Sciatica advice- how to ease the pain, am in agony?
Discussion
Have had back probs on and off for years but last dayshave pain from above my bum all the way down to ball of my right foot (first time have had this type of episode).
Dr says i have sciatica and I now have loads of strong painkilllers and anti inflammatory drugs. Besides making me slightly ill and drowsy they dont seem to have any effect with regards to pain relief.
I am in total agony, can barely walk, let alone stand for any period of time. I cant sleep either, with the only position of comfort when i sit in my armchair with legs at 90 degrees.
I am supposed to do exercises at some point but assume I do that once the episode/pain period is over.
Any advice to deal with the pain right now much appreciated, thanks !!!
Dr says i have sciatica and I now have loads of strong painkilllers and anti inflammatory drugs. Besides making me slightly ill and drowsy they dont seem to have any effect with regards to pain relief.
I am in total agony, can barely walk, let alone stand for any period of time. I cant sleep either, with the only position of comfort when i sit in my armchair with legs at 90 degrees.
I am supposed to do exercises at some point but assume I do that once the episode/pain period is over.
Any advice to deal with the pain right now much appreciated, thanks !!!
I am sure it will eventually thanks. Not felt this much pain before except when i had meningitis at 19.
I am on Naproxen and Co-codamol, 2 whacking big boxes of each. I found some stretches online and will do those and also maintain into the future.
Thanks again to all, just want to get through the worst of it, had have since Wed.
I am on Naproxen and Co-codamol, 2 whacking big boxes of each. I found some stretches online and will do those and also maintain into the future.
Thanks again to all, just want to get through the worst of it, had have since Wed.
Paracetamol took the edge of sciatica in my case. I take diclofenac on prescription for a chronic back problem and it made no difference for sciatica which took 6 painful weeks to pass. I used my left foot whilst driving and walked with a bad limp for weeks.
It was a great relief when the pain started to ease. I even tried acupuncture in desperation.
It was a great relief when the pain started to ease. I even tried acupuncture in desperation.
I've been down this road too many times with prolapsed discs etc. this sounds odd but it works for me. Get a tennis ball and pop it under your right / left arse cheek and sit on it on the floor. Roll backwards and forwards over the ball. It'll hurt but it works for me. Failing that get your other half to ram their elbow into the relevant 'cheek' and again move it about. It'll hurt but will free the nerve !
If it is Sciatic pain then this one my Chiropractor gave me is good.
Take a belt or any type of binding and wrap it TIGHTLY around your lower hips. It stops the pelvis flexing and rubbing the nerve which is the source of the pain.
If it is not sciatica then it won't do a damn thing for you!
Good luck!
Take a belt or any type of binding and wrap it TIGHTLY around your lower hips. It stops the pelvis flexing and rubbing the nerve which is the source of the pain.
If it is not sciatica then it won't do a damn thing for you!
Good luck!
I have a physio who keeps me right when I break down and can't work. He used a tens machine for my sciatica the last time and it seemed to shorten the recovery time. £ 30 a pop but would happily pay double for the relief it brings.
Living with a bad back involves thinking before lifting any object, preparing for a sneeze, stepping out the shower and all the simple everyday movements of life.
It's a right pain in the arse and in the ball of my right foot on occasion.
Living with a bad back involves thinking before lifting any object, preparing for a sneeze, stepping out the shower and all the simple everyday movements of life.
It's a right pain in the arse and in the ball of my right foot on occasion.
I have this at the moment also, I get it maybe 4-6 times a year. What brings it on for me is long haul flights in economy. I'm doing more and more in business these days. Had a 7.5 hr flight back from Dubai last week which has done for me.
I'm off again on tue but in business so should be ok.
I was prescribed diclofenac and amitryptaline. Hated the side effects so just do diclofenac now. Deep tissue massage does help as does the stretching.
Thank your lucky stars it's not cauda equina!
I'm off again on tue but in business so should be ok.
I was prescribed diclofenac and amitryptaline. Hated the side effects so just do diclofenac now. Deep tissue massage does help as does the stretching.
Thank your lucky stars it's not cauda equina!
I have a regular sciatic "twinge" which comes and goes.
About 3 years ago, I had a very bad flare up which lasted about 4 months.
Things that helped.
1) Walking for 10+ minutes - ignore the pain and kind of walk through it. That seemed to ease the rest of the day.
2) Tennis ball as mentioned above
3) 6 week course with an Osteopath twice a week. The flare up began to ease after about the third week. It may have happened anyway, but if not, it was the best £500 I have ever spent!
About 3 years ago, I had a very bad flare up which lasted about 4 months.
Things that helped.
1) Walking for 10+ minutes - ignore the pain and kind of walk through it. That seemed to ease the rest of the day.
2) Tennis ball as mentioned above
3) 6 week course with an Osteopath twice a week. The flare up began to ease after about the third week. It may have happened anyway, but if not, it was the best £500 I have ever spent!
Feels worse today, the stretches i did last night seemed to make things more sensitive. I did sleep a lot better though, on my side with pillow between my knees. Slept ok up til about 5am when the pain really kicked in so took some co-codamol.
I have a tens machine and it was nice but because i am having spasms and feel like my leg is permanently cramping, the main sensation i feel was the electric shock, not any real relief.
I will stick with the co-codamol and also take more paracetemol, maybe stay off the naproxen. Will try the tennis ball idea later.
I have a tens machine and it was nice but because i am having spasms and feel like my leg is permanently cramping, the main sensation i feel was the electric shock, not any real relief.
I will stick with the co-codamol and also take more paracetemol, maybe stay off the naproxen. Will try the tennis ball idea later.
CheesyFootballs said:
One thing I found to relieve some of the pain was to lie on the floor with my legs bent onto a chair.
That is, a normal sitting position but with your back flat on the floor and chair to support the legs.
yep have tried that in the past, works for sureThat is, a normal sitting position but with your back flat on the floor and chair to support the legs.
just put the tens machine on again, one part just above my bum and the other on my bum on the side. the right side where the pain is was pulsating so violently, it was like that tv advert on you see now and again where peoples backsides are wiggling. my gf thinks its s hoot. i feel quite drained after actually but in a weird sort of way when the tens machine is cranked all the way up it is really painful but also pleasurable when it subsides
am walking when i can but am getting funny looks, i look like that cripple guy off the 300 with Gerard Butler
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