Sciatica anyone?

Prob no help at all, but Acupuncture worked for me.

In my experience you can't have sciatica and not take pain killers. It is truly one of the worst pains to have but it does get better after 3 -4 months.

Your burning foot does sound like a nervous disturbance and acupuncture could help with that. If there is inflamation and pain then take Codein for it.
Remember Acupuncture can help a disturbance, but it cannot heal anything which is permanently damaged.

Strange that this is the third instance of sciatica I've come across this week. My husband has suddenly started experiencing the classic pins and needles in his foot with pain right down his leg from the hip when we're in the supermarket and he's pushing the trolley. It's happened 4 or 5 times now - we've decided it's not coming from his wallet but from trying to manoeuvre the trolley round corners. It goes off as soon as we leave! My SIL had a very bad bout of it some years ago leaving her totally incapacitated for several weeks and so did another acquaintance who tried all sorts of treatments but in the end found the physio was the only one that really helped. Hope you find something to help.

I agree about the burning pain. I used to think it was like a dog gnawing my shin bone!

I'm not good with anti-inflams or strong pain killers so had to make to with paracetamol which barely touched it.

Simple yoga stretches helped a lot and so did acupuncture. I was advised to drink plenty of water to keep muscles hydrated and alternate sitting on hot and cold packs.

I do sympathise because the pain is hell and when it finally went I found my leg muscles had weakened so needed to walk as much as possible to build up some strength.

Hope you soon get some reduction in the pain.

I think the pain I am currently experiencing is sciatica. I went to GP yesterday and he thinks my severe leg pain is coming from my back. I did have a trapped sciatic nerve about 25 years ago and I would rather go through labour than that.
This has lasted at least 6 weeks until I was forced to go. When I had it before
I was given no treatment at all just bed ,well actually I couldn't get out. I can hobble about in pain this time.
I have been prescribed 10 days of Naproxen and then to go back if no improvement.

I wonder if I might suggest sleeping with a pillow under your knee? I have had sciatica on several occasions, and it is indeed painful, and I have found this helps me to get comfortable. I also recommend going for a short slow walk (no hills if you can help it), and definitely no heavy lifting (shopping). It will take time, but I have found both these things ease the ache a little.

There are some good exercises that relieve my Sciatic pain , if you look on utube there are some excellent videos.

Oh my goodness sciatica is wicked. I had it quite a few years ago and it reduced me to tears it was so painful. In the end like granny I had acupuncture, and it worked!! Oh the relief, I could have kissed our GP!!!

The side of my foot is still slightly numb, but that is all that I now have to remind me of those awful few weeks!

Sciatica is a symptom so it's best to push your GP for tests to find the cause. Mine turned out to be a slipped disc. Rest didn't work as it had gone too far so the disc had to be shaved. Sciatica gone. if it is a disc, physio and rest can cure it provided it's not too serious.

I truly feel ground down with mine this time and H with Alzheimer's has no concept of what it is like. We have just eaten and I wasn't hungry having cooked. I said I have been on my feet too much and he shrugged and said ,well you have too much to do!!.
My answer, though I know I shouldn't is not for tender ears,but it isn't a problem because after 3 minutes he has forgotten what I said.

I can't take drugs for it because of an ulcer, I use an ice cold cream at night and a bag of frozen peas in the day, plus a tens machine , I so feel for you

Oh I am sorry annsixty. You do sound as if you have a lot to cope with. In another life,I worked in social services for many years and a lot of my work was with Alzheimer's sufferers and their carers. I do wish I could help, but my thoughts are very much with you.

My sciatica type pain was an irritated nerve in the back and it was AWFUL. I couldn't stand long enough to make a cup of tea and shopping was dreadful - I found myself bending almost double over the trolley. The physio was very helpful and also as PRINTMISS says, a pillow between the knees when sleeping. One day I woke up and it was gone (just as the physio said it might) but occasionally I get pins and needles down my calf. When this happens I stand up as straight as possible and make sure that my weight is even between both feet and all of my foot is taking an equal amount of weight. It seems to be helped by correct posture.

