Successful Sciatic Nerve Treatments

After a couple of months of suspicion I was diagnosed with sciatic nerve pain from a suspected minor bulging disc. I'm going in for PT soon and am already doing a certain exercise routine for pain relief. Stupid thing is that I've always been very conscious to keep my wallet in my front pocket, and as a teacher I'm constantly up and moving about.

My question is, what treatment have any fellow victims had that have actually treated the problem such as massage therapy, chiropractic, etc.?
Thanks guys!
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  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited December 2015
    Age and time will crack any "back"! (assume you're 50 something or even older?). I know mine is a little arthritic but I don't yet have chronic sciatica and can still squat and deadlift moderate weight-though good form is essential or else, snap city.

    A couple of friends have sciatica. One is using a chiropractor with some success, she also has one leg that is a tad longer than the other (a lot of people probably have this) and was advised to use an insert to even her stance.

    Others have used acupuncture with good results.

    I'm a firm believer in keeping the CORE strong. Sit ups, twists, side bends. Chin up bar work and INVERSION tables/angles, etc.

    Wish you luck, I'm stiff as heck EVERY morning until I move around! Probably be in an exoskeleton in a couple of decades! lol
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  • I have suffered from moderate sciatica since 2006 (I have mild/moderate scoliosis). I have seen both chiropractors and physical therapists, and strongly considered surgery after a while. I my experience the physical therapy was much more helpful than the chiro. Although both treatments were not for me, as I would leave the each visit with much more pain than I would go in with. Especially after any use of "traction." I have learned over the years that my best treatment is to be aware of how I am sitting, driving, lifting, twisting, etc. I still get the occasional pain in my right leg when I strain my lumbar muscles and end up very crooked for a few days. Getting in shape has helped me tremendously, as mentioned keep the core strong. However, do NOT do anything that causes pain. That will only aggravate the problem. It is a slow recovery so only do a little at a time. I have learned to never bend over to pick up anything, I always squat down and keep the back straight and abs tight. Taking a deep breath while sticking your chest out also helps to keep the back inline while lifting. Getting in this habit has greatly increased my leg and abdominal strength, which has provided me great relief. I also have been sleeping on floor beside my bed for the last five years or so and that too seems to help keep me inline and pain free. It can be a long recovery but take it slow and only do a little at a time, don't even think about stretching or twisting your back until the inflammation subsides, ice and ibuprofen is great for that. Do no more harm, let it heal than correct it. Good luck
    Oh, Listen here mister. We got no way of understandin' this world. But we got as much sense of this bird flyin in the sky. Now there is a lot that bird don't know, but it don't change the fact that the world is happening to him all the same. What I am tryin to say is, is that the course of your life, well its changing, and you don't even see it- Forest Bondurant
  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    Cryotherapy. I am going for my third session in a hour.

    http://www.peninsulawellnesscentre.com/cryotherapy/
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  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,776
    edited December 2015
    After my back cra pped out from two bulging disc, I went to chiropractic and physical therapy for about a year. Relearning to move and taking better care of the spine. I stretch in the morning and a few times during the day. It still let's me know it's still there on occasion! But not as bad anymore. Just take it easy and stretching is your friend.
    BTW @BlueFox also believes in the benefits of magic pebbles on speaker cabs and cables blessed by the Pope. ;)
  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    Lies. All lies. As an ex-Catholic, I wouldn't take free cables from the Pope. :)

    Seriously though, physical therapy and Cryo are working great for me. Try doing the yoga pose, the plank. That really helps.

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  • decal
    decal Posts: 3,205
    If you can't hear a difference, don't waste your money.
  • westmassguy
    westmassguy Posts: 6,850
    This gives me immediate relief:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoNW3TnAT3Y
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  • monepolk
    monepolk Posts: 1,140
    I had my pain flare back up after about eight years back in July. Pain continued to get worse. Ended up getting the surgery in November to remove the part of the disc pressing on the nerve. I felt relief immediately after the hospital.
  • markmarc
    markmarc Posts: 2,309
    Thanks for the suggestions guys. I walk 1.5 miles every morning 5 days a week during the school year before the kids arrive. I do need to do core work. Unfortunately, my BP has gone up in the past few years, so I avoid ibuprophen unless I'm really hurting.
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    This gives me immediate relief:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoNW3TnAT3Y

    Yes, the Cobra. First do the Plank, and then the Cobra. It hits the spot, but you need to be consistent.

    Plank:

    bzng416ru7vw.png

    Cobra:

    ydwmmkc6hyh1.jpeg


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  • ken brydson
    ken brydson Posts: 8,638
    BlueFox wrote: »
    This gives me immediate relief:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoNW3TnAT3Y

    Yes, the Cobra. First do the Plank, and then the Cobra. It hits the spot, but you need to be consistent.

    Plank:

    bzng416ru7vw.png

    Cobra:

    ydwmmkc6hyh1.jpeg


    No thanks, I'd spill my drink...
  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    Actually, I find I am more flexible after a few drinks. Just do it between sips. :)
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  • voltz
    voltz Posts: 5,384
    You could try the " Scorpion" like on that show ridiculousness.
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    LOL.
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  • pumpkinman
    pumpkinman Posts: 9,497
    Mine got so bad I went for 3 rounds of the steroid injections in my back. It did wonders. Unfortunately the relief was short lived. 8 weeks and made my blood sugar so high that I almost ended up in the hospital after one session.
    I wouldn't do it again. I see my chiropractor regularly and it helps to some degree for me.

    Bill
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  • Hi,
    Stretching every day. (but the right kind of stretching)
    Tai Chi for all around health. (will take a long time but worth it)
    Not doing lifting and twisting. (say moving a heavy couch out of the house)
    These are things I do and don't do and help.

    I agree with Bill on the shots. 1 will last maybe a year. 2nd six months.
    3rd 6 weeks.

    I used to get massages and that is great until you realize how many
    Dollar vinyl LPs you could pick up. One has to suffer for his art.
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    If I'm not mistaken, the OP is fairly young, not like us old folks who abused our bodies for decades then wonder why it wants to go on strike.

    While the physical therapy, stretching, acupuncture, Chiro, suff is all well and good to manage the pain, it doesn't cut to the root of the problem. If the nerve pain is from a bulging disc, surgery may be needed to remove part of that disc that is protruding.

    A strong core goes without saying, it's a necessity to keep your back pain free as you age. Also, start weaning yourself off the inflammatory foods which are not helping your cause. Good posture, exercise, and start eating better and you may see some gains with that nerve......keep the surgery as the last option.
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  • Willow
    Willow Posts: 10,862
    Had my first surgery about 9 yrs ago. Did wonders, accompanied by PT and meds. Second time around, much worse, on heavy narcs for about a year while trying PT, you name it. Surgery helped again. Followed by PT. The problem with me is once I feel better I stop doing the stretches at home and exercises they taught me too. It still gets the best of me at times but not for very long periods. I have to watch what I do and not try to be a superstar and lift things or bend the wrong way. Sometimes the simplest thing will throw it off, like putting on a pair of pants and I lost my balance and that put me out for a couple days. I know I have to work on my core. one day I'll take up some elderly yoga classes (not that I'm old) just that's its easier for my type of back issues.
  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,505
    edited December 2015
    I don't believe in chiropractors.

    Physical therapy is solid, especially if you get in early. The earlier the better while things are reversible.

    Depending on the extend of the disc bulge or rupture, a laminectomy may be your best option.

    See a spine specialist quickly.

    We are all just shooting in the wind on this forum, see the specialist.
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    edited December 2015
    Gotcha Willow, we all at times know what we HAVE to do, and don't do it. I guess that depends on your threshold for pain.

    From my own experiences, I've lived with pain so long my brain blocks it out. That is, until it's just about crippling pain then I do something. I've been better over the last 5 or so years, eating better, exercising and that helps a lot. Mine is a more arthritic based pain than a disc problem or specific nerve.

    I hear ya too on moving the wrong way, I'm definitely in that camp. No longer the Gumby I used to be. lol Heck, used to be I could do cartwheels while having sex, not anymore. Not sure I'd want to either these days. Probably cartwheel off the bed and knock the flat screen off the wall.
    Post edited by tonyb on
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    High pain tolerance
  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited December 2015
    I agree with Tony. Surgery should always be the "last" resort. And if you go that route, get a second and third opinion. The ONE thing you will NEVER hear from a surgeon is, "We DO NOT have to OPERATE!" lol The training precludes such pronouncements. Yeah, they are more than a little scalpel happy! Not to say that surgery might not help some, it does. But a lot are also mangled by it. So you have to be with the right person-due diligence!
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  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,505
    cnh wrote: »
    I agree with Tony. Surgery should always be the "last" resort. And if you go that route, get a second and third opinion. The ONE thing you will NEVER hear from a surgeon is, "We DO NOT have to OPERATE!" lol The training precludes such pronouncements. Yeah, they are more than a little scalpel happy! Not to say that surgery might not help some, it does. But a lot are also mangled by it. So you have to be with the right person-due diligence!

