session up to 3 times a day. BUT as ever take medical advice first!
I'm sure I have had diclofenac and I will try the stretches

Rude Girl

6,937 posts

258 months

Friday 8th April 2011
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Sounds like everyone's different. I had it once about 5 years ago and have never known anything like it. I couldnt even breathe, could only do low panting. Codeine makes me hallucinate but was the only thing that touched the pain. Deep respect to anyone who lives with it.

The only thing I would say is that when I was younger, I was properly double jointed; feet behind head etc. My physio told me never to carry anything that can destabilise my joints, because they are so loose. I avoid rucksacks, laptop bags etc now and always use a wheelie bag.

johnxjsc1985

15,948 posts

163 months

Friday 8th April 2011
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Use a swiss ball and just bounce gently up and down for a short while.Its supposed to produce some spinal fluids and helps release the trapped nerve.
All I can say is it worked for me that and losing weight and stretching exercises.

subbs

222 posts

160 months

Monday 11th April 2011
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Two herniated discs L5 S1.

Lots of B*llst later...

Yoga. Sorted. Do it.

mrs singlecoil

36 posts

161 months

Monday 11th April 2011
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Try getting a pair of MBT shoes/sandals(available on line)or from local stockists. A bit expensive but worth every penny. They take a bit of getting used to but dont give up. I used to get back and leg pain all the time but hardly a twinge now.

mph1977

12,467 posts

167 months

Tuesday 12th April 2011
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wainy said:
Micro disectomy, never looked back. Extreme option but it had gone too far and wasn't getting any better.
extreme option indeed and one the individual and their surgeon are the only ones who can make a call on, surgical procedures to the back run the risk of making things worse ...

singlecoil

33,315 posts

245 months

Wednesday 6th November 2013
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Used the search facility and found a suitable thread to resurrect.

I've recently been introduced to this charming condition. Started last week, bad at the weekend, mostly lay in bed, back at work this week, no real problem when standing up and working but after I have been sitting down for a while I get it in my left leg when I stand up.

Had a session of physiotherapy today with doesn't seem to have made any difference, so having read the posts on this thread it seems the consensus is the stretching exercises. Think I will have a look at what YouTube has on the subject.

nagsheadwarrior

2,779 posts

178 months

Wednesday 6th November 2013
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Well resurrected,youll see from my mispelt thread I started earlier im in exactly the same boat.

darreni

3,759 posts

269 months

Wednesday 6th November 2013
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I had a ruptured L4/5 disc last year. I was in agony.
After repeated trips to my GP & chiropractor & a constant diet of pain killing drugs, I went for an MRI scan.

The fluid/ gel from the disc had pushed the sciatic nerve against the spine ( I'm sure that's how it was explained to me).

I had minimal back pain, but the leg/ arse pain was unbearable, really the worst I've ever experienced.

Physio helped me massively, as did a tens machine, but time has been the biggest factor, taking about 10 months to become pain free.


mattikake

5,057 posts

198 months

Wednesday 6th November 2013
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The problem with sciatica is that every case is unique. The nerve can be compressed in all sorts of locations from the lumbar spine, to deep in the hip to the leg. Causes can be bone/joint compression to muscle compression to rubbing caused by a lack of protective fat around the nerve. No one fix is going to work for all, so it's kind of going to be a voyage of discovery.

What you need to do is find the exact cause. I've worked with many clients who have sciatica, somethings work some don't. What they all have in common though is a job that involves a lot of static sitting or a lot of static standing.

bad company

18,484 posts

265 months

Friday 29th April 2016
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Bump.

I have had lower back problems on and off for some years but I have never had sciatica before and it's far and away the most painful and uncomfortable condition I have ever suffered from. I'm ok walking, I did over 9 miles on Wednesday with no problem BUT I just cannot find a comfortable position to sit in.

I'm seeing a physiotherapist and have an appointment with a spine consultant next week.

Oh well, back to lying on the couch and watching tv sideways.

davhill

5,263 posts

183 months

Saturday 30th April 2016
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subbs said:
Two herniated discs L5 S1.

Lots of B*llst later...

Yoga. Sorted. Do it.
Sorry chum, L5/S1 is one disc. It's the lowest lumbar disc and sits between the underside of the lowest lumbar vertebra and the top of the sacrum.

Not being a smartybreeks/show - off, it's just that I had mine microdiscectomised twice.