If you know about sciatica -- help!

[Alicia64]

I write on a very 1/4-basis, but when I started a few years ago and sat for too long I got shooting pains down by legs.

 

Long story short we bought a pricey chair for sitting -- like $700. I use it, but if I sit for even two or three hours I get the pains again. Or now I have a weird numbing feeling in my tush. I feel it even at night while I'm sleeping.

 

Right now I'm typing standing up and my tush still hurts and feels numb.

 

I'm clueless about this and don't know what to do.

 

Alley

[Starr]

The numbing means you should see a doctor. :grouphug:

 

For the at home part. Don't sit for 2 or 3 hours. You need to get up and move. Maybe every 15 minutes while you are in pain or numb. Only sit straight like in a kitchen chair, walk or lie down. A good chiropractor or physical therapist can often help a lot. Your doctor might prescribe muscle relaxers. Ibuprofen helps with the pain and inflammation. Does ice help?

[gardenmom5]

a couple things

a chiropractor

exercises that strengthen the abdominal core and stabilize the pelvis and spine. most exercises only work the top muscle layers, but you want to work the really deep ones. yoga, pilates, barre, horse-back riding are some that will.

[Pippen]

I took two grad classes last summer and found that my body couldn't handle the hours sitting nearly as well as it did when I was in school the first time around. I'd see young students sitting for hours without getting up but I needed to get up and walk around every hour. I also saw a chiropractor on a regular basis (as in weekly) which helped a great deal. If you're feeling numbness and plan to continue writing, I'd definitely recommend a chiro.

 

Even though your chair was expensive, it may not be the right chair for your body, desk height, etc.

[VeganCupcake]

Can you set up a standing work station to use at least part-time? Sitting is not great for anyone--especially people with back troubles.

[Alicia64]

Can you set up a standing work station to use at least part-time? Sitting is not great for anyone--especially people with back troubles.

 

Well, I stood typing at my kitchen counter all day today -- and my rear and lower back still hurt.

 

Although I think this is better than sitting.

 

Alley

[Alicia64]

The numbing means you should see a doctor. :grouphug:

 

For the at home part. Don't sit for 2 or 3 hours. You need to get up and move. Maybe every 15 minutes while you are in pain or numb. Only sit straight like in a kitchen chair, walk or lie down. A good chiropractor or physical therapist can often help a lot. Your doctor might prescribe muscle relaxers. Ibuprofen helps with the pain and inflammation. Does ice help?

 

I'll try ice!

 

Why do you say numbing in the rear means I should see a doctor? Not asked rudely; I'm genuinely out of this loop.

 

Alley

[mumto2]

Not sure what the pp answer will be but for me the numbing was a sign that I had pretty serious back problems. I didn't go to the doctor at that stage and six months later had to have back surgery. Honestly doubt that the outcome would have changed but I do wonder.

[Unicorn.]

Exercise that will help:

 

Lay flat on your back on the floor with your legs out straight (you can do this on a bed if you have to, but it works better on a flat surface)

Bring your left knee up toward your chest, and use your right arm to pull your knee to your right chest...

hold for 3-5 seconds (you should feel the muscles pulling/stretching in your hip/thigh/buttocks)

slowly lower your leg (you can leave the knee bent)

 

Do this at least 3 times, then switch, and use your left hand to bring your right knee toward the left side of your chest...

repeat each step.

Stretch each leg at least 3 times, and do this 3 times a day-morning, afternoon, evening.

You should start to notice improvement in a few days to a week.

Don't quit once you feel better- continue to do it at least once a day for maintenance.

 

ETA: this helps get the nerves back in the right grooves, and strengthens the muscles to keep it there!

[G5052]

Chairs help, but likely you're getting tight and inflexible with age (sorry!). DH and I both have to stretch, exercise, and watch our weight or long stretches of sitting will catch up on us. I do a general set of stretches for my spine every morning, and then in the evening do all of my ankle and knew exercises because those areas are a mess at the end of the day.

 

I usually have a flair-up once a year or so, and I just take it easy, stretch a lot, and take Aleve during the day and a muscle relaxant (Rx) at night. And it goes away.

[Momof3littles]

I would get a PT consult. Sciatica can some from quite a few different causes, and you need a thorough evaluation to determine what the origin of the issue is. The stretches or exercises that worked for one person aren't necessarily going to work for you if your sciatica is coming from somewhere else. It can be an issue in your spine, it can come from a tight muscle, etc. so there's not a single set of exercises that will work for all sciatica. Some things suggested could actually make your situation worse if you are dealing with an issue in your spine (like a disc issue).

[G5052]

I would get a PT consult. Sciatica can some from quite a few different causes, and you need a thorough evaluation to determine what the origin of the issue is. The stretches or exercises that worked for one person aren't necessarily going to work for you if your sciatica is coming from somewhere else. It can be an issue in your spine, it can come from a tight muscle, etc. so there's not a single set of exercises that will work for all sciatica. Some things suggested could actually make your situation worse if you are dealing with an issue in your spine (like a disc issue).

 

Yes, I came back to edit my post to add this. Backs are very tricky. DH has had nine surgeries including two fusions and has what they call "failed back syndrome," so we know more than we'd like. He nearly died following one surgery with a complication that "never happens." The more recent thinking is that you should exhaust every other option before surgery. Some people walk around disks in various configurations and no pain, so having disk problems isn't an absolute indication for surgery. And MRIs aren't 100% accurate either. Twice they said that DH had disk issues that weren't there when they had him open, and I had what was supposedly a torn tendon and ended up just an extra tendon that most people don't have.

 

And if you go to physical therapy, try to find one that specializes in spinal issues. I go to one at the hospital for sciatica, yet another that works at the local sports medicine practice for knee and ankle issues.

 

For numbness, I'd get an appointment because that means that the nerve is pinched somehow.