The 3 stages of sciatica recovery
Sciatica pain is rarely a constant problem for sufferers, rather it comes in bouts. These can be more or less severe, sometimes only causing mild discomfort, other times leading to serious pain and impaired mobility. The road to sciatica recovery comes in three stages.
Stage 1: Sitting and lying
When suffering from a debilitating and painful bout of sciatica, advice to ‘keep active’ can seem far-fetched, if you are currently doubled over with back pain only the gentlest of movements are even possible. So you must look instead at your sedentary habits. Many sufferers find that the worst pain comes while seated. It is a good idea to temporarily avoid sofas and soft armchairs at this stage, and replace them with hard, straight-backed chairs. If the mattress you sleep on is very soft, consider replacing it with a firmer one.
Stage 2: Gentle exercise
Sciatica symptoms almost always subsides after a period of time, especially if the stage 1 advice above is followed. But if you return immediately to your former lifestyle without making any changes, sciatica is very likely to return. So here you must capitalise on this pain-free window by introducing some gentle exercise into your routine. Swimming is a great low-impact all-round exercise but can be a hassle depending on your access to a pool. Walking is also an excellent option and is much more accessible for most people. Whatever form of exercise you choose, there’s no need to overdo it, just moving on a regular basis will suffice for now.
Stage 3: Mobility exercise
Once you are walking, swimming or doing some other form of gentle exercise on a regular basis, this alone helps a lot to prevent the return of sciatica. But since you are doing so well, why not look into something a bit more advanced? Regular training in an activity designed to increase strength and flexibility, if done properly, is your best option for preventing sciatica returning. The options for this type of training are vast, ranging from yoga to weight lifting. Find something you like the sound of, and give it a try!
The pain is excruciating pain laying down, sitting, standing and very bad pain if you try to walk. The only time the pain isn’t bad if I sit in a hot tub.
I agree with you Sandra, I cannot get comfy anywhere….it is agony and I have never had pain like this before. A hot tub and hot water bottle give some relief.
Im 35 injured myself at start of lockdown. Due to runners knee going untreated now have OA in both knees and buritis. Im suffering with sciatica in both sides and have done for the last 3 years. I walk short distances and have got to the stage to keep pushing through the pain. Painkillers dont work and have been to PT u name it, advice i was given no matter how bad keep moving. So far its disappeared in right side but left still continues. Right has a habit of reappearing. Literally told to lose weight and strengthen is the key
I had excruciating pain for 5 months I was housebound and bedbound for weeks for this. I started paying for decompression with accuspina which worked amazing. I can now move again and get my life back. However recently I’ve started experiencing. Some discomfort in the opposite leg.
I am looking both of those things up right now! Thank u. How are you feeling now?
I’ll try anything to make this go away I’ve read several posts on this thread that just when you think you fix it, it goes to the other leg.
This is the first time in my life I have pain I can’t control or fix. I’m just so used to shaking it off and getting back on the horse but this isn’t letting go. I’m about 2 to 3 weeks in and it’s terrible.
I hope you are feeling better and out of pain!!
Did you find a good chiropractor and what kind of stretches do you do I have it in my leg and trying to get a good massage or chiropractor
I got my first taste of sciatica in my late teens driving long distances with pain in my buttocks. I have lost count of how many episodes I have had since as I am now 75. The condition was mild in the early years but from around aged 50 there was severe excruciating pain in my lower back each side of the spine. I had a scan and the result was a birth defect in my spine. This lower back pain is between the base of my ribs and the pelvis on each side. No leg pain. The pain is aggravated when leaning forward. Also getting into bed is problematic, going from a sitting position to laying down on my back, pain kicks in. Any sudden movement of my legs brings about the excruciating pain. So since my recent bout 2 weeks ago, I had tried the bed as above, but now had to try and sleep in a reclining chair. I know that Ibuprofen is an anti inflammatory, but it never relieves the pain. My GP 25 years ago prescribed me Co-codamol and this works. 7 years ago I was diagnosed with spinal stenosis. Was told this could make my sciatica worse. All I do know is I cannot walk more than a few hundred yards before pain in both legs and numb feet.
I am a 36 y/o female I started having pain in my left leg around 4/30/23 the pain became unbearable after 3 ER visits different opinions I was diagnosed with Sciatica. I was giving diclofenac topical gel it helps instantly. I’m also taking a muscle relaxer and pain pill. I noticed by purchasing a knee brace it has helped me maintain my mobility. Now the pain has shot to my toe there’s this burning feeling it hurts like crazy. I’m 2 weeks shy of 2 months of having sciatica. I want this to go away already.
Identical symptoms and same time tried everything daily dicoflenac and Tylenol.
Desperately looking for answers and I tried acupuncture and in 2 session I feel 90 percent pain free.
i am hoping I continue pain free.
Hey Roger acupuncture got rid of the pain for you? Where do you live? I’m asking just because maybe you can give me their number not kidding. I’m in Los Angeles.
I did acupuncture a week and 1/2 ago. but she was kind of rough on me and I feel like she made it more mad. I came home and didn’t go to work that day or the next day. Canceled my plans to go out with friends and have pretty much. Been home for two weeks. I can work from home, but it is better for me to be there. But the 30-45 minute drive is unbearable most days.
I also saw a chiropractor who did seem to make a difference, but I’m into week three now and it’s still here. It woke me up about an hour ago. I had to take a painkiller and found this blog, so I’m reading all of your stories and replying to most of you because it makes me feel a tiny bit better knowing I’m not the only one
Hope you are feeling better and pain free
I can relate I too started with pain in my left lower leg not realizing that it was coming from above just thinking it was a cramp trying to shake it off. The last two weeks has been unbelievable. Hell the pain is terrible every 4 to 6 hours I have to take a pain pill. I haven’t gone to the doctors yet, but I will this week I saw an acupuncturist and chiropractor, not sure they helped but this is by far the worst pain I’ve ever had I’ve never had this before it’s terrible. I can’t imagine it would continue for two months but it seems I’m going in that direction because it’s not slowing down at all and just when I think I feel a little better, it comes back with a vengeance. I have been in the dark about how this happened to me because I do very little physical activity. I am a touch over weight work 14-16 hour days on my feet or sitting and now realizing those things all contribute.
We go on rd trips all the time, travel and have never had any pain like this. I am worried for my 16 hour flight in a few months. Lots of pain killers and muscle relaxers I guess. I just want it to go far far away already. Who can live like this?? Hope you are better now?
Try a good massage therapist
Try compression socks on your flights
I’ve had sciatic pain for over two weeks! I’ve suffered so much! It started lower back and has gone from there around to my butt cheek- feels like someone kicked me in my butt! And down my leg!!!’ Does anyone know what is better heat or ice? Please help me
one then the other
I have been suffering for 3 weeks ( and I understand that is a very short period of time compared to others) But the pain was unbearable, I’m currently on naproxen 500mg a day, which has taken the edge off, I can get to the local shop takes about till late afternoon until I can. I’m not sure if I can go back to work, as I drive all day, I can’t even sit on dining chair because the pain just worse. I understand it is only early days, but it’s such a worry regarding paying bills as I only get SSP. If never been off work really and have worked with the same firm for 12years.. I just feel so alone. Feel like I shouldn’t of posted this as all you guys have it so much. It’s just nice to vent. I hope you understand.
You are definitely not alone look at this thread. There’s so many people here with this awful awful pain. I’m sorry you’re going through it believe me I feel you it’s maddening. I’ve been taking ibuprofen every 4 to 6 hours like literally can’t go past six hours. I also got some heavier pain medication that i take only at night.
I have to drive 30 minutes to work but I don’t have to go in every day luckily. I can work from home but if I don’t time it right and take pain medication before I drive it’s excruciating. Sometimes I have to pull over and walk around for a few minutes and then talk myself up to get back in the car. I can’t sit still while I drive it’s terrible, the seat belt hurts. 🙁
The first week I cried myself to sleep, then cried for 30-40 minutes when I woke, 5 days in a row!!!
This blog is helping me feel lim not alone. And although I wish this pain on no one, nice to hear your stories and ways to feel better.
Praying for all your pain to go away (mine too please )
Take care and feel better
Hello, I hear you. My pain started about a month ago. It started from my lower back and went down to my leg now it is in my knee. Pills help, I cannot stand for a long time but sitting down relieves the pain. I wish you well.
It’s good to vent. Stress makes it worse, so relax and vent. We all need it. Pain is hell and those of us who have it really spooky understand.
I’ve had sciatica which affects my right leg and foot – my calf used to literally feel like it’s burning when I walk but now it’s just niggling and my foot and calf are numb. I feel I’m on the mend but can’t help feeling my foot and calf will remain numb. I’ve had a course of acupuncture and follow sciatica relief exercises religiously every morning (which is the worst time for me). Naproxen doesn’t really help so I prefer ibuprofen and paracetamol. I am going to try going back to the gym next week for dance aerobics classes but will obs take it easy. My heart goes out to everyone suffering from this awful condition but it’s good to feel I’m not alone.
I just had surgery for a herniated disc in my L4 L5 I am 61 yrs female. I am post op 1.5 months recovery and I’m still experiencing severe sciatic pain. Initially after surgery the sciatic pain was gone and I was so thankful. My incision hurt but that was to be expected. I wasn’t expecting to be in this much pain. It is so much more than it was before my surgery. I have another MRI scheduled towards the end of this month April to find out if I reherniated the disc which I really hope I didn’t because I’ve been so careful. Pain is off the charts but at least my doctors are taking care of me. Prescribing me pain meds which I really hoped that I would be off of after taking them for a broken back prior to the herniated disc surgery. I generally sleep on my side with a pillow between my knees but still the pain is so severe that I’ve been having trouble sleeping. Is there anything I can do to relieve the sciatic pain besides ice or heat? Thanks Dina
Heat cold therapy can be useful when combined with pain medication. The influx of blood to the affected area due to the temperature changes induced by the hot cold therapy helps to direct the pain medication to where it is needed. Best wishes.
I just started a place called ortho lazor I went once it helps I’m going again next week a machine that helps with inflammation and blood circulation good luck im with u
Hi folks. I thought to share how quickly an exercise helped ease my sciatica pain, we are talking immediate improvement here!
