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Default Jan 01, 2022 at 08:19 AM
  #1
I’ve had sciatica over 7 months now, although looking back I had the beginnings some time before. This is what they now term a chronic condition, in many people this will resolve in a few months but it hasn’t with me.

I’m taking low dose amitriptyline to act as a nerve damper and naproxen and paracetamol daily for the pain. They definitely help but they don’t get rid of it entirely and I still have a nasty flare up most days for at least part of the day. I can at least walk now and that helps, although I’ve given up running which I love. I do various stretches which help sometimes although not a full yoga routine as some moves are too much for me and aggravate the pain.

The physio said he’d refer me for imaging with a view to nerve injection/surgery if appropriate but I’m holding off for now. I’m wary of making matters worse tbh.

Has anyone any experience of this condition? Any advice? Either dealing with the pain or whether surgery or nerve injection helped you?
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Default Jan 01, 2022 at 01:22 PM
  #2
I had it briefly and it went away on its own. It was just awful. I can't even imagine what you must be going through. Wish I knew what to say that would help. My heart really goes out to you!
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Default Jan 01, 2022 at 01:41 PM
  #3
I had it for a few years. It was brought on by the misaligned spine at the lumbar region. I did everything for it. Acupuncture, physical therapist, yoga, diets, pain meds. Finally I gave in and had surgery. That took care of it. It’s terrible to live with.

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Smile Jan 01, 2022 at 02:07 PM
  #4
I've always had low-back problems (and still do.) Around 20 years ago or so I sustained a ruptured disc in my low back (presumably the L5-S1 disc.) And this disc impinged on my sciatic nerve. So I had sciatica from that.

I never sought treatment for it. (My experience has been that medical / surgical treatments for low-back issues are always "iffy" at best.) But during that time period we always had dogs. And I walked them every day. Sometimes the pain would be such that I wondered if I'd made it home. But I always did. And over time my sciatica gradually lessened to the point where it was no longer of consequence. That's not to say it's gone entirely... but almost. I rarely even notice it anymore. I still have the same low-back problems though. In fact I just strained the muscles in my low back again a few days ago while shoveling snow! But I'm gradually recuperating from that as well now.

Hope you're able to resolve your own sciatica issues. Best wishes...
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Default Jan 01, 2022 at 03:56 PM
  #5
I feel your pain. I've been having sciatic pain flares since Thanksgiving. I've been having them since I was pregnant with my daughter. She's almost 16..
Acupuncture helped relieve some daily pain, along with deep tissue massage. Regular stretching and swimming help too. Unfortunately, flare-up for me hit suddenly. When I'm not home, I have found a deep squat that I hold for 10 to 15 seconds stretches my lower back enough to give me a few less painful minutes. It's my go to sciatic relief pose when I'm out in public and get attacked by pain.

Last edited by RollercoasterLover; Jan 01, 2022 at 03:58 PM.. Reason: Spelling mistakes
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Default Jan 02, 2022 at 01:35 PM
  #6
Really sorry to read so many of you have had to deal with this pain but thanks to everyone who took the time to share with me their own experience. It’s helpful to know and @Nammu I’m heartened to read that surgery helped.

It’s one of those things that can have different causes, so I guess for me it wouldn’t do any harm to go on the waiting list for imaging, maybe it can at least tell me the cause. At the moment my NHS physio is diagnosing a herniated disc but that’s just guesswork. I saw a sports physio who treated me for piriformis syndrome before this. Again it’s guesswork without imaging.
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Default Jan 08, 2022 at 04:50 AM
  #7
I had sciatica nerve problems decades ago. I'm now in my late-40s. Mine came from constantly walking, standing, and running. It took a few months for it to go away on its own, but I was in my 20s and quite resilient. If I ever got it again, it might take longer to heal - or it might require surgery, if such things ever get approved at the VA or by Medicare.

I think it depends on the cause of your sciatica pain.

I hope you are able to figure out the cause and then treat the problem at its root.

I'm so sorry you're in pain!

My 86-year-old mother is currently dealing with back pain related to what the doctor considers a "pinched nerve." I can't imagine her pain at her age, too!

Hang in there.
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Default Jan 08, 2022 at 04:52 AM
  #8
Someone mentioned "nerve flossing" which I believe is some sort of physical therapy for sciatica. I haven't looked into it myself though.
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Default Jan 08, 2022 at 03:39 PM
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Originally Posted by downandlonely View Post
Someone mentioned "nerve flossing" which I believe is some sort of physical therapy for sciatica. I haven't looked into it myself though.
Hi, thanks! I did an exercise whereby you sit upright in a chair and point your toes on the affected side up while tipping your head back, then point toes down and put head downward. The sports massage therapist gave me that one, along with lying on my back leg up in hamstring stretch while using my fingers to push into the back of my thigh. I think those were both flossing techniques, it’s hard to say if they helped, maybe a little (because muscles seem to go into spasm with the nerve compression) loosening things off but underlying the problem was still there unfortunately.
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Default Jan 08, 2022 at 03:47 PM
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Originally Posted by SprinkL3 View Post
I had sciatica nerve problems decades ago. I'm now in my late-40s. Mine came from constantly walking, standing, and running. It took a few months for it to go away on its own, but I was in my 20s and quite resilient. If I ever got it again, it might take longer to heal - or it might require surgery, if such things ever get approved at the VA or by Medicare.

