Sciatica

Posted by liz223 @liz223, Mar 26, 2019

I'm still fighting Sciatica. I had my last spinal injection 3/11. This one did not work well as the two before did. I developed a steroid headache and my blood pressure went dangerously high. I spent two different nights in the ER. I still have the pain as well as weakness in my leg. I have fallen a number of times and now using a walker. I plan to call for an appointment with a neurosurgeon this morning. I'm hoping there is an answer other than surgery because I am 87 years old and do not want to face surgery. A physical therapist is coming to my home today and I am looking forward to whatever he has to suggest. I can find no medication to stop this pain. Any suggestions?

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Hi Richmond 54660 Georgia from Australia, Hi, you did not read my note. I made it short. I am not working on body digestive track or muscle function etc. I an a tutor in Biotech, and physics so I understand the human cell which makes up the entire body. It makes genetic sense to me completely that "if you reprogram the chemistry and of mitosis (cell division) and reprogram the repair process. You got a nice new cells. The drugs for this program are the ones your body makes anyway --but like 'EVERYTHING ELSE IT RUNS OUT AS WE AGE. I know all about David Sinclair's history. My interest is not political of commercial it is based on what I know about genetics. You have your way. I was just suggesting another because it is easy and "I am a bit lazy."

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Hi Liz 223, From Georgia in Australia. I also had 10/10 back/leg pain problems. I am surprised you say "I can't find any medication for this pain" -- you should not have to fine it -- get on your specialists in Pain Management -- If they can 't stop it--- get on your Nephrologist. Why do I say him ? He will tell you which drug, and which strength will not damage your kidneys. My Nephrologist told me the top limit. l He gave me two drugs and it stopped 10/10 (that is pain called "excruciating" where one can't even take one step. I am also 85 and want no open surgery. I looked at PRP (look it up) and was not a candidate so I went for the next RFA (radio frequency ablation where they silence the nerves from passing on the pain message. It is mildly invasive. It does not affect the motor nerves. The third choice was fusion but since it is "open surgery" I said no thank you guys. !!! Push these guys --!!! they can do it.

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Yes, these days, we have to tell doctors what we need and keep saying it until we get it. They are so busy trying to keep their practices open and spending hours every day doing paperwork for the government and insurance companies that they have less short term memory left for patients. Then the insurance companies cheat them every way they can think of. Some of my relatives and friends are doctors; they would love nothing more than to go back to old-fashioned medicine where all they had to do was help patients. Peggy

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@katclub

I’ve been using my stem unit daily on back. My surgeon wanted me to see my back doctor but I’m not interested in a nerve block as they last for me about a month. Sciatica is bad but with knee pain , swollen and stiff I’m ready to scream!

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What is a stem unit?

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@richman54660

I have lower lumbar DDD and to some extent some sciatica as well. Stretching and exercise seems to help me the most. I also use an inversion table (briefly a couple times a day; contraindicated in those with high blood pressure). I used to use nortriptyline (low dose) for nerve pain but now I'm off that. I do take supplements such as resveratrol, Rutin (Swanson brand, 250 mg with lunch), soy isofavlinoids, and some quercetin (now or Jarrow brand) with breakfast as well as turmeric with lunch and these supplements might help lower the pain, somewhat. Bioflavinoids in general might help lower pain - but I think the citrus bioflavinoids cause more pain (not sure why). I'm pretty sure some of the other supplements may actually lower pain and help fight inflamation and promote healing.

Sciatica was more of an "add on" issue for me and mostly involved burning sensations in the legs and accompanied muscular tension in the lower legs - not weakness or extreme debilitating pain (so far). My biggest symptom was sitting pain as well as stiffness (a hallmark of myofascial pain). My DDD probably fuels it for me but proper stretching and exercise (Pilates reformer, TRX suspension for core and do intense psoas / hip flexor stretches, too, and very deep breathing to release tension (while I exercise)) really helped me (and I have less sciatica / burning, too).