If you are capable try doing the Lizard Crawl, but be sure to go easy into it and don’t trigger any pain. It seemed to help clear up a lot of the swelling I had. I have a big herniated disc on L5-S1, I am still tender and have to be very careful.
Most troubling I find the numbness I developed which has not lessened as of yet. (I’m in week 2 since going full herniated disc, had a bulge for 4 weeks before that but no numbness until 2 weeks ago)
Any ideas how long I should expect the numbness to linger after getting rid of the swelling?
Also, if I’m in less pain can I assume that I have nudged the disk back and am now waiting for the joint to heal?
Your post is from three months ago. I hope you are feeling better? I’m literally going to try the lizard crawl as soon as I’m done typing this to you
I’m curious about swelling where do you have swelling? In your back or disc?
I have zero swelling or noticeable swelling, but unbearable pain obviously all up and down my left leg, so just curious ? I am 54 years old. I’ve never had pain like this and out of the blue this happens to me. I truly am baffled by what happened to me or how I irritated my sciatica.
Hope you are feeling better now
I have been suffering with sciatica for nearly a year now, after having an MRI a cyst was found on my facet joint with which my neuro surgeon concluded was the probable reason why I had the sciatica. 2 weeks ago I had surgery to remove the cyst. Knowing it was about an 80% Success rate I decided to have the Surgery.
Post op first 2 days were great, probably because of the drugs and anaesthetic inside me. Then slowly the pain has started to come back. Now the initial pain is however slightly better it’s just there has been like an only what I can explain as a really bad cramp, that I didn’t have before near the top of my buttock which has steadily got worse. Now to my shock for the 1st time ever today the sciatica had switched sides and is now going down my right buttock twisting around my leg and into my foot! I just wondered if there was anyone out there who could explain what is happening, please!
Hello Karen,
You are still relatively fresh out of surgery so there will still be swelling around your surgery. This is an issue you need to discuss with your surgeon, as they are best placed to advise you on the symptoms you are experiencing. Best wishes.
thanks
Yes! It Happened to me I was getting better from the operation from l45 on the right side and then it went to the left side all in one year and I did not want to go through it again but the doctor did surgery again on the and put larger screws in there as it is now June 2023 and I am now recovering surgery was in April but last year from April to November I could not walk on my right side so I’m not happy that I am now back in that shape again this is the 6th surgery I’ve had the other was on my neck both times they were infusions my left foot is still very very tender and I cannot stretch my leg out and I wonder if it’s going to get better thank you for your post
Hey Rebecca how are you feeling now? I’ve spent the last few hours reading all of your posts and weirdly comforting to hear you all have the same terrible pain as me (I don’t wish you to have any pain) but happy (if I could be happy that we are all in hell) that I’m not alone does that make sense?? I can’t sleep the pain woke me up, so I had to take a Vicodin that really helps take away the pain so I can try to get some rest.
I’m sorry to hear you’ve been going through it. Curious if you feel better now? I can’t believe it went down a whole other side just when you thought you were fixing the one side the freaking thing goes to the other side. What can we do to to PREVENT this? I would love to know??
I kept thinking I could just shake this off the last couple weeks I wake up I feel sort of better and then it hits me I’ve never really had something kind of taking over where I don’t have the control and it scares me, I just want it to go away and never come back
Hope you are feeling better
Oh Karen. I hope you are better now. I’m 2 weeks in and the pain is overwhelming
I’ve seen acupuncturist and chiropractor. Will continue. Need to go to Dr as well if this persists
Did the surgery eventually work for you? Does anyone ever get rid of sciatica for good? Or do we have to live with this forever. 🙁
Hi,
I am 43 years old male previously had back issues first started when I was 29 sneezed and appear to have had a herniated disc didn’t have major issues after a few months and then when I was 39 I bent down to my left to pick something up off the floor that caused severe pain on my left side and had antalgec posture that again subsided but 3 months later whilst driving a up a hill in the car I had to jump out of the car due to intense nerve irritation that made my left leg want to shake and pain that I can only describe as awful. Since this episode I have had all manner of back issues lower back pain knee pain tight hamstrings and more recently I wake up in the night with throbbing big left toe which doesn’t seem to subside even after waking up but it’s not all down my leg just the extremities although I previously used to get sciatic pain down my leg. I have an L5 S1 nerve impingement, tried manual therapy, nerve blocking injections in the back. It affects my mobility to some degree as I can’t sit for more than half an hour or drive long distances but I think the mental stress is worse because I feel like I can’t do much as I never know when it will flare up. Saw the general practitioner and said the toe pain was due to impinged nerve but didn’t provide any other advice. Good luck and good health to everyone on this forum dealing with these issues I consider myself lucky but it’s still hard day to day.
Hi Syed, I too find that the mental stress is overwhelming at times and will not write what I sometimes feel but then the next day it feels as though it’s healing until the following day when it’s back to the horrendous pain again. I have it from my back all the way to my knee (right side), sometimes on the calf area and my heel. It also affected my foot which felt as though it was floppy but fortunately that has now fixed itself. I’m having physio which helps but then really feel it the next day. I do find laying on my front is comfortable and helps a little. Good luck to you too and hopefully we’ll soon be running around, well, back on our feet and mentally stress free!
Hi syed, I hope you are feeling better. I can relate to your pain and I’m so sorry we have this is common 🙁
It’s 2 AM here in Los Angeles and I woke up with excruciating pain down the left side in my calf mostly so I just took a pain pill , it reAlly helps this pain go away. But waiting for it to kick in makes me cry, squirm around, walk around the house, whimper and just feel down that I can’t fix this.
I cry alone often since it started . 🙁 driving hurts and I too have had to pull over and get out of the car to relive the claustrophobic, uncomfortable excruciating pain. I look like a crazy person trying to stretch out my leg and walk around my car. I am cranky and isolate tryin to rest the pain away. But resting hurts 🙁
Hope you are feeling better
I was diagnosed with sciatica almost ten years ago after two bicycle accidents. As it is stated above, the pain is not constant. What it feels like at it’s worst is what I imagine it would feel like if you hooked up jumper cables just below your knee on the outside of your leg, and down just above your ankle. Turned on the electrical current and kept the current going constantly, it’s quite painful, but not completely disabling. I am going to try the advice listed above, it makes sense to me.
I’m in your shoes. I had my second injection last week. I don’t feel like I can count on anything from my knee to my ankle to work consistently. You have my sympathy!
Black Ice your description of the jumper cable on the lower part of your leg is exactly what I have, but mine is debilitating
Are you feeling better? You mentioned above that you were taking the advice that you saw from others unfortunately I don’t see the replies, so wondering if you tried what was suggested and if it worked I’m almost in week three and it’s almost 3 AM here in Los Angeles, and i was awoken with massive jumper cable pain (lol)
so writing to you all to figure out how to fix it is helpful.
Hope you are feeling better
Hi so, I’m just looking for some form of advice here. I developed Piriformus Syndrome in my left side, likely due to becoming homeless and having to rely on long bus rides and such to get literally anywhere every day. However, I’ve been in 24/7, excruciating pain since the issue began back in June 2022. The pain even got so bad once that I was entirely unable to move my lower body, and had to be carried out of the building I was staying in at the time on a tarp by first responders, and then proceed to spend hours in immense pain being forced to sit up in a hospital room. I was prescribed a muscle relaxer, which helped some, however I don’t think I was prescribed enough because soon after I finished the entire prescription [roughly 11-day supply]. I soon went straight back into constant, debilitating pain. I cant stand up almost at all, but I also cannot sit or lay in any way that is comfortable. I spend every hour of every day laying down, getting maybe an hour of sleep, and then waking back up to change the ice pack I was using once it melted and repeating the process. I cant even get up and walk to exercise anymore, and can barely do even a laying stretch due to the pain severity. I am only 21 and I feel like I should NOT be having to bear this sort of pain right now, especially considering I’m already disabled and struggling to fight for SSI and this pain is keeping me from a job [I’ve been fired for it twice, one after only 2 days of work]. Pain meds no longer help [not even the whole 400mg of naproxen I was taking when nothing else worked], and I’m entirely at a loss. Doctors have seen nothing on any tests and insist it is only piriformus syndrome. I recently got a refill on the muscle relaxer, though I’m struggling to actually obtain it from my pharmacy due to being constantly moved around and only just settling into a new place; is there any advice on what to do in the meantime? This pain is genuinely unbearable and it’s been pushing my mental health to really bad places.
P.S. also not sure if related, but lately I’ve also been experiencing numbness in my left arm from the elbow down as well,,, it only started a few weeks ago but it’s been a bit worrisome.
Piriformis syndrome is now referred to as deep gluteal syndrome. Perhaps a specialist in this syndrome can shed more light on what is going on? What is going on in your arm / elebow is unlikely to be directly linked to your leg symptoms. Best wishes.
Try acupuncture it’s helped me so much. I’ve had it 2x and I can feel the difference already I was bed bound for at least 5 day.
Naproxen is useless. Well for me it was.
I took 400mg of ibruphen and paracetamol 4x a day then amatripolen on a night.
The elbow pain is bed sores from using elbows to move around in bed
The worst pain to endure. My two surgeries required grinding my pelvic bones to make opening bigger for nerve and blood rejuvenation, neurosurgery. Might need it again, my bones are too thick in that region, am 74 and have other problems. Try Lycodine patches, they help some with prescription drugs.
Hello everyone I started with lower back pain that felt dull and I thought it was a UTI. But then I began feeling like jolts of intolerable pain on my lower back with certain movements. Sometimes feel them go down my leg. I can’t bend over without feeling those jolts on my back that make me jump from the pain, I can’t lay straight on my back because it hurts and I can’t get straight up without feeling those. I can only be in fetal position to sleep. I’m on day 3 and idk if it is Sciatica ??
Use pillow between your legs while sleeping, its sciatica, if you want to lay down on your back try to not leave them straight.
Hello I have been dealing with back issues since I was 42. Now 55 the sciatica is horrible! I have tried everything from physical therapy to disc compression machine and ultra sound therapy. Have had injections taken anti inflammatory drugs but nothing is working. I have stenosis and generated disc disease in my L4and L5. In September 2022 we sold our house and moved. Well I had no choice but to pack and lift and go up and down steps etc… my sciatica started after we moved onto our new house. It is extremely severe and getting worse. Yesterday I cleaned my house and I couldn’t even walk or find a comfortable spot to sit or stand. What makes matters worse is I am a school bus driver so I sit on that bus 2-4 hours a day. Insurance does not cover everything and I just do not have the money for done therapy. I did put on a lot of weight after the pandemic and taking care of my mom before she passed. I know the weight does not help. It’s just so hard. Any advice would be great!!!!
