# Sciatic



## Charleen (May 12, 2002)

I have compressed discs in my lower back and this has affected my sciatic with pain in my left hip. I'm regularly at the chiropractor, (have been for YEARS) and I've got a couple of excercises that help my back, but I struggle to sleep at night because of my hip. Extra strength tylenol seems to offer the most relief but I don't like to rely on that.

Can anyone offer excercises or other pain relief for sciatic problems?


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## largentdepoche (Dec 9, 2005)

Hi!

My mom has it and so do my sister and I. I swear it goes hand in hand with fibro.

Aspercreme is the best stuff. 5 bucks a tube stinks, but it's worth it. I can rub it where I ache and I get instant relief since it delivers aspirin right to the spot.

Comfortable shoes are good too, I wear slippers or Crocs to lessen the "blow" on my feet when I walk on hard surfaces.

Constipation is also very bad, it presses on nerves in the intestines that shoot down the leg and all. I make sure I go every day. If I don't go in 2 days, I take a stool softner or Phillips.

I hope you get feeling better!

Katrina


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## Lannie (Jan 11, 2004)

Charleen, I'm not sure if my lower back pain was the same as you're describing, but I used to lay on my back (floor or bed, doesn't matter) and pull my knees up to my chin while lifting my head and touching my chin to my knees. After I got there, I'd try to slowly relax all the muscles in my back so everything got a good stretch. That usually helped quite a bit, and I was able to get up and walk normally again. 

I don't seem to have that pain much anymore, and I hadn't even noticed it. I'd had that since I was a teenager.... go figure. Why didn't I notice it was gone? :shrug: 

~Lannie

Edited to add: You already said you had some exercises to help your back, sorry. You probably already do the one I described. I just know it's good for sciatic pain.


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## Yvonne (Jan 29, 2003)

Try and find the trigger that sets it off. For me it's cold-damp. No sitting in metal chairs, on concrete and shoes, boots and slippers with a thick enough sole.


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## wilderness1989 (Feb 23, 2006)

I too went to the chiropractor for years for pain in my left hip and had 3 back operations because the docs said it was my back. Finally went to an orthopedist, a surgeon, and he diagnosed it as my hip. I had a total hip replacement and the problem was fixed, no more pain and I walk upright again. I pays to get second and third opinions. Wish I'd have known this 15 years earlier.


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## Metagirrl (Oct 8, 2006)

I've tried and loved a thing called the sacro wedgy. Sounds totally corny, but it works. It's a rubber wedge shaped piece, and comes with a small foam pad. You place it on your tailbone and lay on the floor on top of it. Theory is that it elevates just the sacrum, and allows your hips to drop to where they should be. Their website is www.sacrowedgy.com I didn't buy their fancy neckroll pillow, just the wedge. It was a little tender the first time I used it, but now I swear by it. I use it for when my lower back feels "out" but it's also supposed to be great for sciatica.


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## shadowwalker (Mar 5, 2004)

This is soo odd. I saw a remedy this summer. I had a older (around 80) neighbor that had it so bad he walked around bent over. He said he had this for over 25 years and nothing helped. I had another neighbor have a aquaintance make some Pokeberry wine. He used the berries from pokeweed plant. You have to follow the regular winemaking proceedures. And use pokeberry's, strain the fruits off the seeds and go for it. He then took two table spoons a day for three weeks. He now walks upright and smileing. I never seen him do this. He says it is the wine. He uses it as needed usually less than a week.And it usually works for a couple weeks or month he says. He has a couple bottles for backup. It's another idea.
I do know the seeds and stem of the plant are poisonous. But I guess the fruits aren't.


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## BasicLiving (Oct 2, 2006)

OK, I wasn't going to post this because it sounds bizarre, but Shadowwalker posted one equally as odd, so I'll relay this.

My parents SWEAR by this remedy. My father has arthritis and bersitis. My mother has arthritis and sciatic. They swear that if you fill a jar full of white raisens (must be white) and fill it to the top with Beefeaters (that's either gin or vodka, but gin I think) and let it soak for at least 24 hours and then eat 1 spoon full of raisens a night, it will relieve the symptoms. They have been doing this for at least 10 years and swear by it. 

I have mild arthritis in a few fingers, but nothing that slows me down. If it ever does, I'll try the raisen remedy. Perhaps the alcohol just makes you forget the pain, but what the hay? Based on the fact that my parents are almost 70 and have full, active lives in spite of arthritis, bersitus, and sciatic, I'm willing to try it!

Hope that helps.

Penny


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## CatsPaw (Jun 16, 2006)

Another sufferer here, but, not much any more. Ibueprofin helped me. Most people don't understand NSAIDs and such are not all alike. Each one does things alittle differently.

If you haven't done so already, try several different types. Stomach upset can be a deterent for some types. You have to find the right one.

Also, my doc said NOT to bend forward, but rather stretch backwards. It was my impression that the sciatic nerve is anterior in the spine so curling forward pinches it even worse. But, I'm not a doc.

I've threatened to get an inversion table (or just make one.) Sorta play bat and hang slightly upside down. Let antigravity do its thing.


