Sciatica Anyone?
By Marsha
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
Midland, Michigan
December 9, 2015 5:34pm CST
Have you ever had sciatica? My mom had it some years ago and she dealt with it off and on for around five years before it let up completely. All she did was bend down over the steps going down into her garage. She twisted slightly to the side, and that's all it took for her.
A friend from work, who is in her thirties/forties had it some time ago too. I don't know what she did before getting it, but she was in pain for some time.
Sciatica is a pinched nerve in the lower back. (I've provided a link below if you've heard of it but want to understand it better). I do my best not to twist while bending and to keep my form straight, but I'm not able to bend my left knee in order to stoop, and I think that is part of the reason I now have this ailment.
I got a new locker at work which meant that instead of having one at eye level, it's now the second one from the floor. Since I cannot stoop down to use it, I bend at the waist. It was around this time that I started having symptoms of sciatica although I didn't know for sure that's what it was.
Today I had an adjustment from my primary physician and I'm hoping that will help. He found three areas in my spine that was out of alignment. He said I may need a few visits before it's taken care of, but that he doesn't have people come back for maintenance visits like chiropractors will.
I'll say here that my pain isn't as bad as some people will get. I have an achiness on the lower thigh/butt which sometimes feels as if the bone is bruised. When standing and working sections of my muscle will be extra tense and when I lift my right leg-the affected leg- it doesn't relieve anything but almost makes it worse.
Stretching helps a lot, but it's not something I can do while at work. Overall, sitting doesn't bother it except when I'm driving from one window job to another. Right now, sitting at my desktop, I can't even tell it's there.
I've heard that many people feel a shooting pain radiating from their back down their leg. I do not have that at all.
I hope that no one else has dealt with this before.
Sciatica, which is pain along the large sciatic nerve that runs from the lower back down the back of each leg, can cause severe, debilitating pain. This article reviews the 6 possible causes of sciatica, full range of symptoms, and surgical and non-surgica
13 people like this
12 responses
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
10 Dec 15
My wife and a male friend suffer from sciatic pain and it is no fun. I have some pain in my hip that I am getting PT for currently, and many of my yoga stretches are helpful too.
2 people like this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
11 Dec 15
I found one stretch that I need to lay down to do that worked nicely, but when I go to bed I want to sleep, not exercise. I'll need to take a look at it again online so I can do it correctly. i also think I can do one sitting exercise that may improve my muscles in that area to help keep the bones in place, I just need to begin doing it again. I hope that all three of you get healed from those ailments soon especially with the pt that you're getting.
@LadyDuck (502148)
• Italy
11 Dec 15
@MarshaMusselman It depends will nerve is affected, as an example the L4 nerve affects the thigh, it's difficult to straighten the leg, the is a diminished knee-jerk reflex.
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@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
11 Dec 15
Walking seems to alleviate mine, Anna, and sitting generally isn't too bad either. The only problem I have with sitting is when driving longer distances or from one job to another, but that's only on certain days. It's most bothersome when I have to stand for two hours at a time at work cashiering, but sometimes I can make it through several hours of my shift before it begins hurting, other days it's less time than that.
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@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
15 Dec 15
@LadyDuck I thought there was only one sciatica nerve. My thigh will feel numb and It feels like light cramping in my calf and sometimes feet, but that's about it for the most part.
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11383)
• United States
10 Dec 15
I know two EMT's that have Sciatica. They were both hurt on the job lifting the gurneys into the ambulances. That was several years ago and they still have problems. I hope you will be able to overcome yours. Are you thinking about going to a chiropractor? I can attest that they work wonders. I wish my insurance covered them but it does not.
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@Shellyann36 (11383)
• United States
16 Dec 15
@MarshaMusselman It is good that the stretches, exercises and walking helps! When I was younger and had insurance that covered chiropractic services I felt the best I have ever felt in my life. 
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
16 Dec 15
@Shellyann36 A gal at work that's been having our doctor do her adjustments told me it's taken several weeks for that area affected on her back to heal. That it took time for the muscles to relax after the bones were set straight. Since we're still washing windows, I thought I'd wait until the new year when things will really slow down before having another adjustment. Then I might no better whether it's helping or what.
I don't have it as bad as many do as I don't have the shooting pain down the leg. It is weird, though, when my right thigh feels numb or like it's got icy/hot cream on it or similar feeling. I've not started much stretching or exercises as yet, and I'm thinking of googling to see what all I can do.
I have a specific exercise in mind, but I want to make sure that it won't do more harm than good.
(I just checked and saw that you've not written anything new since last month. If and when you start again, you can pm me or something so I'll know).
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
11 Dec 15
My insurance partially covers chiropractic work, but they are open hours when i can't make it very often. I found out my doctor can feel for the misaligned bones/vertebrae without needing an xray as the chiropractor would want. My copay for those visits are much less than the other, so I'm giving that a shot first.
