Sciatica remedies?

A while ago my daughter got shingles and I received some marvellous remedy suggestions-the hypericum oil was nothing short of miraculous, so I am hoping there may be some crackers to help me with my own issue.

It travels right down to my foot-I have been to the doctors and they have arranged an MRI to rule out anything serious but it is driving me mad. It is giving me so much jip I have even had to lay off a lot of gardening. I had to do the dahlias and gladioli today so my planters needed emptying and cleaning and I am now left in quite a substantial amount of pain This can't go on so any suggestions will be gladly accepted. I have painkillers and anti inflammatories but I am hoping.............

There is too much to do in the garden to tolerate this.

 

I sometimes get sciatica, it starts either in my hip or my "bum bone" and it is so very painful. The only cure I have ever found is painkillers and resting, although I am not a "resting" type of person, always doing something so it is usually the paracetamol!!!

Val

 

"bum bone".........made me chuckle, that is exactly how I used to describe it-right in the centre of my left bum cheek. I can't rest either-I am convinced it makes it worse as well. What really flared it up was the walk round Heligan earlier this year-I woke up the next day unbelievably stiff but I put it down to being completely out of shape, however it has slowly gotten worse.

 

I'm with Gemini - exactly the same problem, exactly the same remedy Paracetamol. My wife swears by Ibuprofen but because I take Warfarin, I am not allowed Ibuprofen or Aspirin.

 

It's past the abilities of paracetamol unfortunately. I have been prescribed tramadol and it is okay but it isn't enough yet it is as strong as I am comfortable with. Scouring youtube for exercises but I am unsure as to the safety of doing them in case they make it worse.

 

Hi Claire,sorry to hear about your Sciatica probelms.I have suffered with the condition since 1992 and have found that sitting for too long on hard chairs{even my car seat causes problems at times}doesn't help the condition.I was told by a friend all those years ago to sit on a hard chair,lie on a hard floor etc but I found the condition worsened instead of getting better so in the end I thought to myself,Kill or cure I will get mobile so went out into the garden and started on weeding the borders in the garden and found that in the end it did get better.:yez:

I have had an MRI scan done which revealed a bony spur on the bottom vertebrea but until you have yours done,I would reccomend you do plenty of walking as much as possible and less sitting on hard seats.Keeping mobile has helped me no end although I have found that if it does start up again a change of footwear when we go out walking helps,walking on grass as opposed to walking on hard pavements and since losing weight it has got better as well

I am a great lover of Devils Claw as it is a natural anti-inflammatory,but you might need to check with your Dr whether you can use it with Tramadol and I have also used a Homeapathic remedy that has helped as well:yez:

The main thing though which works for me is walking and stretching exercises but this works for my condition,so would say to you to get advice from your Dr about what might help you as I am not medically trained to say what to do or not to do.

Good Luck and hope you find some relief as I know what a debilitating condition it can be

 

Hello lollipop. You have my greatest sympathies re. your sciatica It really is the most debilitating condition and really interferes with everyday life and activities. I say this having suffered sciatica myself. I had it for 6 months ( sorry ) from December last year until finally going about June time this year. I vividly remember Christmas day, cooking in the kitchen, and the standing that involved, being the most painful experience. I tried not to let it spoil the family day, but I can still remember it to this day....... owwwww. Then the sitting one does in the afernoon and evening, keeping changing positions trying to get comfortable, horrible. I took Paracetomol, then Ibuprofen..... narr, didn't help at all. Yes, I too found hard chairs unbearable. The pain seemed to focus in my left hip/buttock, then it radiated down the leg into my foot ( typical sciatica ) I gave it 6 weeks which is what it can take to resolve, then went to the GP. She gave me information on self referral to my local 'back pain' clinic with a physiotherapist. I just had to ring them and they sent me an appointment quickly. Maybe your GP surgery has a similar service? I was also referred for an MRI scan. This showed a deal of 'wear and tear' but that is not unusual as we get older ( not saying you are old, :hehe: ) The physios taught me exercises to 'strengthen the back muscles' etc. I was advised to try not to sit for too long, and to try and walk short distances, gradually increasing if I could. I was also given Tramadol and Co-Codamol. In May/June I also developed 'coccydynia' which is pain in the tailbone which is worse when rising to the feet after sitting. I had been referred to a spinal consultant earlier on and finally the appointment came. The hospital consultant gave me a steroid injection in that area ( it wasn't painful) and guess what? It started to get better and so did the sciatica. I have been painfree of sciatica since then. Hopefully yours wont last as long as mine though. People used to say they had sciatica and I had sympathy, but not as much as I do now I have had it myself ! I hope you feel better soon :yez:

 

Thanks Guys-Shiney will pm you my address, it is on my left side-I seem t remember it was Mrs Shiney who recommended the hypericum oil for my daughter, so she is as Aceso to me.


Crikey it is debilitating-even embarrassing because I have always prided myself on being physically strong, even when the spasms pass off the constant throbbing is so intensely aggravating. I can agree with the sitting on hard chairs, I used to sit cross legged flat on the floor ( like we did at primary school) as this was my most comfortable sitting position but that's gone for a burton too.

I am hoping it will begin to pass off soon-it has been about 3 months now After a while you begin to think to yourself it might be something more dreadful so to read it was 6 months for you Blueroses it is actually a relief in a way.

Thanks guys, sympathy is much appreciated.

 

Hello Claire. T'other half suffered with this for a couple of years in the UK and saw all sorts of doctors and therapists and had swing upside down tables in the house ... but strangely it went as quickly as it came and we don't know why. He also called it 'bum pain'. :hehe:

Likewise a couple of years ago here I got it and could not even lift my leg a foot in a side lying down leg lift for my daily exercises let alone going at a 90º angle! Also fortunately for me it went as quickly as it arrived without explanation ...

All the best to you and I hope you or it or somebody sorts itself out soon. k-l

 

Cheers Guys, I am sure it will pass, I just have to get use to feeling the years as they go by from now on think.

 

I have read very good feedback on the "inversion table".
It is one of those scary looking things that you find in a gym, used by those nice looking guys with toned muscles (:D).

As I you understand it, you have to
1) lie down on it,
2) clip your ankles in some way on the footrest, and
3) gently tilt the table in a way so that the feet are higher than the body.

A very gentle angle should be good enough to untrapp the nerves.

I haven't seen one "live" yet from close distance or used one yet, so I don't know how exactly to operate it, but that is the basic concept.

the DOCTOR HAS TO BE CONSULTED first, though.

 

Thank you very much for your's and Mrs Shiney's kindness.