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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Posts >> Sciatica......but not CH 
        
(Message started by: cootie on Aug 25^th, 2004, 1:33pm)

Title: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by cootie on Aug 25^th, 2004, 1:33pm

Holy Crap !! Does anyone have any tips on sciatic pain ? I get it off and on but got it flared up BAD this time and is a line across my back across to the 'top' of my hip this along my waiste verses IN my hip like usual. It's relentless and can't get away from it......can't get up if setting and can't bend over.....takes yer breath away it is so bad. (bad L5 S1 is the culprit) Jus wonder'd if any of you had any tips for this type or area on things to do to help releive it. So far I have found nothing far as how to sit or lay or whatever. Tryin out the Skalaxin again for short term and see if it helps the contractions your back has causein the pain and not bein able to move at times at all freaky deal!!! I know there is NO pain med for this stuff....jus tryin to get around it. Nothin keeps me down anyhow and I keep doin what I am doin even tho I find myself goin in more circles then I do gettin shit done......adaptable Pam

Any advice appriciated :P

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by Lizzie2 on Aug 25^th, 2004, 1:45pm

Hey Pam,

It's not an immediate result, but my grandma has it, so I will ask her what she does the next time I talk with her. I know that she does get relief from going to the chiropractor and also she did physical therapy for a little while. At this point with her, she just has a hard time moving around...but she is 81! We need to try to get her up and moving more even though it hurts.

Hang in there!

Lizzie2 :)

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by floridian on Aug 25^th, 2004, 1:52pm

Short term, cortisone injections are sometimes used, as is oral indomethacin or other NSAIDs. Physical therapy or chiropractic are also options.

Herbal anti-inflammatories include ginger, bromelain, capsaicin. St. Johns wort (tablet or red oil) is used for neuralgia.

Longterm, glucosamine and MSM helps some as they are used to rebuild connective tissue.

top 10 yoga exercises for sciatica:
http://www.womenfitness.net/top10_yoga_exercises.htm

http://www.spine-health.com/topics/cd/d_sciatica/sc01.html

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by IndianaJohn on Aug 25^th, 2004, 1:56pm

My wife had her L5/S1 fused and plated. That relieved most of the symptoms.

Prior to that - light stretching, with an anti-inflamatory.

She tried - chairopractor, cortizone injections, hot showers. Showers worked best.

Other than that, if it's a structural problem, usually surgery is indicated

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by broomhilda on Aug 25^th, 2004, 2:02pm

Heat in any form helps me, muscle relaxants, anti inflamatories and p/t when it gets really bad...

Good luck Pam, hope it feels better soon :(

Andrea

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by BobG on Aug 25^th, 2004, 2:03pm

I've had that same problem for many years. Here's what I do.

Since the pain is from muscles grabbing hold and squeezing a nerve you have to relax your muscle.
1. Sit on the floor (a soft floor). Bend your legs and pull your knees up as far as you can towards your chest. Wrap your arms around your knees and pull for a second or two, relax, repeat 4 or 5 times.
2. Still holding your knees, fall backwards and rock and roll on your back and especially on the lower back. Rock back and forth 10 or 15 times.
3. Repeat #1.

You may want to do this a couple of times a day for a couple of days.

Good luck. Hope it helps. That sciatic pain is some bad stuff.

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by JDH on Aug 25^th, 2004, 2:21pm

Hiya Pam,
Sorry to hear about the sciatica pain thing going on with you….believe me I can relate, mine has been killing me lately as well.
I stretch a lot and then I walk and then I walk some more and then after that I walk a little more. It hurts like hell when I’m doing it (nothing close to CH pain) but it helps afterwards. It seems to be worse if I sit or lay around for any length of time so I keep moving a lot.
Good luck girl, hope you get some relief soon.

Jim

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by BobG on Aug 25^th, 2004, 2:27pm

on 08/25/04 at 14:21:07, JDH wrote:

I stretch a lot and then I walk and then I walk some more and then after that I walk a little more. Jim

This reminded me of something. Cootie, do you play golf?

I played a lot of years ago. One day we had tee times and I didn't think I'd be able to play but went anyway. After hitting (slowly and cafefully) a bucket of balls we teed off. After about the second hole, walking, no cart, I was feeling a lot better. By the 18th hole the pain was gone.

Go smack some balls. You might feel better.

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by Woobie on Aug 25^th, 2004, 3:53pm

Doesn't Jonny got this??

i dont know....... i know nothing. shit pam - hope you get some help!!!!!!!!

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by Jeepgun on Aug 25^th, 2004, 4:10pm

Hot, moist compresses, anti-inflammatory meds, light stretching (as you are able to tolerate), and possibly moving gently, just to keep things limber, but not enough to re-traumatize the muscles.

