Sciatica

AnonMous

Hey folks,

I am currently suffering from really bad sciatica (trapped nerve in my leg) and I am just wondering if anyone knows any good people who can treat this injury. The pain I am in is absolutely indescribable and it is effecting my whole life.

I just want to get some sort of treatment so I can carry on living my life as normal.

Thanks in advance for your recommendations

Jumbo156

How do you know it's Sciatica?

dan_d

My OH had it last year.
Doctor, followed by consultant, followed by hospital for an op.Not every doctor will come to the same conclusion, but he couldn't get out of bed in the morning.
You only get one shot at life. Start by visiting your doctor. If you've already done that, what did they say?

LegacyUser

Hi op, don't know of anyone, but there's a lot of exercises on youtube for Sciatica that might relieve the pain, have a touch of lower leg paralysis due to a stroke and was referred to a physiotherapist by a GP, maybe you could do the same:)Best of luck with it.

watna

What did your doctor say? How do you know it's sciatica. People on an internet forum cannot tell you how to treat it - you need to see a doctor.

I had it two months ago in my bank and went to the doctor and got prescribed anti-inflammatories and pain killers which made it better. I still days where it plays up but it helped with the worst of it.

dudara

watna wrote: »

What did your doctor say? How do you know it's sciatica. People on an internet forum cannot tell you how to treat it - you need to see a doctor.

The OP is looking for a treatment - they are looking for a doctor recommendation.

OP - your best bet is to start with your GP.

LilyCullen

OP I had it for two months in college last year, it is horrific and really really frustrating. It does go away but you literally have to halt all physical activity. you're probably gonna have to go to a physio aswell.

These are the first steps:
Minimize any kind of stress in your life(I know this is hard). Lying down listen to meditation tapes, your body needs to relax.
Accept that you have this and try to stop being frustrated that you cant 'live normally' because ths just adds to the stress your body is under.
TBH I wouldnt try you tube exercises because you could just do furthur damage, you need to go see a professional, I don't think your GP is gonna be all that helpful, just my opinion, go see a back doctor.
Use a hot water bottle.

Again, I can't stress this enough, anyone who has had it will know what I mean, you probably got this because your stressed or from physical exertion of some sort, but just try not to let it get to you mentally. it does go away.

dan_d

It's not entirely true that it does always go away eventually - my OH's problem was a slipped disc, which had to be operated on.
As suggested before, go and see your GP to start with. They may recommend you get an MRI to see the extent of the problem or refer you to a consultant in your area.
I wouldn't recommend taking advice on a cure from internet sites like YouTube though - you may do more damage.

MysticalSoul

I had this earlier in the year, except in my lower back, with the pain going into one of my legs a bit. I went to physio, and it sorted it right now. For me, it took 2 appointments to sort out. It was taking me 10-15 minutes to stand up from a sitting position. The physio told me that I also had a disc bulging in the middle of my back too. Not fun. The place I went to is on Fitzwilliam Street in Dublin, got the recommendation via The Physio Company, who have physios placed all over the place.

degrassinoel

i get it every few months, have it right now infact.

If it is sciatica, and you cannot walk or basiclly your leg fails to work properly from the thigh down to the toe it can be operated on, or prescribed anti-inflamitories and painkillers. And yes, it's a nightmare to try walking about for the most simple things and feeling like quasimodo.

there's a bunch of decent websites about how and why you can get it(avoid getting it), but do see a doctor if you havent already.

claiva

Hi Op,
Have you tried going to see a Chiropractor ?
I'm currently seeing one for neck/back/migraine and I'm getting great relief aswell as retraining the muscles in my problem areas for future posture correction/long term correction etc.

I don't have Sciatica but the treatment rooms in the place I go are plastered with info on Sciatica.

entropi

OP, go to see your GP first of all. They will more than likely refer you to a physio for treatment, but it will be much better that you get the referral first a a phyio may send you to the gp for one anyway.

I just finished training as a sports therapist, yet wont attempt to treat sciatica...it should be GP then physio for you:)

foodaholic

you need to see your gp first. When did it first start happening? was there any trauma. I have sciatica, Dr booked me in for an MRI which showed an old fracture. Treatment was anit-inflammatories when I have a flare up and physio. Personnaly physio didnt really work for me. I found a really great chiropractor and havent looked back. But I do try to keep my weight down and do a lot of core exercises to strenghten my back muscles.

Jo King

I had sciatica a number of years ago. I found a book by an English doctor, Paul Sherwood, called the Back and Beyond. I followed the recommendations, which involved a combination of chiropractor and physiotherapy. My sciatica went after a week, and has never returned. The trouble I found was that doctors, chiropractors and physios were all contradicting each other. I did not tell the chiropractor I was getting physio and I did not tell the physio I was getting chiropractic. I alternated visits, getting physio one day and chiro the next. It took about 4 sessions of physio and six of chiro.

sunshiner

I had sciatica for 5months last year, no painkillers anti inflammatorys helped me. So someone said about excersizes so i found this yoga move which worked for me i was pain free in a couple of days and anytime it flairs up i do these stretches.
Best to go see your gp first to be sure and see what they say.

Orion

Sciatica is not a condition - it's a symptom. A spinal disk pressing on the sciatic nerve causes pain starting from the lower back, down through the buttock and down the leg. Usually the left leg but can be either. I've been there - it's not pleasant.

A trapped nerve in the leg is not sciatica.

In short you don't get treated for sciatica - you get treated for the cause of sciatica. You need to see either your GP, a physiotherapist or a chiropractor. If you only have this in your leg then I recommend starting with your GP as sciatica does not start in the leg - it travels there.

Dudara/Thaed - I'd recommend closing this thread. The OP has self-diagnosed (badly imo) and needs to get a professional opinion.

dudara

I think this thread has gone far enough.

OP - start with a trip to your GP.