I've had sciatica for quite a while. Mine hurts during the day and the only relief I get is when I lie down at night. Mine is from a pinched nerve caused by arthritis in my lower back. I would suggest seeing your doctor and finding out what's causing your pain. If this is something new then rest may help, but you can't rest if you're in pain. You're probably going to need a pain medication and perhaps a muscle relaxer to take temporarily until you heal. Hopefully, this won't be a long term thing for you.

I did. Mine was related to driving 100 miles a day take my 2 DD’s to separate camps during one summer.

I did had the pain even when I stopped the driving.

I agree with LoneJack about exercising.

My question to you is if was definitely diagnosed and what do you think might have caused it?

I had it last year for the first time and it was horrible. Physical therapy. I also did one round of prednisone for the inflammation. HOT bath would help too. And ice. I'd have ice bags ready to go at all times for when needed.

I've had it on and off for years. You may want to try a TENS unit.

(For example: https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/omron-max-power-relief-tens-unit-(pm500)/ID=300396644-product )

Mine was caused by prolonged sitting, hunched in front of a computer screen (which was my job). I had it so bad one time, I couldn't get any relief and couldn't sleep for 2 nights. I had a TENS and it provided relief but lasted about 15 minutes after the treatment ended. I finally got it under control by seeing a chiropractor who knew what he was doing. (As with MD's, chiropractors are not all the same.) Now that I'm retired, I keep it under control with exercise, stretching and a chiropractic adjustment every 2 months.

I have not seen a doctor yet. From what I have read it should go away and to use ice and heat. I don't like to take medications if I can get by with out. If it's as bad as last night I may have to.

I had it 28 years ago. The cure was, childbirth. It was related to the pregnancy.

A relative uses Lidocaine patches. They help a bit. A bit.

I've had back issues. My current one is not sciatica as you mention it, but something different....spondylolisthesis.

What I've found helpful in the past is to sleep on my side in the fetal position with a pillow between my knees.

I've been helped by chiropractors in the past, and now I seem to be making glacial progress with PT.

I've found it helpful to stretch at regular intervals. Depending on how the deformation is, it may help to bend forward and hold it like touching your toes, then hold to the left and the hold to the right and do that several times a day. For others, it's bending backward that will help their condition, like lying on a bed or floor on your stomach and propping up your top half on your elbows. Others have mentioned standing or laying down and avoiding sitting. A friend is now devoted to her shaped seat cushion for her back and takes it with her.

The thing is, if anything you do makes it worse, don't do it. If after doing a stretch though, it makes it easier to move than that's a good thing to do.

Listening to your body is key.

I used to have chronic sciatica years ago and one bout of acute sciatica that put me in the ER with a shot of morphine to ease the pain that was incredible! Would not wish that on my worst enemy!

A new, very firm mattress and weekly visits to a chiropractor plus mild exercise finally did away with the chronic sciatica. It took a week of bed rest and muscle relaxers to conquer the acute episode.

Haven't been bothered by either for at last 20 years.

I had it about seven years ago, couldn't walk, would wake up screaming in pain and "stuck." I have multiple herniated disks, stenosis, athritis, the works and my worst back days are better than my sciatica was. So the first thing I have to offer is sympathy.

What I don't necessary have is answers. I went to three different chiropractors, they all have their own favorite treatment they push but none of it helped me. Time (months) and rest, and then when able PT to strengthen core is what I credit my relief to.

I had it after hobbling around with a foot in a cast for 6 weeks. Ugh. I recall the unpleasantness of prednisone and stretching exercises. It may be time for the doctor.

I agree with wishiwereintheup that Omron products are good, however, I would recommend the AUVON. First, it's less expensive ($40 as compared to $57). Second, it also has EMS (Electrical Muscle Stimulation - for strengthening muscles) for the times when you want/need that rather than TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation). Third, you can have up to EIGHT pads on at the same time, taking care of up to four different areas, with each set of four pads set to different programs (or the same program - your choice). There are 24 pre-set modes and 20 intensity levels. Fourth, but certainly not least, the Omron product uses their proprietary pads, which connect differently than "standard" pads. The Auvon unit can use either Auvon brand pads or a multitude of other brand pads. The Auvon unit comes in either black or white (same price). I have it in white, and hubs has one in black. I recommend the white because the control "keys" on the bottom front of the unit are difficult to read on the black unit.

You have my sympathy. Ive had lower back problems for a long time but this summer has been horrendous, to the point where i could barely walk. Fortunately i had no pain while sitting or lying down. I had xrays and an MRI and after trying PT, I had an epidural steroid injection. It helped some, not a lot. I went back for a second shot and that also has helped but not totally relieved the pain. At least now I can stand up straight and walk. It is improving very very slowly.

