I'm dealing with a bout of sciatica and it's a pain. Looks like my issue is stemming from Piriformis Syndrome where a muscle in the butt is pinching or irritating the sciatic nerve sending pain from the back, butt and down the leg.

I'm doing stretches to try and help the issue, but damn it.....my hunting vacation is coming up!

Any tips or recommendations? I have an appointment with my doctor the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

Yes, yes it does.

I'll be watching this thread for any ideas.

Other than stretching. Here are some remedies tha work for me:
A tens unit helps.

I can also say that if you can find someone who can give you a deep tissue massage, that seems to work for me too.

Salon medicated patches work for me too.

A tens unit was mentioned as well as the massage. I have a doctors appointment in a couple of weeks, so I'll see what she recommends.

I'm trying a Pulsed Electro Magnetic Therapy unit, but having inconsistent results.

Oh yes, the suckage is great.

These guys have helped me. They have several videos on sciatica. I hope this helps. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NMbw74Imrwg

Watch out!! Last time I was bothered, the doctor did some tests and an MRI. Next thing I knew they wanted to replace my hips

Must say they called it right, since my hips were replaced, my back has been much better and no more sciatica

The stretches and excercises helped me. You are not trying to injure or tear yourself. Stretching can be a shy painful so dont go hurting yourself. Add excercises to your program and do a little extra each time. Strengthen yourself. I need to get back to this too.

I had sciatica non stop for 6 years. It was hell, in some ways worse than when I broke my back in a mtn. bike accident. I ended up quitting my profession, going to chiropractic school, quitting school after a year due to the sciatica. Then getting treated by an upper cervical chiropractor using the NUCCA system. Then working again and recovering from the sciatica. Next it was the bike accident where I broke my L1 into 53 pieces. I finally healed and returned to finish chiro school.

My recomendation is to seek the services of a NUCCA chiropractor. The system saved me, and it saves countless persons every day.

I had that problem for many months if not years. We went on vacation to Antigua and had a couples massage. The masseuse asked if I was having any problems and I told her about the pain in my ass, literally.

She said, OK, I will see if I can help you. She she worked that right butt cheek over to the point I was about to cry, but it solved my problem. I went back for seconds the next day, I felt so good. Haven't had a problem since and that was 2012 or so.

Now my experience with regular spa masseuse people in the USA is they are afraid to touch that butt cheek, but perhaps a massage therapist could assist you.

How To Get A Deep Piriformis Stretch To Get Rid of Sciatica, Hip & Lower Back Pain

The cool thing about the first one at that link, the Supine Piriformas Stretch, is that you can do it while kicked-back in your recliner while watching TV

I've had occasional bouts of sciatica, sometimes nearly immobilizing, for 30-35 years. First time it occurred, my fault for moving something heavy stupidly, my Dr. at the time, a DO, told me to strengthen my abs and loosen my hamstrings. As long as I do that (ab crunches and seated hamstring stretches), it usually doesn't bother me. When it does, that stretch I note above helps a lot.

IME, besides lifting stupidly, long periods seated, particularly in a bad position, aggravates it. This is why, for example, I always make sure to be in top physical shape before taking a long car trip or plane flight.

F**K yes it sux. I had a bout a few years ago they sent me for physical therapy. If I had to do it again I would let them use TENS on me but no straight physical therapy. Took a good bit longer to move around because of the P.T. Good luck, sorry for the pain.

I have a TENS unit and see a chiro monthly.

I find that if I get down on my knees and hands and just stay like that for a few minutes it sort of stretches it out.

My wife has it bad. She does the stretches with some relief. We were at the mall of america earlier this year and she was limping and almost unable to walk. There was a acu pressure place. A little asian woman worked her over pretty good. She felt great for days!!!!

Don't forget rolling on a tennis ball, or even a golf ball to have the effect of a deep tissue massage.

Steve-- I just noticed your not too far away from me. I have a Tens unit that worked wonders for me before I had my hips replaced. Would be glad to let you use it.

I relied on it so much that I bought 2, so lending one out is no problem as I haven't had the need for about 10 years. They are the same units the rehab place used.

Email is in my Profile

Mine was bad about 13 years ago. I was getting injections every few months and PT. I finally decided to go to a chiropractor. The first thing he asked me was "are you getting enough Magnesium?" I said, "what's that". I did some searches and bought some Mg citrate, and 2 days later I had my first pain free day in years. Turns out the muscles not relaxing during sleep were pressuring the vertibrae.

Then I discovered dead lifts and really worked on my core strength. Except for after a long plane flight or some other situation where I sit for hours, I have no symptoms at all.

My problem is a herniated disk with severe lumbar stenosis. I've had 3-4 epidural injections and one medial branch ablation to kill the pain nerves.

My symptoms were: couldn't stand for long, couldn't walk far. No pain on sitting. On standing I had neural claudication, that is, pain down the back of my legs.

I started working out at the gym with a personal trainer about 9 months ago. Since then I've had no significant back pain on standing or walking, can walk long distances; have no neural claudication; have not needed any injections for more than a year.

I attribute the improvement to improved abdominal and back muscle strength. Today I was leaning back, lifting a 100-pound stack; another client of my trainer commented that I have a strong lower back.

Recently I had a repeat MRI of the lower back, and the spinal stenosis appears no better, maybe worse. Go figure.

I'm 75 and feel better than I have in 10 years or so.

quote:

Originally posted by BigJoe:
Don't forget rolling on a tennis ball, or even a golf ball to have the effect of a deep tissue massage.

THIS! Helps allot.

After a slip on ice last February, I landed on my left buttock. Final diagnosis after x-rays was that I had injured my periformis muscle. Not sciatica, but as noted somewhat similar issues. Have been going to PT, and they have me doing stretches similar to what is noted in the website previously given. The first weeks were horrible, and it gradually has been getting much better. I do the stretches everyday on both sides. The PT therapist has advised that I should be doing them every day to keep the periformis limber and minimizing reoccurance. Hopefully get final clearance this Friday. Of course the first x-rays and later ones show arthritis, but it is hoped that doing the stretches, and strenghtning my legs, hipp area, plus trunk muscles minimizes problems from reoccurring.
Also carrot juice was recommended to help with potassium and magnesium levels and cramping.
Best of luck in resolving your issues.