Sciatica

[Mundy]

HELP!lol

Has anyone ever suffered from Sciatica? if so hwo do u cure it, had it for 3 weeks now! and not getting better! been off work for last week.

Heard that Osetopaths are good but my Doc said he didn't agree with them, he's put me on waiting list for Physio, but thats 4-6months on NHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
so am looking for a private one locally!

any help would b great!

[jims-terrano]

Please feel free to mock my idea but.... try Acupuncture

I had it for Migraines and it was the only thing to bring releif which lasted a good 18 months If I could afford I'd go back for more.

Jim T

[Mundy]

Might try that, my cousin had it for her back and said it was good. It hurt?

[lacroupade]

Originally Posted by Mundy

HELP!lol

Has anyone ever suffered from Sciatica? if so hwo do u cure it, had it for 3 weeks now! and not getting better! been off work for last week.

Heard that Osetopaths are good but my Doc said he didn't agree with them, he's put me on waiting list for Physio, but thats 4-6months on NHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
so am looking for a private one locally!

any help would b great!

Depends what the cause is TBH. I had awful problems a few years back to the extent that I ran a brand new Mercedes estate off the road (luckily on to a grass verge) when my back spasmed - nothing you can do in those circumstances!

Anyway, I was lucky enough to have private medical cover at work so had an MRI scan which showed up two completely shit up disks in my lower back....occupational hazard when you're 6'3" and you can't get polybushes for some odd reason???

I did all sorts, physio, hydrotherapy, gym, all to no avail.

Then one day I was forced to face up to a job I'd been putting off for years and spent the next few days Kangoing and skipping what turned out to be 12 tons of concrete (three skips worth) and guess what, at the end of it I was leaping about like a bloody gazelle!!

The consultant I went back to told me several interesting things:

1. The back is the second least understood part of the body after the brain (and he was a top and very expensive back specialist!).

2. What they do know is that the muscle structure is extremely complex and is capable of almost self-healing, where muscle groups compensate for weaknesses elsewhere.

3. The usual cure for most back problems (trapped nerves apart) is exercise...the days of lying on a plank (no offence Plank!!) are old hat.

4. In my case that turned out to be extreme exercise....but then he also said that even in his NHS practice he rarely ever saw a builder with a bad back.

My dear old mum saw a chiropracter with excellent results many years ago....might be worth trying one of them first for a second opinion.

I don't have a great deal of time for GPs who think they know it all....its like someone claiming to know every single thing about every single system on every car thats ever been built...they just can't.

[Liam]

Acupuncture is good but Chartered Physio is probably best. No low cost solution but you might even end up been treated by Nurse Pretty and her pals. Now that will get rid off the worst of pain,everytime.

[Deleted account DD]

You have my total sympathy Mundy.

The only thing that worked properly fo me was decent medication and a TENS machine (bought my own!!)

Acupuncture was fantastic but as soon as the needles came out the pain came back

Medication wise we're all different but I found a combination of straight prescription pain killers and a few anti inflammatory at the same time did the trick. Essentially paracetamol and brufen in mega doses.

I ended up in hospital twice for the underlying problem and still get sciatica now and then.

Good luck in sorting it.

[Mundy]

LOL.
Cheers.

I'm a BT engineer nad my GP said no climbing or heavy lifting, so pretty much nothing I can do at work, BUT you saying that about lifting etc making it better would suggest I should be back at work lifting etc..

I'm only 19!!!!!!!- my DR said it can affect any age though

[Mundy]

Originally Posted by daved

You have my total sympathy Mundy.

The only thing that worked properly fo me was decent medication and a TENS machine (bought my own!!)

Acupuncture was fantastic but as soon as the needles came out the pain came back

Medication wise we're all different but I found a combination of straight prescription pain killers and a few anti inflammatory at the same time did the trick. Essentially paracetamol and brufen in mega doses.

I ended up in hospital twice for the underlying problem and still get sciatica now and then.

