I’m scheduled to see the doc this Friday. Two weeks ago, I woke up in excruciating pain on my right side, from my hip pocket to my ankle. I haven’t carried a wallet for at least 12 years, using a money clip, front pocket.

I was carrying a Beretta Cougar, fully loaded she weighs 2 lbs. some ounces. I end up walking like Chester of Gunsmoke fame. One day, I’m fine, next day or two the ailment is back with a vengeance.

Friday cannot come soon enough. Thanks for any opinions.

I dealt with mild to moderate sciatica on and off a few years back. It's very common in LE, due to the weight of duty gear on the waist.

Stretching helped me quite a bit. Building up me core and lower back muscles helped too. Ask your doc for some stretches and exercises, or referral to a trainer or physical therapist for help.

Also, make sure you're using a quality gun belt. Thin, floppy belts are not good, for a variety of reasons. A high quality, stiff gun belt helps support the weight of the gun, spreads the weight of the gun out over a wider area, and keeps the gun tucked in tighter to your body for easier concealment.

I had sciatica in college, caused by a lower back injury. Stretching helps, as does strengthening your core. In my case, the pain was caused by spasm in the lower back muscles, which caused excessive curvature of my lumbar spine, leading to pressure on the nerve. By strengthening my core, particularly the abdominal wall, I was able to stabilize my lower back, reduce the curvature of the spine, relieve the spasm in the muscles, and relieve the sciatic pain.

It has never come back, but I make sure that I keep stretched out, and that I don't let my core go completely to hell.

BTDT. The stretches cured my moderate symptoms. Only three stretching sessions a day, at about 5 min. per session did the trick.

Start them now.

ETA: The stretches involve standing straight, placing one foot on the other side of the other foot, and stretching your back and leg on the side with the leg that is juxtaposed. Hold for 60 seconds. Accomplishing that, lay flat on your back, and pull your knees tightly to your chest. Hold for 60 seconds. Do these stretches three times a day.

Have your symptoms progressed to where you feel a severe dull ache down the back and leg of one side of your body. Do you also feel an occasional "jolt of electricity", for lack of a better description, down the same side?

H&K-Guy

Thanks Rogue JSK,ArtieS & H&K! I’m sure (as you mentioned) exercise will be ordered, anything to ease this pain.

When you see your doctor if he/she doesn't mention it, ask if a steroid pack would help. Not something you want to take too often but it can knock inflammation out pretty quickly if you're in pain.

My wife showed me this simple trick (click bait!) for stretching: Stand on something, maybe a stair or something similar, where you have a good handhold for balance. Stand with the front part of your feet on the stair and your heels hanging out in space.

Hold on to something, a rail maybe, and slowly, gently, lower your heels. That will stretch your back. Hold that position for a few seconds, then repeat.

Don't over do it! Gently, slowly. A tiny bit more, each session.

It really worked well for me when my back locked up so badly that I needed help to hobble around.

Ya know V-Tail, Right now, I couldn’t pass a field sobriety balance test? I’m feeling all of my 72 years! I’m going to try your brides exercise idea, got the perfect place to hang on also.

Appreciate the come back Navy Guy. I’ll run your suggestion by the doc.

Ps.. to answer your question H &K Guy,about dull pain to the jolt of electricity,YES!!

If you like the Cougar format, consider switching to a PX4. It is very similar (IMO) in operation and feel, but MUCH lighter.

I’m not married to the Cougar, Fredward, but it might come to a lighter pistol & I’d be halfway knowledgeable about the PX models. Thank you.

Switch out that 2+ lbs hip carry to a 12 oz or under pocket carry.

I have a pocket-carry Kahr CW380 and love the little thing and don't feel under-gunned with 8 rounds of Hornady Critical Defense .380 at the ready.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

Stretching helped me quite a bit. Building up me core and lower back muscles helped too. Ask your doc for some stretches and exercises, or referral to a trainer or physical therapist for help.

This. Plus swimming. Swimming really helped me. In fact, due to the low impact nature, it was the only thing that really helped.

Plus a lot of Aleve.

Increased muscle tone helps, but usually the main problem is that the pelvis is twisted. One side rotates forward, and the other goes toward the rear. The spine is then angles to one side, and over time the lumbar discs compress and entap the siciatic nerve roots on one side. The result is sciatica.

The only way of aligning the pelvis, to straighten out the lumbar spine, is precise upper cervical chiropractic adjustments. The best system is NUCCA, but Atlas Orthongonal also works. I used to have severe sciatica, which was more pain than when I broke my L1 into 53 pieces while mountain biking.

There are over 10,000 proprioceptive sensors embeded into the upper cervical muscle group. When the C1 area is misaligned, those sensors give incorrect information to the brain, and the brain then causes the pelvic distortion. GIGO, just like with computers.

I developed sciatica over thirty years ago, from lifting something improperly. My doctor at the time told me "Stretch your hamstrings and tighten your abdominal muscles."

I will tell you, right now, no amount of medication will do what proper physical conditioning will. As long as I stay in shape and keep up with my stretches, the sciatica is kept at bay.

Here is an exercise (there are others) I've found quite effective on the rare occasions my sciatica does flare up: How To Get A Deep Piriformis Stretch To Get Rid Of Pain In The Back, Hip, Buttocks & Legs

It can be easier to start by using your off leg to raise your problem leg up high enough to grasp.

I don’t want to hog up anymore of the forums bandwidth, just one last thank you for the replies! I’m out for now.

Back pain prevents me from carrying at 3:00 anymore. I found switching to appendix makes it somewhat easier, but after a few straight days, it will flair up again. I have to go off body every so often just to keep the pain at bay.

I have found yoga (stretching and core strength) helps a great deal, but nothing makes it go away completely. If I take a few weeks off from working out, I immediately feel more pain.

I'm only 41, so I suspect it will only get worse with age.

Chiropractor is what give me relief.

My truck doesn't have cruise control. 99 Dodge Dakota. If I drive more than 50 miles I can't hardly get out of it. Normal day activities just let me know it's there. But driving that truck lets the truth be known!

Look up Bob & Brad physical therapists on YouTube. Search their channel for sciatica exercises. I had a bout with this in December, their exercises fixed me right up. After you feel better, start doing core strengthening exercises. Here is a link to their channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/physicaltherapyvideo

And adopt Perry Suspenders to help with the weight of your artillery.