Sciatic nerve. Anyone?
 

I've had a few sciatic nerve issues over the years. Maybe once every 3-4 years. Painful for a day or so. Saturday woke up with that, oh great here it comes again, feeling. But this time it was bad. Really bad. By 11AM I was on the bed screaming. Nothing I could do helped. Even being totally still, the pain shot down with a vengeance from my hip to my knee. My hip and thigh felt like someone was stabbing me with electrified ice picks and my knee felt like it was in a vise. A trip to the ER was a waste of time. I feel somewhat better now, but still can't really walk. Been getting around on an office chair. Luckily we have hardwood floors so I can really fly around. And don't get me started on trying to sit on the toilet for more than 30 sec.
What have you done?

I've used ice packs with some success.

This is a constant daily problem for me.

Keeps me from sleeping.

Started doing 20 minutes of Yoga every morning.

It's much much better.

If I get lazy for a couple of days it starts to come back.

Stay out of the chair, (I know I know) it's only making things worse.

Listen to Monkey, daily Yoga stretches will make a big difference.

About 30 years ago my doctor told me to stop carrying my wallet in my hip pocket. Problem solved.
Hope it works for you.
Best
Les

Yep... Yep... and Yep.

Mine was caused by a herniated disc at L5/S1. I find that stretching the hamstrings and piriformis helps but a good overall yoga routine is best.

Best thing that has helped me was to stretch my hamstrings. That large muscle can pull you out of shape. For example, you have some sciatic pain and you start favoring a position that alleviates it. This is where the hammy comes in. Without stretching them, they will stiffen and start pulling the lower back into a position that isn't good.

Try this...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1611849116.png

Get on the floor, and put one leg up on a wall and the other straight out. Slowly inch your butt closer to the wall while getting your upright leg as straight as possible.

Trust me, it works. Best thing I ever did!

OK, thanks for all the advise. I'll start stretching the hamstring. At this point I'll try anything. The thing is that most of the pain is now down on my knee. The hip is sore, but nothing like my knee.
So best not to baby the side causing all the pain and wait until i feel better to walk. Got it. I do have a walker I can use to support me if I feel like I'm about to collapse, so I'll start today.

I'm sorry for your troubles. Living with pain sucks the life out of you.
I have had sciatic pain, but not that severe. It would hurt, but the biggest problem was if I coughed or sneezed my left leg went limp. If I felt a sneeze coming on I would have to drop to my knees or grab something to hold me up. I had other pain, but from the same cause. Which is weakening core muscles that let your spine pinch your spinal cord. It's been a long haul, but strengthening the muscles in the middle third of my body has helped me tremendously.
Stretches, a cortisone shot, and body core strengthening have worked miracles.
I've been to PT twice and the stretches on this web site cover most of what I was taught there. It works, but it takes time.

https://www.silversneakers.com/blog/sciatica-stretches-exercises-ease-pain-seniors/

That is an excellent website. I will incorporate those I have not been doing.

I would also add "planking" for a good core....get to three minutes in position. Also, and you didn't mention this, but total body weight is a huge factor.

Cortisone doesn't work for me but CBD (with THC) does. I apply it directly on my groin.

I don't know your States position, but if available, they are worth trying....they work wonders for me.

I wish you the best. Pain can suck the joy out of life.

And that's helping your knee pain?

Really did not need that mental image, thanks.

and then triggered "this tennis elbow is really killing me. I use CBD with THC. I apply it directly to my groin. I'm more relaxed, but my elbow is getting worse."

"Honey, my knee hurts again, can you come help?"

LOL!

"But it's a medical/health thing!"

Stretches work in the moment.
The real goal is to find understand your triggers and to avoid that activity/ movement.

Been There Before. After a week or two after my last post I got more consistent relief from the pain, enough to sleep soundly. My right leg droop did not get better for another month or so. Attempts to stretch at times made things worse so I mainly focused on relaxing. Folks recommended some pool time but when I tried to dangle from the edge in deep water to flex a bit I thought I broke my back. Had to be helped out of the pool. A few months later I started a gym routine with core body stretching and strength routines. Now 12 or so years later no repeat events like that. I have dropped off the exercise this last year - need to get that going again. Good luck, it will get better.

I disagree. Yes, initially do avoid the activity/movement that causes the pain, and some stretches do give immediate, temporary relief, but as a few others have said here the real goal is to use stretches and exercise to strengthen your core muscles so your sciatic nerve isn't getting pinched in your spine. Stretches and exercise may not give you immediate lasting relief, but if you keep with it you will be rewarded.

It sounds strange. But when I started trail running with the dogs my sciatic nerve pain went away.

I suspect it's because "There's more room in there" (bit where the nerve is getting pinched). Trail running gives you a good bounce around. stretches hip joints, loosens the spine up a bit. You kinda run loose.

