Sciatica.....anyone?

rockin'robin

rockin'robin

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Pain in the hips, lower back, leg and sometimes in the feet....I've been doing some exercising for it and it did help for a little while...Not a fan of pills or shots...Anyway, at first, I thought I had pulled the lumbar muscle...or a virus...but after a prolonged time of several months?...Not the case....Anyone ever have or do have Sciatica?...Guessing surgery might be up for me next which I do not want.
 
Sciatica comes in and go on its own, I've heard yoga might help a lot.
 
I've been doing all the exercises for it...but after 1 year and it's getting worse?...along with back stiffness...No fun at all....Seems it's getting more common these days too...
 
I have it, but the source is I have bulged disc in my back. I used to feel pain in my butt, hip and thigh. Sometimes I felt tingling in my foot and toes. Back specialist said that I don't need surgery. I currently am pain free. Depends on exercise you perform may not good for your sciatica. My PT said if exercise makes it worse, stop it immediately. He also said some types of yoga can make it worse. There are most safe exercises like hip thrusts. Luckily, I can do squat, but I am not allowed to do lunges anymore. I had to change furniture and mattresses. Yeah, it cost money, but it works for me. No more pain and stiff.

You have to change the way you sit and sleep. If your mattress is plush, get rid of it. Go for firm mattress. Get MRI for your back and hip. If a doctor says no, go to another doctor until you get MRI. Try IKEA poang chair because it has wood supports. You have to experiment with furniture works for your body. My large couch has wood supports. My bed frames has wood slat supports. I can't sit on computer desk seats anymore. I sit on hard chairs with back support.
 
Barbaro said:
I have it, but the source is I have bulged disc in my back. I used to feel pain in my butt, hip and thigh. Sometimes I felt tingling in my foot and toes. Back specialist said that I don't need surgery. I currently am pain free. Depends on exercise you perform may not good for your sciatica. My PT said if exercise makes it worse, stop it immediately. He also said some types of yoga can make it worse. There are most safe exercises like hip thrusts. Luckily, I can do squat, but I am not allowed to do lunges anymore. I had to change furniture and mattresses. Yeah, it cost money, but it works for me. No more pain and stiff.

You have to change the way you sit and sleep. If your mattress is plush, get rid of it. Go for firm mattress. Get MRI for your back and hip. If a doctor says no, go to another doctor until you get MRI. Try IKEA poang chair because it has wood supports. You have to experiment with furniture works for your body. My large couch has wood supports. My bed frames has wood slat supports. I can't sit on computer desk seats anymore. I sit on hard chairs with back support.
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Great suggestions!...My plushy, comfy recliner has got to go...also got a memory-foam mattress...The pain really gets out of hand sometimes!...Friend did have surgery for Sciatica, seems it helped her...So I'm also gonna try squats.
 
I tried firm memory foam mattress. I paid $$$$ and it gave me nothing but pain and very stiffness. I am serious. The pain was everywhere. It hurt when I wiggled fingers. Thanks goodness I got money back after I told the company the memory foam mattress didn't work out for me.

I went for extremely firm all cotton futon mattress and all wool mattress topper. All cotton futon mattress is similar to sleeping on the floor. It is very heavy. Real wool mattress topper is expensive but it can control your body heat during the winter and the summer. I live in hot and humid Texas and it doesn't feel hot and sweaty. Very comfortable. Surprisingly, I wake up not feeling stiffness and sore in my shoulders and neck. I knew I found the right mattresses for me. I have my husband flip them over every month.

My husband is not a fan of all cotton futon mattress so he went for combination of foam and cotton futon mattress. He loves wood slats. He notices that whenever he visits friends, he drowns in the couch without wood support and it was awkward.

If you can't afford couch with wood support, go for affordable wood futon couch. They use real wood, not crap wood particles. You can use it as a bed. DON'T go for metal futon. It will kill your back.

I found out about mattress topper because my husband lived in Korea. In Asian countries, They sleep on toppers on the floor or platform bed. I go, why not!?

As for hard chairs, make sure the surface is flat, so it won't confine your body tightly. You can use a thin and flat foam seat for a chair if you prefer it. That's why plush mattress cause problems in your body because your body simply can't move around.
 
rockin'robin said:
Great suggestions!...My plushy, comfy recliner has got to go...also got a memory-foam mattress...The pain really gets out of hand sometimes!...Friend did have surgery for Sciatica, seems it helped her...So I'm also gonna try squats.
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One more thing, As for squats, do it slowly. You don't have to squat all the down to the knees, but if your knees are in good shape, it's ok to squat, but if your knees aren't, I don't recommend that. You can do alternative exercises without putting pressure on your knees. You can bend your knees and your back is against the flat door or smooth wall, you can squat a bit and hold for 20 seconds. Do it 30 times.

Surgery may be helpful for sciatica, but it is not for everyone. Your friend is lucky. With MRI, you have to pinpoint the source. Your friend may not have the same source as you. That way you know so you know which right execrise you will make your core stronger. I tried pills, and PT, but they didn't help. With my GP and Spine Specialist's strong recommendation, I had to get injections for my back and it was the best decision ever!
 
rockin'robin said:
Pain in the hips, lower back, leg and sometimes in the feet....I've been doing some exercising for it and it did help for a little while...Not a fan of pills or shots...Anyway, at first, I thought I had pulled the lumbar muscle...or a virus...but after a prolonged time of several months?...Not the case....Anyone ever have or do have Sciatica?...Guessing surgery might be up for me next which I do not want.
Click to expand...
Don't want to alarm you, but it could be spinal stenosis. I have it and am facing surgery. Please go to back doctor. Maybe get a diagnosis. Your symptoms are very similar to mine.
 
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