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## celticheart (Aug 17, 2006)

The pain you are describing is because a nerve (the sciatic) is being pinched between two vertabre in your spine, lower area. The pressure on this nerve must be relieved to stop the pain.
Here is the way to fix the sciatic pain in your hip, lower back muscle cramps from bending over too long, the hip pain from the sciatic nerve that you find on the side of your calf (on the outside between your knee and ankle) ...this is called "referred pain" by the way. 

Do not sit on the cold metal, cement, even wood outside when it is cold and damp. This has been mentioned here. When lifting use legs, not back, and lift no more than you should. Don't push yourself to the edge.

Excercise will relieve the pain. Especially the stretches you can do to relax the spine and lengthen it. These are usually yoga type. Lie on your back with your arms over your head and your legs together, flat on the floor. (do not lie on a hard floor) Streeettcchh your arms over your head while holding your hands together and at the same time streeetch your heels of your feet towards the opposite way. Really lengthen that spine. Relax and then repeat 5 or so times. Lie on your side, curl into a fetal position and round your body in tight. The stretch again. For every stretch you do you must do the opposite position. 
Do not lift you legs from the floor, do not use weights on ankles, do not do a lot of walking on roads. You can try an orthopedic lift (dr scholls) in your shoes but use them both!
Then you can use a muscle vibrator on your hip and lower back. This will help break up the tension in the cramoped muscles. Lay on your stomach, expose the sore area and turn the thing on med to high and move it over the lower back and hip for about 10 -15 minutes. Do not massage the calf! This will dissappear when the pinched nerve is gone. Finally wrap a heating pad and sleep with in under your hip on low. I know you have been told to never sleep with a HP but on low and wrapped it is okay. Besides, most of us get up in the night anyway, so you can check it. Lie on your back in bed!! If you can sleep without a pillow--great.Do not sleep on your side as that pulls the muscle tighter over a period of time, and you are back at start.
This routine will help the pain leave in 1-2 days.
If you can get to a yoga teacher and start a class that is great. Yoga is a great stress reliever and will take care of lots of other aches and ains as well. Flexibility is what you need here. The more stretch you have in your muscles & tendons the better you will function all day, all year and the younger you feel. 
I had a car accident 33 years ago, got the piched nerve and went to DR , chrios and did the meds for years. Then I found yoga and that was it.
I wish you all luck because I know how bad it feels.
Please think about yoga, even you guys. You'd be surprised.


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## Ed_Stanton (Dec 28, 2004)

Specific stretches that I learned from several physios over the years and my inversion table have eliminated .... yes, eliminated, several years of sciatic pain for me. It seems that neither one on it's own keeps it away, but both in combination and done regularily do. I'd show you the stretches if I could, but any physio should be able to help. Drugs and home remedies may mask the pinched sciatic nerve problem rather than address it and fix it, which long term won't help, or, if they do help, then perhaps the nerve wasn't being irritated that badly? I'd suggest seeing a physio for stretches and suggest traction to try it and also trying an inversion table yourself if you can, after perhaps consulting with your physio and doctor. http://www.teeterhangups.com/

Yoga has also been of benefit to me but not as much as the inversion table. Also be careful as not all who teach Yoga know the body and the repercussions of Yoga all that well. A couple of teachers encouraged me to do movements that would have me bending forward which irritated the problem. Maybe long term the movements would have helped, but it was the exact opposite of the advice of my physios who said that bending forward at the waist would irritate the problem, especially while it was irritated.

Living so far from a physio etc., I had to learn to address the problem rather than always try to get someone else to fix it. Also, it's something that I was advised that I'd have to do for the rest of my life and I do see that once it goes away, if I do nothing, the pain always comes back.


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## Charleen (May 12, 2002)

Thanks to all for your suggestions and for sharing your experiences. 

celticheart - It seems to pain me more when laying flat on my back in bed, unless my knees are bent. Or, I have much less pain when on my side with my knee (on the affected side) bent up to my chest. I agree with the yoga stretches and have begun adding a few of them to my usual excercises that my chiropractor has suggested.

Ed- I'd love an inversion table. I've often felt like I'm being 'compressed' and I enjoy being stretched vertically. Hmm...I think my family would think I'm nuts if I asked for an inversion table for Christmas.


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## Ed_Stanton (Dec 28, 2004)

Charleen, your pain and positions sound very familiar. Right now, the nerve and or disc could be inflamed and you need to get that inflammation down. Ibuprofen for a few days could help, as well as cycling an ice and heat pack, some rest and walking. I would only add very gentle yoga or stretching and nothing that has you bend forward at the waist.

Don't worry about what your family thinks ;-) they already know your true state of mind. When my friends and family have seen me use the inversion table, everyone is intrigued and amazed and it has helped everyone with back pain like yours and mine (assuming no other medical condition is the cause), that has also tried the inversion table.

My 84 year old mother has had sciatic pain for many years, but being old school, did not keep up with the physio that did provide relief and even after some surgery, the problem persists for her and she lives in constant pain. She lives too far from me to use the table, across the country, and I'm not sure that she would anyway, as she prefers miracle cures that involve less work.

