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Sciatica

9 years ago

My friend is suffering with sciatica and getting no relief from doctors. Any advice would be appreciated.

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Comments (10)

colleenoz
9 years ago
I had great relief from an osteopath.
eld6161
9 years ago
When I had difficulty with sciatica, I started doing a series of exercises, along with Pilates classes. It took a long time to lessen the symptoms. Mine flared up because, at the time, I did a lot of driving.

Some chiropractors can help. Also acupuncture.
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Comments (23)
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.
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Sciatica ... oh the pain
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Comments (21)
Joann, the tennis ball therapy should be pretty easy to do, my husband is a high school tennis coach and there are always a hundred or so tennis balls around on any given day. :-) I hike/walk several times a week so got the walking part down but in reality, I never knew the pain of sciatica until I started hiking. Supposedly the muscles in my gluteus maximus are so tight they are pinching the sciatica nerve which to me means I'm buff but I can assure you, I am not. :-) My husband sent me an email yesterday about using heat on the area so last night, even though it was hot, I slept with a heating pad on low under me. Bounced out of bed no problem today. Have not started the prednisone or ginger. Perhaps heat is the answer. Jodi-
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Sciatica
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Comments (16)
I have lots of experience, unfortunately. Tried chiropractor and steroid shots but finally had to have surgery. Now I walk, walk, and walk some more. Keep my weight under control. Go to yoga once a week. Try not to lift or carry much more than 10 pounds. Lift with my legs. Sleep on a firm mattress and sit upright (an Adirondack chair is a definite no-no because of the angle of the back). Don't sit with my legs crossed for an extended period of time, nor sit for longer than an hour without getting up and moving around a bit.
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How did you get relief from sciatica pain?
Q
Comments (16)
I hope you feel better. You do need to get to a medical doctor. Mayo Clinic describes the cause as : "Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve becomes pinched, usually by a herniated disk in your spine or by an overgrowth of bone (bone spur) on your vertebrae." And that treatment is chosen from the following: "Physical therapy Once your acute pain improves, your doctor or a physical therapist can design a rehabilitation program to help you prevent future injuries. This typically includes exercises to correct your posture, strengthen the muscles supporting your back and improve your flexibility. Steroid injections In some cases, your doctor might recommend injection of a corticosteroid medication into the area around the involved nerve root. Corticosteroids help reduce pain by suppressing inflammation around the irritated nerve. The effects usually wear off in a few months. The number of steroid injections you can receive is limited because the risk of serious side effects increases when the injections occur too frequently. Surgery This option is usually reserved for when the compressed nerve causes significant weakness, loss of bowel or bladder control, or when you have pain that progressively worsens or doesn't improve with other therapies. Surgeons can remove the bone spur or the portion of the herniated disk that's pressing on the pinched nerve. "
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Annie Deighnaugh
9 years ago
Chiropractors -- if any good -- can be a great help. Unfortunately, they aren't all good.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
9 years ago
Once your friend has had a proper diagnosis of exactly what is causing his/her sciatica, a treatment plan can be set in place. Sciatica can be caused by any number of neurological or structural spinal issues. Treatment that has been successful for me, for instance, may cause injury to your friend.

My pain was caused by pinched nerves in my spine due to poor spinal alignment and spinal compression, diagnosed by doctors at a spine and neuro center in my city. My treatment included decompression therapy, chiropractic, and exercise. Our freezer is stocked with ice packs of various kinds and a linen closet stores heating pads.

I started to practice yoga and Pilates on a regular basis and will as long as I live. I also visit my chiropractor a few times a year to make sure that I'm still in good shape. It took awhile, but I've been pain free for several years.

My husband, on the other hand, had severe disc problems and required back surgery. His sciatica was a result of ruptured and wrapped discs.

What does your friend say is the cause of his/her sciatica? Or what have the doctors said?
PKponder TX Z7B
9 years ago
I had the most relief from chiropractic care for sciatica, but no treatment I've had offered immediate relief. It took about 3 adjustments before I didn't want to scream everytime I moved. At least the doctor's pain pills helped somewhat in the interim.
FlamingO in AR
9 years ago
My husband does 20 minutes of stretching exercises twice a day to keep his at bay. It took a couple of months before he felt better but it finally worked. His doctor said his tight leg muscles put too much pressure on that big nerve. Stretching gives the nerve a little room.
Janie
9 years ago
This stretch feels good to me to give some relief on the 4 occasions that I have had the problem.

https://corewalking.com/simple-exercise-sciatic-nerve-pain-relief/
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
9 years ago
Decompression therapy.
Elmer J Fudd
9 years ago
Has your friend been seen by an MD who specializes in backs - usually an orthopedist or increasingly frequently a physiatrist (MD with a physical medicine specialty)?
Janie
9 years ago
https://familylifegoals.com/sciatica-stretches-for-pain-relief/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=socialnetwork

I knew I had another site with some nice stretches but I couldn't find it but I just stumbled across it by accident.

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