What do you do to help ease your sciatic nerve pain?

namiss · February 2011

I have been having a really hard time with the pinched sciatic nerve. It flares up all the time and it hurts really bad, it even wakes me up from my sleep sometimes! It is always on my left side and its a real pain in the butt to deal with (literally). I have looked up ways to help but the only advice that I have found is to lay on the opposite side but that really does not work! Help!!!!

1momma · February 2011

::sits and waits for good replies::

mine gets me stuck one the floor (literally Ive had to call for help) playing with DS some days, and limping others.

ExpatFamily06 · February 2011

When I was pg with my first, I got sciatica late in pregnancy and OMG. Unfortunately, the only thing that I could do is rest as much as possible and avoid stairs and lifting my leg as much as I could. Sorry, I know it sucks.

measrn · February 2011

My OB told me to try pelvic tilt exercises, Ben-Gay, lying on the opposite side (doesn't help when both sides hurt!), using a heating pad and propping your butt... Unfortunately, I haven't found anything that works

My mom swears by ice, but I haven't tried that. Good luck!

futuremrslarkin · February 2011

Sorry that you're dealing with this - I'm going on 3 weeks with the pain, I can totally relate! I've started going to physical therapy which doesn't really seem to help all that much but when he stretches me it feels really good. I've found that tylenol can help take the edge off sometimes, also ice and heat depending on the day. Unfortunately there isn't a quick fix for this, I hope you get relief soon!

11kacey · February 2011

I have had lower back issues off an on. I find when I lay down on the floor (on my back) the pain can be really bad.. like I need to pop my hip or something. I take my foam roller (a smaller version of those Styrofoam cylinders they have at the gym) and put it underneath my tail bone. Initially, the pain is bad, but I only lie like that for about a minute, then I roll it to another spot, and then another, then back to the original spot until I have slowly stretched out my lower back. The relief lasts for days.

jetskreemr · February 2011

My pains are starting, but are not too horrible yet. What has helped me so far is to do forward bends (bend forward at the hip and just let arms and head hang down for 30 seconds or so.) I think it stretches the stuff in that area out. So far they are helping, but I'm worried for the day when they don't!

rxy5309 · February 2011

Exercise helps mine and switching sides that I sleep on. I ahve ben going to step class and that seems to work it out some.

dawnkelly10 · February 2011

Sleep with a snoogle. I bought one this week and I have slept better than I have ever slept before and I wake up with no pain. Its about $40-$50 but so worth it. Also I fall asleep with a heating pad everynight and when I get up to go to my first bathroom trip I just take it off.

jc&cat · February 2011

So far this time, it hasn't flared but I feel for you ladies!! It's bad! 2 things helped me the first time around. Sleeping with a regular bed pillow between my knees and prenatal yoga. I figured out the pillow on my own but the doc recommended the yoga. I picked up a DVD for like $15 and it made a big difference. I guess the stretching helped. GL!

SFBayMrs · February 2011

namiss:
I have been having a really hard time with the pinched sciatic nerve. It flares up all the time and it hurts really bad, it even wakes me up from my sleep sometimes! It is always on my left side and its a real pain in the butt to deal with (literally). I have looked up ways to help but the only advice that I have found is to lay on the opposite side but that really does not work! Help!!!!

I feel your pain (literally). I'm so sorry. It's the worst, isn't it. What's helped me tremendously has been HEAT, HEAT, and then more HEAT. I have a few of those gel pack thingys (you can get at the drugstore or grocery store) that you can either freeze or pop in the microwave, and once I tried heating it up it has worked wonders.

Particularly, in between flare ups, if I feel the slightest inclination that it's going to act up again, I use heat a few times a day and it's (so far, knock on wood) been working!

Also, once you're able, try to walk more than laying down (easier said than done I know). I found that when I've just let myself lay down too much (because it was so painful to walk) it just made me more stiff and made everything worse.

HTH and hope it gets better soon!

MissLMS · February 2011

My mom... who is a physical therapist and also has sciatica... recommends an ice pack, doing stretches and sleeping with a pillow between the knees.

Right now I don't have the pinched nerve feeling that I had when I was pg with DD, but I do have a numbness and tingling in the butt/thigh that is super annoying and wakes me up in the night sometimes too.

I'm also going to a chiropractor for it soon!

Emilicious88 · February 2011

Mine haven't gotten too horrible yet, but I do some specific exercises mean for pregnant women who get this pain, and I make sure to have a really thick pillow between my legs at night. It does wake me up at night sometimes, but I tend to take the opportunity to pee; and by the time I get back to bed, the walking around has fixed the pain. GL! I hope you find something that helps!

bkilbarger · February 2011

I definitely feel your pain! We spent 4+ hours in the ER last weekend because the pain was worse than the pain I felt giving birth to my son. It has been flaring up more and more lately and leaves it where I can't move. The real joke is that the ER doctor told me that unfortunately it's only going to get worse as she gets bigger... um, what??? The nurse recommended that I get one of the maternity support belts to help lift her head up off the nerve and support the weight of my belly more. It's not a 100% fix for the pain, but I can at least walk and don't get "stuck" in place when it flares up. Going to talk to my OB tomorrow about either seeing a chiropractor or prenatal masseuse as friends have told me that both really help.

::Definitely watching this post for more things to try for this::

munchi005 · February 2011

I've been having sciatica since 16 weeks. I was told by the MT and Chiropractor NOT to do heat. Heat feels good, but it is the worse thing for it as it is irritating the nerve & adding to any swelling. Ice reduces swelling, and though annoying, is the way to go.

So I've gone to the chiropractor 6 times now and it is definitely better. I just went to see the massage therapist again this week for more of lower back pain and just a total massage and it was great. Make sure ask your doc/mw first and you see someone that specializes in pre-natal.

Tips they gave me to do at home:

Sitting in a chair, cross the leg (for me its the right side) on to the left knee. Sit up straight and lean forward. Do about 5 times a few times a day.

If you are able to get you leg up higher, like on the kitchen counter. Stand and cross the leg on the counter. Lean forward ~ 5 times, a few times a day.

Cat Cows - just the arching up part, do not do the the bending your belly down part.

Also, pre-natal yoga in general has helped me too.

Good luck!!

SFBayMrs · February 2011

munchi005:

I was told by the MT and Chiropractor NOT to do heat. Heat feels good, but it is the worse thing for it as it is irritating the nerve & adding to any swelling. Ice reduces swelling, and though annoying, is the way to go.

That is odd, my chiropractor said the exact opposite. And for me personally, ice made it way worse and heat has made it go away.

To each his (her) own, I suppose!

1momma · February 2011

SFBayMrs:
munchi005:

I was told by the MT and Chiropractor NOT to do heat. Heat feels good, but it is the worse thing for it as it is irritating the nerve & adding to any swelling. Ice reduces swelling, and though annoying, is the way to go.

That is odd, my chiropractor said the exact opposite. And for me personally, ice made it way worse and heat has made it go away.

To each his (her) own, I suppose!

when I was seeing a chiro, he told me the same thing about using heat. He said ice is the way to go

chocoholicchick · February 2011

I guess each person reacts differently since heat has helped me tremendously and ice only makes things worse. I also do prenatal yoga and go to physical therapy to help stretch the muscle. Hope you find some relief soon!

heylee · February 2011

Sitting in the recliner to sleep has helped me as well as sleeping on the opposite side and using a few pillows to prop up the leg of the side that hurts. You also ask someone to rub out your pain.

Want a personalized experience?

What do you do to help ease your sciatic nerve pain?

Re: What do you do to help ease your sciatic nerve pain?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards