I have had

[I_UndergroundPanther]

Scatiatic nerve pain for 3 days at night I pop 800 mgs of Motrin and two roybaxin put on a heat pad and I spend half the evening crying and occasionally screaming. It goes away in the day,but for three nights it's been torturous. How long should I put up with this? I have back injuries but they didn't affect my leg this way. The pain is less right now, distracting myself with DU.

[Cetacea]

1. ...

Lyrica, Lamictal and some other anti-seizure meds are gold standard for nerve pain. If that isn't possible then as much non-activity as possible, mainly in the form of bed rest along with aspirin or ibpro. heating bad is good as well. Sciatica can be extremely painful.

I'm not a doctor so this is my opinion only.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

2. Thanks for the tips

I took Lyrica a few years ago. Guess I am going to have to go back on it. Thanks for the tips.

[cyclonefence]

12. This was my experience, too

My doctor gave me seizure meds for nerve pain, and the relief was total after we adjusted the dose. I'm still taking a very low dose as a preventive.

Another thing that helped me was shiatsu massage, which can be pretty painful in itself, but the next day pain is much less.

[58Sunliner]

3. Pain is no fun. Stretching usually helps me. And either CBD oil or cannaoil and a drink.

You might try using a pillow to elevate your leg and take the stress off your lower back. Sleep positions really make a difference in my comfort level. Sorry you are hurting. I can no longer take NSAIDS. My system is screwed up from taking them. I never had success with steroid shots. If it's lower back chiropractic care may help you. Or physical therapy. Good luck.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

21. I got the shots too

They really help.

[MFM008]

4. I had it once for 3 months

I couldnt have made it without oxycodone.
Get OFF sitting on hard surfaces.
Lay on opposite side of pain unless on both sides.
Put pillows under or between legs.
I feel for you.

[2naSalit]

5. Some stretches could help?

If you think you can do this, give it a try. I end up with nerve impingement on occasion. I have to sleep with a pillow between my knees when on my side, which is the only position I can sleep in with the rare laying on my back times where I put the pillow under my lower legs to elevate them. My back is a mess and that's how I sleep at least.

There is a stretch my therapist from ages ago taught me. They are easy and help a lot. If things are really painful and stretching doesn't sound like a good idea, try icing the area until it's numb, let it relax for a little while then try the stretches while swelling is low. Same with IB or whatever you take. The stretch:

Stand about a foot away from a door frame or counter (works best) that is solid enough to lean against. So about a foot away from your hip. Place one foot about 12 inches in front of the other and lean your hip against the counter or whatever. Start by counting to ten but you can increase the time if you like. After, push your body away from the counter and switch foot positions and do it again. After that do the other side the same way. then relax and try some more ice. I learned to appreciate ice on painful body parts as it clams things down where heat may not be the best remedy. I have been able to stretch out a lot of pinched nerves that way. Other stretches that you know of, even for other parts, are often helpful to do too.

Hope that might be of help if you try it.

[Lugnut]

6. I see my chiropractor to get relief.

It takes two or three visits but it works to fix the pain.

[panader0]

16. The few times I have had sciatica it was from my alignment.

The nerves coming from the spinal cord were pinched.
My chiropractor fixed me quick. I was a bricklayer for nearly forty years,
and became friends with my chiropractor.

[Lugnut]

37. I'm very fortunate.

My nephew is my chiropractor!

[Doreen]

7. I am lucky that my sciatica does not flare up often

but when it does it is excruciatingly painful.

Cannabis is what works for me. A couple of nibbles on a piece of special fudge and I get to sleep or actually sit and relax.

[OnDoutside]

8. The hard lesson I learned over the years is

1 Take the painkillers. You would be surprised how many people refuse pain relief.

2 Use the time that the painkillers are working to get movement into your body, either through stretching or better still, walking.

A friend of mine spent 6 weeks on his back, not realising that he had get moving.

[keithbvadu2]

9. Ruptured disc was mine. A razor blade going all the way down the leg.

Ruptured disc was mine. Felt like a razor blade going all the way down the leg.

Kidneystones at the same time did not help.

Surgery was the only cure.

[Squinch]

10. For acute pain like that you want to shrink the tissues

so they'll stop abrading each other. Heat expands tissue.

Use ICE not heat. And put it on your lower back just above your sacrum, not where it hurts on your leg.

Everyone is right about the need to move but only move up to the pain and not into it. Every half hour. And NO rotational movements. Straight planes only: bending forward and back or side to side. NO twisting. Avoid long car drives until the pain recedes.

[Squinch]

11. Panther, just curious, do you sit a lot during the day, and do you sleep flat?

[csziggy]

19. My nerve problems in my right leg are increase with those two

I went to physical therapy and the stretches and exercises helped a lot. In addition, I either sleep with a wedge pillow or an adjustable bed so my head is raised slightly and my back is not completely flat.

Many of the exercises the physical therapist gave me are in The Back Pain Book:

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-back-pain-book-a-self-help-guide-for-the-daily-relief-of-back-and-neck-pain_mike-hage/3275918/#isbn=1561450421&idiq=555522

(Amazon has the newer edition, but they are much more expensive. Thirftbooks is a great resource for low cost used books.)

