Tell me about sciatica. Please!!!

[Occamstazer]

Now that I've already run my mouth, I should add that I am no pro.

Thanks for correcting my bad advice, free!

(Gee, no matter what I do, that looks like snark. It's sincere, I promise )

 

[miss_thenorth]

My daughter was only 7lb 4oz when born, but by 6 months, she was 22 lbs. (and only on breastmilk ) since she was so heavy and couldn't walk yet, I carried her on my right hip. i developed sciatica. Chiropracters made it worse(and even sent my back inot spasm). I suffered for about 8 years with it, I went to physio, which helped alot, but didn't get rid of it totally, and then I found a good massage therapist. After ONE visit, I have not had it return. In your situation, you might have different results, especially with the one leg longer than the other thing going on. Listen to Free. And get a good massage!

 

[freemotion]

Now that I've already run my mouth, I should add that I am no pro.

Thanks for correcting my bad advice, free!

(Gee, no matter what I do, that looks like snark. It's sincere, I promise )

I know you are not snarky. Actually, I took so long to type my reply, that by the time I hit submit, you and Bee had posted. I hadn't read your answer yet!

It is pretty easy to detect snarky. You are not.

 

[Beekissed]

And I bow to Free's expertise as well..... I've been out of the massage game for nigh on 7 years, so I'm quite rusty!

 

[Mackay]

I had this problem last year and I got rid of it.
It really was dibilitating. I couldn't sleep. the only position that did not have pain was when I was walking... hard to do 24/7

I had a cat scan. This eliminated the concern of bulging disc. You need to eliminate that concern first. If you have it then the treatment may be different, and I can recommend a treatment for that also.

But if the disc is not bulging then you likely only have an edema problem in tissues surrounding the nerves. Physical therapy can be very helpful to develop core strength and I did a lot of that but it did not cure. I used the Dr Christophers cayenne ointment rub and that was somewhat helpful. It allowed me to sleep at night which at one point I was so grateful for I figured if I never cured at least I could now sleep.

Gradually it improved with therapy and massage was helpful too! But still not gone. After all the specialists I finally talked about it to my general practitioner. She said that we should try shots of vitamin B12. She gave me a bottle of methylcycobalamin (sp?)
I took 1000mcg once a week and I put it in the hip with leg sciatica that hurt the most. In about two weeks all pain was gone. B12 can really help in quite a few healing processes, especially things that involve nerves.I also use the Dr Christophers ointment with a damp washcloth on top and then a warm (not hot) water bottle on top.

I doubt you will ever get that unequal leg length back to normal. Most people can't or are not willing to do the kind of therapy it may require and finding a massage therapist that can really do it will be a feat in and of itself. Most chiropractors cannot fix it permanently. But what can be fixed it the position of your feet at rest when you are laying flat on your back. They should not be sticking straight up in the air but each should lay to the side on the outer aspects of the foot. This ridgety can be corrected with alignments and it will reflect in a better pelvis positioning. Of course if the difference is extreme corrective shoes would be the answer.

Also, when I was in the midst of my pain my chiropractor really made it worse!

I still need to continue with my core strenghtening exercises and sometimes I get a sensation that it is coming on again so that motivates me to keep up.

 

[Okiemommy]

So many responses!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!


I am going to go back through and answer the questions, and ask some more of my own.

 

[Okiemommy]

Sometimes massage therapy can work better than chiropractic.

Another thing that effects muscles and pain is a lack of vitamin D. I would get my level tested.

Wifezilla,

Do I just go to my dr and ask to have my vitamin D level tested? How does this work?

I am familiar with yoga; I forgot to mention that in my original post. I can't do the bridge pose. It hurts my back too bad since I hurt it. It strains it really painfully.

I do want to and will do yoga to help my back and I appreciate all of the yoga suggestions! The best way I can describe this is that my muscle feels inflamed, and I am in constant pain. I don't think (not yet anyway) that I should be exercising in any fashion. I attempted cat and downward dog two nights ago, and woke up the next day and my back was worse.

You'll never really get rid of this problem until your legs are evened out....either by a more skilled chiro or a knowledgable massage therapist. If you have a functional short leg (not born this way) this is an easy fix. If you were born this way, the only way you can fix this is with a good orthopedic lift shoe that is frequently checked for shoe wear.

If you inquire with an orthopedic specialist he will want you to do therapy, an ortho surgeon will want to do surgery. If you go to a pain clinic, they will want to offer a nerve block...same with a neurosurgeon. When all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. roll

Look for a massage therapist whose practice is for mainly for pain relief and ask them some questions about what they would do about it and the efficacy of this treatment in the past. Ask them to explain exactly what they will do and how they will do it, then describe what action takes place when they perform this action and how it will effect change in your condition.

