Anyone ever suffer from sciatica?

[Sunroof]

Okay I turn 66 this month and apparently rough-housing with my dog got something all screwed up in my lower spine. The Doc says take these muscle relaxers (Meloxicam and a pain medication) and if it does not go away within two weeks its time for an MRI. No previous history, no family history. The pain broadcasting down the buttocks to my foot is brutal almost numbing. Laying down helps but sitting is worse.

So is their interim help to accelerate the healing? Maybe its a pinched nerve, maybe something arthritic going on, but I am told that 90% of most cases, it will run its course, heal and go away.

I feel compelled to get some spinal/disk decompression for pain relief, maybe see a chiropractor. I know I have degenerative disk disease because I shrunk an inch in height!!! I believe thats normal in the aging process.

I'm just looking for some advise from anyone who has suffered from this as well. Something about waiting two weeks as my MD prescribed has me abit impatient.

Thanks
Bob

[Eric Hahl]

I've had this problem off and on. What helped me was stretching my hamstring muscles. This help them from pulling on my back muscles which would twist my back and cause the pain.

I stretched my hammys by laying flat on the floor near an open doorway. place one leg on the wall near the open door and the other lay flat on the floor through the open doorway. Slowy straighten your leg and scooch your butt up against the wall. Remember, slowly is the key. It hurts but soon you will feel the relief. The key to the good stretch is to get your leg straight and 90 degrees to your torso, butt against the wall. Then repeat on the other side of the door with your other leg.

I'm not a Doctor though so maybe you want to ask one first. Here's a quick diagram showing the stretch. Don't mind my quicky graphic.


Remember, keep your floor leg flat on the floor, don't bend the knee. Hope you find relief soon as I know just how bad it is.

[Sunroof]

Thanks Eric. I will give that a try.

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by Eric Hahl

I've had this problem off and on. What helped me was stretching my hamstring muscles. This help them from pulling on my back muscles which would twist my back and cause the pain.

+1000

I stretch my hammies by touching my toes (while standing) and holding it for a while, and repeat a few times. I do this 3-4 times per day. My sciatica is a lot less bothersome. Usually only when I have to mill around while my wife is shopping. So, I have an excuse to either not go shopping, or at least go find a place to sit while she's spending money.

[hardflex]

I had it when I was early 40's. Lingered for months until I was finally able to pop my low spine back into alignment doing low back stretching. A chiro can help if he's really good, not all of them are. When it finally let go and popped it was such a relief!

It's a bad deal, I don't think I slept well for the duration.

I must say it's when I learned that you can't always 'work' your way through an injury. Sometimes it takes rest.

[Sunroof]

I was surprised the MD gave no stretching or exercise therapy. I did hear once that 80% of back problems are often remediated during one's sleep! Its the waiting two weeks with nothing in the interim aside from the pills that has me stunned. Right now I have one leg up on another chair and a heading pad on low under my butt for some relief.

Thanks

[TimT]

I've suffered from sciatica for years...

Inversion table helps (me)

Try piriformis stretching Piriformis syndrome

Piriformis Stretch

You even do it while sitting. This and hamstring stretches help me.

[Jim Richards]

The piriforis stretch is one of the exercises my physical therapist had me do, too. I don't do it that much nowadays.

[Sunroof]

"Piriformis Stretch"


Thanks Tim...

I'm headin to the floor

[uncle_scott]

I have had this come and go throughout my 20s. My family has a history of back troubles, and so far I have been able to avoid surgery. Fingers crossed...

One of the helpful stretches or remedies I did was laying on a tennis ball. It is slightly squishy, but at the same time focuses pressure on the point where it hurts. I would lay down on the ground and put a tennis ball under one side of my low back/butt and lay on it for a few minutes each day. It is really painful at first, but it can be relieving. There are a number of web videos with sciatic remedies. Do a Google search for Home Sciatic Remedies.

Good luck, I have been there and I don't envy how you are feeling now.

