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Dealing with Sciatica pain
Am dealing with pain on my left side radiating down my leg with numbness and tingling, diagnosed as sciatica. MRI showed two bulging discs and spinal stenosis. Ironically, I question whether the sciatica is from the above, but may involve my piriformis muscle. I had this problem in 2009 and my neurologist injected a steroid into the prirformis and I had relief for all of this time. After taking steroids with no relief I asked for a shot in the piriformis (rather than an epidural) and this has helped a little. Am due for another shot soon. I am now also having severe muscle cramping in my groin and thigh upon standing and walking, which is very painful. Would appreciate anyone's input. I am going to look into PT and ART (active release technique). Thanks for your input.
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The good thing about an inversion table is you can alter the angle of the table so you can have greater and lesser traction. I usually do around a 60° angle and hang out there and occasionally go all the way down for a full stretch.
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1 ReactionAlso asked my pcp if he will write a scrip for JOURNAVX-still waiting- Will Journnavx card cover cost? Cannot take opoids
I’ve heard the smell distracts from the pain.
Yes it works well for different people. I also found relief for my neck. A similar condition to sciatica, the disc in the neck contacting the Braecial nerve (arms).
I have the same or similar! The pain came on with a vengeance last fall. OMG - I couldn't even sleep. I have degenerative disc disease and so everything is falling apart in my spine and I get severe nerve pain from my sacral joint to my foot on the left. So i can tell you to find an excellent MFR therapist. (look it up here or on the internet) and read the book "Outlive" by Peter Attia if you read and like technical stuff.
I know everything originates from my deteriorating spine. I just had a GREAT SUCCESS - after dealing with all of this for well over 20 years. And that was to return to EXERCISE. Last night I had my first night of continuous sleep after starting to really exercise this week starting from nothing. I owe it all to the book getting me started again. I am very excited. Oh - and ps @travelinman THAT was what I was told - they couldn't do the ablatia where I had the hardware (ucsd - you don't happen to be there?) it is entirely NOT true as my surgeon and outside pain management doctor confirmed! Don't buy it. I had an epidural/with cortisone that located my newest intolerable sciatic/to leg/to foot pain and got rid of my pain for one month. That gave me the impetus to try a more aggressive exercise plan and I'm hear to tell you it worked! First night of continuous sleep. Took about 5 days of exercising to get to a point where there was a change. So happy! I hope it works for you too!
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2 ReactionsI have used my inversion table in the past. For me, it did help with my pain, however, it did not last very long
I will find an MFR therapist in my area to look into this option. I will discuss with my surgeon and pain doctors the idea of a more aggressive exercise plan.
Thank everyone for your replies from experience. If anyone has any more thoughts or ideas, please share them with me. I will put together my plan of action, more specialists to see, the questions to ask of my surgeon and pain doctors, and ideas to try that have been shared with me.
These stretches helped me with my sciatica pain. Mine was caused by prolonged sitting at my work desk:
Search for “Sciatica Nerve Stretches - AskDoctorJo” on YouTube (site won’t let me post the link)
The stretches feel good but the relief is only temporary at first. I had to do them 3-4 times a day for about a week before the pain actually went away. I use a standing desk now and it hasn’t come back (fingers crossed!)
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5 ReactionsHi!!!! I had the same symptoms. My doctor performed a M.I.L.D. procedure on me, and the pain is gone...ALL of it!!! I hope you can find success with whichever treatment plan you choose!!!
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