[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Sciatica (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 5/23/2011 1:00:57 PM EDT
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Anyone know anything about sciatica? I think I know more than I want to know already. Unmitigated misery.
How long does it last? Remedies? |
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It depends what's actually causing it. Go to the DR and get an MRI done. This will tell you if it's a herniated disk, bulged or slipped disk or spinal stenosis. Try stretches for the hip flexors, hamstrings, and lower back to loosen the supporting muscles and strengthen them. (I'm living with 2 herniated disks right now, this has been my DR's course of action so far with decent results). |
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The only times I cried because of pain as a grown-ass man were kidney stones and sciatica. The stones passed. The sciatica was temporarily mitigated by cortizone injections - by temporarily I mean for a couple of days. It was eliminated with a facet rhizotomy. Check into it. Granted, I have Ankylosing Spondylitis, but the sciatica was one thing that was fixed. -p. |
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I get it now and again.
To fix it I normally stretch and ride my bike. I take advil for any pain should it get to bad. Of course I ride my bike all the time anyway but when I stretch it really does help quite a bit. Your local crack-practor can recomend some stretches should your google skills not be up to it. |
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I had a bout with it several years back. It kept getting worse until one morning I woke up and was in severe pain all the way from my left butt-cheek, down to my inner ankle. It felt like somebody had clampled a vise grip on my leg.
I went to the doc where they x-rayed me and didn't find anything wrong and he gave me a prescription for 10 flexiril tablets after he asked me if I had any tylenol or ibuprofin at home and I assured him if that worked I wouldn't be seeing him on a Saturday morning 
The pain was unbearable, so I went to another doctor, an osteopath who gave me more flexiril and prednizone after doing some stretches and pulling my leg etc, adjusting my spine. I felt like normal for about 3 hours before the pain came back. The prednizone helped but once it was gone I was in extreme pain again, so back to the osteopath sent me for an MRI. Turns out I had a heniated disk, I have no idea how it happened, the doc said could be as little as sneezing or coughing, or obvious things like lifting too much weight. He said keep taking the flexiril for a while and see if things get better, if not it was going to be surgery. Every day it got better, but barely, I am talking about 1%, I could hardly even tell it was getting better to be honest. I was doped up every day and would go home and take a hot bath to relax the muscles in my leg and go straight to bed for probaly two months. Slowly over time I could stop taking the meds, but I was still in a decent amount of pain, until eventually I was 95% normal. Mind you this took like 8 months. I feel pretty much 100% now, but it still flares up from time to time, the key is stretching and sleeping on a firm mattress for me and a flexiril very very occaisonally when I can't break the tightening muscles squeezing the sciatic nerve with stretching. I know it seems really bad now, and I totally understand what you are going through. but hang in there, there it will probably get better, but to what degree who knows for now. You probably are going to need to get an MRI at the least to see if in fact you have herniated a disc, but what you are describing are the classic signs of that. Hang in there man. |
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I know all too well about sciatica.