    A lot of the spine surgeons I know don't operate early and recommend conservative management.


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  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,505
    And it's actually the patients who have no patience who push my fellow spine surgeons to operate early. Everyone wants a quick fix in our age.

    Fast food, fast downloads, fast entertainment, fast fix.

    Ever try to reason with a patient to do conservative treatment? I do on a daily basis.

    Rarely works.
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  • markmarc
    markmarc Posts: 2,309
    Everyone,
    The last thing I want is surgery as I've been carved on enough times already in life. At 53, 5-10, and 195lb, I've done a decent job of keeping myself in shape. I rarely eat fast food or drink soda, eat in moderation and balanced (except pasta once a week), average 3-4 glasses of wine/beers a week.

    I also want to avoid injections for just the reason a few of you have mentioned, the shortening time of relief after each shot.

    I need to do some research on foods that increase inflammation to see how much a part of my diet they have become. Like most of us as we cross 50 years I am far more conscious of lifting, but still take risks with my back. That's why I am researching core exercises and looking forward to PT.
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  • scottyboy76
    scottyboy76 Posts: 2,905
    lot of good info here, my 2bits after 2 back surgerys.

    Watch the steroid injections, they help less with each one and over time they can be bad for the structures back there, actually kinda nasty stuff if used repeatedly.

    Also, there are a growing microsurgery clinics that can actually make a small incision and insert a needle and suck out some of the contents of the disc.

    The third is time, many times the disc will return to its normal or near normal size.

    Something that has helped me also are muscle relaxers short term.

    Soma is very effective but sedating, recently I began using baclofen, less sedating, so far not as effective.

    Good luck keep us posted.
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  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,505
    markmarc wrote: »
    Everyone,
    The last thing I want is surgery as I've been carved on enough times already in life. At 53, 5-10, and 195lb, I've done a decent job of keeping myself in shape. I rarely eat fast food or drink soda, eat in moderation and balanced (except pasta once a week), average 3-4 glasses of wine/beers a week.

    I also want to avoid injections for just the reason a few of you have mentioned, the shortening time of relief after each shot.

    I need to do some research on foods that increase inflammation to see how much a part of my diet they have become. Like most of us as we cross 50 years I am far more conscious of lifting, but still take risks with my back. That's why I am researching core exercises and looking forward to PT.

    PT early.
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  • When mine flared up, it felt like a hot poker hitting me in the ****. The only way I could sleep at night, was with a Tens Machine.
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    Joey_V wrote: »
    And it's actually the patients who have no patience who push my fellow spine surgeons to operate early. Everyone wants a quick fix in our age.

    Fast food, fast downloads, fast entertainment, fast fix.

    Ever try to reason with a patient to do conservative treatment? I do on a daily basis.

    Rarely works.

    Very good point Joey. Just like a doc trying to get people to simply change their diet, hardly ever works. Anything that entails attention to, or work to some degree is frowned on. Quick fixes ? You betcha....that's why the drug companies have a drug for everything under the sun.

    Mainly I think is because we are creatures of habit, bad or the good, and it's hard to change habits you spent decades doing.

    CNH also has a point, but like every profession, bad apples exist.

    I think the crux of the problem lies with people having little choices in their doctors or healthcare providers. Kinda like if you were forced to keep bring your car to the same shady car mechanic who never really fixes the problem and charges you up the wazoo.

    There is a difference between a doc who really wants your health to improve, and those who simply want to prescribe medications all day. It's a partnership, a relationship that you have with your doc of your choice, not the doc your plan says you must have. IMHO, that's the first big divide in HC services.

    Speaking of docs, maybe you, Joey, can tell us the required nutritional training you received. It's my understanding that most general practitioners get less than 20 hours of training on nutrition.

    If you look at the stats, child obesity is dramatically climbing along with diabetes and heart problems from much earlier aged people than we've been accustomed to. Part of that is lifestyle changes but also lack of nutrition. Lack of nutrition in our available foods, even the good ones from over farmed soils. If you walk into the average grocery store, the only part of that store worth it's nutritional salt so to speak, is the produce section. Every isle in that store is loaded with sugary products, high fat, high salt, preservatives and chemical laden products.

    I'm not saying NEVER eat those products, but they are more today the staple of the western diet. A good rule of thumb in general is, if mother nature didn't make it, don't eat it. At least not often anyway. You can't shovel garbage down your throat for decades, then expect a doc to fix you in one visit much less determine exactly what your problem is.

    Just like audio, we always say it starts at the source. Garbage in....garbage out, right ? Same with health, it all starts at the source and that source is your food and quality of that food.
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