The difficulty is that he told me to take it easy the rest of the day and that's not always feasible, for I'm not going ot take off work just yet. If it doesn't get better I may have to, but I may try some stretches, exercises or even just get out and walk more first. Walking seems to alleviate it for me, whereas for some that is even worse.
1 person likes this
@inertia4 (27978)
• United States
9 Dec 15
I have never experienced Sciatica, but my mother has. And from what I understand it is not pleasant. I have however, pinched a nerve before and that is not a good feeling. I was told I have bad posture. Maybe so. But hopefully I never have to experience that sciatic pain.
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@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
10 Dec 15
I surely hope you never experience it either. I never thought I would, but I must have bent a bit incorrectly, I'm guessing. I don't know whether I popped the bones out of place right before it happening, or whether it already took place days or more before the extra pain showed up.
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@inertia4 (27978)
• United States
10 Dec 15
@MarshaMusselman I think that has to be one of the worst pains anyone could have. My mother looks like she wants to scream from the pain when it flairs up on her. But she also sits wrong when she sits down. So, sometimes something as simple as that brings it on.
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@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
12 Dec 15
Ha! I thought you were going to say a pain in the a**, for that is surely is. Are you saying you've not gotten rid of it yet? I know of several people that hot that alleviated to where it wasn't a problem any longer. I know for my mom it took about five years, but she may have gone to PT for that along with other things too.
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@sallypup (69156)
• Centralia, Washington
12 Dec 15
@MarshaMusselman I had a horse accident years ago. From time to time ye old sciatica rares up again. I have nerve damage on the one side especially cause I can't touch it much without causing deep pain to flare up.
@Gabugs (1895)
• United States
12 Dec 15
@marshamusselman I've been diagnosed with sciatica since the last two years. I have pain the lower back and on the right side of my hip; a kind of burning sensation. It aggravates if I sit over 30 minutes at the computer or when standing to cook. Have tried everything- - -physiotherapy, hot-water showers and pain-killers.
I have no idea what you mean by "I had an adjustment from my primary physician." Mine has not!
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@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
12 Dec 15
And, I don't know what you mean by, "Mine has not".
I'd been debating on whether to go to a chiropractor for adjustments to my vertebrae, but he'd want to take xrays and I don't want to spend the extra money, or to my primary physician for pain pills. I found out by a co-worker that she'd been getting adjustments on her back/spine from him for several years. She told me he did a great job, so I thought I'd have him work on my back too.
He found three vertebrae, I suppose, that were out of alignment and did a few things to try to get them back in. If I didn't have to work so much, it would probably stay and heal, but I may have put it out again.
Usually even with a chiropractor it takes several visits until it's right, so I'll probably have to go for a few more visits. Do you understand now/
@Gabugs (1895)
• United States
13 Dec 15
@marthamussleman My response," Mine has not." springs from your following statement, " Today I had an adjustment from my primary physician" I was perplexed what yuo meant by "adjustments."
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@snowy22315 (208746)
• United States
11 Jul 17
My sister has it..but I think she has a disc that is herniated or something too. She doesn't want to have to get surgery. She went to a chiropractor, got an MRI and has seen a physical therapist. I guess it is manageable.
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@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
12 Jul 17
Mine affected my bad knee making it even more difficult to walk eventually. Now that I've had it replaced, the knee that is, I'm walking normal again. The sciatica only bothered me for about six months or so and not constantly. So, yes, it is manageable and you eventually heal from it.
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
11 Dec 15
I have just learned about this condition. I am sorry you seem to have the symptoms. I hope you get the right treatment for this condition.
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
11 Dec 15
I'm still working both jobs, Marie, although not as much with windows right now. But, we're trying to get more work done that we couldn't do earlier in the year when my help was non-existent. Also, the warmer weather makes it much easier to continue to work too. Today it was fifty degrees!!
Once window jobs taper off, I can get more adjustments and take it easier for a few months with the hope that it will get better before starting back up this next spring.
@Marilynda1225 (91013)
• United States
10 Dec 15
Iv'e suffered from sciatica many times with that excruciating pain going down my leg. I did find help from a chiropractor and a few adjustments would ease the pain.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
11 Dec 15
Did it eventually heal up for you, Marilyn, or do you need to watch so you don't do anything that brings it back again? I got one adjustment from my doctor a few days ago, and while my whole back is not longer still hurting, I don't think the sciatica is completely healed just yet.
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
11 Dec 15
I get it from time to time due to an old injury I inflicted upon myself, yes, doing something idiotic. Pain is awful the first day, and sometimes lasts for a few days, and up to a week at the longest...so far. Doc told me when I first did it, that I'd have pain from it off and on for the rest of my life. Yep.
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
10 Dec 15
I've never had to deal with that one, thankfully. I've heard its pretty painful, I hope you can get it to improve before it gets worse.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
10 Dec 15
It's not bad all the time, mostly when I'm standing working at the cash register. Even then, it's a dull ache mostly. Uncomfortable, but not excruciating as expected. Still, it limits my mobility a bit which is more tiring.
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