Hello Kim,
Sorry to hear about your sciatica. It sounds like you have had your symptoms for a long period of time. Once sciatica symptoms go beyond a year it is important to establish whether the symptoms are related to chronic neuropathic pain. You should speak with your healthcare providers as your treatment path may be different from someone experiencing sciatica symptoms for the first time. Best wishes.
Hello everyone. My sciatica resulted from an auto accident in1971. We were hit from behind at 35mph, and I was thrown under the dashboard. The sciatica a didn’t present itself until my 30’s. It became debilitating in my 40’s. Since then all the pain has been on the right side and lasting 11 months or more. During the pandemic, I was laid up in bed for 30 months. I have arthritis of the spine and degenerative disc disease. What concerns me is that the pain is affecting the LEFT side. Does this mean that the disc can slip to either side? Is that dangerous for me?
Hello Jane,
What you refer to as a ‘slipped disc’ is what is known as a disc herniation amongst medical professionals. A disc herniation can present to the left or right side. It would be unusual to have a herniation that can move from left to right. A more likely scenario would be a herniation on both sides. There could be a number of reasons why pain presents on both sides if degenerative disc disease is present. If pain presents on both sides that can be a rd flag for cauda equina, which needs to be ruled out my healthcare professionals. The best thing to do is to get assessed by a medical professional to get a definitive diagnosis. Best wishes.
Hello everybody, im new here and im new with all this sciatica condition, even thou i haven”t yet been diagnosed with it, but i feel the simptoms of that condition, so i assuming that’s probably what i have, i have an appointment on 12/16/22, so hopefully il get over with this, is so hard when you are a person that loves to move around, going out and work! this pain is so bad and annoying!! it takes a lot out of you, i don’t feel like doing nothing, my body ask me for my bed( which i understand is not good) but i hope everybody who’s suffer this condition finds relieve and be happy
I was diagnosed with bulging disc on l4,l5,S1. I started limping last year but my condition worsened due to misdiagnosis. I only found out about the bulging disc later this year.. I ended up with drop foot & mobility issues. I don’t have pain but I can’t walk without a cane. Any advise on how I can regain my mobility?
Sorry to hear that Lucy. It’s good that the pain is now subsided. Mobility issues can be linked to impaired nerve function. Nerves are the slowest healing tissue in the body so it is important to be patient with the body. Movement is key to recovery and the right type of movement can increase the rate of recovery. A physical therapist is best placed to advise the right sort of movement exercises that need to be done based on the stage you are at. Best wishes.
Hi! When you say I have to be patient with the body; how long are we talking about? What are your thoughts on surgery?
How long symptoms last is very individual and dependent on circumstances. The following blog provides some general guidelines – https://www.sciatic-relief.com/how-long-does-sciatica-last/.
Surgery is always a last resort. Success rates are higher when the condition has not become a chronic pain disorder. Always advice from a medical practitioner is the best route to follow.
Hi Lucy, I am from Kenya and I have this problem too sciatica nerve pain due to bulging disc and piriformis syndrome too, 6 months down the line what helped me most is foot and nerve supplements, two weeks of taking it and the pain is subsiding.
You are lucky. I have had it for 1 year ,4 months. I take supplements & do physiotherapy but my mobility is really bad. I hope nothing else is going on
Hi Lucy, sometimes you have to respond to your body, for instance when I started the supplements two weeks ago I was advised to rest for a week with no physiotherapy or massage. You can try resting coz sometimes even walking aggravated the symptoms. I was bedridden for those 6 months only being taken to a physio in a wheelchair. I do hope you will find what will work out for you.
Hello! I’ve been dealing with sciatica for the past three months now. The pain was bearable at first but now has gotten worse to the point that I can barely walk. I’ve been to the emergency room twice for it. They’ve ran test on me making sure there’s no blood clots. Every time they give me medication (Ibuprofen, Gabapentin, muscle relaxers) that doesn’t work. I’m at wits end. I don’t know what more to do. The pain is so bad it wakes me up out of my sleep. Is there any natural remedies that can help relieve the pain?
Dear Larece,
There are many alternative interventions that you can try. What may work for you, like all things in life varies from individual to individual. We have many short blogs on things you can consider that may help and we would suggest you read them and also note things other people have tried. For now possibly the quickest intervention that may help give you some relief would be regular application of hot-cold therapy. We have a blog on this that explains what it is and how it works. It is non-invasive and nothing to ingest so very safe and a god send if it helps. https://www.sciatic-relief.com/hot-cold-therapy-for-sciatica/. Best wishes.
Hi Larece,
im going through the exact same thing right now. I see you wrote this 10 months ago. Did you recover, please let me know. Currently bed bound.
thanks
Hello! I was admitted to the ER for extreme sciatic pains 5 days ago. They loaded me up with anti inflammatory shots, muscle relaxers, and told me to see a spine doctor. Since the visit, I have had extreme numbness from my butt down the back of my right leg three toes, and heel. The spinal doctor does not have an opening or see me until a month from now. Should I call back and let them know how numb I am? Seems like a very extreme case, and I don’t want to risk permanent damage. What should I do?
If in doubt always seek further advice and clarification from your healthcare provider. Sciatica symptoms feel ‘extreme’, but very rarely do the symptoms pose long term serious harm (unless the condition becomes chronic). Best wishes.
Hi I seem to have exact the same symptoms as you my leg and 3 toes and my heel have been numb now for nearly 4 months my Dr just prescribes me more pain killers which do not work and also noticed my leg which is numb is smaller than my other leg it seems i have lost all my muscle in the affected leg
I have been having sciatica problems for three months now. My MRI says I have two bulging disc on my L4 and L5. The first month my pain was heavy and not tolerable. I am now in my third month where I am able to tolerate the pain without any med pain, but still burns bad. My pt did muscle manipulation on my lowerback and when he was done my right leg felt that sharp pain that everybody talks about. Thankfully, that only happened once. He hasn’t done it again. However, around two weeks ago, my right toe got partially numb and still is. I used to not get any pains in my buttocks and I do now here and there. I still have to use a heat pad, and I still cannot sit for longer than 30 minutes you could say. I can’t walk longer probably than 30 minutes without them having the pain ache that bad. I can’t stand still. I thought I was getting better, but then my toe getting numb and feeling pulsing on my legs and tingling in my feet, says otherwise to me. Do you think this is a good healing process I am going towards?
Very rarely is the healing process a straight line progression for most people where sciatica is concerned. There can be lots of ups and downs, two steps forward and one step backwards. On the whole what you describe sounds like progress. Less pain is always a good sign. Keep going. Best wishes.
Hi there,
I am going through something similar. I see that you wrote this 10 months ago. Have your recovered? Any tips?
Thanks so much
Due to an instability in my spine and a degenerative disk I had spinal fusion of L4/L5 14 years ago. Like has been great. Until five months ago when an awful bout of sciatic occurred on the left side. One night the pain turned to numbness with zero pain. The numbness was from my hamstring down to my toes. After two epidurals some of the numbness has subsided but my three toes on the left side of my foot, my arch and my heal remain numb. My Ortho doctor said that may just be the way it is from now on. Now-I noticed that my ankle and lower leg are swelling. Should I be concerned with the swelling?
Your ortho Doctor has years of experience and is an expert so what he says carries great weight. If something may be one way it is also possible it may not be. Think about this. There are many people that have been in your position and recovered. Swelling is a sign or symptom that tells us something is amiss. Although not welcomed it is useful. If something does not seem right getting it checked out immediately is a proactive step that can make us feel better. We hope you are feeling better soon.
Can we use red light as therapy for sciatica
Hello Ace,
We have no experience of red light therapy. No doubt as with most things some would say yes and others would say no. First thing for anyone to consider is safety. After you have satisfied yourself of the safety then it is up to you whether you try it or not. As the saying goes not everything is for everyone.
Best wishes.
I had some debilitating sciatica for 9 weeks which seemed to be generated from my piriformis, through deep massage it finally went away about 5 weeks ago. I’ve become active again and now find that my lower back is quite stiff and sore however no return of the sciatica symptoms. Perhaps I overdid getting back to walking and hiking. Any suggestions going forward?
Had never had a back issue prior to the onset of sciatica (from a move)
Hello Jim,
Glad to hear you are on the mend. It would be useful to see if you can get a healthcare professional, e.g., physiotherapist, confirm whether your sciatica symptoms were from piriformis syndrome or low back nerve root irritation. Not feeling pain in the lower back does not necessarily mean that it is not the cause of sciatica symptoms. There are some specific tests in a physical assessment that can help differentiate.
In terms of going forward. It is sensible to do a bit less than you feel capable of doing in the early days of recovery.
Hi there. I am a 26 year old female who dances and works out regularly. On last Wednesday I went down to do a dead lift, and either between my form or my speed I felt something in the back of my right hamstring pull to the left. It has never happened to me before and I am really afraid. It’s almost been a week now and I am still having dull achy pain shoot down from my buttock to the bottom of my leg if I position my leg a certain way, and most definitely when I squat. The pain from the beginning of the week to now has significantly decreased though so that gives me some relief. I would love to know exactly what I did to myself and if I will ever make a complete and full recovery. Thank you..
Hello Brittny,
A good sports physiotherapist is your best bet for a diagnosis. It sounds like a pull in your hamstring or maybe deep in the gluteal region, but without a full history and examination it is just an educated guess. The likelihood of an active, fit and healthy 26 year old making a full recovery is pretty good:-). Best wishes.
I have never been diagnosed with a sciatic problem because I never seen a doctor for it as I have no insurance coverage. For years I have had pain and pressure in that area sometimes when sweeping and then mopping directly after or sitting for long periods with my legs crossed, but it was never a pain that happened every time, just now and then and never put much thought into it. BUT since I had Covid 6 months ago my lower left back area above my buttocks hurts constantly now, all day every day, it started about 3 months after I had covid in Dec 2021, and my leg also goes numb at times running down the left side of it. I do believe I did have a Sciatic problem and covid just made it more pronounced, the pain is over whelming, just another thing to add to my long list of problems since having covid.