I ran a bobcat for several years when I was younger and it literally beat me to death. Started out as just a twinge in my left but cheek that wouldn't go away. I was told to go to the Chiro but I was 19 and invincible so I let it go. How could they expect me to go to a damned witchdoctor anyway? Worked to the end of the job and thought I'd just take a little time off (lived at home) and heal up. Didn't happen. Got worse,MUCH worse. Left leg drew up about 2 inches, couldn't sit in a chair or on the throne, couldn't stand for long, dragging the left leg while walking. Finally got to where I had to crawl around on my hands and knees. The only relief I could get was laying on the couch. I could and did sleep there. I was lucky. I know others who couldn't get ANY relief or sleep. I don't know how they kept their sanity. I was 20 years old, broke down, unemployed with no insurance and basically fucked. They finally drug me to the bone doctors who promptly sent me to the nerve doctors. Their consensus was 2 weeks in traction and if that didn't work, surgery. Now I had a favorite uncle who went in for back surgery in '69 who came through fine only to die the next morning from a blood clot. FUCK THAT!!!!!!!!!!! I finally went to the Chiro they tried to get me to go see early on. (in the bed of a truck in January...I had to be hauled like a damned cow) 7:00 a.m. on a Monday morning with a FULL waiting room he came out and saw me standing there supported on either side by my mom and aunt. Hair damn near to my ass, beard, the whole nine yards. I was a Hell of a looking thing. He asked my mom if "that thing" belonged to her. She said yes sheepishly. She'd known him for years and had professed his magical skills to all who would listen. After he saw the X-rays he asked me "BOY, how the Hell did you walk in here?" I reminded him of my help. And so I started my 15 year journey back to health with him. At least three times a week for probably 3 years then slowly tapering off to only when needed. No insurance, no money? No problem. Six months or so later when the weather broke I returned to work on a concrete crew. That man kept me going, wearing a tool belt all day in the mud, climbing on Simmons panels, scaffolding, ladders etc. Never took a pain pill. I'll tell you one thing. If that man ever needs ANYTHING and I own it or can lay my hands on it, he'll have it. |
| I'm suffering with it right now. Prescription is 800mg Ibuprofen 3x a day, and lose weight. The shooting pains literally can make your knees buckle and take your breath away. Not to mention the numbness and pins and needles. Nerve pain is the worst. I'd rather break a bone. |
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I'm suffering with it right now. Prescription is 800mg Ibuprofen 3x a day, and lose weight. The shooting pains literally can make your knees buckle and take your breath away. Not to mention the numbness and pins and needles. Nerve pain is the worst. I'd rather break a bone. I didn't even have to move. Sometimes they just hit you like a bolt of lightning. |
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I don't know if what I had last June was sciatica, but whatever the hell it was, it sucked. I got home from the station one night, sat on the couch to talk to the wife, and when I went to stand back up, my lower back locked up and I fell flat on my stomach. I was sort of ok as long as I stayed down, but sitting and standing were simply impossible. I somehow crawled up the stairs and over the end of the bed.
The next morning, I still couldn't stand or sit, and got around crawling like a baby. That was incredibly humbling, too; it makes you realize how much you take walking and being able to piss without your wife's help for granted 
Somehow got to the car after that, wife took me to the ER after calling the hospital and consulting with them. Being an otherwise healthy 25 year old in reasonable shape sitting in the ER in a wheelchair was kind of embarrassing, given the truly sick people coming in. Anyway, doc gave me a muscle relaxer prescription and a big bottle of ibuprofen. Eventually things loosened up and I got back to normal, but it took about a week or so and the first two days I couldn't even stand up. |
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Google ya some piriformis syndrome.
I get it up the left side once in a while, it's usually brought under control with heat, ibuprofen, and stretching exercises. I found a particular stretch that hits me right where it hurts. 2-3x a day when it's bad. Google ya some piriformis stretches too. 
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I get it now and again. To fix it I normally stretch and ride my bike. I take advil for any pain should it get to bad. Of course I ride my bike all the time anyway but when I stretch it really does help quite a bit. Your local crack-practor can recomend some stretches should your google skills not be up to it. This works for me. I also ice my lower back down to minimize the swelling along with 800mg doses of Ibuprofen. 7mm |
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I get it now and again. To fix it I normally stretch and ride my bike. I take advil for any pain should it get to bad. Of course I ride my bike all the time anyway but when I stretch it really does help quite a bit. Your local crack-practor can recomend some stretches should your google skills not be up to it. This works for me. I also ice my lower back down to minimize the swelling along with 800mg doses of Ibuprofen. 7mm That ibuprofen is VERY hard on your liver. I take it occasionally for sinus headaches, but try to limit its use as much as possible.
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1. If you can walk without too much pain, this is probably the best exercise there is. Walking long distance helped me more than anything. Over uneven ground is even better.
