Sciatic Nerve Pain?

rebelina1

Does anyone have issues with sciatic nerve pain?  For the past week I have had the worst burning pain in my butt down through the back of my leg.  Most of the information I can find on the web says to rest, take muscle relaxers or advil.  Resting is not really helping and it is getting to the point where I can hardly walk at times.

I made an appointment with a chiropractor (a friend told me that an adjustment may help) but I can't get in until next week.  If you have this issue what do you do to help the pain? 

2006july15bride

I had a couple of years with this problem!  It was so bad that I would start to cry while driving home from work.  It turned out I had a weakness in my knee.  Eventually I partially tore my ACL and did rehab. I do quad strengthening exercises twice a week and it seems to have combatted my  problem.  I know that a chiropractor helped my mom when she had sciatic pain.

eab3093

I have two herniated discs that touch my right sciatic nerve. I have pain that runs down my right leg. I tried the chiropractor, physical therapy, and then I saw a surgeon who recommended that I have a series of epidural steriod injections. They really helped me. Some back pain will subside on its own, but unfortunately mine did not. Now, I only have pain when I overdo housework or lift something I shouldn't.  I also get it around O time...

Take Tylenol and an anti-inflammatory and see if those help. If not, I would see a doc. GL!!

argonne

Yes!  I have piriformis syndrome going on right now.  That's where the piriformis muscle puts pressure on the sciatic nerve and causes that lovely radiating pain from my butt down the back of my leg.

I talked to my PT about it and he suggested massage and stretches to loosen the muscle up.  I run a lot and that's what caused the muscle tighness/imbalance.  I stretch pretty well too, but haven't been focusing my stretches on that area (hips and glutes).

I found that the stretching, ibuprofen and a foam roller have helped immensely. 

Edited to add:  Stretching and massage will only help if your pain is due to muscle tightness and imbalance.  If your pain is from skeletal issues, then they what I suggested probably won't help that much.

js297206

Try ice? Thats what I used in addition to hydrcodone, mucle relaxers & motrin.

court1703

My DH was just having issues with this.  But he had a herniated ruptured disk that was hitting his.  Hopefully yours isn't that bad.

mrsferdi07

I have had issues with it on and off for years.  When it flared up, the chiropractor was my bff.  Also, I had to experiment, sometimes heat helped, but most of the time ice packs helped.  I was and still am a huge fan of Tiger Balm - an Asian remedy ointment that is like icy hot, but I think works so much better.

When not flared up the best and longest lasting help was to do lower back strengthening exercises, core strengthening exercises, and a lot of stretching.  That is really what keeps it at bay.  I know that is not much help now. 

nicki789

I have this and the only remedy has been seeing a chiropractor. They can adjust you through your pregnancy as well.?

Also try advil several times a day everyday to build up in your system (not sure if you can do this when you are pregnant tho). Also try icing your lower back on that side for 20 minutes several times a day.

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MsNessa

mrsferdi07:

I have had issues with it on and off for years.

Me too.  Within the past year I ended up going for an MRI to check my lower back.  I went to physical therapy a few years ago which seemed to help and I've done acupuncture which also helped a little.  Before getting PG I started seeing a DO (doctor of osteopathy) because it was getting so bad I would have to leave work in the middle of the day and I couldn't focus on anything.

He did manipulation on me and recommended some of the things others have mentioned (trying hot and cold) and gave me some stretches that I needed to do daily.  I was going to start on a high dose ibuprofen regimen but then I got PG and couldn't.

Good luck, I know how awful it can be to deal with.

GenRN45

I have herniated disks and piriformis syndrome... in addition to everyone above, I recommend this:

Take an ice pack and you have to practically sit on it... you want to place the ice where your thigh meets your butt. This is where the sciatic notch is, where the nerve runs under. If you can numb it there, it seriously lessens the pain.

Try ice there 20 minutes at a time a few times a day... see if that helps.

Feel better.

rebelina1

Thanks everyone for the advice!  I will try anything at this point.