Anyone have a cure or help for sciatica?

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I've been dealing with sicatica for about 6 months & lately it's gotten worse - I have been in a LOT of pain for about 2 months. I've been to a regular doctor, chiorpractor, massage therapist, and have done exercises that are supposed to help. All pain relief has been minimal & temporary. I'm taking a muscle relaxer (methocarbamol) and ibruprofen. I have to take way more than the prescribed amount just to keep the pain at a managable level.

Has anyone had this and gotten over it? Thanks for any & all help.

God bless.

-- Bonnie (stichart@plix.com), January 15, 2002

Answers

I only had it when I was pregnant but got lots of relief with the last one by using one of those great big therepy balls. I used it to sit on and it seemed to shift things and take the pressure off of that nerve.

-- Tana Mc (mcfarm@totelcsi.net), January 15, 2002.

my husband used to hang upside down by his knees on a swingset.there is a cream you can order on the net called ct cream its for carpal tunnel, but my husband uses it on his back. sleep on a board, really, or on the floor. a 3/4 inch plywood between your box and matress helps. take calcuim and msm tablets.

-- js (schlicker54@aol.com), January 15, 2002.

I'm no doctor, but sounds like you have some deeper problem. I've been through back surgery for the same thing. You need to find a doctor who will prescribe an M.R.I.

-- ruby (mcfays@aol.com), January 15, 2002.

I found some help for mine with arch suports in my shoes, I made some with the cosmetic cotton rounds built up in layers under the insoles and I wear elastic suport bands on my feet/ankles, the slow, slow, stretching while laying on a bed, and hot soaks [it would make me tremble and cry it hurt so bad at times], but for me the streaching helps, very slowly, breathing through it like for child birth, the way I was told to do it was to much, to fast. I also took large amonts of magnesium gluconate,[it helps muscle relax but I'm not sure I spelled it right) but the oxide form did me no good. I still can't lay on one side all night, or it hurts, but other than that I'm fine with it now. I'll send my prayers too! We can't have too much of that!

-- Thumper (slrldr@yahoo.com), January 16, 2002.

You might want to look into wearing a TENS unit, the low level stimulation helps fatigue the spasming muscles and allows them to relax. Impulses can be adjusted to fit your tolerance level and the stimuli interfere with the transmission of pain making you much more comfortable. Either your doctor or the chiropractor may prescribe it, I believe.

-- Sandra Nelson (Magin@starband.net), January 16, 2002.


The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body. Usually, time takes care of it. An MRI would be a good suggestion. How old are you. Are you overweight. We'll pray for you. Blessings.

-- Buddy (Buddybud@csranet.com), January 16, 2002.

Have any of the people you have seen bothered to take a full back xray to measure the length of your legs? One of mine is about 1/4" shorter than the other and caused me continuing lower back pain until this was discovered and I started wearing a lift in the shoe on the shorter leg.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), January 16, 2002.

Take a bath towel and lay it flat. Fold both long edges toward, but no quite to the center. Fold the towel in half the other way. Starting where the open edges are, roll the towel up and secure with 2 heavy rubber bands or string.

At least twice a day for a minimum of 20 minutes each time, lay on a firm surface with knees bent or elevated on pillows, and place the towel roll crossways under your tailbone or 2 vertibraes below the pinched nerve. Breath, and allow your muscles to stretch and relax. This is a flexion exercise. Doing this when your muscle relaxer is kicking in is a good time to do this.

There should be big improvement in a few days, keep doing this and see your chiropractor after about 5 days of this exercise. I like an exercise that I can fall asleep doing.

This rolled towel flexion exercise can be used to alleviate pinched nerves, swollen or slipped discs or general back pain. Bend the knees and place the roll 2 or 3 vertebrae below the injured area and relax. Always do this before visiting your chiropractor.

-- Just Duckie (Duck@spazmail.com), January 16, 2002.


Nothing worse than back pain. I have had my share and I really do empathize with you. I tried all the measures you mentioned. Once, the chiropractor helped a lot. The next time there was nothing he could do to provide relief. Now I go to an accupuncturist.. now I believe in miracles. It worked for me. The pain was completely gone within 2 hours of only one treatment after months of suffering. Good luck to you if you decide to give this a try. Carole

-- Carole (carle@earthlink.net), January 16, 2002.

Hi Bonnie, how long you been sitting at the computer? What are you sitting on? If all your weight is sitting towards your rear, then this will hurt your lower back. I had pains radiating down my legs awhile back, mostly when I got up in the morning, a change of chair and the way I sat in it completly helped that, a bonus is that I now sit the same way on my milking stool! Now that has really helped! You want your pelvis pulled forward, sitting up off your tailbone. Even sitting backwards on your chair, leaning forward onto the backrest will help. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), January 16, 2002.


After moving wallet from back pocket to front of bibs, the pain ceased for a few months. Winter seems to bring it back. Don't have humidity to deal with, only very dry, very cold weather (-12F this am). Chiropractor was good for about six months. But, upon recommendations from friends, an accupuncturist did the trick. No more pain.

-- matt johnson (wyo_cowboy_us@yahoo.com), January 16, 2002.

Several others had the same answer I'll give you.

I suffered for years (20+) with sciatica, birthed three children, and ran a business.

Long story short, chiropractic AND acupuncture worked nothing less than a miracle. Chiro gets things in physical alignment and acupuncture takes care of the "chi" (energy) fields. Don't laugh till you've tried it. And you'll be laughing cause you'll finally feel well enough to enjoy life for a change!