Hi, I had the robotic spinal fusion on June 8th, 2022. L4/l5. Right around the three week mark, I started having chronic sharp pain in my buttocks. I also have some tingling sand pain in my heel. This is all on the left side of my body. The called me in a six day steroid pack. Although it helped, the pain is coming right back. Why is this happening considering I just had surgery to correct my back problems? Is this something that I have caused? It almost four weeks since surgery and I pray this isn’t something permanent. Thank you
Hello Kim,
It is important to remember that invasive surgery causes inflammation and swelling that needs to heal. Hopefully as the healing from surgery progresses your symptoms will calm down. This is usually the case for most people. Your healthcare providers will advise you as you recover from your surgery. Best wishes.
Also, request a prescription prescription of Gabapentin. I’m having a horrible bout of sciatica after a total knee replacement 3 weeks ago. Gabapentin blocks nerve pain and is the only thing helping right now. I’ve been using a TENS machine as well. Ask your doctor for instructions on placement.
My 15 yr old daughter underwent a micro decompression at L5/S1 for pars defect and a vertebrae that had slipped causing a bulging disc and stenosis. This was 3 weeks ago and she’s now started to feel what she describes as stinging sensation in the leg where previously she had stabbing pain. Just wondering if this is a normal part of the nerve healing process. The nerve had been pinched for several years, and had gone undiagnosed.
Hello Jeff,
The healing path is different for everyone recovering from sciatica symptoms. Symptoms include; debilitating excruciating pain, severe pain, moderate to mild pain, stinging sensations, pins and needles, itching sensations, numbness and tingling, numbness only, loss of strength, temperature change sensations and probably a few more. Some get all the symptoms, most experience maybe one or two. The order in which they appear depends on the circumstances and individual. Age, general fitness, how long the symptoms have been present (acute or chronic) and so on. The way we think about the recovery is to consider how you feel and what you can do. It is possible to feel the same way but be able to do more. Monitor whether symptoms are becoming more or less debilitating. In general moving away from pain to less debilitating symptoms is a good sign. Best wishes.
For the last 2-3 weeks I avoid sitting down early in the morning. If I wake up at soon thereafter sit for breakfast or sit in the car my siatica hurts with jolts. However, if I stand up to work and eat and am EXTREMELY active I can minimize the pain. This is not sustainable though, as I do need to sit at work and drive. Any idea what this may be?
Hello Mark,
You need to work with healthcare providers to accurately diagnose your symptoms. For most people what you describe is most likely be sciatic symptoms related to lower back problems or it could be sciatic symptoms due to deep gluteal syndrome commonly referred to as piriformis syndrome. On rare occasions it could be something else, which is why you need a diagnosis from a healthcare provider. Best wishes.
Hi! I’m Kathy.
Three years ago I had an MRI of my lower back and they found a cyst like tumour in my back. It was at the time 9 mm wide an 18mm long after three years of being denied surgery due to insurance it didn’t get wider but grew longer to around 22 mm long. They finally did the surgery and removed it and put a cage in. Before they found this in my back, my left leg started acting up the top of my leg and the groin area. After they did the surgery which will be a year in August of 22 I still have the same problem with my left leg with the nerve and muscle and groin area buttocks and in the thigh and hip. Occasionally the right side also. I’ve had injections and also they burned the nerves but no relief. I developed neuropathy.
When I sit for a bit the bottom of my buttocks and down below my private area towards the bottom I have severe pain and numbness.
My leg is really not getting better after the surgery like they said it would and my back is still in lots of pain. Some days are good an others not. I also have two rods on each side of my spine along with 8 screw’s
This is my third back operation and feel ok some times but most other times the same tired uncomfortable pain. I’ve been with pain management for three years and I am tired of them but I’ve tried to be with out them but after I was off a couple of months my leg started acting up again right down to the side of my stump ( I’m a below the knee amputee) that I had to go to ER.
I’m starting to feel like my left leg will not get better an or soon my right side will begin to be like the left side.
Hello Kathy,
It sounds like you have more going on than classic sciatica symptoms if you have chronic neuropathy. Stick with the pain management. If you have times where you feel ok then they can work with you on making those periods last for longer. It may take time, but you can get better. Best wishes.
Kathy you sound just like me!!! I have had the same issues. I have had back problems since my early 40s. Now 55 the pain is unbearable. I have degenerated disc disease and stenosis in my L4 and L4. Just this past September the sciatica got worse. Here I am going on 5 months with severe pain. I had another injection last week and the pain is still bad. I hope this injection works eventually?? My back doctor put me on Gabapentin but waiting for it to kick in. I am severely depressed from all this. It’s hard just to put my socks and shoes on. Plus I am a bus driver so that does not help either. Prayers you feel better ❤️
Hi there,
I’m a 26 year old male with a very tall lean build, I do not exercise other than normal day to day activities and I had no preexisting conditions. I was in a very bad rollover car accident last year, after getting an MRI of my lower back to pursue treatment there was a small discovery of arthritis as well as a slight curvature of my spine. I completed most of my treatment with my chiropractor at the time but was not able to complete my physical therapy before moving out of state. Before and after moving I experienced symptoms of sciatica including primarily of muscle spasms in my left glute and thigh with shooting sharp pain in the same area for about 9 consecutive months. It would hurt to bend over, sitting certain ways and when I would stand up off the couch at times was so bad I thought my leg would give out. It was in either January or February that the pain subsided and I haven’t been experiencing it really at all. A little over a month ago while at work my foot fell asleep which lasted some time. It really raised concern when I woke up the next day and my foot was still asleep. It’s been a little over a month now and my foot drop is progressively getting worse. I cannot move my toes, ankle or foot upward toward my knee at all and I feel like I’m grasping at straws when it comes to what’s causing this. I don’t understand what’s happening, I understand foot drop is a symptom of sciatica but why would I start developing a new symptom when the old ones are not longer present. I’m not uninsured in a different state and I’m doing plenty of research but can’t conclude on a diagnosis. After reaching out I was advised by a medical professional in my home state to get an MRI of my lumbar spine. I was able to find a semi affordable out of pocket MRI in another county close to mine and at getting it done this Monday. My concern is that if what’s causing this isn’t found in the MRI that I will have to get more imaging which I just really can’t afford. I know the only true and accurate answer to what’s going on is going to be found by a medical diagnosis but I’m worried that if I’m not able to take care of this financially I’m going to be left immobile. I’m willing and asking for any advice, recommendations and knowledge on this situation.
Thank you so much,
Peter
Hello Peter,
Foot drop is typically caused by damage to the peroneal nerve, which is a branch nerve of the sciatic nerve. If you get an MRI scan and they do not pick up any lower back nerve root irritation this will help in the process of elimination in terms of what is the root cause of your symptoms, i.e., is it from the lower back or local to where the symptoms are being experienced. It is worthwhile remembering that a scan is only one part of the diagnosis. A physical examination and history of the symptoms is probably more important. A medical professional with good experience of these issues will be able to help you. Best wishes.
I had sciatica in April. The pain has gone away after a few weeks but I’m left with a bit of numbness in my foot. It’s been 8 weeks now since sciatica pain started. Should I be worried about the numbness not going away? How long can it last?
Thanks
REN
Hello Renata,
It sounds like you are recovering well. People can experience numbness and tingling for quite some time but on the whole if recovery is going in the right direction then a full recovery is possible. This blog we wrote may be helpful. https://www.sciatic-relief.com/how-long-does-sciatica-last/.
Best wishes
Hi ! Wow I’m so sorry you had to go through that! I too have fractured my L3 and L4 and I now have a messed up sciatica. It’s been 3 months and I’m still in unbearable pain! Drop foot is not good at all!! We can start a go fund me for you!!! You need to get it taken care of. If you don’t other bad things will follow! I’ve been doing my research because I no longer have a life. I’m stuck in major pain and can only stand for 5 minutes if that!! It’s depressing. I’m praying they can help me! Or basically my life is no longer mine. I will be pretty much bed ridden. Which is not good because my bones and muscles just deteriorate. So anyways I don’t know if you’ve got the help you need. But if you haven’t I will get a go fund me going for you or just donate to you? Hope you are well
How are you now Peter? My name is Dale and I have a sciatic pain for a year and up until now.. my lower back was painful and now it radiates to my back of my knee and sometimes shooting pain down through my right foot. I’ve been going to physiotherapist, chiropractor, acupuncture and still nothing works. I had an appointment for my GP and I will let them know if I needed to have a Spinal Injection to cure this. However, we have the same issue the worst time of the day is to get up in the morning. I could barely walk and limping most of the time and I dont know how to get through this… If you want the update send me your email and we can talk about our journey. We got this. Don’t lose hope!
Our blog on getting out of bed in the morning may help. https://www.sciatic-relief.com/getting-out-of-bed-with-sciatica/
Best wishes
I am suffering from heavy pain on my lower back and same time, if pain becomes severe huge pain will come inside knee as well. This is either on left or right. Never occurred on both sides together. I am suffering from this from last many years. Nobody could help me. I have no numbness or other issues. When pain increases I won’t be able to bend down or anything. Full leg and back become stiff so that if I try to bend the pain will kill me.
Kindly help me
Dear Avinash, You need to find a healthcare professional that can see you in person and full assess you and give you a diagnosis. You will then be able to plan a way forward to recovery. Pain on the inside of the knee does not sound like a sciatic nerve issue and more like a femoral nerve issue. You need a medical professional to help you find out what is causing your symptoms. Best wishes.
I have a sit down job for over 15 years. I have a slight bulge at L5 pinching the L5 nerve root. It started in September of last year. For three months I couldn’t sleep, sit, drive and lived on the floor. With physical therapy, chiropractor and some decompression for over 5 months on and off I’m better. I can bend better and less pain I still have the burning sensation on top off my butt and sometimes down to my calf. I can finally put on my shoes like a normal person. I can sit sometimes on certain chairs. I can drive I have to stretch out my right leg and do bridges to help get rid of it temporarily. Will all of this go away? The achy feeling is tiresome. I had one injection that didn’t work When it first started happening when I was chronic with the electric shots going down my body. I have been doing pain management. Spine and orthopedic doctors keeps telling me they don’t recommend surgery. They want me to try the injection again, but honestly it’s not FDA regulated and I really don’t know how much it will help.
It can be difficult to know what to do when symptoms go on for so long. When making decisions an important anchor to consider is the trajectory of symptoms. Are your symptoms getting better or worse? Whenever symptoms are improving there is always a potential that they can be completely resolved even if it takes a long time. It is common for injections for nerve conditions to be administered more than once to take effect. If you have any concerns about any treatments being offered talk it through with your healthcare providers. It is a good sign that the Doctors are not recommending surgery this is always a last resort when the situation is intractable. If your Doctors are not recommending you have surgery then the risks must outweigh the benefits and there is a good prospect of the situation resolving in time. Best wishes.
My mother got sciatica when I was a child, she had it for 10 years really badly. The doctor finally said to lay down for 48 hours and do not get out of a laying down position, except to go to the bathroom. He gave her pain pills and i think anti-inflamatories. She did it and it was gone! After 10 years of hell, it worked. The doctor said the sciatica is inflamed and irritated and you have to give it total rest for 48 hours. She had just slight flare ups over the years, but its mainly been gone for 40 years now.
I started feeling tightness in my hip abductors – I’m an active person who goes to the gym and stretches every day, however my job is sedentary and I sit all day. A week after feeling that tightness, I noticed my buttock would feel achey if I tightned the muscle and I also noticed it sitting on my couch. The next. week it progressed to me not being able to walk, sharp shooting pains going from my glutes, hips and down the side of my leg. It hurt to stand, walk and lay down.
My MRIs and Xrays are fine.
I started Physical therapy 2 weeks ago. I have been walking and standing fine 95% of the time. Sitting is a challenge depending on the surface and for how long. Car rides are difficult.
I started feeling that initial tightness 5 weeks ago. How long will this last on average? I am at the point where I need to stretch every day, don’t feel pain usually when standing or walking, but gets aggravated from sitting or intense workouts.
If the lower back can be ruled out as the cause of the symptoms then the investigations need to rule out deep gluteal syndrome more commonly referred to as piriformis syndrome. It is difficult to predict how long something like this will last. Depends on the individual and the interventions employed. Sounds like you are doing the right things and you are physically active so hopefully not too long. Best wishes.
Thank you. I still have it but its been a lot better. I am struggling with getting pins and needles sensation and some numbing in my feet when I wake up every morning as my main symptoms now. No pain though. If anyone has any tips on relieving the feet symptoms, please let me know.
Any updates? I’m at your point with waking up with some numbing sensation in my foot.
From my experience you need complete rest on lying position. I am taking treatment ayurveda.
Ayurveda try to treat cause. Please give a try.. I am feeling almost recovered after taking medication, oil application etc
I’m having issues with numbness, tingling and balance. I’ve been down 5 weeks now. This is an emotional roller coaster and I’m just ready to get back to my normal life and duties.
I have been diagnosed with sciatica one year back. I have a constant numbness feeling in right leg and numbness in right foot. What is the cure please help?
I have been diagnosed with nerve damage down the inside of my right leg, there is no feeling. It seems to be getting worse not better.
Hi! I’ve been suffering for years I have pain in my left flank area and in the waist area goes to my hip groin and down the fron t of my thigh also pain under left rib. I have prolly a million dollars in test and no one can find anything wrong sometimes it effects my belly. Going back to my orthopedic in may any suggestions? I have been a hairdresser since 1987
Hi Franny,
Sounds like you have had a torrid time. Based on what you have described it would be very difficult to say what you have. A full medical examination and history are required for accurate diagnosis. The symptoms you describe do not sound like sciatica. Frequently pain in the groin area and front of the thigh are eventually traced to some kind of hip pathology. Hope you find out what is is soon. Best wishes.
Franny, we are living parallel lives! I’m a cosmetologist of 35 years, graduated cosmetology school in ’87 as well and am very recently dealing with sciatica. After weeks of continuing degradation, seeing a chiropractor and massage therapist, I visited my doc and was prescribed an anti inflammatory and muscle relaxers. While I’ve gotten a bit of relief, I’m now looking into ways to find relief non-medical which led me here. Thanks to the author of the article and comments with replies! Here’s hoping we all feel better quickly as this has been quite an uncomfortable journey!
Hi im 49 years old and ive been suffering from sciatica for 19 mths now 24/7. Ive been bedbound for 4 months during that time which was horrific. Ive been privately seen having 2 deep route nerve injections which didn’t help. Then had to swap to nhs luckily with same orthopedic surgeon. Had another injection and again nothing. Ive been on the waiting list for what seems like forever for a discectomy.
I worry because ive been taking 27 painkillers everyday for so long.
Ive tried acupuncture, PT, chiropractor, exercises and nothing helps. Ive had to cope also during this time with two other perdonal traumas in my life. To say i am at breaking point is an understatement. I have no quality of life, my fantastic daughter is slowly becoming my carer. I returned to work obviously nowhere near fully able to do my job but luckily they are very understanding, last Easter after having 6 months off sick. Im now off again. I worry that the longer this goes on the more depressed i will become. I also worry about there being any long term nerve damage as I’ve had it so bad for so long.
Unresolved trauma can sometimes affect how pain is experienced in the body. We hope you are feeling better soon.
Hello. I found this site while researching my symptoms.I’m 36 with a sedentary part time job. Back in November, I bought this “pressure point cushion” for my desk chair. It was a really hard foam but it had great reviews so I sat it in for one shift for around 7 hours. I froze up the next day. Everything in my butt and thighs were screaming and spasming.. I had to take a few days off work. Then I started feeling ok around January, I tried to sit a little longer for a 5 hour shift (not with the cushion, just my recliner) and everything spasmed again. This time, I took 6 weeks off work to try to heal and went to PT. I asked for an MRI from my dr but he was dismissive twice, saying it was a muscle spasm and to take muscle relaxers for a few weeks and go to PT. The muscle relaxers didn’t touch it. I have improved with PT but I’m only able to work 2 hours a day spaced out through the whole day because I can’t sit for long. Does this sound like it could be sciatica ? I’m at my wits end and nobody will listen to me that something is wrong. I don’t have a diagnosis. I’m afraid I’m not going to get better, as it’s been 2 months now and I’m still hurting. I just want a diagnosis so I know what I need to do.
Sorry to hear about this Nichelle. It is hard to say whether it is sciatica from what you have described. This blog may help you https://www.sciatic-relief.com/how-do-i-know-i-have-sciatica/. An experienced Doctor or physiotherapist should be able to establish whether you have sciatica symptoms quite easily. Diagnosing the root cause can be more difficult. We hope you make progress soon.
Hi I’m 45 and identify with your experience. I have had a herniated disc after an incident at work 18 months ago. I returned to work to a different job six months later with physio and opioid painkillers. 4 weeks ago for no reason it flared up again I couldn’t move and then I experienced unbearable sciatica. I have been stuck in bed most of the time but I do try and do physiotherapy exercises and get up to shower even though I have been unable to walk at times. It seems that a slipped disc and sciatica is played down and even my own family seem cynical as some days I can get up and walk around and others I can hardly get to the bathroom. I’m trying to stay positive but surgery seems like the most obvious solution even though I hate the thought. I hope you feel better or if an old post got better as it’s so debilitating and no one understands unless they have had it.
Hey Rachel, I’m going through my second bout with bad sciatic pain. First time 10 years ago where I went 18 months before finally getting surgery. This time I’ve had it for 3 months and finally I am getting some relief with chiro but I fell back into the depression I remember from that time 10 years ago. If your symptoms haven’t improved, do everything you can to get the surgery, it will get rid of the pain so you can go back to a “normal” life. Post operation make sure to do your rehab and get strong again and stay strong. It’s no way to live and the chiros will tell you to never do surgery, just do it. Tiger Woods had had 5 back surgeries and he’s still out there with no pain trying to compete.
Maybe you need another mri. Your symptoms sound like mine when I had a herniated disc which pinched my sciatic nerve. Pins and needles in foot is symptom of pinched sciatic nerve. I also had weird pains in my buttocks; sitting during car rides was the worst. I never had pain running up and down leg which is common and dr was surprised I didn’t have that. A cortisone injection in the spine relieved my pain.
This is exactly what I’m going through and nothing helps me. Sitting in my car is the worst pain I’ve ever felt and it’s all in one leg sometimes I have to put my legs in different positions after some time it starts tingling again
Sorry to hear of your pain issues. I really sympathise. Mine only started 3 weeks ago on holiday in Malaysia from UK. I’ve been icing my back 6 to 8 times a day which gives temporary relief and taking many anti inflammatory drugs daily together with physio therapy and acupuncture, but has steadily got worse to the point 3 days ago could not walk more than a few steps without severe pain in hip and down left leg. Sleeping is broken. Had to delay return flight as so painful to travel. The doctor I’m seeing is suggesting epidural steroid injection to relieve inflammation and nerve pain.
I had mri which determined herniated disc at L4/5 and L5/S1 with mild to moderate stenosis of the spine
I honestly feel your pain , I have been bed bound for a month now with my sciatica. I had a discectomy 4 months ago and went well but 9 weeks after it went down hill and here I am.
I got pain in lower back and sacrum my buttocks, leg, calf and foot. As soon as I stand I get pins and needles and then the burning pain and then the severe pain where I can’t stand anymore. My other leg has started to have problems to where I’m having a dull ache in my foot and leg which concerns me. Im
Back on painkillers which make me feel sick every day and the pain is so severe I’m crying every day.
My QOL has gone to nothing I can’t even stand long enough to make a cup of tea. My children have become my carers.
Am awaiting to hear back from consultant on where to go next as I had an mri with contrast two weeks ago. I got a feeling ill need another surgery cause this ain’t easing up any time soon.
I have tried tens machine, patches stretches nothing works it’s an awful thing to go through and it gets you so down and feel u can’t take no more
Hi Kelly. Sounds like you reherniated and the next step is a fusion. My injury was 2019, I had a laminectomy in 2020, discectomy in 2021, and spinal fusion June 2022. I reherniated around 3 months after the discectomy. I’ve been bed bound since March and am absolutely miserable too. Im on opioids around the clock and ice is the only thing that helps, occasionally tens unit helps too if I place it well. This has ruined my life, chronic pain is horrible it’s so depressing and frustrating.
