massage chairs

pendine50

I have developed really painful sciatica and thought maybe a massage chair might help? Does anyone know where I could try before I buy in devon please? also tips on coping with severe pain would be welcomed
thanks

Mrs_Thrify

Sciatica is pain resulting from irritation of the scaitic nerve typically felt in the lower back and top of legs. The pain warns us something isn't quite right, that we should take medicine or go a doctor.When in pain try regular exercise, including stretching. Sleep on your back with a pillow under your knee's. Remember to wear comfortable well fitting shoes.Try a diffrent type of chair with more back support, put your feet up on a stool.A chair with massage or whirl pool bath will give a diffrent sensation to feeling the pain, so will a hot cold pad. Try tapping one hand on the other arm when the pain is bad to fool the brain. Hope my advice is of some help Penine 50, chin up
Best Wishes...

shykins

pendine i feel for u .. i get this all the time and u get at yr wits end.. i have a massage pad thing u put in yr chair but to be honest dont find it that helpful for the pain

cold compresses help plus i find swimming (or floating) makes it feel less painful and as julie says regular exercise keeps it at bay ... i know exercising is the last thing u feel like doing but when its not so bad give it a go

hopefully it wont go on too long but if it does u actually get used to a level of pain .. i know it sounds weird but after years of sciatica i know... are u taking ibuprofen and painkillers??

hope u feel better soon
xx

pendine50

Actually this has been going on for a year now. doctor has given me strong painkillers and anti inflammatory tabs but these do not touch the pain. I have been doing back strenggthening exercises since november including sit ups. I have bought a gym ball as per physios advice and borrowed a tens machine.
But the only thing that makes it feel a little better is if I do nothing at all but sit or lie down. As a single working parent this is impossible.
I feel as if a red hot poker is being pressed into my buttock and this spreads down my leg to halfway down my calf where it feels like i have stepped into a man trap. The pain is acute and makes me pale and tearful. My foot goes numb and I would cheerfully chop off my leg with a rusty saw when it is at it s worst .
Has anyone tried one of these chairs?:

oldbat1

I had this, went and saw a physio who specalises in "pinched nerve syndrom" four sessions, NEVER had the problem again, and as you said a rusty saw would have come in handy prior to the treatment

pendine50

OLd Bat.What did the physio do ? Mine has just told me to exercise as per the given sheet and then when I saw a different one she told me to stop doing anything that aggravates it . Which is everything!

shykins

i know exactly how u feel pendine i have probably had mine for 3plus yrs now

i found physio all but useless.. the TENS i found useful but u have to get a proper one not just one from the chemists as they dont do anything at all

as i said before i didnt find the massage chairs helpful at all, as a cheaper alternative u can get the large massage pads that u can place on a chair and they work ok for a while.

i did go to a chiropractor which helped with some of the pain when i actually couldnt walk at all, they got me moving again... mainly manipulation and acupuncture so that may be worth a try too

i find painkillers useless and cannot take anti inflams so no help there.. i wish i could suggest somethig to u that can help but if anyone else has any ideas i would be happy to try them as well

hope it improves for u soon
xx