Sciatica

nviola · June 2012

I've been suffering from terrible pain due to sciatica for the past 2 days. I plan on calling my OB tomorrow to see if there is anything he recommends, but in the meantime I can't get off the couch.

Any tips on how to relieve the pain in the meantime??

ncjulia12 · June 2012

I've been hit with the same thing for the past few days and it's pathetic- I'm limping around like someone's huge great-grandma. Rest, a warm bath, and massage on the point of the pain are the things that seem to help.

Good luck!

SummerMama12 · June 2012

I'm right there with you since the baby dropped. I use my herbal heat pack a lot and have to hold onto furniture when I get up at night because my right leg gives out. It's brutal.

victoriawaimon · June 2012

I will get random bouts of sciatica. I find that heat and massage will help alleviate some of the pain. I don't have it all the time, but I try to change positions in hopes to change LO's position on my nerves. Good luck.

rubyredlucy · June 2012

I had sciatica pain for about 2 weeks straight around 30 weeks. Nothing really helped but it finally went away when the baby moved off the nerve.

I'm not sure if this is what made the baby move, but it hurt so badly that I couldn't get comfortable on the couch so I spent a few evenings kneeling on my hands and knees (doggy style, lol) with my belly hanging down. I'd just kneel like that for a half hour or so while I watched tv because it was the least uncomfortable position I could find; I think it encouraged the baby to move because the pain went away a few days later.

Stretching can also help lessen the pain temporarily.

E3A7AGGIE · June 2012

I have had this randomly each day for about a week. It's only in my left butt-cheek though and isn't constant. I told my dr. about it at my appt. last week and she said there's not much I could do about it.

Normally it happens when I'm walking, and I end up lifting my leg and doing some weird movement to alleviate the pain. :P

Otherwise, I've read warm baths or heating pads help, or laying on the side opposite the pain to see if baby will move off of it. Also read to try to avoid standing or staying in the same position for a long time.

Hope you get some relief soon!!!

khill86 · June 2012

rubyredlucy:
I had sciatica pain for about 2 weeks straight around 30 weeks. Nothing really helped but it finally went away when the baby moved off the nerve.
I'm not sure if this is what made the baby move, but it hurt so badly that I couldn't get comfortable on the couch so I spent a few evenings kneeling on my hands and knees (doggy style, lol) with my belly hanging down. I'd just kneel like that for a half hour or so while I watched tv because it was the least uncomfortable position I could find; I think it encouraged the baby to move because the pain went away a few days later.
Stretching can also help lessen the pain temporarily.

I'll second being on all fours. It was the only way I could be comfortable. Eventually I started sitting on the edge of our couch and putting my elbows on a pillow on our coffee table (same height as couch seat) and letting my belly hang down that way, too. When I couldn't sleep I'd get up and watch TV like that for a half hour or so. A hot bath and having a heating pad on my back when my belly was hanging down helped, too.

The constant pain had me so tense though, that it made my hips, shoulders, and thighs hurt, too. So I decided to get a prenatal massage. She spent about a half hour on my left flank (where the pain was worst) and then another half hour working out the rest of the tension. I felt worse the rest of the day, but felt worlds better the day after and since. She said that she was hoping that relieving the tension would be enough to loosen my muscles and ligaments and allow my hips to spread a bit and encourage the baby to drop more. It could just be a coincidence, but he's definitely dropped more in the few days after the massage and that definitely relieved a lot of the pain and tension. I'd definitely recommend a prenatal massage if it's an option.

notfrancie · June 2012

Can you get someone to massage your sacrum? I am not sure if this would help. Hope you feel better soon!

bridetobe6411 · June 2012

I have been dealing with sciatica for about 7 1/2 years! Ever since I was pregnant with DD1. All of the PPs suggestions may help and also, take a warm bath or get yourself into a pool if possible. I hope you feel better!

cchill01 · June 2012

It sucks, but both my OB and chiropractor said that the only thing that will make it all better is to have the baby. The alignment did nothing for my sciatica.

Contrary to everyone else's recommendations, I prefer ice over heat. So, that might be worth trying.

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