Definitely see a doctor, either a spine specialist or a physiatrist ( physical medicine). They will see whats causing your problem and most likely send you for PT.. Take ibuprofen if you can. I also find that using cbd balm helps the pain. I was skeptical about it but it really does help. Cbd balm

You need to do stretches. If you can get your hands on one of those huge rubber balls and learn to balance yourself with it, it'll help a lot. My husband and son both had the same issue and both agreed PT with that ball helped tremendously. Kind of like the one in this link. But you have to be able to hold up the right leg, and outstretch your left arm then hold. then do the same to the other half of your body. It helps you sit straight, while stretching the muscles. It takes a LOT of practice, it's hard but it works. There are other stretches you can do and I'll find the links for those as well.

Ball

Stretches

Not chronic but intermittently. Riding helps, so does stretching. I think mine happens from extended sitting or driving. I don't do well standing in one place either. I'm fortunate to have escaped the chronic pain of arthritis, back back etc. so far, but I pretty much have something hurting every day. Yesterday I got really tossed around doing a training exercise. Used muscles I didn't know I had. Felt like I could barely dismount and my back was hurting on the drive home. I continued to move about as much as possible in the evening and this morning I am fine. If I stopped it might have gotten worse or become sciatic. Keep moving is what works for me.

I had bad sciatica in one leg last December. Physio and Chiropractic did not help. i could barely walk. My doctor said i had to keep moving so he told me to take 2 extra strength Tylenol 4/times a day and 2 extra strength Aleve 2times a day with a meal. i was to do this for a week. it worked! This relieved my pain and in moving the sciatica resolved.

Several times...it will bring you to your knees! Steriod injections and a lot of Tylenol.

Stretch carefully and properly. If you can, do stretches first with the attention of an instructor or physiotherapist, so you can be sure you're doing them properly and working the correct muscles. Once you know how to do them correctly, you can do them yourself at home. And consider muscle relaxants overnight, to relieve pressure on that nerve.

What got me over my last sciatica episode was to make sure I walk as briskly as possible every morning. Stretch well afterward, very important. I can't stretch without walking first (ie. warming up the muscles) or else I end up tearing cold muscles. Then I used ice on back for about 10 minutes. Then a heating pad. I also have an infrared wand, by Tanda, that I use on my back. Repeat as necessary. Luckily that worked on resolving the sciatica within a week. The time before that, it took much longer to heal, like a year. No medications here because I'm allergic to lots of things.

I second the idea of daily stretching. When my back is particularly "bad," I use a heating pad which almost always brings relief. If you have to stand in one place, (brushing teeth,) try to put one leg up on a small stool to ease the pain.

I recommend watching YouTube videos by Bob and Brad, two physical therapists from Minnesota. Here is one explaining the 3 most common sciatica cures: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=t6i8roQRP2U

I had bursitis in a hip that one of their videos eliminated.

hmmm after reading all of your symptoms, I'm not sure I have it but I have had two different docs tell me I do. I have had right hip pain for years where it feel like it is right at the hip joint and I can especially feel it hiking up hills, walking up stairs, or when I get up from prolonged sitting or driving. I've had intermittent back pain too, where I've "thrown out" my back and been unable to move without pain, but not for many years. I was going to try a steroid injection to see if would help, but not so sure what to do now.

I've had sciatica for a long time. I have it managed for the most part but twinges come and go. I recently learned of this stretch from a pilates coach (on a thing called the "barrel"), and it has been literally the most effective sciatica stretches I've ever tried! (I do it at home on a table with a thin cushion thrown on top. The table is lower than this barrel but works just fine.)

That barrel stretch hits the same areas that the figure below does, but much deeper, and I think it's actually easier than trying to hold your legs up with your hands.

Doing a "Figure 4" stretch (like the woman in the bottom picture, but with your foot on the floor) is a good place to start, because it stretches the glute med and (most importantly) piriformis. .Once you can do it with your foot on the floor, then you can start to raise that foot, but you don't need to hold your legs up with your hand. And you don't want to do it until you're ready and your muscles have accepted the lower stretching level.

Put that foot against the wall for a little more support, but you can still deepen the stretch to a level that fits your particular situation (and flexibility). Start with your foot higher up the wall and your butt further from the wall, in a gentler stretch. As you get more flexible and less painful, you can move your butt closer (and your foot further down) to deepen the stretches. Save the advanced stretch (without equipment) for when you're more advanced; when you're in top shape, try doing it standing ;) I can't, but I had a Pilates instructor who could.