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by cootie on Aug 25^th, 2004, 4:42pm

Thanks guys.....yeah Woobs Jonny has sciatic too only me thinks his is prolly more in the hip.....and down the leg deal. I can't bend......nope notta.....not gonna happen....nothin is workin this time with this type....grrrrrrr ! I bend at the waist at all I get the shootin pain all the way across my lower back where the bad part is. Dam it........can't escape this dumb crap.....normally I can SOMEHOW ! Skelaxin has done nothin either but make me feel more like doin nothin. Thanks for all the tips guys.....Brad golfs but I don't. Unproductive Pam (whine whine whine whine)

Anyone ever hear of Cybalta....doc suggested I try it cuz it works for muscle pain esp in the back and is for anxiety and depression type stuff....kinda for chronic muscle fatigue deal like fibro some docs call it. But.....I ain't lookin to take stuff like that......paxil was bad enuff. Guess this stuff has been approved recently....but I'm not feelin guinea piggish at this time.

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by Jimmy_B on Aug 25^th, 2004, 4:54pm

Cootie,

Be careful...although it may feel like it, true sciatic pain has nothing at all to do with muscles. It's an impingement of the nerve either due to a bulging or herniated disc in the lower Lumbar Spine...like the L5-S1 space that you mentioned. The bulging/herniated disc presses against the sciatic nerve, causing nerve pain. The sciatic nerve runs down the legs. I would be very, very careful with stretching. You could aggravate it further.

Heat compresses, pillow under the legs when laying down, physical activity as tolerated.

Any anti-inflamatory drugs like aspirin or NSAIDS. If that doesn't work, or it goes on for a long time...maybe think about epidural injections & P.T.

I'm not a Doctor but I used to play Doctor as a kid ;;D No seriously, my wife gets the same thing chronically.

Here's a good site on causes & treatments.
www.medinfo.co.uk/conditions/sciatica.html

Good Luck,

Jimmy

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by Sean_C on Aug 25^th, 2004, 5:29pm

Coots,

Sorry to here about the flare up, it happens to the best of us :(

If I get caught up in it I use ice on for a half hour then off for a half hour, while laying in bed watching Migration of the Wilderbeast on Discovery. Give it a try and relax thats the best medicine. Usually a day or two and your golden ;;D

If all else fails go to the ER and get some Demerol followed by a dozen Bud Lites ;;D

Hope you feel better soon Coots...............back pain sucks hard ;;D

Sean.....................

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by Charlie on Aug 25^th, 2004, 7:30pm

OUCH. Rats.

Had lumbar problems for years. It's slowed me down a bit. My own damn fault too. Sciatica...not much.

If you have muscle pain as well, there are muscle relaxers that for me and have been very effective. Skelaxin is what worked so well. It's a prescription though.

I had something where I couldn't sit still, stand up or much of anything. This stuff saved what little is left of my sanity

Charlie

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by Jonny on Aug 25^th, 2004, 7:49pm

on 08/25/04 at 16:42:26, cootie wrote:

Thanks guys.....yeah Woobs Jonny has sciatic too only me thinks his is prolly more in the hip.....and down the leg deal.

Yep, hip and down the leg.....L1 thru L5.

I do something like Boob jr said, I put the the foot of the bad leg up on a table and lean into it......hurts like hell but the more that I stretch the nerve the better it feels.

I avoid all drugs for this pain (except for aspirin).....dont need to beat that path again ;;D

Hope it gets better, Cutie

...............................................jonny

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by cootie on Aug 25^th, 2004, 10:00pm

Hey again guys.......yeah I have script to skelaxin......didn't seem to do much today and made me feel like doin less..but then maybe that's the idea ? Nope not me.....I gotta keep movein ! I have that bad disc L5 S1....touch it and it has that raw nerve feeling.....am sure it is the cause. Tried to bring my knee up and stretch but it felt like a circular saw blade was stuck in my back all the way across. Laid on the floor a bit with knees up and did feel some relief but then ......I had to get up. That poor kitty that was standing next to me had no idea he was gonna become a PULL TOY. Thanks again everyone.....was hopein there was a good trick for this but......guess not. Doc did sudgest the injections.......heard there not good for very long and expensive and I don't wana get into that sorta debt rite now. 'Back' again Pam

Thanks again.......much appriciated and your all.....the best a friend could have !!!!!!

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by E-Double on Aug 25^th, 2004, 10:16pm

Epidorals!!!!!!!

Did wonders for me ;)

If only they helped my CH lol

eric

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by Kevin_M on Aug 25^th, 2004, 10:19pm

Cootie,

I gots no back experience except living with some pain sometimes, nothing like yours. Only [smiley=hug.gif] [smiley=hug.gif] [smiley=hug.gif] for ya.

Thinkin' of you Cootie.