If they immediately schedule you for several weeks of appointments because "it will take some time to correct the problem", give them a pass. Same with a chiro.

For now, Motrin and ice to the area can help you get some relief. Good stretching of your hip joint and periformis muscle(this is the one you can feel when you stretch that hip~it feels like it's right where your wallet would be) can get you a little relief but be careful not to stretch too far or too much at once.

Bee,
my chiropractor said that this was congenital. We have also done xrays and he said that I have a disc that is "pushed back a little bit" and he said he can't tell if this was already like this, or if it is a result of the inflammation. I can tell you that on my shoes, my left shoe is always a little more worn on the heel than the right, and my right leg is the one with the sciatic problems.....and it just came to me that I think my grandfather's right leg was shorter than the other by at least an inch or two, because I remember one of his cowboy boots having a bigger heel than the other one. Wow.

Who do I need to go to, in order to find out what I need to do next to fix the problem?

I will definitely look for a massage therapist who specializes in pain relief LOL

And I'm doin the motrin and the ice. Good to know I'm on the right track with that
ok, on to answer free's post

 

[Okiemommy]

There are a number of reasons for sciatic pain, so there is not a one-size-fits-all treatment protocol. But first, you need to address that leg length difference. Is it a true difference in the length of the bones of your leg, or is it a difference in your pelvis? or scoliosis? or tension in the quatratus lumborum muscle? or...or....or....

If your chiropractor does not address muscle tension with hands-on modalities, your adjustment won't likely hold for long, as the tight muscles will pull the spine back out of alignment. Also, does your chiropractor adjust joints other than the spine? I would have him check your hips, knees, ankles, feet, too.

Do you have any herniated discs that could be pressing on the nerves? If so, certain exercises might be inappropriate and could increase your pain. For example, upward dog can cause some big trouble if the psoas major is excessively tight, which I see more and more. There are other stretches that are better, stabilizing the pelvis so as not to hyperextend the lower back. Yoga was developed long before computers, by people who did not do the same tasks for 40-60 hours a week....not how we were designed to use our bodies! So some of the poses are contraindicated with some injuries, at least until a measure of healing has taken place.

Do you carry a child on your hip regularly or do heavy work that is very one sided? Or did you in the past?

Does your chiropractor do any trigger point work? I would check the gluteus minimus and medius for TrP's that can mimic sciatica. I would also address the piriformis, quadratus lumborum, TFL, and iliopsoas muscles, in addition to the more obvious ones....all hip muscles, not forgetting adductors, abductors, quads and hamstrings.

And that would be just the first session....

I don't know what is going on with the difference in my leg, but I think the chiro said it was congenital(born with it right?) For what it's worth, the top two vertebrae in my neck are also fused together and that is also a birth defect....didn't find that out until I was 28 lol! I think I remember him saying a problem with the pelvis also...bottom line is I gotta find out what exactly it is, so how do I do that?

What are hands on modalities? In other words if he doesn't work directly with the muscles as well, his adjustments wont hold?

He does adjust other joints besides the spine. He is always pulling on my leg. (haha) But really he always pulls my leg and then checks my feet for something. I guess if they are the same length or how they are resting?

Yep, yoga hurts me...bad right now. I did it before this injury and that's how I know I am in a different kind of trouble right now. It worked great before and I felt great. But something is wrong now.
Do I have a herniated disc? I'm not sure. I went to my regular doctor to ask them to help me figure out what's wrong with my back, and they did and x ray, said it was fine and left it at that. This is also the same dr that said that my blood sugar was just fine, but according to the American Diabetic Association I should be classified as pre-diabetic....which opens up a whole nother can of worms because I want to start excercising again because I need to lose weight and get healthy again, but my dang back has bothered me for two years and I can't get anyone to tell me what to do about it!!!

and all of the bold stuff...... I don't know what you mean....LOL
Who am I supposed to have look at that? Because I don't think my chiro is going to do anything about it.....he told me that there is nothing I can do about this.....

 

[Okiemommy]

Face it...you just need a consult with Free!!!

Indeed.

 

[Okiemommy]

One thing I forgot to mention that has helped with my back....

Belly dancing!

Been doing it for 6 years now

I don't think that I could ever see myself belly dancing in a million years, but I admire the people who do!!

I would like to try Zumba once I get my back "fixed"