# Sciatic pain



## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

Anyone have any helpful tips how to get rid of sciatic nerve pain? I've only ever had this pain once before when I was pregnant with my youngest. I really don't want to be put on muscle relaxers and pain meds.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

My wife got rid of her sciatic pain by living a WFPB lifestyle. She says it was a combination of losing weight (~60 pounds) and that many of the foods she eats reduces inflammation.


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

Cabin Fever said:


> My wife got rid of her sciatic pain by living a WFPB lifestyle. She says it was a combination of losing weight (~60 pounds) and that many of the foods she eats reduces inflammation.


That is amazing, good for your wife! It could be that I need to change my lifestyle and my health.


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## anniew (Dec 12, 2002)

the muscle relaxers and mild pain killers will seem like a god-send if the pain gets bad enough. I found that staying off my feet for several days, and not bending, lifting, etc. corrects my bouts of sciatica. I also do back exercises EVERY morning in bed before I get up, to strengthen the back muscles so that the disks are kept in place and don't herniate unless I am a really bad girl!!! I hope you are feeling better soon.


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## oldasrocks (Oct 27, 2006)

What you need is a good massage therapist. We had a really good one until she retired with carpel tunnel. Now I have another one trained to hit the right spot. She puts me in a little pain to get the nerve center to relax but it does the job.


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## frogmammy (Dec 8, 2004)

I use this for sciatica

https://www.amazon.com/OPTP-Origina...ords=mckenzie+roll&qid=1575232119&sr=8-6&th=1

Has to fit right, in other words tight, when you tie around your waist before you go to bed...if it moves around you WILL be in pain. I only have to use mine 2 or 3 times a year, and I'm back to fine by the next morning.

Mon


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

Our daughter used a chiropractor for a time; later a massage therapist.
Now she tries to walk a mile in the morning to strengthen her back muscles. She tells me it has been a big improvement.


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## farmrbrown (Jun 25, 2012)

Oregon1986 said:


> Anyone have any helpful tips how to get rid of sciatic nerve pain? I've only ever had this pain once before when I was pregnant with my youngest. I really don't want to be put on muscle relaxers and pain meds.



There a some suggestions on this thread, mine's post #3.
https://www.homesteadingtoday.com/threads/severe-back-pain.569562/#post-8026559


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## Wolf mom (Mar 8, 2005)

Ice it to relieve immediate pain. Find and do exercises for sciatica. You can find a series on the internet. I also hike - up and down hills - not on the flat. You can always get a shot in your hip rather than take pills...


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## bobp (Mar 4, 2014)

Ice and push ups with hips left flat on floor to relieve pressure on disc that's pushing on nerve.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

Heating pad on your butt the side that hurts with your legs propped on pillow.


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

Ice during the day and icy-hot patch at night.

Chiropractor will provide relief in 1 visit. Probably 3 or 4 for complete relief. Will probably reoccur in future.

Swimming or water exercise will keep strain off back and strengthen muscles. When healed, then walking every day.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

My husband and I, both do specific exercises that aid in lessening and preventing sciatic pain and discomfort.

YouTube, has some really great videos.

Additionally, if you do start on the exercises, I recommend doing a few each day. It takes a while at the start for your body to warm-up to the exercise, but once you get into a routine doing them all the time, you'll find episodes of sciatic pain become less frequent and less intense.

We've had great success with the exercises we do. It's helped immensely.


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## Yoopergirl58 (May 12, 2018)

Cabin Fever said:


> My wife got rid of her sciatic pain by living a WFPB lifestyle. She says it was a combination of losing weight (~60 pounds) and that many of the foods she eats reduces inflammation.


cabin, what does WFPB stand for?


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

Yoopergirl58 said:


> cabin, what does WFPB stand for?


Whole Foods, Plant-Based. 

Read (click) the attached PDF brochure below to learn more about a WFPB lifestyle.


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## oldasrocks (Oct 27, 2006)

But when the ice melts and runs down your leg do people look at you funny?


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## Alexx05 (Jun 22, 2020)

I had severe sciatica pain for about 3 years straight back when I worked an IT day job. I believe I developed it due to constant 9-10 of sitting in a cubicle. The pain was kind of on and off. Meaning, the more I moved the better it felt. So, I figured it was certainly aggravating due to my sedentary lifestyle. I consulted with a couple of physiotherapists and underwent some sessions, tried ice and heat treatment, also had a brief time where I had to take pain killers. Nothing has long-term benefits until I decided to quit my hectic job and pursue another hobby of mine full-time that wasn't as grueling on my back. If you relate with me on the sedentary lifestyle part, you could find some relief switching your work chair with one ergonomically designed for sciatica nerve pain relief. Other than that, I'd highly recommend you to try spine decompressing drills. These have helped me a lot to suppress my nerve pain and make this condition rather manageable. You've to simply find a firmly fixed bar that's only high enough for you to hang on it with your feet still touching the ground. Remember, if your feet are in the air, the entire exercise reduces to vain effort. Once you find or get a hanging bar for yourself, just do 30-sec free hangs with your legs touching the ground thereby eliminating any help from your erector spinae muscles.
Besides, alternating heat and ice therapy also provides short-term relief. I hope you manage to completely free yourself of this situation.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

There are some stretches that help - see Sciatica Exercises: 6 Stretches for Pain Relief The knee to opposite shoulder worked for me - I would sometimes do this one in a locked restroom in a gas station in the middle of a long trip in the car! In addition, strengthening your core with planks might help,not only helping with sciatica but with back problems associated with a degenerate disk (what I have). Brisk walking may be helpful as well. Running was helpful for me when I had sciatica but now my "running" more resembles a speed walk to minimize impact on my degenerate disk. Stopping all activity will probably only make things worse - did for me.

Also, diet can reduce inflammation - when I went to a mostly raw & whole food diet with little to no dairy or wheat, my ibuprofen use was reduced by about 80% if not more.

With regard to pain meds, ibuprofen is about all you need - it works great for sciatica. Tylenol does nothing. And ibuprofen might help you to keep active, which is helpful and may outweigh the negative affects of the ibuprofen. You should, however, try to find other ways to reduce pain if possible.

Interestingly, my sciatica went away as I got older, only to be replaced by a whole host of other aches and pains.


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