[HardDrive]

I have 2 badly ruptured disks in my back. Bad skiing accident when I was in my 20's.

Physical therapy and keeping my core strength up have worked wonders.

[tadink]

I've had the shooting pain in the legs and ice pick in your butt muscle before, it is not fun. Finally has surgery to snip off the protruding bit of disc that was touching the nerve and have been good ever since - but BEFORE going there - some thoughts:

1. agree on the hamstring stretch, but pls be careful of bending over to touch your toes since that could push the disc out further, better to be on your back, leg up.

2. agree on chiro help, but some are QUACKS and some are PROS. If you are in SF I can give you the name of my guy, he is a Chiro-neurologist, studied both parts of the biz not just 'snap and hope' like some of these guys.

3. your abs are your friend, the stronger your abs are the better you are able to support a weakened back.....'dead bugs' are the exercise of choice. On your back, knees bent above you, lower one leg at a time to touch the heel onto the floor, repeat adnauseum. Normal sit-ups can push the disc further out....not good.

4. Ice, Advil, Vodka. Get an Ice sheet from the Walgreens or equivalent, and use it use it use it. My regimen was ice into the vodka, ice under the back, take advil with vodka. Worked like a charm....

5. Not a huge fan of prescription drugs for this - I'd hold that in reserve if the advil does not cut it. No more advil than 2 every 4 hours....YMMV. The idea with the Ice and Advil is to reduce the swelling.....

hope all that helps - the pain is a pain.

best

td

[Don Ro]

Nothing to add...'cept it ended Tracey Austin's career (tennis).

[Sunroof]

Great advice TD.

I am finding the butt pain is deep in the muscle and when those nerves start sparking the jolt to the lower leg is just as bad. Being 66 of course you think of surgery down the road sooner or later but I will try everything before going under the knife. I have'nt had great luck with Chiro's in the past and overall not a huge fan since I have yet to find a winner in Atlanta. Most want you to sign on immediately onto the whole wellness thing and a 25 - 50 visit regiment (pay in advance please), but I prefer to only go for one visit at a time to measure progress and relief.

I prefer heat over ice but many advocate ice - heat - ice - heat, etc. The ice sheet sounds good over using ice packs and towels. I just bought a new bottle of Pusser's Rum (my favorite) but if white liquor takes a greater bite out of the pain I have gin on hand as well. What the hell, any port in the storm!!

Either way, sufferer's all agree, it sucks..In the evolution of man we never did get perfect on two feet.

Bob

[oldE]

First thing my doc said to me was,"Take your wallet out of your back pocket whenever you are in the car." That works for me.

Also, my wife taught me a stretch which helps but does not require you to lie down.
Place the foot of the leg to be stretched on front of your other foot. Slowly bend from the waist. Do this slowly several times. I find repeating it for each side helps keep things in balance.

Best of luck.
Les

[DonDavis]

L4-L5 rupture and L5-S1 bulge for me. I opted out of surgery, went the PT route and never looked back. Ice will be better for you. Heat will cause things to increase in size, causing more pressure on the nerve. Avoid hot tubs. Search for other strengthening exercises online and try more of those.

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by oldE

First thing my doc said to me was,"Take your wallet out of your back pocket whenever you are in the car." That works for me.

I find this to be helpful, especially when I'm driving my 964.

[wdfifteen]

+1 on the stretching. For long term control I recommend a rowing machine. The sciatica drove me nuts until I started rowing 20 minutes a day. I haven't had an attack in a year.

[RWebb]

be careful re a chiropractor; ask your doc

a well-trained LMT may help - trained in Berry method and/or myo-facial massage; ask your doc for any referrals

damage is hard to image if it does exist & bone damage is not well-correlated with pain or dysfuntion, so a high-res MRI may not help; ask your doc

see the back thread for more info - it was active last week

did I mention you should ask your doc?

[JavaBrewer]

Just in case - a previous discussion

Hope you don't have to suffer too long. Agonizing.