Hi I’m 28 years old and I’ve been suffering with sciatica for 5 months. I do stretches and swimming, other exercises everyday. I literally tried everything I can to help fight this pain, even see a chiropractor almost every week, but I feel like the pain is the same, won’t go away. It mostly hurts when I sit or lay down, mostly on car rides. I forced myself get out of bed everyday trying to do a lot of standing and walking to stretch my leg before I workout or stretch, but my left hip and buttocks will hurt while standing and walking. Has anyone else have this problem? I’m trying everything I can get better, would like to hear more tips what to do to help this pain go away.
I have the same pain areas. I found that walking, even hiking, helps eliminate the pain temporarily. I’m hoping it goes away permanently. It has been about 4 weeks now.
When I had a pinched sciatic nerve from a herniated disc, I was given a cortisone injection and it took all pain away.
The pain is excruciating. I can’t feel my toes on my right foot. Pain is now concentrated in my calf. I had this in 2014, with stenosis then cauda equina syndrome and emergency spine surgery with fusion in lumbar L3-L5. The cauda equina can return according to the surgeon. Permanent nerve damage from surgery. I use a cane & walker. Sitting is crazy and now they want me for jury duty! I have heavy duty prednisone, ibprophen @600mgs, muscle relaxers, etc. Most miserable feeling ever. Soaking in warm water helps and I force myself to walk as much as possible.
Praying that moves fast through and out. Great look into what I have. You’re the 1st I’ve read. It’s serious in my left hip into butt down leg in back and started after a 3500 mile drive so I know what caused it and see that week 2 of trying not to lay down. I’ll take your advice but standing intensifies the pain. I have plantar in the feet too so no fun. I’ll let ya know how long it lasts.
Hi I’m 28 years old. I’ve been dealing with this since around mid December 2021. Happened after I injured my adductors and apparently my SI joint while hiking. My pain at the beginning was constant but now I’m catching more breaks during the day. Still getting a constant tingling feeling that sometimes becomes a burning pain in my calves and feet and some twitching. While the adductors are recovering graciously and fast, the SI joint will be addressed next week with a steroid injection and some PT. My PT wants to work the sciatica symptoms which she thinks are more a nerve irritation due to the inflammation of SI joint than compression of a nerve root so that could explain why I haven’t experienced actual loss of feeling or any sign of clinical weakness. Had an MRI today to rule out bulging discs. My PT and ortho surgeon say I’m highly likely to experience full recovery soon (around one or two months) once we start addressing the issue. I’m kinda scared because I got this pain once like 5 years ago after another strenuous exercise routine. That time my symptoms lasted way more time because nobody suspected I got sciatica bc of my age and thought it was something systemic so I suffered for around 5 months until full recovery with no treatment at all, just more movement. I don’t wanna replicate that awful experience and I wanna address this issue asap because it’s affecting my social life, mental health and productivity at work.
Sounds like you are on the right path to recovery Diego. All the best.
Good Evening,
I am 38 years old & for the past 2 years, it’s my 2nd time to have unbearable Sciatica pain (roughly 18 months apart). The pain is sudden and on both incidents it was while sitting on a chair, I encounter a severe electric-like pain from my lower back down the left leg, where I end up in bed unable to stand up for 2-3 days until I start walking slowly again. It took 4-6 weeks to fully recover.
Usually I spend 5 days a week sitting (mostly wrong posture) in a chair for 9 hours & my only exercise is walking once a week. I have seen a doctor and he advised to start physical therapy, improve my life style, & sitting posture.
Any advice from you will be highly appreciated. I am really worried for the recurrence to be more frequent. Any tips on how to ease the electric-like pain & speed up the recovery incase of recurrence? Is it possible to start walking slowly on the same day even though the pain is unbearable and feels like I am going to faint? Thank you
Generally it unwise to push through unbearable pain. Pain is a signal to our bodies to change something. Physical activity is good for recovery, but where pain is excessive then modifications should be made to reduce pain. Where back pain is concerned there tends to be a lot of talk about ‘good and bad’ posture. We are all different so what is good for you may be bad for me. Perhaps you should consider a stand up – sitting desk so you can alternate between sitting and standing so you you do not have to spend hours sitting. Best wishes.
Sciatica is a pain that sucks the body with pain. The stages are so very well explained. Thank you for the great and helpful information.
Hello, I’m 19 years old and began suffering from sciatic pain after picking heavy boxes up wrong while at work. I have been suffering from this for almost 6 months now with little to no relief. I tried going to the chiropractor for about 6 weeks, which helped the intensity, but it’s getting to the point where it is draining me mentally. Would surgery be in my best interest?
Hello Rachael,
Many people would be able to empathise with you on the mental draining aspect of your experience. Your healthcare providers (doctor, physio) should advise you on the options available to you and what is in your best interest. It is rare for people your age to require surgery, but everyone is different. Surgery is not without risk and it is not guaranteed to work so it is usually the very last resort. We hope you are feeling better soon.
First and foremost you should realise that sciatica is a name that is used to describe the nerve that mainly runs from your pelvis or hip region down both of your legs. There are also segments of this sciatic nerve in the lower parts of your spine. You need to find the underlying condition of your pain, if you lifted a heavy object you may have caused some inflammation of your spine and this in turn irritated the sciatic nerve that is located near that area of your back.. If you have pain radiating down your back to your buttocks and leg and, foot, sciatica typically occurs on one side but can be both legs you need to find the origin of your pain, either by an MRI of your spine or in rare circumstances your piriformis muscle located below your hip on the affected leg. If an MRI report is not possible then you can start by using ice on the back if there’s an area that is painful, also with NSAID’s (non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs), and over the counter pain relievers. If you can you should seek the help of a physical therapist ASAP, to vet you squared away with an icing / heating schedule and stretching exercises for your back or leg.
The longer you wait it can hamper your recovery time. There are many articles online that describe sciatica in detail. It usually goes away within a short period of time with ice/anti-inflammatory meds that combine with pain relievers. If you have a back issue you may need to get a scan and report and consult with either a knowledgeable physical therapist or an orthopedist. If your problem persists there are epidural injections for back pain too. Surgery for sciatica pain is not common unless it becomes chronic or, if the underlying condition is a back injury, herniated disc, stenosis et al. Best..
Thank you for clarifying some information for me, I have recently been going to physical therapy and been taking muscle relaxers alongside naproxen. There has been slight relief, but sometimes I still wake up in the middle of the night. But there seems to be less constant pain in my ankle area, is this a sign that I’m slowly recovering? I was reading that the pain retreats back up the leg when it is healing.
Hello, I am 29 years old. I’ve had sciatic-like pain for years, but it was always just an annoyance until September 2021. Then it suddenly got so bad that I couldn’t stand, walk or lie down. Now I can lie down, but standing and walking are still instantly painful. I have been doing physiotherapy for three months with no real progress (I see a physiotherapist once a week and do the exercises at home every day). I’ve been waiting for an MRI for months. My doctor says I need an MRI before I can get steroid injections, which might not help, and surgery is too risky for someone my age. I’m otherwise a healthy person, and I like to be active. I’m scared I will be like this for the rest of my life. I can’t survive like this–not being able to walk, let alone hike or ski or do the things I used to do, and dreading every day because of the pain. Why isn’t my sciatica getting better?
Hello James,
Your age and being physically active are big factors that makes it highly unlikely that you will be like this for the rest of your life. When symptoms of sciatica are exacerbated on standing and walking it typically indicates nerve root irritation in the lumbar spine and the symptoms come on because you have more compression in the spine when you are standing compared to lying down. An MRI would confirm that. Whatever is causing nerve root irritation needs to change before the symptoms change. This can happening through natural healing (time) or some medical intervention. Once you have an MRI you and your healthcare providers will have a better idea of what you are dealing with and set you an appropriate care plan. If the MRI needs to be completed before the care plan changes then let them know how severely it is impacting your life and push to get it done as soon as you can. Best wishes.
Hi James, i am not a doctor but i would like to share with you my experience. I am 26 and I had sciatica for about 3 years and after 1,5 years it started coming up more oftend (about every 6 months with each time getting worse). Before my final sciatica worsening, i was very well, i played tennis i swam, a little basketball and overall i was fine until one day i had the worse sciatica pain of my life. I could hardly walk and i had little sleep everynight for one month until i did surgery. The very same day the pain was gone and i could finally relax, it was amazing. The next day i went to a restaurant and after 10 days i started swimming. Now 3 months later i have progressed a lot and think of starting yoga or pilates to improve more. I want to conclude that if you suffer and you have a doctor that you can trust then you should not be afraid of surgery. For me it worked much better than physio. I hope you get the best solution for you and your suffering stops soon because i know how bad it is.
Hi, i’m 32 male
i was diagnosed to have sciatica, when the drugs didn’t help, physical therapy and massages were great.
I feel a lot relieved and painless, but when i play football for example, i feel numbness in my leg the next day
will the numbness ever go !
Sounds like you are recovering well. Most people your age making good progress make a full recovery and experience no sciatica symptoms.
Hey, my name is Mary I’m 24 years old and I got diagnosed with sciatic pain after I gave birth in January. I was fine then all of a sudden about 3-4 hours after labor I couldn’t walk without being in excruciating pain. Now it’s been over a month and I can barely walk with a walker, I can’t get out of my house due to stairs, and I can barely take care of my daughter (I live with my mom right now so she can help). I’m to the point that I can’t take this any longer. I can barely Hold my daughter without being in tears from the pain, I can’t bend over to pick her up, I can barely get in the shower… I just don’t know what to do anymore…
Hello Mary, Congratulations on the birth of your daughter. There is never a good time to experience sciatica, but it must be particularly challenging with a new baby. As new mother hopefully you are under the care of a Doctor. At time likes this getting some relief from the pain is the priority so you can get on the road to recovery. Perhaps you should discuss with your Doctor what options are available in terms of pain relief. We hope you’re feeling better soon. Best wishes.
I have apparently got sciatica from exercises.
I am a very thin person, have been exercising for 10+ years now, including exercises to strenghten my back muscles because I know they’re weak (due to me being very thin there).
I had a small brake (laziness) and after that did a specific exercise (that I’ve been doing before) with too much verve and got a strong back pain (the exercise is where you lift legs backwards in a position with bent out spine – a killer if done wrong). But stupid me, the next day I did exactly the same thing. After that the pain was extreme so I only did “mild” exercises…. needless to say, even that was harmful. Following that I did a brake for a couple of days, then when the pain subsisted, tried again – again resulting in renewed pain. It’s been some 4-5 days since, during which I’ve been wise enough to take a rest. Now the back pain is gone but a strange pain that fits the description of sciatica remains.