2. Don't pick up anything heavier than a fork. 3. Anti-inflamitories is a must. 4. Don't be sitting around on the couch or riding in a car too much. 5. It can take a long time, be patient. |
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A lot of people instantly think that sciatica means you have issues with you spine and that you have a buldging disc, and they are usually wrong. The best way to reduce sciatica issues is to reduce the inflammation, and that means heavy, continual doses of NSAIDs, for a week. Also, foam rollers on your lower back, and ass helps tremendously. If you do have spinal issues, a chiropractor can help tremendously, as well as spinal decompression. Sciatic takes a while to resolve because injury to nerves take longer to heal. In most cases sciatica begins to ease in 2 weeks, and you regain normal function in 4. Ice is also important. |
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I get it now and again. To fix it I normally stretch and ride my bike. I take advil for any pain should it get to bad. Of course I ride my bike all the time anyway but when I stretch it really does help quite a bit. Your local crack-practor can recomend some stretches should your google skills not be up to it. This works for me. I also ice my lower back down to minimize the swelling along with 800mg doses of Ibuprofen. 7mm That ibuprofen is VERY hard on your liver. I take it occasionally for sinus headaches, but try to limit its use as much as possible. Incorrect. Ibuprofen is recommended for people with liver risks. Tylenol (Acetaminophen) is the one that's extremely hard on your liver, to the point where a single dose of Tylenol over 1 gram, can fatally destroy a susceptible person's liver. If you eat a bottle of Tylenol, it's an extremely effective method for achieving a slow death by liver failure. Ibuprofen is an NSAID, and the worst side effects are on your stomach and kidneys, although it can be liver toxic over long periods, in people with existing liver risks. Most doctors believe that the liver toxicity of Tylenol is an order of magnitude greater than Ibuprofen. |
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I get it now and again. To fix it I normally stretch and ride my bike. I take advil for any pain should it get to bad. Of course I ride my bike all the time anyway but when I stretch it really does help quite a bit. Your local crack-practor can recomend some stretches should your google skills not be up to it. This works for me. I also ice my lower back down to minimize the swelling along with 800mg doses of Ibuprofen. 7mm That ibuprofen is VERY hard on your liver. I take it occasionally for sinus headaches, but try to limit its use as much as possible. Incorrect. Ibuprofen is recommended for people with liver risks. Tylenol (Acetaminophen) is the one that's extremely hard on your liver, to the point where a single dose of Tylenol over 1 gram, can fatally destroy a susceptible person's liver. If you eat a bottle of Tylenol, it's an extremely effective method for achieving a slow death by liver failure. Ibuprofen is an NSAID, and the worst side effects are on your stomach and kidneys, although it can be liver toxic over long periods, in people with existing liver risks. Most doctors believe that the liver toxicity of Tylenol is an order of magnitude greater than Ibuprofen. I checked––you are correct. Thanks for the correction. 
I'd still rather fix the CAUSE of this than take pain meds to alleviate pain only.
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The only times I cried because of pain as a grown-ass man were kidney stones and sciatica. The stones passed. The sciatica was temporarily mitigated by cortizone injections - by temporarily I mean for a couple of days. It was eliminated with a facet rhizotomy. Check into it. Granted, I have Ankylosing Spondylitis, but the sciatica was one thing that was fixed. -p. Interesting. Never heard of that. I didn't go to work today because mine is flaring up. |
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Quoted: Dude, NSAID's FIX the cause. Ibu isn't a pain killer, it is an anti-inflamitory if you have an inflamed tendon or muscle that is putting pressure on your sciatic nerve, then the medicine will help FIX the cause. Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I get it now and again. To fix it I normally stretch and ride my bike. I take advil for any pain should it get to bad. Of course I ride my bike all the time anyway but when I stretch it really does help quite a bit. Your local crack-practor can recomend some stretches should your google skills not be up to it. This works for me. I also ice my lower back down to minimize the swelling along with 800mg doses of Ibuprofen. 7mm That ibuprofen is VERY hard on your liver. I take it occasionally for sinus headaches, but try to limit its use as much as possible. Incorrect. Ibuprofen is recommended for people with liver risks. Tylenol (Acetaminophen) is the one that's extremely hard on your liver, to the point where a single dose of Tylenol over 1 gram, can fatally destroy a susceptible person's liver. If you eat a bottle of Tylenol, it's an extremely effective method for achieving a slow death by liver failure. Ibuprofen is an NSAID, and the worst side effects are on your stomach and kidneys, although it can be liver toxic over long periods, in people with existing liver risks. Most doctors believe that the liver toxicity of Tylenol is an order of magnitude greater than Ibuprofen. I checked––you are correct. Thanks for the correction. I'd still rather fix the CAUSE of this than take pain meds to alleviate pain only. |
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Dude, NSAID's FIX the cause. Ibu isn't a pain killer, it is an anti-inflamitory if you have an inflamed tendon or muscle that is putting pressure on your sciatic nerve, then the medicine will help FIX the cause.