-- Michaela (flhomestead@hotmail.com), January 16, 2002.


I can't imagine this level of pain for 20 years! My insurance doesn't want to pay for an MRI so I told my doctor I'd pay for it if they'll let me make monthly payments - probably for the rest of my life. I'm going to take all these suggestions to my doctor next time I see her. I hate needles but I'm going to give accupunture a try.

Thanks, all, for your help & encouragement.

God bless.

-- Bonnie (stichart@plix.com), January 16, 2002.


Husband suffered with this for years too until one morning I found him on the bathroom floor unable to get up. He did have an operation to remove a couple of disk though. When he woke up from the operation he couldn't believe the relief of no pain after all those years. There are days that his back does bother him some still but nothing like before. I would get an MRI also...why won't your insurance company pay for this ??? Good Luck !!!

-- Helena (windyacs@npacc.net), January 17, 2002.

I've been suffering from sciatica since about early (January - and believe me, I DO remember it) 1968. For many decades, chiropractic (or more properly, osteopathy) was the answer for me. However, after further injury when I got mugged going home from work, this lost effectiveness. I've heard acupuncture may work, but I haven't tried it yet. What has worked (to an extent) for me has been keeping my legs elevated. Happens the back problems mean I can't exercise, and this means excess weight, and basically (excluding for the moment the problems with incompetent surgeons) I have vein problems and leg problems exacerbated by excess weight. Legs blow up like a balloon, oedema, followed by venous ulcers. Well, the way to get this healed is to spend time with your legs elevated (hospital bed with feet up, or ordinary bed with sponge rubber or pillows under feet). End up with the excess fluid running back into your body, legs returning to normal size, and excess fluid being disposed of as your body normally does. HOWEVER, what I found was that for me, having the legs elevated took strain off the spine, and the back problem eased off. You have to do it right - simply hanging by your heels won't work, but moving your back in such a way that the arch in your lower back flattens out, and instead your spine lies straight, takes the strain off your back. Do this overnight, and it can help remove the stress on your spine. Worth a try - lots less damaging and less costly than surgery. I don't necessarily guarantee that it will solve all problems for all time (although it might) but it could do so, and in any case it may remove the acute problem for a few years.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), January 17, 2002.


My insurance is Community Health - basically welfare, I pay only $17.50/mo & co-payments - & they won't cover an MRI until March. My doctor has sent in an appeal & hopefully that will work. I've been trying the different home remedies you all have given me. Lying on a towel and keeping my feet up seem to help the most. I'm having a good day today - I can actually sit at the computer! Last week I tripped over one of our cats & the next day felt better than I had in weeks. I was tempted to try tripping over him again, but didn't know if the result would be the same. Besides, the cat's been avoiding me.

God bless!

-- Bonnie (stichart@plix.com), January 21, 2002.


After getting thrown by a particularly nasty tempered Thoroughbred mare one morning, I found myself laying on my back in my arena, looking up at the sky and wondering if I would ever be able to get up again. Well, one can't just lay in that position forever, the dogs tried to lick me to death, and I was scared the neighbor's were thinking of calling the cops or something equally dumb, so I tried to get up. Oh dear, pain going places it had never went before, like down the back of my left leg all the way to my knee! I crawled, literally, all the way back to the house and decided to lay very still on my back the rest of the afternoon and see what happened. Nothing happened, except by nightime, I was very stiff and sore and still hurting. Went the next day to my doctor, who sent to to an orthopedist. The ortho guy immediately said surgery. I, being the stubborn one, said no thanks. I went to a chiropractor instead. Got worse, much worse. Got to the point where I could not crawl around, and had to be carried. Mmmmm, not good. So I went to Houston Center for Orthopedics in Columbus, GA and saw a specialist. By this time, three months had gone by and I was on the verge of losing my job as I had been out of work for a while. My doctor at Houston said I needed an MRI which I had. Best thing I did. He looked and said I needed to take prednisone for inflammation and do physical therapy for six weeks. Well, that sounded much better than surgery, so I went for it. It has now been 11 years and yes I do have twinges now and then if I overdo the gardening or riding or walking. But I just call my regular internist and tell him I need a refill of prednisone and then I resume my exercises for my back. The physical therapy was great, it strengthened the back muscles and taught me how to sit and walk so there was less pressure on the sciatic nerve. The prednisone relieves inflammation and reduces the swelling (it is a steriod so you don't want to take it too often or for too long). It was a lifesaver. I would suggest getting a second opinion, especially if the first guy wants to operate. I went through a pregnancy after my accident and never had the first bit of trouble. I was 31 when I got hurt and am now 42. I am so glad I didn't listen to the first doctor, as I have learned to manage the pain over the years. One thing that really helps is to keep your weight down. The more you weigh the worse it is on your back.

Good luck,

-- Cindy (colawson@mindspring.com), January 21, 2002.


Try sleeping with a small pillow between your knees. This worked for me. It took a couple of months, but I feel like a new person!

-- Sherry (venturememe@yahoo.com), February 12, 2002.

Update - I finally had an MRI last week. Turns out my sciatica is a ruptured disk. My doctor didn't think surgury would help - just exercises, massage, and tincture of time. Please pray for me. It HURTS!

-- Bonnie (stichart@plix.com), February 21, 2002.

An osteopathe might be able to help you despite the damage already done on your disk.

Good luck!

-- Eric Demers (edemers99@hotmail.com), April 07, 2002.


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