Sciatica

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I know a few people on here suffer from this - does anyone know of any exercises that can provide relief - got painkillers and been on couch all night with a water bottle and my knees up - feels a little better but wondering if I can do anything else
 
I feel your pain :( doesn't flare up much but by gosh when it does I know about it! Sorry don't really have any advice other than grit your teeth and bear it... And swear under your breath lots!

Just a thought... Would sitting on a big yoga ball help? Or is that just for labour pains? :rolleyes:
 
Oh I have one of those - will give it a bash thank you :D Im finding lying on the floor and stretching my knees up is helping - I read somewhere keep the knees raised cant recall where. Havent had an attack in years but of course the day before I move my horses it flares up so yes - Tramadol and teeth gritting it will be
 
I sympathise!
I was crippled with it one Christmas a few years ago. didn't sleep for three nights - I went to see my chiropractor and he sorted it immediately. Fortunately, touch wood and praise be - it has never returned.
 
Do you know the reason for it? and have you been to a physio at all??

When I had sciatica (still comes back for short periods at the most inconvenient times!) my physio used to start the session by pressing on pressure points on the stiff muscles in my lower back and butt (which sorted that relatively quickly) and then we had sessions using exercise balls.

A couple of exercises we used:

1. Sit on the ball, feet flat on the floor and legs hip width apart. One at a time, lift a foot a few inches of the floor (knee still bent as when sitting) and hold it there starting at ten seconds, then switch. As you become better at the exercise, hold your foot up for longer.

2. Lie on the ball, hands and feet on the ground at either end, and lift an arm and the opposite leg. Hold this for ten seconds to start with and then swap sides. As you get better at it, hold it for longer.

Can't remember any others right now, but if I do, I'll let you know! x
 
Sympathise, had sciatic pain for a year and physio & osteo didn't touch it. However was gone in two weeks when I started Egoscue exercises - google Pete Egoscue Health through Motion. There is a book on Amazon by him called Pain Free I think. Very simple but really worked for me.

The pain reduction exercise that made the most difference to me is "static back" - you lie on the floor with your calves on a chair, thighs vertical, right angle at the knees. Lie on a mat or towel and remove jeans as they dig into your back! Then just relax and breath deeply, your hips will flatten into the floor and everything seems to fall back into alignment. You don't need to "do" anything.

Do it for as long as you can, if you get the chair in the right place you can watch TV without cricking your neck :-)
 
Ouch - hope you get better soon - have suffered in the past so am full of sympathy. I found that paracetamol was the best painkiller to take, not sure why but anything with ibuprofen in it was useless.
 
Recently had a bout of this, and boy was it painful...I tried Ibuprofen, Paracetemol etc, but nothing helped. Then I rang a local chiropractor and asked if he could help me. He did, and the relief was instant. I returned for a further 2 treatments and now, touch wood, I'm fine. He didn't leap on me like some chiropractors, he used a little hammer type thingy to tap me and to make things more comfortable. Worth every penny of the treatment.
 
ice packs... they are great.. should not use heat on nurve pain..i suffer i have spondylosis in my neck and bulging discs throughout my back.. ice is the only thing that works on it. put it on for 10 mins every hour... also pillow under your knees...
 
eatmoremincepies said:
Sympathise, had sciatic pain for a year and physio & osteo didn't touch it. However was gone in two weeks when I started Egoscue exercises - google Pete Egoscue Health through Motion. There is a book on Amazon by him called Pain Free I think. Very simple but really worked for me.

The pain reduction exercise that made the most difference to me is "static back" - you lie on the floor with your calves on a chair, thighs vertical, right angle at the knees. Lie on a mat or towel and remove jeans as they dig into your back! Then just relax and breath deeply, your hips will flatten into the floor and everything seems to fall back into alignment. You don't need to "do" anything.

Do it for as long as you can, if you get the chair in the right place you can watch TV without cricking your neck :-)
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^^^^ this! And lots of stretching exercises. Work on building up all core muscles as that really helps to support your back. I've found lots of walking and kettle bell exercises have really helped. Electric blanket at night is a godsend to keep the muscles warm too! I've been stuck with a bad back for about 10 years now after rupturing 2 discs. A good chiropractor is worth their weight in gold too. When its really bad, I take Naproxen (prescription stuff) which works really well as an anti-inflammatory. I take tramadol when I need to now as its actually really addictive to come off if taking a high dose every day - had 3 days of cold turkey coming off it and I wouldn't recommend it! Good luck, best thing to do is keep mobile but do it gently.
 
Are you sure it's sciatica? Only reason I ask is that my GP said this was my problem and it turned out, following an MRI scan 2 years later, that I have no discs left in my back, so spine is now help up with titanium rod, screws and cages. I'm sure that this problem is a horse riders curse :( I do empathise with you and hope you can obtain some relief from this oh so painful condition
 
solpadol and naprosyn - ouch oouch a- sympathise. had it last summer. disc had protuded and bit broke off and lodged on sciatic nerve - when disc shrivelled (yeuk) pain stopped but it was horrible. managed to ride th. driving car was nigh on impossible . good luck
 
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When I suffered with it for a few months, I found that swimming solved it. I did lots of front crawl and made sure that my back was straight (so head under water, breathing every 2 strokes) and alternate breathing sides with each length, to ensure symmetry. Nothing else worked for me.

Please take care if you're moving horses on Tramadol! You do have another driver, don't you? Only I'm sure your insurance will be invalid in the event of an accident.
 
If it is reoccurring push for an MRI, I had 2 prolapsed discs and spinal compression on 2 vertebrate. No amount of exercise, osteopathy etc was going to sort it. Major surgery did, very worth it though.
 
Well I was sitting down to put my shoes on and as I stood up I felt a twinge. Two steps later I was doubled. Have done some stretching exercises and the gym ball ones and the more I move the easier it gets but if I sit for too long it goes again.
 
tango'smum said:
ice packs... they are great.. should not use heat on nurve pain..i suffer i have spondylosis in my neck and bulging discs throughout my back.. ice is the only thing that works on it. put it on for 10 mins every hour... also pillow under your knees...
Click to expand...

A hot water bottle on my back is one of the only things to ease my pain. I second speaking to doc and asking for MRI. I've had 3 major spinal ops over past 11 years and before my first op I was left to suffer on heavy painkillers and useless physio, I had to kick up a right fuss to get an MRI but it showed severley bulging discs. Unfortunately only surgery helped ease my pain.
 
My best advice is to keep moving. I know it is painful! I spend my life on Tramadol and that doesn't touch my Sciatica when it kicks off.

I really find a gentle walk on the horse really helps! Obviously only do this in company if you are safe to drive ect ect
I'm really lucky my mare can tell when im not quite right and looks after me! She is the reason i am in so much pain so its the least she can do! LOL
 
yeah im another one that had to have major surgery to fix my back -total compressions and disc problems seem popular for us horsey people! :rolleyes:
seriously tho strengthening the back muscles is the best preventative and cure for minor sciatic pain but get it checked by a neurologist to be certain thats all it is
 
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