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I get it now and again. To fix it I normally stretch and ride my bike. I take advil for any pain should it get to bad. Of course I ride my bike all the time anyway but when I stretch it really does help quite a bit. Your local crack-practor can recomend some stretches should your google skills not be up to it. This works for me. I also ice my lower back down to minimize the swelling along with 800mg doses of Ibuprofen. 7mm That ibuprofen is VERY hard on your liver. I take it occasionally for sinus headaches, but try to limit its use as much as possible. Incorrect. Ibuprofen is recommended for people with liver risks. Tylenol (Acetaminophen) is the one that's extremely hard on your liver, to the point where a single dose of Tylenol over 1 gram, can fatally destroy a susceptible person's liver. If you eat a bottle of Tylenol, it's an extremely effective method for achieving a slow death by liver failure. Ibuprofen is an NSAID, and the worst side effects are on your stomach and kidneys, although it can be liver toxic over long periods, in people with existing liver risks. Most doctors believe that the liver toxicity of Tylenol is an order of magnitude greater than Ibuprofen. I checked––you are correct. Thanks for the correction.
I'd still rather fix the CAUSE of this than take pain meds to alleviate pain only.
They're an effective treatment, but because it's not a permanent effect, it's a treatment, not a cure (fix) |
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Dude, NSAID's FIX the cause. Ibu isn't a pain killer, it is an anti-inflamitory if you have an inflamed tendon or muscle that is putting pressure on your sciatic nerve, then the medicine will help FIX the cause.
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I get it now and again. To fix it I normally stretch and ride my bike. I take advil for any pain should it get to bad. Of course I ride my bike all the time anyway but when I stretch it really does help quite a bit. Your local crack-practor can recomend some stretches should your google skills not be up to it. This works for me. I also ice my lower back down to minimize the swelling along with 800mg doses of Ibuprofen. 7mm That ibuprofen is VERY hard on your liver. I take it occasionally for sinus headaches, but try to limit its use as much as possible. Incorrect. Ibuprofen is recommended for people with liver risks. Tylenol (Acetaminophen) is the one that's extremely hard on your liver, to the point where a single dose of Tylenol over 1 gram, can fatally destroy a susceptible person's liver. If you eat a bottle of Tylenol, it's an extremely effective method for achieving a slow death by liver failure. Ibuprofen is an NSAID, and the worst side effects are on your stomach and kidneys, although it can be liver toxic over long periods, in people with existing liver risks. Most doctors believe that the liver toxicity of Tylenol is an order of magnitude greater than Ibuprofen. I checked––you are correct. Thanks for the correction.
I'd still rather fix the CAUSE of this than take pain meds to alleviate pain only.
They're an effective treatment, but because it's not a permanent effect, it's a treatment, not a cure (fix) That's how I understand it. Reducing inflammation only makes things <somewhat> "better" such as reducing pain––but not fixed/cured. IF a chiropractic issue is the cause (dunno––not so trained), then moving the bones/joint back into place is a true "cure" or fix.
