I decided last year to pull out all the stops and try to do something about my sciatica. 14k later, none of the tech stuff worked, but I am getting some relief with chiropracty, massage therapy and acupuncture - but I am certainly not pain free.

A few years ago I had a big probem with it...finally went to a massage therapist who did something I thought was a bit strange, but boy did it work. She pressed her thumbs deep into my buttocks to get to a nerve near the bone & when she let go it was nearly instant relief! Of course the pain returned but after a couple of weeks of daily massages it was gone for good.

She had asked about my favorite scents & used scented oil, darkened the room, lit candles & played soft music. I hated to get off that table it was so relaxing!

Suzi

Have you tried Trigger Point Therapy? I usually have this pain much worse at night. I can massage the trigger points and usually the pain improves. I bought the book "Trigger Point Therapy". I highly recommend it for back pain also.

Well, my sciatica was hurting because of 2 herniated disks, one severe that was pinching the nerve....nothing really helped and I just dealt with it till I woke up one day and couldn't stand on my leg....Has back surgery....(micro-discetomy) and am pain free now.....the first couple of weeks were killers with the spasms, but I would do it again....now I am learning how to bend at the knees and not bending over, so that I don't re due it....I had lots of bad habits....

Not sure if this is anything like yours, but have you had a MRI of your back?

Hope you feel better soon!!

Grittymitts, the treatment that the massage therapist did on you was trigger point therapy. I do it on myself and am sold.

My husband got sciatica when we were on vacation a couple of years ago. We happened to visit a friend who had had severe sciatica years before. She suggested he hang from a rafter (in her house) as that's what cured her. He did and got some relief. Our son was 5 at the time so we made a daily run to a playground so our son could play and my husband could hang from the monkey bars! He was totally better in about 4 days. I guess the hanging provided good traction for his lower back.

Hope you feel better soon, moncurlady.

-j

I have tried everything short of surgery without success, including an epidural block. After one year, we discovered that I have a broken hip (femoral head) which can more or less mimic sciatic pain! I had lower spine MRI, but never checked the left hip (in this case). I would now suggest a hip x-ray just to make sure!

janpoo......how long would your husband hang at a time?

I've been suffering with sciatica pain, mostly when I get up in the morning, for three months. I've had an MRI and I do have two mildly bulging discs. My orthopaedist prescribed a conservative path of treatment, ie: physical therapy and ibuprofen. In seeking resolution, I've tried several different kinds of physical therapy. One therapist told me to 'stay away from this therapy' and the other therapist contradicted and warned 'stay away from that kind of therapy.' It began to get very confusing. I do believe it is a 'stab in the dark' when it comes to treating back pain, and each individual must experiment to find their own treatment. Anyway, I began doing stretch and strengthening exercises at home. So far, I've had acupuncture (that I used to think was the next closest thing to witchcraft) and exercise therapy, and manipulation. I've been hooked up to electronics, iced, heated, stretched, and kneeded. I've just been referred to a chiropracor who does very deep massage therapy. I've had one session, and it seemed to help. But my pain vasilates from day to day, so I'm not certain yet. Looking forward to seeing her again next week. Recently, I looked into a 'decompression' treatment, that was recommended by a friend who had it several years ago. They want $4000 for that therapy, and of course, no guarantee. Not covered by any insurance. So now I'm considering buying an 'inversion aparatus.' I saw one that lets you hang by your knees (your 'lap') rather than your feet. Kind of like hanging on the 'monkey bars' but safer. ( I have also considered going to the playground and hanging from the 'monkey bars' but I fear I will fall and land on my head.) Has anyone tried an 'inversion aparatus' for sciatica? I would appreciated any info on your 'inversion experience.' e-mail me at jloft@mac.com Thanks

when I wrote last February I was undergoing all kinds of treatements with limited success. Then I saw a rheumatologist who put me on Flexeril - a muscle relaxant - cheap because the patent has expired. I am spending a whopping 3 cents a day for total control of back pain. The other things I did may have paved the way for this to work. I don't know. It is way easier on my budget to pay 3 cents than $70 to a massage therapist.

devorah, I am curious if you get sleepy from Flexeril. Even if I take 1/2 pill, it still makes me very sleepy. And if I take 1/2 pill with an anti-inflammatory, I am assured of a very deep sleep.

catherinet, my husband would hang for maybe a minute at a time, then stop and rest his arms and hang again -- maybe 5 or 6 times total per hanging session.

-j

I suffered from Sciatica for months, it was driving me mad, no medication could stop the pain.

My doctor recommended I try a Baxolve from Neurotech. It was an absolute godsend!

Instant pain relief that can last for hours!

Here is a link that might be useful: Sciatica Relief

Sorry Marie. I didn't see the question. The flexeril doesn't make me sleepy. I wish it did. I take 2 before bed and it helps with the pain

Yesterday I was suffering horribly with sciatica. Then I realized I hadn't done my sciatica exercises for 5 days. I took a chance that it would get worse and did the exercises. By the end I was was feeling just fine.