Kevin M

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by cootie on Aug 25^th, 2004, 10:30pm

Epidorals....isn't that what they give ya when ya have a baby or have surgery stuff sometimes...oh cripes I can't imagine lettin anyone sticka needle in my back....I got a real fobia about that anyway.....someone pokes me in the spine and I am flinching for HOURS....blahhhh. But how does that help if it is something messed up wrong......you'd jus have to keep gettin it done when it wore off forever rite ?? Have heard they work but maybe a month sometimes 3 at the most....have heard several stories of pain gettin worse cuz of it ? I'm afraid Pam

Hey Kev.......where's our bar buddy Big Dan been ?????

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by Ree on Aug 26^th, 2004, 12:37am

this is a common problem for people that work on their feet... My brother and I suffer from this pretty badly... Me <x hairstylist MY brother Bud< welder too (like jonny) It is horrendous at times. One day I was trapped in my kitchen and the pain was too much for me to walk... but mine comes and goes. One of my bosses had it for 6 weeks..........Pain meds is all she did... try what Bob said thats what I am going to do next time I get it.............love ya Cootie feel betta...

its like a cluster in your ass............

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by Root on Aug 26^th, 2004, 3:10am

Cryotherapy. I use those blue ice sports cold packs. The doc said 20 minutes on 40 minutes off. So far it has worked very well.
Oh, and whatever you do DON'T SNEEZE!

Good luck

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by Carl_D on Aug 26^th, 2004, 4:01am

on 08/25/04 at 22:19:09, Kevin_M wrote:

Cootie,

I gots no back experience except living with some pain sometimes, nothing like yours. Only [smiley=hug.gif] [smiley=hug.gif] [smiley=hug.gif] for ya.

and I'd like to add to Kevin's response...
[smiley=winkkiss.gif]

Hang tough Coots and hope you're feeling better soon,
Carl

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by Jimmy_B on Aug 26^th, 2004, 8:11am

on 08/25/04 at 22:30:29, cootie wrote:

Cootie,

I go to a place where they give you twilight sedation, before they do the injections...so check out different places if & when you decide to go for the injections. Usually, they do a series of three & for me anyway the pain relief starts about 1 week after to 3 to 6 months. But mine are for the neck area...so I may be comparing apples to oranges.

Hope your feeling better, this morning.

Jimmy

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by E-Double on Aug 26^th, 2004, 8:52am

on 08/25/04 at 22:30:29, cootie wrote:

Epidorals....isn't that what they give ya when ya have a baby ....oh cripes I can't imagine lettin anyone sticka needle in my back....I got a real fobia about that anyway.....someone pokes me in the spine and I am flinching for HOURS....blahhhh.

No birth canal here. LOL I am MAN! UGH!!!

Seriously it just refers to the injection. The medicine is very different.
I had them knock me out just for that reason. The first one I had I figured I could tough out......
Needless to say I thought it was much better to sleep through it. ;;D

Point is ( ;)) after a series of 3, I was good to go and have pain free for 4 years. No surgery big bonus.

Feel good and get to an orthopedist because if it is sciatica then you definitely have disc problems and are extremely inflamed.

Eric

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by Charlie M on Aug 26^th, 2004, 11:30am

I am using a chriopractor and have a trackion set up that pulls my lower back. hoperfully giving the nerve room. Mine is the femeral nerve lower back to right leg on the outside. It has been helping but if i move the wrong way it just come back for weeks at a time. I don't know if it will work for you and it's not very confortable> It may not be right for you. Good luck hope you feel better

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by Cerberus on Aug 26^th, 2004, 10:05pm

Damn...no help here...

wish I knew :-/

Ramon

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by OneEyeBlind on Aug 26^th, 2004, 10:19pm

Years ago, I had lots of problems with my back. Got the shooting pain down the leg along with falling to the floor like someone kicked my legs out from under me. Went to a chiropractor for 3 months (the chiropractor wanted me to continue treatment but I didn't want to pay the $). That helped but it came back. Decided with the next round at the chiropractor to stick with treatment. Went for a year. My back is still doing good, only gives me trouble once in awhile. When that happens I do what I always did ......... stand with one foot elevated (like you are about to take a step up the stairs) above the other and ride the pain. Seems to work for me. Never did any drugs for it.

Good luck Coots ..... been thinking about you !!!!!!!!

Title: Re: Sciatica......but not CH
Post by Major_Headcase on Aug 27^th, 2004, 1:51pm

Pam,

Oooh, my heart goes out to you buddy! I'm going through a round of similar pain except it's my left arm that's "on fire" inside (C6-7 in my neck), swollen disk impinging on the nerve bundle going to my left arm. My doc put me on a one week Prednisone blast ... I don't know if you want to go that route or not but it's helping me. Some form of prescription anti-inflammatory would be the thing to try I would guess ... Pred may not be the drug of choice for Lumbar disk shrinkage? Your doc should know the latest/greatest anti-inflammatory drug to try first.

Nerve pain really sucks ... I had to have a neck disk removed and fused 10 years ago ... until I got my first round of CH I thought that was the worst pain possible for a human to experience and not black out ... CH showed me otherwise ... Hang in there Pam, my sincere empathy on your pain. -John