Is this sciatic pain?

blindvictory · February 2012

Ok, ladies. Help me out with this, because it's totally new to me.

Saturday night when I was at work, I started experiencing this sensation that almost felt like I needed to pop a joint, but at the base of my tailbone and to the side. (Can't be something that needs to pop, there's no joint there.) That sensation quickly escalated into a stabbing, shooting pain in my buttocks whenever I took a step. I was in tears it hurt so bad. When I got home and sat on the couch, it still hurt, and if I leaned forward, it would have that shooting pain again.

Slept through the night just fine, and then re-discovered the pain at church services. We go to a pretty small congregation with non-padded pews, and my butt was killing me by the end of services. When I took a nap this afternoon, I realized that laying on my sides for a while caused my whole pelvis to just ache. (Seeing as how you're not supposed to lay on your back, and it's not going to be long until I can't lay on my stomach, that's a problem.)

Does that sound like any sciatic pain that any of you have experienced? I wouldn't have expected it to show up so early, and so ferociously. Do I go to a chiropractor to find out what it is? Is there any way to relieve the pain? I was thinking about quitting my job at the end of the month, and buddy, this is making me feel more and more like that's a good idea.

km3 · February 2012

I'll be curious to see other people's posts about this. I had this same exact thing kick on on Wednesday, and it the shooting pain is excruciating. I'm not sure if it's sciatic pain or if it's pelvic girdle pain; I've read online about both.

I've noticed that the shooting pain isn't as bad when I have shoes on, and I have ice on my lower back/butt right now. Any of tips are MUCH APPRECIATED!

on_a_whim · February 2012

I get sciatic nerve pain every now and then, both before and during this pg. It's like a shooting pain that starts in your buttocks and shoot down (what feels like) the back of your thigh. Light lightning crotch, just in your a$$ and left but maybe 3 times worse. It only lasts several seconds to a couple of minutes.

You relieve sciatic nerve pain in a couple of ways... a) if it happens while you're laying on your right side - lay on your left side...and vice versa, and b) if it happens while you're walking/standing - sit down and take a load off. I've never had it happen while in a sitting position though, so not sure how to remedy that

lbrown9807 · February 2012

I had very bad sciatic nerve pain with DS and it started around 11 weeks, so its def not too early for you to get it. From what your describing, I would say thats what it is, what helped for me was having DH take a tennis ball and put pressure and massage right on the area it hurt, this is very tender but it gives you relief in the long run. You may want to check with a healthcare professional as this is NOT official advice

ilovelife · February 2012

Yep! Welcome to the sciatic nerve club. I get these pains every time I go from laying in bed to getting out of bed. It gets worse too.

LegallyBlonde217 · February 2012

Yes, that's exactly what sciatica feels like. I've had it for a couple weeks now. After the first week, it stopped being a sharp pain and started feeling tingly and a little numb (from the nerve being pinched). I had a couple massages, but the relief was minimal and very temporary. My Dr said if it continues she'll send me to physical therapy. My old physical therapist said to stay off my feet as much as possible to try to relieve the pain. Also, sitting is the hardest thing on sciatica because everything in your lower back compresses around the nerve.

Before having back surgery, my sciatic nerve was pinched by a disc and my vertebrae on and off for 10 years so I know what sciatica feels like.

jennakg · February 2012

Sounds like sciatic pain to me too. It hurts. Try stretching it out. It might be painful, but it'll feel good afterwards. I've had issues with sciatica for a couple of years now and I've definitely noticed it worsening since I got prego.

km3 · February 2012

Thanks everyone for the info. I'm going to try the tennis ball massage and see if that helps. Other than that, I'll sit/lay around as much as possible - which isn't much because of my job.

My husband has been doing yard work this afternoon, and he has the hot tub heating up right now. I would LOVE to get in. So jealous...

blindvictory · February 2012

SharkFarts:

This sounds more like sacroiliac joint pain. I had this with my first. Here's a link about it. (from Parent's Magazine)

On my old BMB (August 2010) we talked about this and one poster added helpful pics. Anyway, hope you find what is causing it and can find relief. When I had SI joint pain before doing the yoga move where you get on all fours and switch between arching and relaxing your back really helped. I can't remember the name of it right now.

Cat/Cow! One of my favorite moves for stretching my back out.

HRP22 · February 2012

There are some stretches on youtube if you want to take a look. ?Just search for sciatic stretches and you'll find them.

?

tcharneia · February 2012

Let me say that I am not some holistic person. I LOVE western medicine! With that being said I have a friend that was opening an accupuncture clinic and I let him use me as a guinea pig. He CURED my TMJ and I would limp in after running in bad shoes (shin splints) and I would run back out. He has since moved but now a days A LOT of accupucturists take innsurance and sciatica is one of the first things they learn to treat and is super easy. For those of you who don't like needles the needle is so thin that it bends. If any of you are in Chicago and go to NWPG )like very pregnant women I know) they have an accupuncturist on staff!

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