I have never had such problems with my back, just an occasional mild pain when I exercised it too much. I am 42, female.
My question is: Have I herniated a disc through the exercise (the previous back pain)? If so, is this permanent damage or will it heel and take with it the sciatica?
Hello Kat,
When we have symptoms going down our leg then it is likely we have irritated a nerve root in the lumbar spine. This could be a herniated disk or a bulging disk. The only way to no for sure would be through imaging such as an MRI. It is possible to heal and the for the symptoms to subside. This is the usual progression for most people. Best wishes.
Thanks a lot for your quick reply, I really appreciate it!!
I would normally go to a doctor but now I’m leaving my country for 3 weeks so it wouldn’t make much sense. And I hope the issue will be gone after I’m back.
The problem is,, I have a 3 days seminar now with a lot of sitting and after that a long journey, in seated position too. So that frightened me quite a bit but hopefully I found a solution which I would like to recommend to all fellow sciatica sufferers – exercises, this time good ones:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YXglW9kvH4
Of course there are many more videos on youtube but I just stumbled across this one and decided to stick with it because look at all those enthusiastic comments… I did the full routine for the 1st time today and can feel the back is more relaxed and I definitely haven’t damaged anything there like with my previous routine.
Very recommended, just give it a try!
Hi, I’m 57 years old male. My pain started 3 weeks ago. I had to move to another place. I was lifting things but not heavy things because of previous back problems. Lots of bending. I also gained 10 lbs in a month. 180 to 190 lbs. The pain was in my lower right side and started traveling to my hips then down my leg. It’s hard to walk sometimes but I try. Sleeping starts out good but after4 hours it starts hurting down my upper leg. The mornings are so painful. The pain comes and goes throughout the day. I’m hoping the pain doesn’t go down to my calf. I don’t want to stretch because I’m afraid it will get worse. I also have upper back pain from a couple of years ago but that’s much better. I’m getting some itching on my leg. Is that a sign of healing? I had this sciatic 4 years ago and it took 4 months to heal. I tried all kinds of pain killers 4 years ago and didn’t work. Next I tried vitamins (A,B12,C, D) Along with turmeric. It seemed to work back then. Back then the pain went down to my calf and ankle. I’m just hoping this time it doesn’t go that far down. The other day I picked up a towel from the floor and the pain was constant for several hours, 8 of 10. Yesterday the pain was a 2 of 10. Today it’s a 5 of 10. It seem like I’m taking one step forward and 1 step backwards. Is this normal for the pain to come and go like this. I hate this pain.Thanks
Hi Tony,
Sorry to hear about your current situation. Indeed it is common for symptoms to come and go and be variable. Although it can seem random there is usually a pattern of movements or activities that are more likely to trigger symptoms. It is worth taking time to notice what that might be for you. You have recovered previously. Itching can be a good sign that healing is occurring so hopefully you are on the road recovery. Best wishes.
Thanks for the reply
Over 12 months I’ve had scactica the pain is unbearable like I’d been set on fire I’ve had every pain killer going morphine oral morphine patches pain killers that’s made me feel like a zombie until I went to pain clinic saw a brilliant doctor recommended I have steroid injection had it no pain I can’t believe it after a year pain free so I’d ask your doctor to send you there best thing I had done good luck
Are these injections temporary I’m considering this myself. What did your doctor say about how long it lasts.thanks
About 2 weeks ago is when my sciatic nerve started hurting. My left leg is still feeling heavy. Is this a normal thing or do I need so see a doctor
Yes, go to see your Doctor. Always best to get a diagnosis from a healthcare professional.
Hi. I have numbness along my sciatic nerve. As I heal will the feeling come back starting in my toes or glutes? Thanks
Hi Chrystal,
The numbness will subside. There is no set pattern where the sensations will start to return it depends on the individual. Best wishes.
6 weeks sciatica (piriformis? never had a back issue before
Thank you for the information here and for being encouraging. I have no back pain but has a sudden buttocks lag pain that gradually left me unable to sit after about a week. Othro said Sciatica and likely the impingement is in the pirifprmis. I have been taking ibuprofen and going to p/t. After 6 weeks it seemed to be a lot better but stuck at a plateau. Still can’t sit in the car for more than 20 minutes I haven’t tried sitting in a chair. Mornings aren’t excruciating anymore. I am getting worried and stressed about how long this typically goes on. I know people are all different, but for a female, 54 ,never had a back issue, probably too immobile due to pandemic and working from home for a year, sitting for long periods. What is the ballpark and must I consider surgery? I really don’t want to.
I’m getting despondent. I read your blog ..and the info about surgery after 6 weeks is what I’m asking about and ballpark without surgery how long does this take before you can sit? I’m able to walk and sleep and down to 2 doses of 600mg ibuprofen a day. I have periods of normalization then it will just come back. The numbness in my foot is resolving and my foot was itching the last two days which after having shingles last year and I recognize (I hope) as nerve healing. Does having a period or needing to go to the bathroom make the pain more acute?
Sounds like everything is going in the right direction. Itching is a good sign for healing and if you have times when everything is feeling normal that is a good sign. Hopefully the gap between the ups and downs will get wider and wider until you are fully recovered. Pain is usually more acute when we are tired or stressed so there can be many triggers that can make pain feel worse. Best wishes.
I am in a very similar situation. 48 years old-no prior back issues & began having pain in my left leg hamstring in late July. By late August I was having more pain-burning, stinging and; electrifying pain from my upper part of my back left leg down to my calf into my foot. 2 visits to the Orthopedic doctor since Mid September, 9 sessions with a PT over 3 weeks, visit to the ER and; a visit with a neurologist. I simply I’m told it’s my sciatic nerve…..and with insurance we must wait in order to have an mri. I am also on ibuprofen and; 2 other pain meds. I am doing daily stretches & exercises, walking & using a heating pad when sitting. I am also feeling there is no end to my pain. The pain in my left leg when standing is excruciating.
I too am feeling hopeless in recovering since it’s been going on more than 2 months.
Hello Andrea,
The feeling of hopelessness is common and understandable. The continual pain is very wearing. Doing nothing would be even worse and you are doing all the things you need to do, which will eventually pay off. Perhaps you could consider some hot-cold therapy as part of your regime and maybe some temporary support while standing to off-load some weight from your lower back. Hope you are feeling better soon. Best wishes.
Hello!
I am a 26 years young. It’s about 3 or 4 years I have been suffering from sciatica pain in my leg. First it started with my right leg then this year it moved to my left leg. And I feel that my left leg is shorter than the right one. I am looking a solution to get rid of these pain. Does running help ?
Hello Omar,
Running is a general form of exercise that can be good for you, but it is not focussed directly on sciatica symptoms and in certain people it can aggravate symptoms. It would be best to seek advice from a physiotherapist for the best exercises for your specific case. Best wishes.
Hi,
I have L5S1 annualt disc tear. my sciatic pain subsided to a dull pain that feels like muscle pains near hip knee and foot.. no sharp pains after the 3rd month. now I’m in 6th month I have a leg heaviness. specially when seated in correct posture and lying down. when walking the heaviness is not felt that much
I am in the same boat as you! Been over two months and have got pt set up, Taking some pain meds, using stretches, heat hot tub, ice, IBU, positive mindset. I have gone to urgent care, seen a few doctors. all say Sciatica. I have been doing exercises, taking walks several times a day, sitting is hard at times, I put a rolled-up towel or pillow behind me for lumbar support and avoid cushy chairs at this point. The has subsided at times, lying down, when using heat or ice, or when asleep. ha! It will get better I keep telling myself. I believe that.
It will get better for you as well.
Take care!
Hello Andrea, I’m currently dealing with a lot of the pain symptoms that you were, at the time of this writing. I’m just curious as to how you’re doing now? I hope you are well. Thanks, Justin
Yes so it sounds like your piriformis is inflamed now I want you to press deep into your buttock ( does that hurt if the answer is no then you might wanna check higher. See I thought piriformis for some time because I had same symptoms and come to find out it’s actually pretty rare . I ended up have l5 s1 disc herniation which I had microdisectomy on and now feeling better still some pain but I guess two weeks after . My symptoms before were butt and leg pain- can be mistaken for piriformis or high hamstring tendonopathy and what was a dead give away was bottom of foot pain which was so damn insane and little toe numbness. I would have never gotten the surgery if I didn’t have foot pain , I mean it was so bad I felt like my foot was swelling in my shoe which wasn’t the case.
I have osteoarthritis in my spine which effects my lumbar L1 to L5 and my s1 I also have degenerative nerves and grossly degenerative disk problems in my back I suffer every day with lower back problems and I’m also suffering now with sciatica since June this Year I have had the most erroneous pain whatsoever I’ve been to my gp practice on multiple occasions and they have given me medication now about 6 weeks ago I started feeling a burning sensation numbness in the whole of my left hand side of my leg from my left buttock don’t to my toes but this burning sensation and numbness is leading into my thigh area and the women’s region and is also going up my back now I’m having problems going to pass a bowel movement and it’s taking along time to pass over a good half hr to 45mins just to pass 1 bowel movement now I do think there is more going on has I’m not getting much information when I consult my gp practice I feel like one side of my body is on fire and nobody is really telling me what it is and the burning sensation numbness and tingling sensations in my left side of my body feels like its on fire I also have pain in the foot too also anything that’s cold that touches my leg feels scolding hot please can somebody help me if you can please
Dear Kristel,
If you are struggling then it is important to go to or speak with your Doctor. The symptoms affecting your groin area and bowel movements are progressing symptoms. It is important to stress this to your Doctor. We hope you start to see some improvement soon. Best wishes.
I’ve had sciatic pain down my left leg for about two years it was eventually found to be piriformis syndrome and is now healing. There is so much information about sciatic pain but none on how it actually feels as it’s healing. I’m having more sensitive feelings in my feet now accompanied by some itching I was wondering if this is normal after such a long time Of having sciatica like pain
Hello Greg,
Nerves are the slowest healing tissue in the body so it can take a while sometimes. Reduced intensity of symptoms, sensations returning and itching are good signs for nerve healing. Best wishes.