I also had piriformis syndrome (buttocks spasms & can cause sciatica) and all kinds of tension in upper legs, too (tight IT bands, tight areas/ trigger points in quads, glutes and upper hamstrings). I learned all this working with various therapists. Again, stretches and exercises for piriformis, glutes, helped me. Trigger points (i.e. "charlie horses" in the muscle) in that area can refer pain and tension to the buttocks and surrounding areas and possibly cause sciatica. TRX suspension core routines work glutes well, try the figure 4 stretch against a wall for pirifirmis (or get a piristretcher from miracle stretch). Rollga foam rollers are good, too, for rolling legs and glutes and possibly into the sciatic notch, etc., - they effectively are like having various sized massage balls available. Electrical stimulation of tight areas might help. Some chiropractors have e-stim or you can buy a TENS/EMS unit for yourself. I had very tight glutes and this probably contributed to my sciatica and other pains. Try rolling tennis balls or 4 or 5 inch massage balls on the glutes or along the upper hamstrings to get rid of trigger points (you may need to rest on trigger points for several minutes to get rid of them). Yes, Myofascial pain and tension is probably caused by some type of nerve compression – but it can be made better or made to go away with the right stretches and exercises (possibly) - and the tight muscles can possibly cause sciatica and other pains. Mine got a lot better. I still have a little sitting pain is all.

Try everything, and listen to your body. BTW, a TRX system, a Rollga roller (these are curved) a TENS /EMS system and a pelvic therapy wand will probably cost you less than 1-2 Myofascial release treatments will cost. My thinking is getting rid of this was a do it yourself project for me – but I actually enjoy stretching and exercising. Also, I found working the stairclimber at gym as well as weights, pilates, TRX really helped. Stretching and exercise could help many people.

Sciatica is a symptom - not a diagnosis. It can come from pinched nerves in the spinal discs or other nerve compression - including in the hip areas - from other structures / tight muscles. So there isn't necessarily just one cause or just one symptom that goes with it. Some of this may be beyond those interested in just sciatica - but if you also have pains / spasms in the lower back and hips here are some other books to read. Chronic pain gets harder to get rid of the longer it goes on. Books to read: "Headache in the Pelvis" by Anderson and Wise, Life after pain (Dr. Jonathan Kuttner; a quick and easy read) and Pain Free (by Peter Egoscue) – but I prefer more intense exercises than his simple e-cises ("A muscle that does not move becomes a muscle that can not move" -Egoscue). Also, "Heal Pelvic Pain" (Stein) is good. When you get nerve compression and possibly whole regions of tension – like I had. You may have tension you're not really aware of – you just feel the pain/ spasms/ other nerve pain (burning/tingling) and even other parasthesias (altered sensations also including sweating and ciruculatory effects). The steps above helped me greatly get back to almost normal. Good luck.

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I had dry needling done maybe 5 sessions and it did offer permanent pain relief in one area but better than no area!

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@pfbacon

I'm having it today - it started when I got out of my car and it has started twice when I was sitting in the driver's seat getting my handbag from the passenger seat - I felt it 'grab' and doubled over with the pain. Pelvic Tilt exercises help; they stretch the nerve but it takes days of tilting before it works. Neither Aspirin, Tylenol, Advil, or Naproxin have done anything. At night I will take either 1/2 of a muscle relaxer or 1/2 of a codeine - otherwise, I won't be able to sleep. I'm reading your posts with interest ... Peggy

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I found “BobandBradthemostfamousphysicaltherapistsontheinternet” and they show the McKenzie method of stretching for those worst of us sciatica sufferers (I’ve been getting progressively worse over 10 years). It is just starting to help. Baby steps. You are supposed to start by doing them every hour. I do the best I can.

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@lioness

@liz223 I use Arnica it helps me for the pain

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@liz223 do you use Arnica sublingually? What type of dosage? Thanks for sharing.

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@bustrbrwn22

@liz223 do you use Arnica sublingually? What type of dosage? Thanks for sharing.

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Does anyone else use Arnica for sciatica pain? I tried some tablets sublingually but that didn’t help relieve pain.

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@bustrbrwn22

Does anyone else use Arnica for sciatica pain? I tried some tablets sublingually but that didn’t help relieve pain.

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@busterbrown Hi I use Arnica for pain it gives me relieve but like all rubs you have to repeat

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@bustrbrwn22

Does anyone else use Arnica for sciatica pain? I tried some tablets sublingually but that didn’t help relieve pain.

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@bustrbrwn22 Hi Jen, I tried Arnica, but it did nothing for my pain......sorry. Gave it up quickly. Lori Renee

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