It worked for me - good luck.

The worst pain I have ever experienced was when I crushed my sciatic nerve. The nerve pain and burning from mid back all the way to my toes was excruciating. Lost the use of my right leg. I took 1.5 years to learn how to walk again. Severe drop foot. Went to nerve specialists, MRI, PT, Chiropracters (3 until I found a good one). Finally it got better, well as much as it ever will. I regained 80% function back. It has been 4.5 years now. It is a slow process. Strecting and light weight lifting is good to strengthen the core. The core is all important in preventing it from happening again.

This.
A gradual thing for me.
I’d nearly be crippled after a 2+ hour drive. Excruciating pain in one ass cheek shooting down the leg.
Stopped carrying my wallet in a back pocket and sitting on it while driving.
Such a simple thing, but wow.

Google Dr. Stuart McGill and his “Big Three” exercises and then go down that rabbit hole on YouTube and the web. He’s done many fascinating studies on spines in his lab and he’s written several books that explain it all in approachable terms. One thing he preaches is never to do another sit-up in your life... and he backs it up with intradisc pressure instrumentation that illustrates it’s one of the worst things you can do.
In a nutshell, the spine needs to stay in a good position anchored by core stabilizing muscles; not wobble around due to either lack of core or from stretching into challenging positions.
Changed my life- without exaggeration.

My doc prescribed a Tens Unit. Not the cheap cheap that Shaq advertises for and not as powerful as the tabletop units at the chiropractor office.

I turn that thing up as high as it will go. It helps sometimes and sometimes it doesn't. But it's just part of the stuff I do to try to stop the pain.

Otherwise move to the UK where you can get Tylenol with codeine over the counter...

Some reading on the piriformis
https://www.spineuniverse.com/conditions/sciatica/how-tell-if-your-sciatica-actually-piriformis-syndrome

I agree. Stretching is very important for overall health as well as being strong.
Wow! Yeah, the core holds it all together.
Wow, you guys have had some issues. Glad that you've worked through it. Another vote for core.
Another core vote.
Interesting.
https://squatuniversity.com/2018/06/21/the-mcgill-big-3-for-core-stability/

Yep, I keep my wallet as thin as possible. I carry just what I feel is the essentials and have one of those minimal wallets (Dash Bando 2.0), but since I got my first 911, any time I'm in something with sporty seats (mostly where the bottom is a bucket that your but sits down in) I take my wallet out when I drive. It's just much more comfortable.

Constant sciatica for about 10 years. Dr. diagnosed it as Piriformis Syndrome. Got to stretch and heat to relax the glut muscle that the nerve travels through.

I sit on my right cheek, always leaning.

Good Luck

Lot's of good reading and advise from prior SN sufferers.A few things about my issue. I never carry my wallet in my back pocket. I went to the ER and they did and XRay and told me to do a follow up with my PCP. They also sent me home with Cyclobenzaprine, methylprednisone, and oxycodone. First thing my PCP told me was to stop the Cyclobenzaprine and the oxy. They will not help with the pain. Also that the xray was a waste of time and money ( good thing we have great ins. through UCONN where my wife works and we don't pay a cent.) Told me to take the prednisone and prescribed gabapentin. Since yesterday I've done some of the exercises recommended and some stretching. They help for a short time, but after a few minutes the pain is back. I should mention that I can walk now for longer periods, but still bring the office chair with me in case the pain comes back i have somewhere to sit rather than dropping to the floor. I'm sleeping well now. I can lay on the non sciatic side or on my back with a pillow under my knees. I try to walk around a bit until I feel the pain coming back. Then I rest. Most of the pain is in my knee, nothing below. I tell ya this thing has a mind of it's own. I've had kidney stones, bladder obstruction which required intimidate surgery and i believe the pain I originally had on Saturday through Monday was worse. It appears to slowly be getting better. Just the pain and some numbness around my knee. Heat helps.
Thank you everyone and thank you JavaBrewer for your post from a few years ago.

Cyclobenzaprine aka Flexeril.....muscle relaxant, somewhat short term. . Prednisone for inflammation, short term. I have had hundreds of oxy pills prescribed for me, only took 2 after cervical surgery, watch out, cause constipation!

This was the same treatment I was prescribed. Helped short term during the acute phase, but long term has been the stretching that has helped.

Good Luck

I've had oxy prescribed several times. First one I took i promised myself i would never take one again! Horrible feeling. This time, the pain was sooo bad i took 5 in 3 days then stopped since the pain was still there and I was feeling really weird. And yeah, added constipation to the problem. Almost impossible to sit on a hard toilet seat as it is with the hip pain, now add not being able to go. Not fun.