Good luck in sorting it.

cheers, so it is true that its something that will come back every so often. On anti inflammatory they were helping last week but not anymore

[jims-terrano]

Mundy, acupuncture didn't hurt. Yes I could feel a little prick (no jokes please) but on the whole the treatment was very relaxing and long lasting for me. I run a mile at the sight of a needle but this really was nothing to worry about. I would say it is an alternative and generally I wouldn't say use alternative for everything and always seek medical advice first. It was a cumlative treatment for me so don't expect results after the first session.

Jim T

[makeitfit]

Sod the NHS mate you'll be crippled before you get seen. An MRI scan is £250 you can get one done in a couple of days as a cash customer
Then get your doctor to have a spy. After that depends on results etc. But I've done my back loads of times on the kitchens(slow learner) and use a chiropractor. Mine does have an xray thing though so he knows whats going on.
It's best sorted asap as old injuries get better then get ripped again and make the next heal longer
And as the old tunit tweeker said excersise (careful) is most def. good
If it hurts too much ask her to do the work for a night or two

[lacroupade]

aren't geisha girls supposed to do something good????

[zippy656]

yes, make tea
takes them "beep" hours though!!

[tezzer]

sorry to hear that mundy, my mate has had Sciatica for 6 months and he has tried everything, i made it worse when i said that stilletto,s work best he tried to clump me and ended up in angony lol.

only proper relieve he gets is when he has a

Marijuana.

[lacroupade]

Originally Posted by zippy656

yes, make tea
takes them "beep" hours though!!

no they're supposed to walk all over you aren't they?

Mind you, my wife already does that and it makes bugger all difference...

[zippy]

Well you did ask - so here goes. If you have sciatica it is usually one of three things - arhtritis of the spine - unlikely due to your age, Sacro-iliac joint disfunction (this theory has fallen out of favour with many Drs.) or a 'slipped disc'.

I first had sciatica when I was 18. It remitted for years and then came back with a vengeance when i was 26 and 30! it has got steadily worse with me and 4 years ago my back gave up the ghost and i found i could not even walk for nearly a week.

Most people think it is caused by heavy lifting but in reality the doctors dont know, though excessive driving and sedentry jobs are most likely to give you a bad back.

I refuse to have surgery on my back since it would bar me from working in my chosen profession. So I work with it. I go to an Osteopath every three months and do get mild benefit from her. She is really good at getting rid of the spasms once an attack has happened. Take regular anti-inflammatory medicine such as Ibuprofen (400mg three times a day) or Diclofenic (75mg two times a day) but be careful if you have a dicky tummy - they will upset it. If you can take them, note that it takes several days of regular brufen /diclofenic to show any benefit in your back. You can also take anti-inflammatory's with other painkillers such as co-codamol/tramadol etc if the pain is very bad. Get regular exercise that gently stretches your back without causing a twinge - I found that doing the washing done this for me, so now that is my job in the house! Swimming is very good, as is walking. Once I get over the acute part of it and back to work, if i feel even the slightest ache or twinge then I will take regular Ibuprofen for 3-4 days which will settle it nicely. Also, as said above accupunture really works well with none of the side effects of drugs, though it wont reduce the inflammation like the anti-inflams. Accupuncture is one of the few complimentary therapies that have good research studies showing that it really does work (unlike homeopathy!!) as does Osteopathy. The best relief i have ever had was when i got accupuncture. Someone said above that it doesnt work for long - my advice is only go to a chinese accupuncturist, i have had it done by both my osteopathist and a genuine chinese accupuncturist - the difference was unbelievable!!!

Physio - if you go private then you might have a better experience than i did with the nhs. Physio's rely far too much on really shit exercises, which when you count them up mean you exercise all day every day - my experience of physios were that they were clueless to reality. If you do go to a physio then ask for the traction table - it is the only therapy they do that is worth a jot.

if you cant get it under control, then you need to go to get it seen further by a doctor.

And though the damage is done, it does get better in the vast majority of cases - as you age your discs get progressively more scar tissue around them which stabilises them and leads to less sciatica. i am now in my mid thirties and my back got worse until i was thirty and now is not so bad any more. i am not saying this wont happen to you - everyone if different - this may be self limiting in your case and you will never have probs again.

This is my experience - warts and all. Hope it helps you a little.

Take care I know how shitty a bad back can be.

Regards
Lee