Anybody suffered with Sciatica?

Been coming on last couple of years but didn't last long. This time been nearly 3 weeks and pain is terrible.

Been prescribed tablets and to contact physio on Monday. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced it

 

Yes was in agony with it for five weeks a few years ago. Couldn't lay down, sit or stand in one position for more than a few minutes. Took ten sessions of physio to sort it and still get it now for short spells every so often. You have my sympathy mate. Get to physio as often as you can until it starts to settle down

 

When I first knackered my back from football/squash I had really bad Sciatica went down in my calfs. How old are you if you don't mind me asking? Because if I had my time again I would have got a personal trainer and spent 6 months strengthening my back rather than talk to the "medical profession" who were basically a waste of time. My advise is:-

1) Go to a Chiropractor for initial treatment, if it cures move on to stage 2, if not, you may need to continue with Chiro for longer but I would encourage to go to 2 at some stage
2) join a gym, get a fitness instructor, get fit, move around, don't stop doing stuff because your back hurts.
3) I found Physio to be less than useless, I have tried every fix believe you me. Acupuncture works as does reflexology, what I found from science is they can put a man on the moon but they can't cure back pain, so ignore the sniffy comments about "alternative therapy" because the truth is that standard medics can't cure back pain.

 

Physio helped me. I could barely walk into the room session 1, my back was in spasm with the pain and after a few sessions the muscles relaxed and the pain got less and less. You are right that there is no cure for back pain though. Once you start with it, it's never totally gone. Always a niggle or an ache when you are bending, lifting or sometimes just sat or laid in the same position for too long!

 

Physio is farely limited imho. I have had back pain every day for 20 years, some days I take tablets, some days I man up, but for short term relief Chiro is the best answer.

 

mine was a pro-lapsed disc, I no longer have sciatica but the pain and stiffness locally is crap....:-(

 

Yes, had it all day, every day from being 17 to 29. Could hardly walk by the end. Visited the docs countless times who were next to useless and had numerous physio sessions, but nothing did any good at all. I was basically in agony for 12 years.

Then one day, by chance, I was watching a TV show and this bloke had an MRI scan for pains in his back. I'd never heard of an MRI scan. This was in the days before you could check everything out on the internet. I went to the Docs and told him I wanted one of these MRI thingies. He didn't want to send me, but I wouldn't take no for an answer. So I saw a surgeon, who also didn't want to let me use the facility, but again I wouldn't take no for an answer. Barnsley hospital didn't have an MRI machine at the time, but one used to come in the back of a lorry and park out the front of the hospital. Had the scan and the results showed I had a spinal disc herniation. It was in a right mess, wrapped around my nerves causing the pain down my legs, getting progressively worse and worse due to lack of treatment.

I remember distinctly when I did it. When I was 17. I used to deliver coal and one day I picked up a bag to lift it on to the back of the lorry and I felt my back rip open. I'd told the Docs of this experience and told them of the pains down my legs, but I've come to the conclusion most GPs couldn't diagnose a cold.

Anyway, I had the surgery and the pain down my legs went away, I'm far more mobile, no longer in constant agony, but unfortunately my back is still ******, made much worse by walking/sitting/standing awkwardly for 12 years while I was in pain.

 

I am a big fan of Chiropractic too for back and neck problems. In fact I go once a month for "maintenance" regardless of any injuries or pain. To me, physio is great for muscles, but useless for spinal / nerve issues.

 

Wow, didn't know there was so many of us bad back tykes! I've 2 prolapsed disks which cause compression of the spine and the sciatic nerve, there's 2 main positions that help, extension , ie standing up tall, stretching out etc or compression, curling up in the feotal position etc, find what works for you and the physio will give you exercises that help.

As many have said physio works, so does Pilates, it's all about core strength and the pelvis, failing that after an MRI scan you might be looking at an operation , that's really last resort though

 

You have my sympathy Mate. 10 years ago I slipped a disc in my back. For years I'd suffered from a sore back due to excessive lifting at my work. One morning after a nightshift I could not get out of bed. FFS I'd never had pain like that in my life. TBH I was crying with it. Anyway ever since I have suffered with Sciatica. Sometimes mild sometimes very painful. My last attack was last year at this time. 6 weeks it took to go. Couldna stand, couldna sit told the doc and he couldna dae nothing for me. Pain killers are no good as it is a nerve pain and special pain killers have to be taken which the doc was not happy about prescribing. He said that I'd have to be suffering symptoms for 2 months before he'd consider prescribing them.
I'm no looking forward to my next bout of Sciatica but it will come. Just seems to be something I have to live with.

 

Some on here are talking back pain from vertebrae damage. I have had this for years and you get to know what to do to not aggravate it. I then got sciatica three years ago. This was totally different. You trap or inflame your sciatic nerve. If really bad it works down from the buttocks through the thighs into the calfs and finally through the feet and toes. The pain is unreal and to lay or try and rest is impossible. You need strong painkillers but these can damage your kidneys, so only take them for short period. It goes eventually about 5 weeks but it is in background occasionally . Best of luck, you have my sympathy

 

I've had back problems for years - diagnosed recently as Spondylitis - which effectively is when the veratebraes(in my case V4-V5), fuse together and compress on the sciatic nerve. My initial pain was in the groin and I nearly had a hip replacement thrust on me - that is until the Surgeon gave me an injection in the groin which had absolutely NO effect. "In that case its NOt your hip" he said - dismissing me!
I had 6 months of physio which eased it but no more, spent over £300 on a Chiropracter who couldn't establish what it was and then visited a back specialist at Claremont in Sheffield, who decided on a spinal injection. On my admission, we were sat waiting for our appointment and another chap, a fellow Reds fan, & I got talking - it was end of April and getting to the serious end of the season!! Just before my injection, the specialist announced that he had overheard our conversation of football. You're not a Deedar are you I asked in trepidation - No I'm a Wolves fan and it looks like you or us to go down!! Fortunately for me he was professional and must admit it has eased it a lot. The onlyu cure seems to be an operation, but that carries its own risks and there's no guarantee of success. I did invite him to this afternoon's game but he reneged as its his son's birthday party but have promised to invite him next year - unless we're in the Prem!!! He offered to renew the injection in 4 months time - this is NOT available to Deedars but "As you're a nice Barnsley fan - I'll do it for you". Hope Wolves get promoted!!

 

I'm 38 buddy always been active, football and cycling but last couple of years got less due to the pain

 

Thanks all. Looks like a common problem, pain does run down the front of the leg and into the calf.

On Wednesday my hip locked in position which prompted the visit to the quacks and to be fair was really helpful. The pain killers seem to be working just need to give the other meds a chance to work

Whatever happens I won't be missing a game

 

Try Juniper oil in a hot bath...I used it for neck and shoulder trouble (arthritis) and missus for Sciatica...don't get me wrong its not an overnight cure...but it definitely works after a few weeks...if you started now, by the time the weather turns in a month or two, you should feel a difference.... Just run a hot bath, wait until you've finished putting the water in, until you put your drops in..about 6-8 drops all over the water...get in and soak.. dont go to Holland and Barrett's..rob-dogs, get it on line or from the herbalist at Denby Dale Its not cheap, a little bottle is about £8..but it last a while..

 

Cheers spider will give anything ago

 

Had a bad back on and off the last 10 years.

Always found the Chiropractor more use than Physio.

Been fine since I lost 2 stone a couple of years ago.

 

BBS ........Bad Back Society


I'm in. Had back problems for years but not to the extent of some of you. You all have my sympathy!