# Sciatica/Bulging Disk



## rabbitpatch (Jan 14, 2008)

Anybody know of any novel treatments I can do at home for this? The chiropractor tried everything he had and finally threw up his hands and said "I'm sorry *sniff*." My primary care dr. says I need an MRI but my *beeeeep* insurance company can't decide whether they will cover the bill or not and I sure can't afford to pay for it out of pocket....so I'm STILL waiting on them before I schedule the MRI.

In the mean time, I hurt. It hurts to move, it hurts to be still. It hurts to walk across my yard (it's a tiny yard) and my foot is numb so after a few minutes of walking across the yard (the animals can't go hungry) my knee and hip hurts from the limping that is caused by trying to compensate for a foot I can't feel. 

I have tried all of the stretching, icing, lay this way, no lay that way, here roll around on this medicine ball for a while, advice everyone I have asked has offered, but nothing seems to help.

Has anyone here tried anything that was successful? I'm not even going to ask how many of you have experienced sciatica....I have found it is a VERY common ailment. But I'm open to any ideas that those of you who share in my misery have found to be helpful.


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## heelpin (Nov 18, 2003)

Give it time, there's a good chance it will get better, in the meantime you can help the pain with proteolytic enzymes, let surgery be the last resort.
I was having hip pain when I walked and thinking all the time my hip joints were worn out then last Fall my left leg just gave out from under me and I was in intense pain for about a month, Chiropractor made it worse, had an MRI run and carried it to a Neuro-surgeon, the outside of a lumbar disk had broken off and dropped down into the nerves. I was ready for the knife that day but he said to wait 6 weeks and I'm glad he did, the pain is gone and I can do normal activities but I watch what I lift, never more than 30 lbs.


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## rabbitpatch (Jan 14, 2008)

Yeah...that's what everybody says...just wait. I'm mid-way through week 8 of waiting with no relief in sight, so I guess I'm just a bit frustrated. :shrug:


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## FarmerGreen (Dec 11, 2007)

I've had back problems since my late teens, so I've tried just about everything short of surgery. I'll tell you a few things that have worked for me. 

One is stretching out the lower vertebrae. Lay on your back, with your feet on a chair or sofa, your butt against the chair, legs bent. Make a fist and push against your legs where they bend at the hip. Relax your lower back muscles as much as possible. Just push and hold for a few seconds at a time. 

Another is laying face down on the medicine ball, hips over the center of the ball. Lift your upper body just to where you are horizontal to the floor, then back down and relax. Do that seven times and on the eighth time hold the horizontal position for eight seconds, then relax. Do that once or twice a day. That strengthens two muscles in your lower back that are a problem for virtually everyone with back problems.

Taking omega 3 fish oils help reduce inflamation and lets the damaged muscles heal. I had been dealing with pulled back muscles that just wouldn't heal, even after a couple of months. Started on the fish oil and after just two weeks it was much better.

Walking and jogging were the best things I ever did for my back. The years I was doing that were the best my back ever felt. I slacked off, put on some weight and the problems came back. I've started back walking and incorporating short jogs and I can already feel the difference.


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## rabbitpatch (Jan 14, 2008)

Thanks for the ideas FarmerGreen.

I've tried doing that with the medicine ball....it helps momentarily, but the minute I'm off the ball, it all cramps up again.

I didn't know that about fish oil. I actually think I have a bottle at the house somewhere...will have to dig it out and start taking them again.

As for walking...until I started limping, walking helped _tremendously_. It was the only thing that helped. But with the numbness in my foot, I have NO muscle from the knee down in my right leg. I trip over it all the time...it's more like a peg leg that just supports me while I step forward with my other leg...then I have to drag my right leg forward and do it all again with each step. No matter how hard I try to force myself to walk correctly, I can't. I can stand on my tip-toes with my left leg but as soon as I try with my right leg, I have to grab a chair or something to keep from totally collapsing and falling in the floor. As you can imagine, walking like that just wears me out. My right knee aches like no other, and my hip feels about like it did when I sprained it back in February. Everything aches and walking becomes too painful to keep up for too long. I force myself for the exercise (and because there are things around the house that MUST be done), but I'm a bit of a grump afterwards.


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

Personally I've had great luck with Mullein Root Tincture (internally and externally) combined with St. John's Wort Tincture (internally and externally)

The Mullein root seems to have a affinity for working spinals issues back where they need to be and the St. John's Wort is a great help with soothing nerve pain and twinges.


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## doc623 (Jun 7, 2004)

If you want pm me and will discuss this with you.


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

I had been suffering from the same thing. I lost feeling and movement in the toes of my right foot, causing me to walk like a disabled person. I found some excersises that completeply eleviated my problem. I found the answer in a Men's Health magazine. I have it around here somewhere, but can't seem to put my hands on it. I am pretty sure it was the March 2008 issue. If not it must have been april. I even faxed a copy of the article to my chyroprator.
If I can find it I will try to scan and post it. But for now, I will describ the three exercises.

1. You lay on your right side with you left foot on top of your right foot. Lift your body with your weight on your right elbow. Your right forarm should be 90 degrees from you with your right hand in a fist. Your left should cross your body and grasp your right shouder for stability. keep your body in a straight line and hold for 10-12 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Do three reps a couple or three times a day.
2.lay flat with your back on the floor. Place one arm under your survical arch. bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground. tighten your stomach as if your wife is fix'n to punch you in the gut , breath normally, and slowly lift your head up tucking your chin in towards your chest (do not lift your shoulders) BREATH NORMALLY. Hold as long as you can and slowly lower your head. It is important to maiintain the clenched stomach muscles. Do 3 reps. a couple times a day
3.You are now on your hands and knees. point with your left hand and right foot. try to make them straight. You can make a fist and make slow circular motions if you wish. Hold for 10-12 seconds and repeat on the other side. do three reps a couple timers a day.
These were like a mirricale to me. I still have sciatica but not nearly as bad


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## RLStewart (Sep 10, 2006)

My husband is a farrier and his back is really shot. He was in really bad shape a year and a half ago. Finally he went to a chiropractor that does decompression therapy and that really helped him. To maintain it we bought an inversion table so he can hang upside down and while he still has back pain he is able to work a full day under horses. He has never had an MRI but the chiropractor feels he has at least 2 maybe 3 shot discs in his lower back.


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