by new light 17 Replies latest social physical
Does anyone have some real-world advice for lower back pain / sciatica? I've had it for years and it doesn't get any better or worse overall, but I'd like to lessen or eliminate it? Would a really good mattress make a difference? The pain is at its worst when I"m in bed, so it seems like this could be the place to look, but I don't want to spend $1000 and have it not help. Can anyone experienced in this area help me? I'd really appreciate it.
Painfully,
New Light
What about cortisone shots into the affected area? A radiologist does a series of 3 over 6 weeks. It can last up to 6 months depending on the individual?
What about meds? Have you taken any NSAIDs? Naproxen, Sulindac, Voltaren, etc.?
Exercise and physical therapy can help?
Are there any pain clinics or groups in your area?
Massage and physical therapy were the only things that helped me. I had two herniated discs in my lower back...it was a nightmare of chronic pain! After I got some relief with the massage & PT, I got a pillowtop mattress which seems to help keep me "in a good place" back wise..
You have my pity!
As far as the NSAID's, I take 4-8 Advils a day, which helps immensely. I bicycle a couple times a week, alternating with careful weight lifting. I don't presently have medical insurance, so therapy, etc. is really out of the question financially.
Xena: How much would you say the mattress helps? I don't expect to ever be pain-free, but is it worth my hard-earned cash to buy a serious slab o' springs?
Like xena said. Try to find out the exact cause, vertabrae out of place, is it stress, or what. Good chiropracters can help, but there are also bad chiros. Also, a person generally needs to keep going back. Better to learn what you can do it yourself. Learning how to stretch might do wonders. This releases tension, and allows the muscles to align things. If bones have been out of alignment for a long time, they won't stay, so it needs to be done every day, perhaps a few times each day.
Here is a simple one: bend over side ways as far as you comfortably can. Now hold it there for a few seconds and breathe in and out a few times. Do the other side as well, and try at different angles, always holding for a bit and breathing a few times. Good luck.
SS
I honestly can't say new light because I got mine after the back pain was gone....I did invest in a feather mattress topper prior to that which helped some...for a king size it was around $150.00
Do you have anyone who would give you massages for free? Just some nice deep massages with some medicated stuff really helps.....I suckered got my ex to give me some....
http://www.spine-health.com/topics/conserv/sciaex/sciaex02.html
this site has some of the exercises the PT gave me to do that helped...
new light
I have been there (3 separate car accidents, 'soft tissue' damage, ie. ligaments & muscles). Sometimes it 'kicks up' when I am overtired, or otherwise not taking care of myself.
After a year off work (with physio 3 times/week), 6 months of wearing a corset-type back brace to work, I was trying different forms of exercise - DOCTOR APPROVED of course.
Posture and strengthening of the three muscle groups (back and FRONT - most folks don't realize what importance your abdominal muscles play in back pain) helped me out.
Tai Chi was the fix-it for me - this gentle form of exercise helped me immensely. But I had an excellent instructor, checked with my MD and didn't PUSH anything - gently, gently. Besides, tai chi is not about pushing yourself, it is about gently realigning your body and breathing properly, etc. After 3 months, my back pain was gone. That was 15 years ago, and since then, it rarely bothers me, unless I do something that is a no-no (shoveling dirt, too much heavy lifting, etc.).
I still use the warmups I learned in my classes to help when the problem returns.
Just something to consider, after checking w/ your doctor, of course.
talesin
My husband has had sciatia for many years, he tried everything, cortisone shots and steroids injected right into the spine nothing worked. Then a women told him about this chiropractor, i am not real enthused about them but she insisted he could help,it is not a cure all but with treatments it did help. He still has moderate pain but nothing like it was.So if you know of someone that could refer you to a good chiropractor it is worth a shot,also don't believe that a hard mattress is good for you'r back ,it does not conture to the spine and can make matters worse.
I am not a doctor, and the following does not constitute medical advice. It is only my opinion, based on various experiences.
Assuming that there is no serious organic cause - disease, deformity, or wound - the most likely cause of your back pain is shortening of the hip flexor muscles.
If we spend the majority of our time in a seated position - which most of us today do, the various muscles of the hip flexor group will shorten over the years. Cycling may be an otherwise fine exercise, but when you do it, you are in that seated position once again.
You may want to look on line for stretches for the Psoas muscle. One such strech is done lying on your back with your knees bent as though you were going to do abdominal curl ups. Then you lift the ankle of the offending side up and put it across the oposite knee. Then , grabbing the knee with or without the help of a towel, pull the knee toward your chest. Very likely you will feel the stretch right in the same area of your buttocks where you probably feel that a pin has been inserted. Just hold the stretch for a few seconds, then, without letting the knee move, contract the muscles of the painful side isometrically for a few seconds, then release. You will find that the stretch goes a bit further now. Hold for another few seconds and repeat, then hold for a final 30 seconds or so. Repeat on the other side.
There is also a stretch that looks very much like a lunge that you might find beneficial.
If your shoulders and back ar not too stiff, do a wrestler's bridge and just hold it for up to 3 minutes. If a wrestler's bridge is not possible, there's a stretch called a "table maker," or you could simply lie across one of those heavy vinyl exercise balls, face up.
Don't do just one of these stretches just once and expect a miracle do at least 3 different ones, and keep at it for a couple of weeks.
Good luck!