If there are any fitness stores that you can visit, they'll probably let you try one and teach you how to use it. They probably won't or shouldn't let you go completely inverted, but any gentle stretching could help.

So, in this regard, try this. Lay on your back with your knees up and your feet flat on the floor. Keep your back on a carpet so you won't slide much but maybe your hips and knees on a harder smoother surface so that they can move more easily. Then have someone take a long towel and place it behind your knees and gently pull evenly on each end of the towel. This will place some light gentle traction on your back. Hold it for 15-30 secs, then release for 5-10 and then have them pull again and hold for 15-30 secs., and then release. Do this pull and release several times, and increase the pull gently each time. Try this series of 3-5 gentle pulls, several times a day for a few days. When you're comfortable, also move your knees slowly from side to side while the traction is being applied so as to put some mobility into your lower back while being gently pulled. One of my physios did this for me, it helped greatly and was the initial impetus for trying traction further and to eventually get an inversion table after trying several homemade inversion set ups. I live alone, so I didn't have anyone to use the towel and pull for me. If this helps you, and you have someone willing to do the traction, then you may not need the inversion table. I don't have anyone around to help.

Then if and once the sciatic pain is relieved, after a few days, start adding yoga and stretching and again avoid for a while both exercises that have you bend forward at the waist for some time. Eventually, you also need to strengthen your core muscles (abs and back).

I just saw on the news, a "new and revolutionary" treatment for sciatic pain and other back pain, using a motorized inversion table and a traction strap that attaches closer to parts of the spine to apply traction to more specific vertebrae. This is being offered by chiropractors and is touted as working in the low 90% of people that they've tried it on. The person is to have 15-20 treatments for a total cost of around $3-4000. However, it also does NOT cure the problem but it only provides relief. The inversion table will do much the same thing for $300 or so. I could not believe my eyes when I watched this health episode and saw how similar this was to an inversion table, though it was far more sophisticated and probably a bit more comfortable and given the fact that trained personnel were there for supervision. But still, it confirmed to me that the inversion table is a very apt treatment for some people.

Good luck with whatever you do or don't do. The doctor being interviewed (not the chiropractor) also said that sciatic pain, with rest and ibuprofen to reduce the inflammation, also goes away on its own for most people in 12-18 days, if nothing is done to aggravate the nerve.


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## dirtundernails (Nov 20, 2006)

HOD here. 

Had a bad accident back in 91, and it really messed me up. I ended up with the surgery. (Lumbar laminectomy L5 L4 and foraminotomies bilateral L1 - L5 )

I had a successful surgery. Still have some pain on occasion, if I overdo it or do something stupid, like lift a clawfoot tub onto the truck by myself. :nono: 

Most of what was said here, I have tried, and to various degrees they all help.

Biggest thing wrong with my back? It's too far from my front. 

Of you are built like that, bringing the back closer to the front will help a lot.

plain old walking helps. keep inflamation down, and try sleeping on a different mattress.
I had one that was horrid on my back. Bought a new one and it really helped.

Keep surgury as a last resort. I have talked to a LOT of people who had surgery and most say they are worse off than before. I got lucky and had a good surgeon.

HOD.


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## suburbanite (Jul 27, 2006)

If inflammation is a problem and if you do not get sick on ibuprofen, i've been told to take 600 mg ibuprofen every 6 hours with a full glass of water for two weeks whether I have pain or not, to quench the inflammation.

Apparently if you have stomach or kidney problems this much Ibuprofen can be a problem though, so you probably should run it by your doc with a phone call or email, if not a visit.


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## Ole Man Legrand (Nov 15, 2003)

An Inversion table at SAMs sells for $140. It will let you hang upside down. My sister has one and a lot of people swear by them.Good Luck. Jay


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## hoofinitnorth (Oct 18, 2006)

Have you had an MD look at you? Have you had an MRI? My husband and I learned the hard way that some disc decompressions canNOT be helped with physical therapy or chiropractic care. Often these practices can make you WORSE! My husband used to be die-hard on the chiropractor and PT but not anymore. He has suffered with back pain off and on for most of his adult life, probably due to powerlifting mishaps when he wa younger. Then the sciatica set in. That was unbearable to him. He finally had a back injection to try to help him (the newer procedures with the blunt needle technique - ONE shot RIGHT where it is suposed to go, guided with fluoroscope, no guessing) and it was positive diagnostic but negative therapeutic. He ended up having surgery to repair the disc (and if it hadn't worked as well as it had he would have had disc replacement). The surgery was very simple for him and after 6 hours in recovery he WALKED out with very little assistance. He had a very fast recovery with little reliance on pain killers. He still has a long road ahead of him with lifting restrictions but he is healing very well and would never go back to chiropractic or PT without an MRI to know what was going on inside first.

I also have disc issues but have some larger health problems going on that are making it difficult to pinpoint cause vs. effect/reaction/symptom. I have sciatica off and on but it is not as bad as my husband's was (or else he was a big wimp, lol). I had 2 back injections myself and they did not help and no one quite knows why. I'm a weird case, though. lol Until they figure out my bigger problems they aren't going to reliably get predictible results for me anywhere else.

Hope that helps!


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