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Dude, NSAID's FIX the cause. Ibu isn't a pain killer, it is an anti-inflamitory if you have an inflamed tendon or muscle that is putting pressure on your sciatic nerve, then the medicine will help FIX the cause. Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I get it now and again. To fix it I normally stretch and ride my bike. I take advil for any pain should it get to bad. Of course I ride my bike all the time anyway but when I stretch it really does help quite a bit. Your local crack-practor can recomend some stretches should your google skills not be up to it. This works for me. I also ice my lower back down to minimize the swelling along with 800mg doses of Ibuprofen. 7mm That ibuprofen is VERY hard on your liver. I take it occasionally for sinus headaches, but try to limit its use as much as possible. Incorrect. Ibuprofen is recommended for people with liver risks. Tylenol (Acetaminophen) is the one that's extremely hard on your liver, to the point where a single dose of Tylenol over 1 gram, can fatally destroy a susceptible person's liver. If you eat a bottle of Tylenol, it's an extremely effective method for achieving a slow death by liver failure. Ibuprofen is an NSAID, and the worst side effects are on your stomach and kidneys, although it can be liver toxic over long periods, in people with existing liver risks. Most doctors believe that the liver toxicity of Tylenol is an order of magnitude greater than Ibuprofen. I checked––you are correct. Thanks for the correction. I'd still rather fix the CAUSE of this than take pain meds to alleviate pain only. They're an effective treatment, but because it's not a permanent effect, it's a treatment, not a cure (fix) If you irritate a ligament in your posterior from either overuse, or because you made a poor pull, then the Ibu will help fix the inflammation. I know it is envogue to go OMWG I'M NOW DISABLED AND NEED SURGERY AND MEDICAL TREATMENT BECAUSE I HURT MY BACK!! However, in most cases a tweaked back can get fixed by stretching and by using NSAIDS to reduce inflammation. This is not the same as loading up on oxycodone. Most back injuries are acute, and a week of NSAID treatment will fix the problem. |
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Quoted: That's how I understand it. Reducing inflammation only makes things <somewhat> "better" such as reducing pain––but not fixed/cured. IF a chiropractic issue is the cause (dunno––not so trained), then moving the bones/joint back into place is a true "cure" or fix.  ARe you listening to what I'm saying? If you have an inflamed muscle, tendon or ligament from an acute injury that is putting pressure on your sciatic nerve, an NSAID will reduce that inflammation. If fixes the problem. Not every damn back injury requires the need to move joints and bones back in place. Shesh. |
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That's how I understand it. Reducing inflammation only makes things <somewhat> "better" such as reducing pain––but not fixed/cured. IF a chiropractic issue is the cause (dunno––not so trained), then moving the bones/joint back into place is a true "cure" or fix. ARe you listening to what I'm saying? If you have an inflamed muscle, tendon or ligament from an acute injury that is putting pressure on your sciatic nerve, an NSAID will reduce that inflammation. If fixes the problem.