Stretching does help. I knew a chap who rigged a bar up across a doorway so he could hang upside down! Said it cured it in the end.

I've had a bad back on and off for years.

I had a bad sciatica attack a few years ago and found my osteopath helped me with massage and exercises.

I was lucky that I haven't experienced it again thank goodness .

I get bouts of sciatica so I can sympathise with fellow sufferers. The last bout was so severe, I had to lie on the floor for a day and take painkillers as it was the only way to get relief. My yoga teacher had given me some stretching poses which I found very helpful in releasing the nerve and when the pain was less severe I did them and I must say they were very effective.
I can sometimes nip an attack in the bud if I manage to do the stretches in time.

I had sciatica for weeks and was advised to lay on my back, with my bottom against a wall and my legs straight up the wall, if you can imagine that. I had to stay in that position for as long as I could, so was advised to take a magazine with me . Well yes when I got up after 20 mins my sciatica had gone ! It was amazing.
I now do regular yoga classes, and we often use that position to relax. It is really nice and comfy.

Yes this truly is dreadful pain and drags you down. Has to be experienced to be believed. My last episode lasted 4 weeks or so. Physio, exercises and working hard at the exercises worked. Cannot take most analgesics due to various other problems but like bArbie13 the floor position with legs up the wall really helped. Am back running again and dread any repeat of sciatica as it impacts on fitness so much

I have had sciatica caused by lowere back disc problems for 15 years. I have had stomach ulcers and can't take anti inflammatorys so have been on slow release morphine for the last 10 years. I also take Lyrica which is meant for epilepsy but somehow works on nerve endings and this takes the edge off. I find my electric heat pad under my buttock when seated helps, also a pillow under my knees when sleeping on my back or between my knees when on my side. A bit long winded sorry but hope it helps, sciatica is awful.

I was (still am a tad) a fully paid up member of the dreaded sciatica club and as others have said, I think childbirth was preferable.

I lasted a few weeks before having immediate surgery or I would have jumped off a cliff. This was all during the summer and all the surgeons seemed to be away... except one. I went to see him and he seemed (dare I say the word on an 'older' people's forum?) quite elderly. Bearing in mind he was going to rummage about near my spinal chord, I had second thoughts about possible shaky hands but in the end went ahead. Bliss! Well, OK after horrible post-op period, bliss.

So, none of that helps you, Yogadatti! However, I can be of possible assistance with some exercises I was given which I still do if I feel a little of the old pain trying to rear it's head again (on the other side!).

These are both very simple and can't do you any damage: lay on the floor, legs straight out. Imagine there is a string on one foot and it is pulling your whole leg forwards. The idea is to stretch the section of spine that is causing the pain, out. You keep on and on stretching - you will think you can't go any further but you can!. Relax, then try the other leg too. The other simple exercise is to also lay on the floor. Make a triangle with your leg and the floor by lifting your knee up, pointing to the ceiling. Keeping your foot on the floor very V.E.R.Y. slowly turn your knee outwards so it meets the floor. It should take half a minute or so to do this. Then reverse the process. Do both legs. This is time consuming (well a few minutes) but I assure you that if you have real sciatic pain you'll beg to try these! I would do these several times a day without overdoing it.

In-between, I used to lay on a sofa with the affected leg up in the air, the only way I could obtain some slight (but not total) relief. Strong pain killers sent me to sleep for half an hour then it was back to normal.

When in bed, try a pillow underneath your knees - it can reduce the pressure on your spine.

Whilst in this position or any other, try to work on your pelvic floor/stomach strengthening exercises. This helps provide a girdle around your middle which supports the spine. Well, that's what my physiotherapist told me and it seems to help even now.

Wishing you the very best of luck with your sciatic journey. Hopefully, you won't have gone too far down the track and can be sorted out!