If anyone has sciatica and experience bowel or urinary issues should immediately seek emergency treatment
A and E doctor told me to go back if I have trouble with bowel movements. It’s an indication of a serious problem. You need to see a doctor.
You need to go to er and make sure it’s a level one trauma center and tell them you are having saddle amnesia and you are setting yourself and having trouble with bowel movements. They will do an emergency MRI and you will get some answers.
I have had what appears to be sciatica for over a year now. I’m take a large dose of Lyrica but I’m still in a lot of pain, we just upped my dose too. Over the past month I’ve been wondering if it really is sciatica. It presents as it but no treatment is working. I’ve done chiro, heat, ice any over the counter medicine that might help but nothing is. Is it possible something might seem like sciatica but not actually be it? And what could it possibly be? I can’t see my doctor for 2 months to discuss my concerns
Hello Kat,
It is important to remember that sciatica is a symptom not a condition. There are several things that can cause sciatica symptoms the most common being nerve root irritation of the nerves emanating from the lumbar spine. This root cause accounts for probably 85% of the cases of people experiencing sciatica so tends to be called the condition. If you have any concerns you should try to see your Doctor as soon as practicable. We have a blog that gives some other things that lead to sciatica type symptoms, which is worth a read. There are other things too. Hope you are feeling better soon.
https://www.sciatic-relief.com/is-your-leg-pain-sciatica-or-something-else/
I’ve had excellent results with acupuncture (and I hate needles). A good acupuncturist can make your sciatica get better with each visit. Mine took three (but she moved out-of-state).
I totally agree Teresa. My Physiotherapist had 1x Acupuncture session with me and the pain subsided away in the back of my Leg. Unfortunately we went into Lockdown and have not being able to get further treatment for my Sciatica symptoms.
Hi kat i am in exactly the same situation and i’m really fed up of hearing all the same suggestions about physio and keeping mobile. I’ve had five different physios all giving simialar exercises, i’ve tried acupunture, i’ve had a spinal injection nothing has helped. Even walking aggravates it let alone anything else. The drugs don’t seem to be helping at all. It’s horredous so i feel your pain. I’m going to try one more injection but the waiting list is slow so i’m paying to see a specialist as like you i can’t cope with it.
Sarah
Hi, I am 30 years old, when I wake up in the morning there is always pain from standing up to even trying to sit on the toilet on the lower right side of my body. The pain is from my buttocks area and heavy in the back of my right thigh. I usually notice that sleeping on my side is a bit more comfortable and sometimes I am able to sleep flat on my back as well. I usually have to sit and stretch in the morning because as soon as I get out of bed there is numbness and tingling and a lot of pain when I stand on my right leg. I tried acupuncture and it left like it helped, I was also looking into chiropractor. Do you think these things will help or if you can guide me in the right direction.
Dear Sundeep,
Sorry to hear of your situation. Sounds like you are on the right track by doing things that help alleviate your pain and get you going in the morning. It sounds like compression of the lower spine may trigger your symptoms as you say when you stand your symptoms start. Read our blog on the how to get out of bed in the morning. This routine may help warm you up before you start the day. Best wishes.
Hello! I am 22 female. Last Saturday I fell off of a porch directly on my hip and back. I was told it was only a strained/bruised lower back muscle and nothing was broken. I can walk okay for the most part now. But when I try to get out of bed, I have excruciating pain through my back and butt and my leg. It’s absolutely horrible and it BURNS. It feels like my body is on fire. Once I get standing, I am better for the most part. I know they say bed rest isn’t ideal but I hurt so badly that I just have to lay in bed to relieve any pressure. When I sit in a chair, I have to have my back completely straight otherwise if I don’t, I get the burning feeling when I go to stand up. Is there anything that can help with this?! My doctor refused to order me an MRI and said I was completely fine and just have to rest/move around and continue taking naproxen and muscle relaxer. Idk how much longer I can take this pain. It is the worst thing I’ve ever felt in my life. Please help
Hello Angela,
Sorry to hear about your accident. The symptoms you describe sound like sciatica symptoms, but it would be good to get confirmation of this from a healthcare professional. You do not necessarily need a scan. A good assessment with a manual therapist such as a physiotherapist, osteopath or chiropractor should be able to determine that for you. Sometimes when people have traumatic events at the lower back hip, this can cause issues at the sacroilliac joint leading to sciatica symptoms. Given your age you will recover fairly quickly so for now just manage your symptoms with some simple modifications so as not to exacerbate them. Once the symptoms start to calm most people can increase their activity levels to help with recovery. Best wishes.
Hola Angela, I was in your situation, my pain only got worse after weeks of being in excruciating pain, I asked Dr. to order an MRI, and Insurance didn’t want to pay, so I paid for my own, happens that I had Herniation disc L5 S1, I made appointment with Neurologist, I had a test named Nerve conduction to check the damage in my nerves, don’t wait too long, find a Dr who can help you, my Neurologist gave a great Meds helped me with inflammation and that relieved the pain.
Hi which drugs are you finding work well for you? I am not getting much relief from amitriptyline at the moment
Hi,
I am 36 years old female. I live very healthy life style with proper workout and controlled weight.
Past 2 months my pain started and gradually increased. Tried acupuncture and home stretches. My doctor prescribed anti -inflammatory tablets for a month, it didn’t work so directed me to Orthopedic.They checked my X-ray and my spine and discs are perfect and directed me to Physical therapy .
I could’n even walk for a week. Now slowly I am walking, but not sure when back to normal? Not sure what is the cause of this issue? Will it come back again?
Mornings are fine, towards night pain slowly build up.
Dear Priya,
Firstly, you need to ask the healthcare professionals you are working with as to what is causing your symptoms. An orthopaedic doctor and physiotherapist should be able to diagnose your symptooms.
People experiencing sciatica symptoms in the gluteal area and/or in the leg can be caused by issues in the lower back and if not there it can be caused by issues in the gluteal area giving rise to conditions such as piriformis syndrome or deep gluteal syndrome.
We hope you find the root cause of your symptoms soon. Best wishes.
Shannon and I am 48 I have been having a sciatic nerve pain in my right leg and a herniated disc in lumbar area I have been not able to walk I have to the hospital like 5 times already the last time I went there they told no surgery after all in my back but go see a spine specialist I have been not even be able to walk for about a month or so I ve been laying down longer than that I barely getting feeling back in my shin and my foot and ankle in my right leg my right knee is getting feeling back little bit but my right thigh still hurts on top all the way to my groin area is that normal
Hi Shannon,
Sorry to hear about your current situation. The symptoms you describe sound like they are in the front of your leg (groin, thigh, shin). If this is the case then pain in this area is associated with femoral nerve pain, which is similar to sciatica but not the same. Sciatica symptoms are at the back of the leg. You need to be sure what is causing your symptoms so best to discuss with your doctor. Best wishes.
Hello. I have sciatic pain it has been 2 month now. I want to find out whether i am getting better. The tingling sensation has reduced in my leg but still numb. And compare to before i can walk better now. The pain in my back is worst. I need help.. I just want to feel better from this unbearable pain. Thank you
Hello Ashna,
From what you describe you have reducing symptoms, which demonstrates improvement and is a good indicator you are getting better. Unfortunatley the recovery can never come quick enough, but take heart that things are generally going in the right direction. Best wishes.
Hi got bulging disk and root irritation .I have never felt pain like this .I’m on 20 mil of morphine daily and pheagablin 450 .This has changed my life the pain is unreal I have been admitted for five days .I get up in bad pain the family have too do everything. I’ve been referred to pain clinic. Any advice would be great.
Hi Michelle,
With the level of pain you are experiencing it is always difficult to imagine getting through this. In this acute phase it is important to focus on the near future when this pain will start to subside, because even though it does not feel like it now it will. When it does you can then focus on doing things to help your recover. For now listen to the healthcare professionals helping you to get those pain levels under control. Best wishes.
I too am experiencing unbelievable pain with sciatica from herniated disc. I too wondered tonight how long will this be? Where is the light at the end of this dark miserable tunnel?
After reading your one response to someone it gives me hope that I will see it. No matter how it feels right now and that I need to do as dr says and be assured that it will get better.
Thank you.
hello.. My pain started 7 months ago…stiffness in my lower back that made it difficult getting in and out of a car. Then the next month, the pain increased (lower back, left hip, thighs and knees). I had difficulty standing up when I sat down for a long time. It was so painful when I cough, sneeze or even when I open my mouth to take food. So painful when I sat down on the toilet bowl. I couldn’t put my pants on on my own. Couldn’t bend down to pick up anything that I just resorted to kicking all fallen stuff to one corner of my room for somebody to pick up later. I dread rising up in the morning because the pain was excruciating once both my feet were already on the floor. I saw a doctor and had x-rays. Told me that I have bone slight degeneration on my lower back. But if it’s so mild why the intense pain? I’ve undergone physio theraphy where they use Electric Machine and TENS on my lower back. The PT also taught me stretching exercises that I can do to manage the pain at home. The pain improved that I already stopped taking pain relievers..But numbness and weakness in both my feet and legs started that makes it so hard to walk. I feel like I’m not in total control of my legs and will fall down anytime.
My question is how come that just when the pain is finally decreasing, the numbness and weakness in my legs increased? Is this sciatica? I hope you can enlighten me since my doctors are not very accommodating and won’t explain things to me at length. Thank you..
Hello Vivian, sciatica is a name given to a group of symptoms that affect the sciatic nerve. What the cause of those symptoms are is what your Doctor needs to tell you. What you describe sound like sciatica symptoms. Pain, numbness and muscle weakness are all things that can occur. There is no specific order that these things happen. People can experience one symptom or all. It can be quite random. Try speaking with your Doctor and asking what is the root cause of your sciatica symptoms. Knowing the root cause can help for better management and recovery. Best wishes.
i have had sciatica for 3 plus months. I had a MRI done and i am pressing on a nerve in my lower back. I have tired therapy and so far has helped but it comes right back and i feel therapy not helping to get the pain out my leg. what other advice can you give that might be helpful
Hi Clara,
The best advice would be to continue with the therapy that is helping. It takes a while for nerves to heal but if you are seeing some benefit then there is a good chance you will heal fully. The gaps between going forward and going backwards will get wider and wider. Read the blogs on our site and see if there are any tips that resonate with you. Best wishes.