Not every damn back injury requires the need to move joints and bones back in place. Shesh. Yes, I'm reading what you are saying. Above, I also said "IF this is a chiropractic issue . . ."––which you ignored. I'm sorry for not bowing to your pedantic posts. |
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If you have tennis elbow, do you go to the fucking chiropractor or do you just take some NSAIDs until the symptoms resolve. Actually I had exactly that (not from playing tennis though) and did go to a chiropractor. The end of the outside bone in my forearm (forget which that is––radius or ulna) was dislocated slightly ("subluxated" in chiro-speak) and he put it back into place and the thing resolved without recurrence or the use of nsaids. ::shrug:: YMMV and all that. |
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For me:
First time 35 years ago - I simply removed my wallet from my back pocket to me front pocket. It really worked. Thick wallets kept int the rear pants pocket can damage the nerve over time. Later in life - I rely on exercises such as a Yoga one called the Cobra. It is all about keeping you lower back aligned. Has kept flare ups at bay pretty good. I am assuming tat you have no significant disc damage or bone chips pressing on the nerve. |
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Quoted: Probably because you said this idiotic comment :Reducing inflammation only makes things <somewhat> "better" such as reducing pain––but not fixed/curedQuoted: Quoted: That's how I understand it. Reducing inflammation only makes things <somewhat> "better" such as reducing pain––but not fixed/cured. IF a chiropractic issue is the cause (dunno––not so trained), then moving the bones/joint back into place is a true "cure" or fix. ARe you listening to what I'm saying? If you have an inflamed muscle, tendon or ligament from an acute injury that is putting pressure on your sciatic nerve, an NSAID will reduce that inflammation. If fixes the problem. Not every damn back injury requires the need to move joints and bones back in place. Shesh. Yes, I'm reading what you are saying. Above, I also said "IF this is a chiropractic issue . . ."––which you ignored. I'm sorry for not bowing to your pedantic posts. You imply that NSAIDs don't fix problems, that they only relieve symptoms, and that is not the case. |
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Quoted: I'm sorry, I see value in chiropractors, but that's just Quoted: If you have tennis elbow, do you go to the fucking chiropractor or do you just take some NSAIDs until the symptoms resolve. Actually I had exactly that (not from playing tennis though) and did go to a chiropractor. The end of the outside bone in my forearm (forget which that is––radius or ulna) was dislocated slightly ("subluxated" in chiro-speak) and he put it back into place and the thing resolved without recurrence or the use of nsaids. ::shrug:: YMMV and all that. |
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Quoted: A lot of people fail to develop the muscles in their posterior chain, and have no ability to control there lower spinal errectors. People get all worked up when they see people lifting with their back (doing dead lifts), but its excercises like that which reduce the chance of lower back pain/injury For me: First time 35 years ago - I simply removed my wallet from my back pocket to me front pocket. It really worked. Thick wallets kept int the rear pants pocket can damage the nerve over time. Later in life - I rely on exercises such as a Yoga one called the Cobra. It is all about keeping you lower back aligned. Has kept flare ups at bay pretty good. I am assuming tat you have no significant disc damage or bone chips pressing on the nerve. |
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I'm sorry, I see value in chiropractors, but that's just Quoted:
If you have tennis elbow, do you go to the fucking chiropractor or do you just take some NSAIDs until the symptoms resolve. Actually I had exactly that (not from playing tennis though) and did go to a chiropractor. The end of the outside bone in my forearm (forget which that is––radius or ulna) was dislocated slightly ("subluxated" in chiro-speak) and he put it back into place and the thing resolved without recurrence or the use of nsaids. ::shrug:: YMMV and all that.
The dislocation causes inflammation and pain. Putting it back in place reduces and eliminates this over a few days. Would nsaids have done the same? Would I be taking them for much longer? Yes to both. So-called "tennis elbow" tends to persist for months or years, or even becomes chronic––and exactly because the actual problem is not routinely addressed by traditional medicine. "Treatment" is usually not even an actual treatment, but merely supportive (ice and nsaids), but later treatments are scary indeed, and have a low success rate.
Fixing the subluxation is like magic. It works. |
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I had it years ago, it was horrible. I worked with a guy who was going to have surgery for it, and he showed me this little trick. It worked so well for me it was hard to believe. Stand normally, and lift your left leg so your thigh is parallel to the ground. Do that about a dozen times. The pain stopped almost immediately. I did that every time it bothered me and it was completely gone in a couple weeks. It's never came back.
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This is possibly the kind of thing a Chiropractor can easily fix. It's cheap and quick to find out. Sure beats taking pain pills. The chiropractor really helped, but it was exercise, getting the mattress just right and finding the right pillows that worked for me in the long haul. You're not able to sleep, walk, sit, take a dump. Every movement was painful. I hope whomever has it, finds the right combination of things to eliminate it like I did. |