My family practice doctor recommended this when my back first freaked out over twenty years ago. I had my back fused last March when an MRI showed that the L5 vertebrae was in pieces. While the surgery stabilized things, it did not cure the nerve problems. The stretches and exercises did. I just have to do them almost every day or the problem recurs.

I describe it as a problem rather than pain. I have a cold tingly feeling down the right leg. If I ignore it, my back can go into spasms. I'm lucky that it does not demonstrate as pain, but the cold can be intensely uncomfortable.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

22. I sit some but I am active too

Kind of half and half.
I'm a side sleeper.
I can lay flat but not easy to sleep that way.

[Squinch]

24. When you say sciatic pain, you mean pain shooting down the back of your leg, right?

Sounds like something about your sleeping position is causing compression. If you are comfortable sitting and walking around, can you bolster yourself into a sitting position and sleep that way until the tissues settle down?

Seriously, though, try the ice on your low back. It will probably help a lot. A bag of frozen peas works well.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

25. It sends little shocks of pain down my leg

When I walk. I'm sitting less than usual but I'm sitting in a way that my back is supported and my butcheek is not touching anything and my legs are bent up.

[MissMillie]

13. The only experience I've had w/ sciatica was when I was pregnant

YEARS ago. I remember one morning I got out of bed and landed on the floor because the pain was so strong that I just couldn't use my right leg. Down I went. Not at all fun. You have my sympathy.

Of course, in my case my son was in a position to rest on the nerve. Being pregnant, I didn't want to rely on meds. I spent a lot of time kneeling with my head resting on the floor--thinking if I could get the baby to move, I'd get some relief. Sometimes it worked, other times not so much.

In your case, something is either pinching, resting on, or causing the nerve to become inflamed. I would suggest talking to your doctor about it. In the meantime, I concur with others that you needn't be in pain unnecessarily. There are pain meds that won't leave you hopelessly addicted to opioids--and your doctor can help with that as well.

[Roland99]

14. Had that about 11 years ago. A couple of months of 2-3x/wk chiropractic care

and I was back to normal

One weekend after a long road trip incl a night of bowling when I wrenched my back, I was only able to crawl around my apartment

I’d been using up unpaid sick leave and had to go back to work. Was literally weeping all the way in on the drive

A couple weeks of chiropractic with a wonderful place that had great equipment and methods for spinal decompression and I could at least walk normally.

[captain queeg]

15. Opioids had limited effect on my sciatica pain

The best help came from coriosteroids. But the docs limit how much or how often you take them. The one that helped me (just guessing in spelling) was methylpredisone.

[Hotler]

17. Have you tried a 2:1 ratio of

acetaminophen and ibuprofen? 1-ibuprofen with 2-acetaminophen works very well for tooth aches. One works on pain, the other works for swelling. Just throwing it out there.
I hope you feel better soon.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

26. I'm taking that right now

Had to get a fresh Tylenol bottle last night. Have Motrin 800 mgs
I am also doing a muscle relaxer called baclofen.

[captain queeg]

18. I also benefited from Lyrica

I’ve had 4 back surgeries. Always had terrible sciatica for awhile afterwards till this last time. I think the difference was being on Lyrica for awhile. The previous med in that category was gabapentin. That one never really helped.

I remember barely being able to sleep for weeks afterwards. The little sleep I got was in a recliner. Too painful to lay flat.

[tblue37]

20. Sometimes Aspercreme can help. nt

[I_UndergroundPanther]

23. Thanks everyone for all the tips

[ZZenith]

28. Have you tried chiropractic manipulation?

Can’t cure everything but many’s the day I have limped into and subsequently floated out of the chiropractor’s office.

[lapfog_1]

27. My mother had hip surgery to remove a bone spur that caused her Scatiati

is this possible for you?

It really helped her for many years.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

34. I do have bone spurs on my spine and

A hemotoma on my thigh I've had since I was hit by a car in 96'

The hemotoma was in my fat layer.
I have lost over 60 pounds since being diabetic. I manage my sugar so it's almost always in the 80's or 90's.

I'm wondering if that old hemotoma is pressing on some nerves since the fat layers are basically gonei.
It provides out of my thigh like a golf ball now.

[Turin_C3PO]

29. If you have healthy kidneys

you can take up to 1600mg of ibuprofen. It sounds like a crazy dosage but my doctor put me on that dose for a while and it helped immensely. If that doesn’t work and you don’t have an addictive personality, then opioids might be the answer.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

35. My kidneys thankfully are ok.

[elleng]

30. My doc recommended exercises,

not sure if those are included here and I have to go out now so can't check, but here are some: https://mybackpaincoach.com/kd/bpr4l/al/sciatica-michelle/?

[42bambi]

31. Have you tried muscle relaxers, I had a very painful trapezius (neck) muscle and they helped me. nt

[I_UndergroundPanther]

36. Taking baclofen.muscle relaxer

[ooky]

33. Hanging from a tree limb by my arms used to help my sciatica when I was in my 30's.

These days the arthritis is getting progressively worse and hanging seemed to make it worse. I have a lot of pain from the arthritis which I take a mixture of Diclofenac Sodium, Gabapentin, and Cyclobenzaprine to control the pain in different parts of my body. The Cyclobenzaprine is on an as needed basis when the other two drugs aren't quite doing the trick.