Darren........tell me more about that product.
Devorah.....I think you might have told me about some exercises awhile back, but I forget.
About a month ago, I began having really bad aching legs (mostly the left one). I decided to go to physical therapy for it instead of MRIs, surgeons, etc. Its helped a little, but I still have to take tylenol most of the day, and nighttime is usually awful.
I finally called the doc and told him I'd have the MRI, but it needed to be an open-sided one, since I'm very claustraphobic. Unfortunately, the spine doc there said it had to be the closed one. They could give me a sedative, but I just can't do it.
I'm thinking, no matter what they might find, the treatment will probably be close to what I'm getting now.....which is strengthening and stretching all the muscles in my leg and hip, lower back, and abdominals.
I get alot of pain in my hip, where sciatic usually starts, but then I just get cramps/aching, spasms everywhere down my leg (rather than that shooting sciatica pain).
Did you ever have an MRI? Was it a closed tube?
What exercises do you do that helps so much?
My knee doc said I have "piriformis syndrome" which is sciatica, but from being squished by the piriformis muscles, rather than pinched coming out of the spine.........but without an MRI, we'll never know for sure.
My physical therapist has been gently massaging the area, and boy does that make it hurt the next day....but then it feels better for a few days. I have fibro, which really complicates everything, since my muscles always hurt.
I'm thinking you have fibro too, right?
I guess I'm feeling like a big wimp for not going through with the MRI....but right now, I just can't do it.....even with sedation. But it comforts me somewhat knowing that I'm probably doing good things for my muscles, etc.
Sorry for rambling.

I have had several MRIs. The ones I really disliked had my head in the tube, but I'm not claustrophobic so it wasn't a huge deal. The tech asks you what your favorite music is and feeds that to your headphones. I picked Enya.

I was also told that I have piriformis syndrome. The exercises are the same EXCEPT you have to do your kegel exercises at the same time in order for it to work. I know that sounds weird but that is how the small muscles in your lower back engage, contract and grow stronger.

The site I am attaching describes some of the exercises. I will see if I can find something with illustrations. I didn't get better overnight. It took weeks, maybe months, but it is worth it to finally have some relief. It is still quite painful to do the exercises - but again, better than the alternative.

and yes, I also have fibro. I hope this helps you.

Here is a link that might be useful: exercises for piriformis caused sciatica

Thanks devorah!

Did they establish that you had piriformis, based on the MRI? Can they actually see where that nerve is with an MRI?....or is it more a clinical judgement?
I was really getting into riding an exercise bike for my knees, but it bothered my sciatica so much I had to stop. Do you find that riding an exercise bike or a regular bike flares your's up too? I seem to find solutions to one problem, but it leads to another problem!
I'll probably have more questions for you. Thanks so much for your help!

The MRI only ruled out other things. It was my rheumatologist who made the diagnosis and she sent me to a PT who specializes in piriformis problems.

I do use an exercise bike, but mostly to control my blood sugar, since I am also diabetic. I have the reclining bike and though it is hard on the butt, it doesn't seem to affect the sciatica one way or the other. The exercises that I do for the sciatica are all floor exercises - and they do hurt, but they also help.

You really should see a back specialist. Some sciaticas can be treated with medicine and/or massage, along with exercise; but others can only be treated with surgery. A specialist will ask you questions and ask you to assume various postures while they diagnose precisely what is wrong -- sciatica is a set of symptoms, not really a condition in and of itself. You could spend a small fortune on medicines and other treatment that won't really help, and you'll still be in pain. See a specialist.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sciatica Information

I'm going to see an orthopod, but he wants an MRI first. That's a little disconcerting. I wish he would talk to me first.
I've quit doing my periformis stretches and my pain has eased up a bit. I wonder if I have something like tendonitis on my periformis, and the exercises were making it worse?
I also discovered that I can buy a "pedal exerciser" which will allow me to ride a bike, without sitting on that hard seat. I can do it from an easy chair, and it will still give my legs a workout!
Thanks for that link Lewis!

I ruptured a disc at work 15 years ago. Was in agony for quite a while. Hurt from my back to the top of my foot, top of my foot and three toes were numb, bottom of my foot felt like I was standing on pins. I was unable to lift that foot from the ancle...a condition sometimes refered to as 'floppy foot'. Took heavy pain killers to touch it even just for a little while at a time. A lumbar lamenectamy (sp) and physical therapy with message after surgury worked pretty well for me. Back stretches and excersises as directed by your doctor or therapist will help your back become stronger and more flexable. A good bed is important too. Now-a-days they have artificial discs. If I have serious problems again resulting in a sciatic nerve pinch, I'll beg for one or more of those fake discs to be installed in me. Good luck.

Have you heard of inversion therapy but not using a table using a fitness swing. They allow you to fully invert but are a fraction of the price. They are really comfortable made from parachute material and can be put away in a tiny bag when you're not using it. Best if all though, not only do you get all the benefits of inversion, which if you care to email me ill share with you why I believe it works, you can also use the swing to do literally 100s of varying exercises that can strengthan EVERY muscle in your body. This is important particularly for back pain sufferers because if you strengthen the muscles in your back, core abdomen ect you can help prevent the pain in the first place.

Here is a link that might be useful: www.swing-fitness.com

Have you heard of inversion therapy but not using a table using a fitness swing. They allow you to fully invert but are a fraction of the price. They are really comfortable made from parachute material and can be put away in a tiny bag when you're not using it. Best if all though, not only do you get all the benefits of inversion, which if you care to email me ill share with you why I believe it works, you can also use the swing to do literally 100s of varying exercises that can strengthan EVERY muscle in your body. This is important particularly for back pain sufferers because if you strengthen the muscles in your back, core abdomen ect you can help prevent the pain in the first place.

Here is a link that might be useful: www.swing-fitness.com