I got Meloxicam and Gabapentin. Took a good PT finally listening to me to get me to a point where I could do effective stretching. I told the PT "my left ass cheek feels like it's in a knot. I can't stretch to get it worked out and it's limiting the stretch". For about three sessions we started with light stretching, then massage therapy (Told my wife that's the most action I'd had in weeks :) ) followed by heat. After the first session I could feel the difference. I've learned a few stretches for the piriformis along with a release technique that I use each time I can feel things tightening up.

Sounds like you're doing all the right things.
Be aware you have a lifestyle change ahead of you. The stretching and exercise needs to be a part of your daily routine if you are going to get permanently better. It took me a months to accept it. I resented taking an hour out of my morning to take care of myself, always anxious to "get my day started." The workouts didn't help as much when I regarded it as an interruption to my life.
I finally accepted it, set up a space to do it in with a TV and a poster on the wall listing the stretches and strengthening moves. I made it a core part of my life, like eating and sleeping. Now, "Getting my day started" means hitting my little gym. The workout is much more effective now that I've embraced it. I wasted a few months, but it was a hard lesson to learn.

^^^^Yeah, I know, doesn't mean I'm not in denial, but I know. The last time the SN kicked in I was 45 min. from home driving by myself. That, was painful, although it wasn't as severe as this episode. I think that organizing my garage in 30 degree weather for four day at 4 hour clips and then carrying wood into the house didn't help. Especially when I felt the stiffness in my hip for two days before all hell broke loose.

Same here.

I also have an elliptical that works wonders as well as small weights.

I know this sounds goofy, but I record "Family Feud" episodes and watch two while I do my thing...perfect time allotment and the show is funny, bubble gum for the brain.

Lady of the Manor uses one of these per her PT friend..
say's it really helps ...
2hr butt on a 4 hr flight..

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1611938288.jpg

Rika

Yeah, that sounds goofy. :D

I've been going through the exact same sciatica pain since last September and like yours it was excruciating and debilitating pain, I was desperate and took all the pain medication my Dr. prescribed me,NOTHING WORKED.
X ray was waste of money and time, then did the physical Therapy, which helped but after couple of sessions I didn't see any improvement further. The only thing that start making a difference in centralizing my pain from my knees to my back was" McKenzie approach" , and as previously mentioned Yoga stretches.
Life style change is a must, avoid sitting for prolong hours, start walking, and start building the core.
In my 52 years I never knew what was sciatic pain but these last couple of months it opened my eyes to new reality and how it can affect my life and my relationship, it'll take time to get better,meantime take care and wish you fast recovery.

Mission of mercy, come on, you know, the thing. That is probably his hip anyway, sciatica is more of an ass problem.

Yoga, pilates, etc. If it is low back muscle spasm, you may find heat helps more than ice. If unilateral, be very suspicious of a limb length discrepancy.

There is a gal on PBS that is a retired ballet dancer. Does a program, stretches by Miranda, or something like that, wait one.

This, as they say, is the scheisse.

It was stretching by Miranda, how in the hell did I pull that out of my memory banks

Bear in mind, if you have had a problem for a year, you are not getting better in a week.

Well, I fell off the wagon and now I'm paying for it. MrsWD and I drove 500 miles on the 12th and drove the 500 miles back home the next day, with me bouncing around in a U-Haul truck. While there I didn't do any stretches, and worked my back harder than I wanted to loading and unloading the truck. What with this and that and one thing and another I didn't do the stretches and exercises for a week. Then I shoveled snow.
Now I'm back to square one. The pain is about what it was when I started this regimen.
Now I'm starting over, and I've learned my lesson. DON'T skip out on the back work.

Sorry to hear. I feel your pain. I'm walking pretty well now. Still have a slight pain and numbness in my knee, but getting better every day. It's been just over a month. The physical therapy has helped. I do several exercises daily and go to PT twice a week. I'm terrified that if i stop, I too will be back to square one. No snow shoveling, i have a snowblower and an electric snow shovel for the deck and front walk. Glad we don't have sidewalks to take care off. We'll see what spring, the garden and splitting wood brings.
Hang in there WD, and thanks for all the advice.

Wifey went to FL a couple of weeks back to see her folks.

While she was gone tripped over one of the cats in the middle of the night.

Laid cold and naked on the floor for 10 minutes before I could get back up.

Slacked off the Yoga.

Right back at square one with ya my friend.

THIS!!!!!!!!!
I fought sciatic pain for years, tried Chiro, acupuncture, massage. Finally found a PT therapist that started me on some weird hamstring stretching exercises and found some relief. I figured why not bend over and try to touch my toes, made it bout 1/2 way between my ankle and knee. I would spend bout 5 minutes, twice a day just bending and reaching for those toes. Took 2 months, but could grab the bottom of my toes. No more pain. I still do this 3 x week. was literally life changing for me.