I think it depends on the cause of your sciatica pain.

I hope you are able to figure out the cause and then treat the problem at its root.

I'm so sorry you're in pain!

My 86-year-old mother is currently dealing with back pain related to what the doctor considers a "pinched nerve." I can't imagine her pain at her age, too!

Hang in there.
Thanks @SprinkL3 I’m hanging in there with it, I’m keeping positive that I can overcome this eventually.

It’s interesting you say you got this when you were active, because everything I’ve read online has said either sedentary lifestyle or active one can be to blame! I’m like you in that I was active, running recreationally (long distance) and have a retail job where I’m on my feet, bending, twisting, lifting. So maybe it was both those things or maybe even neither -like you say it depends on the cause, which it’s hard to know without imaging.

Sorry your elderly mother is dealing with back pain/supposed pinched nerve too, hoping she’s able to get some relief with pain medication. The naproxen (I think in US you call it Aleve?) did help along with paracetamol, although it’s not great having to rely on it.
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Heart Jan 08, 2022 at 03:55 PM
  #11
@Discombobulated - I remember being on Naproxen in the 1990s. It just about killed my stomach though. I also had ulcers, I later found out. But pain killers, muscle relaxers (like Soma, which I was prescribed from a dentist when I had my wisdom teeth pulled), and anything to relieve that ache helps.

I'm dealing with an achy arm - either from too much mouse and cell phone use, or from sleeping on it wrong, or maybe both. I can't tell where the pain is from either, as it's somewhere inside and radiating from my elbow area, but rather on the side of the elbow where my right arm bends. I think I pinched a nerve or strained a muscle or something. All I take is Tylenol about once or twice a day.

I hope you feel better.
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Default Jan 08, 2022 at 07:44 PM
  #12
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Originally Posted by Discombobulated View Post
I’ve had sciatica over 7 months now, although looking back I had the beginnings some time before. This is what they now term a chronic condition, in many people this will resolve in a few months but it hasn’t with me.

I’m taking low dose amitriptyline to act as a nerve damper and naproxen and paracetamol daily for the pain. They definitely help but they don’t get rid of it entirely and I still have a nasty flare up most days for at least part of the day. I can at least walk now and that helps, although I’ve given up running which I love. I do various stretches which help sometimes although not a full yoga routine as some moves are too much for me and aggravate the pain.

The physio said he’d refer me for imaging with a view to nerve injection/surgery if appropriate but I’m holding off for now. I’m wary of making matters worse tbh.

Has anyone any experience of this condition? Any advice? Either dealing with the pain or whether surgery or nerve injection helped you?
Well my husband has back issues not EXACTLY sciatica as the main issue but its part of it. Gabapentin helps some. He had the injection which was more of a precursar to nerve ablasion which worked really well for him for about 2 years. But he tweaks it at least twice a year and that requires a couple of days of rest. Hes done pt out the wazoo as well. I am not someone who pushes pain meds but for people in his (and maybe yours) predicaments I think certain patients should have temporary access to pain medicine above aleve, motrin and tylenol. I know the world is in freakout mode over the opiate epidemic, I get it. And daily narcotics are not necessarily suitable for these conditions, I get that. But the few times a year that something as simple as bending down to tie his shoe- can cause him to not walk right and be in tears does not need more pt. Doctors should also read the warnings and side effect profile of the OTC pain meds. Not pretty. I had a cousin accidentally od on OTC meds because her scoliosis was so painful and she didnt take any prescribed opiate. She didnt over do it via amount it was 7 straight days of the max dosages and she went into rapid organ failure. There has to be a middle ground. My husband has received shots of toradol in the office and says that has worked amazing and last fall he received 3 days of percocet and was much better.

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Default Mar 03, 2022 at 12:38 PM
  #13
I’m updating this 2 months on (so now had sciatica 9 months) to report that I’ve actually had an improvement in symptoms. I’ve cut out the paracetamol, and now only taking Naproxen once daily on my working days, I have a physical job which may be related to the condition. Currently I’m tapering off amitriptyline (nerve damper) because although I tolerated it well I also put half a stone on! Down to half dose so far, looking to cut that soon.

I restarted running gradually about 7 weeks ago after the nhs physio said it was okay - I was surprised he said this but he said sometimes the body can be missing the motion. I’m really not sure of the science behind it but it’s coincided with a reduction in pain, still get flare ups but they’re less intense and fewer of them. No idea if it was the running or just luck but it certainly feels good to be out of the intense pain cycle even if it’s not gone entirely.

Just got that half stone to shift now!
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