Discussions

Can anyone tell me about their pain with sciatica? How did it feel to you? Although I have a limp the pain is bothering mostly at night. When I move my affected leg it feels like the bone is shattering, ugh.  
 
I was at my doctor about the pain the other day and was told it was sciatica.  
 
Has anyone used gabapentin for sciatica pain? Short term?  
 
Thanks for sharing your experience!

I have had lots of experience with sciatica pain down the leg, but I never use any kind of pain pills.  
 
I used to go to the chiropractor but have started going to a physiotherapist. The difference I have found between the 2 is that physio does a more thorough assessment of the problem whereas the chiropractor gets you on his bench and does the usual maneauvre. Last month I went to the chiropractor twice and nothing improved. Went to physio and after an hour and a half of treatment walked out like a new man. That night around 10 o''clock was still feeling great. Pain came back a couple of days later probably due to doing some heavy lifting went back to physio again an hour and a half and have felt good ever since.  
 
P.S. reason I don't use pain killers is I think if you get hooked on them they can do more harm to your stomach than good.  
 
Edited by Blade, 2016-11-11 08:37:32

Blade said "I have had lots of experience with sciatica pain down the leg, but I never use any kind of pain pills.     I used to go to the chiropractor but have started going to a physiotherapist. The difference I have found between the 2 is that physio does a more thorough assessment of the problem whereas the chiropractor gets you on his bench and does the usual maneauvre. Last month I went to the chiropractor twice and nothing improved. Went to physio and after an hour and a half of treatment walked out like a new man. That night around 10 o''clock was still feeling great. Pain came back a couple of days later probably due to doing some heavy lifting went back to physio again an hour and a half and have felt good ever since.     P.S. reason I don't use pain killers is I think if you get hooked on them they can do more harm to your stomach than good.     Edited by Blade, 2016-11-11 08:37:32"

I do need relief and quick especially at night.  
 
What kind of stretches did you do? I do the one where you roll the leg over and it did provide some relief.

Physio was helpful as they were able to diagnose what my issue is. One leg is slightly shorter than the other. When it acts up I find physio very helpful as they try to "stretch" the one leg out which gives me instant relief. I've tried insert in one shoe which also help.  
 
I think you need to find the cause of the sciatic issue and "treat" that.

Lay on your back and pull your knees 1 at a time up toward your chest for 15 seconds.  
With knee bent place other leg on top of bent knee and push down on the leg over the knee for 15 seconds.  
 
There are probably different exercises for whatever the problem is that is why you should go to physio and get assessed.  
 
Physio gives you heat with a vibrating machine which makes you feel good also maybe put you on a traction bed to stretch the inflammed muscle.  
 
I used to think you should use ice but apparently a heating pad with a vibrator works good as that is also what I used.

I grew and developed quite fast (had the full chest by 10 years old), so it put great strain on my whole skeletal system. I was a long distance runner too, but was not able to really continue with that past about 13 as my hip and sciatic issues became too much.  
 
I had sciatic issues, neck issues which plague me to this day, and upper back pain. For years I went to chiropractic which would fix the issues temporarily but always just short term.  
 
When I had my kids, the weight of pregnancy made it so much worse. I started seeing a remedial massage therapist who was so fantastic - she fixed the sciatic issues for good and was keeping me nice and straight with regular massages. It has been twelve years since I had any issue with my hips or lower back.  
 
Unfortunately, she became extremely ill late last year and I have not found one massage therapist that even comes close to the caliber of care she gave - and it is now starting to show. The progress she has made with my neck and shoulder pain is gone and I need her back!!  
 
With sciatic especially, you need to see a good muscle therapist. Yes, it is about bones not being seated correctly , but they will not stay in place if the structures around them (ie muscles and tendons) are not treated.  
 
I would suggest seeing Drayson or Joe at Dynamic for Physio. If that is not your style, try Christina for a good massage. She seems to have an understanding of cause and effect that most massage therapists just don't have.

One of those dense foam rollers.  
 
Quite often it is your IT bands that run down the outside of the leg that can be so tight it pulls your hip area out, which causes the sciatica.  
 
Lay on the floor and roll. It will hurt like hell at first, no lie. But if you do that a bit at a time it should give some relief so you can sleep. Ours lies beside out bed and it is the last thing hubby does before getting into bed if his hips are bugging him. I have seen him get out of bed at 3 am to roll on the thing if he has had a bad day.