Sciatica - how do you cope?

linni

teachergirl, what sort of surgery did you have as I have a similar problem and am told there is nothing they can do? I have tried everything else..

tenacioust123

I agree with the mattress, I tried out a the well known one but didn't like it. We ended up with a memory foam top and coils underneath a well known make too, cost a fair bit but well worth it.

teachergirl

Hi there Linni I started off going in for just a discectomy which is where they take away the bit of the disc that is bulging out of the vertebrae, but they did a decompression(think this is where they open up the hole that the nerve goes through) and a reconstruction as well. I was told that back surgery only works in very specific cases I am just so thankful that mine was a case they considered worth it,It was risky, as any surgery is but I was befuddled with pain killers and very little relieved the pain. I lost so much weight because of the pain I was in it really was dreadful.(sadly have put the weight back on) Thats why I really empathise with the people here.

Nyarlathotep

Hi mumoftwins, I know how you feel as I have had similar symptoms for a couple of months now. I've got an appointment at the orthopedic clinic next week so I shall see what they have to say. At the moment I'm just taking painkillers, antinflammatories and seeing the physio.

My sciatica however is caused by arthritis in the facet joints and a slipped vertebra (both due to disc degeneration) according to the xray I had. The pain is like an electric shock flooding down the left leg. Now the physio thinks there may be something wrong with my left hip as well. I can just about cope with the daytime discomfort, and difficulty with driving, but it's constantly waking up after 2 hours at night in pain that I've found difficult to cope with, also as you say, the constant fidgeting when sitting down, in my case, having to get down and lie on my back on the floor with my knees pulled up to my chest!!

It's so annoying as I've lost weight (5 stone) over the past few years and done everything to ensure this type of thing doesn't happen, I've been going to the gym regularly also for the past few years and would have regarded myself as very fit for my age (57). Now I can just about manage 20 minutes on the treadmill and some upper arm exercises.

I do hope the orthopedic clinic can help but I do know there is not too much that can be done with the slipped vertebra. Manipulation of the spine would be dangerous with this condition which is why it's important to know what is causing the sciatic symptoms.

Well I've just managed a couple of hours gardening and I feel okay after it - my back seems to loosen up after bending and stretching for a while. Hopefully it won't be too bad tonight. I really sympathise with anyone with this condition.

mumoftwins

Last night I went to bed an hour earlier than normal because I was just so tired. Managed to sleep 4 hours as usual then was up with pain, but this time it was just hip pain no nagging pain in my buttock which was what had been so awful over the last couple of months.

Stayed up for about an hour and went back to bed and managed to sleep for another 4.5 hours!

When I actually got up this morning I was not as stiff as usual and the pain was milder than before. I managed to do more around the house too. I made sure that after a couple of hours I sat with the ice pack in place and have done so every couple of hours all day.

At the moment I am going through a painful fidgety stage but, whilst it is bad, its not as bad as it has been.

Will keep you posted about how the night goes - am having my doubts that tonight will be as good as last night though

sunnyone

I have had sciatica for 17 years and had every treatment going including spinal injections and surgery, nothing has worked.

As another poster has said sitting is very bad for sciatica but with a special cushion its a lot more comfortable.

I have had to learn to live with it.

I have a memory foam matress, which I love because it means no pressure on my lower spine. I dont react well to tens or heat/cold.

The pain clinic is best thing for me and with 24 hour patches, cox 2s, anti-apasmotics and oral pain killers I can cope, just!

The biggest problem with sciatica is it comes back, there is no perminant cure but there is treatment and with treatment you can live and not exist.

sunnyone

tanith

Sciatica can indeed be cured if the root cause of the problem is dealt with.. I had spinal surgery to relieve the pressure on the Sciatic nerve and have never had Sciatica since that day having suffered for 5 or 6 yrs previously. Its now been 10yrs since my surgery....... it doesn't obviously work for everyone but it can be cured..

mumoftwins

Sunnyone, what is this special cushion you use please?

Glad to hear that you have got over the pain of sciatica Tanith, I'm about to go to bed and try for a good night's sleep

Munro_Bagger

Hi mumoftwins! I suffer from spondylitis, with frequent bouts of sciatica down the back and front of my legs, including my shins. I permanently feel as though I've got a 4" piece of wood across my lower back, which stops me bending properly. As a consequence, I tend to bend using my upper body, which doesn't help my posture! I've found the following help;

1. Yoga (Iyengar);
2. Hot water bottle / heat pad on the lower back / hot baths;
3. Most importantly, a doctor who takes you seriously. I moved recently and signed up with a new surgery - I'd never seen the doctor before, but within 2 mins he looked at my shoes and noticed I walk on the outside of my feet. He then sent me off for an x-ray, as a precaution (came back fine - just the expected amount of wear and tear) and suggested NHS physio. Prior to this, I paid for a private chartered physio, who was superb - I had traction, infra-red treatment, manipulation and tens. The only downside was the expense! The NHS physio has given me exercises (very similar to yoga) and mentioned that acupuncture can be used to 'manage' the pain. All this in 3 months - I'd spent 5 years previously trying to convince many doctors that someone in there mid-thirties really was in a huge amount of pain and that it was seriously impacting on my life! I'm going to ask for a referral to a podiatrist, since how my feet are planted on the ground has a bearing on my back / hips and hence pain. It may be that orthotics in my shoes can help;
4. A supportive chair if you've got a desk-based job / or need to sit for a period of time.
5. Gentle exercise - walking, and particularly swimming.
6. Managing the pain by attending a 'pain clinic'. My local surgery has posters up about free 2.5 hour classes each week - I never knew they existed!
7. A friend of mine mentioned making sure you've got the correct pillow in bed - if you sleep on your side, for instance, you may need a different pillow from a person that sleeps on their back / front. Perhaps aligning the spine properly, with a good orthotic pillow and mattress may also assist.

I hope these pointers are of some help. Just remember - you are not alone

mumoftwins

Welcome MB and thanks for your useful tips!

Another night of 4 hours sleep :mad: tried to go back to sleep at 6.30 but dozed until 7.40 am so not a lot of rest, will be heading back to bed again after a 3 piece suite I am bidding on on ebay finishes at 12.12pm.

Need to buy another ice pack really as by the time I wake up the one I took to bed has defrosted so no help for another 2 hours or so until it has frozen again.

Hope you all have a pain free day,

love MOT