Sciatica oddity

[Shootist]

I've been greatly troubled for the last 6-7 weeks with bad sciatica. (Is there a good kind?). It's at it's worst at night, which means no decent night's sleep during that period. The odd thing, to my mind at least, is that cycling seems often to help. This morning was sheer misery and I decided that I might was well be miserable on the bike as sat, stood, laying, standing again, sitting etc, at home. While my pace was much slower than my usual slow pace I not only survived but felt quite a bit better. (Not good, just quite a bit better). Anyone else find this?

[freeflow]

Yes. I find the same. This is better, sooooo much better.

http://www.backinaction.co.uk/mobiliser

[rjb]

Mrs rjb suffers from sciatica and also finds that a bike ride releaves it. I can recommend this book "treat your own back" by robin mckenzie - well worth reading if you have any back problem.

[Gearoidmuar]

In general exercise is good for back pain, though sometimes cycling makes it worse. If it makes it better, do it.
The worst thing you can do for most back or neck pain it to immobilise it. Going to bed is not a good idea. Don't lift anything heavy while you have it.
The best drug for it is aspirin, but this has it's side effects. Take Panadol.

[DevonDamo]

A few years ago, I went down with an extremely bad case of sciatica, whilst I was out on the road with work. Getting in and out of my car became torture, and my teetering walking-style was probably painful to watch. For the next 3 weeks, I suffered badly, despite the exercises and stretches that the doctor gave me to do. I couldn't sleep and eventually decided I'd try to cycle the 4 miles to work, as being in the car seemed to aggravate it. When I got off my bike at the office, it was completely gone. Since then, I've had perhaps 2 or 3 much milder episodes of sciatica, but every time, half an hour on the bike eliminates it. In recent years, I've been cycling a lot more regularly, and I take absolute no care of my back - slouching in my chair for hours playing computer games etc. - and I never have a problem.

[CyberKnight]

I used to suffer a lot from sciatica like symptoms, all the pain pointed to it and i even saw a doctor who gave me some pain killers.
In the end it turned out i had tight piriformis muscle that was pressing on the nerve, stretching has got rid off all my pain.

[reohn2]

Yoga!

[thirdcrank]

there's a letter in Honest John today from somebody who had all sorts of aches and pains when he was driving. It was cured when he realised it was caused by sitting on his wallet in a back pocket.

[SleepyJoe]

Wallet in back pocket- been there!
If I drive any distance, I now remove my wallet & life is much more comfortable!
Strangely I never have a problem whilst cycling....
Mark

[phattanglo]

I experienced what I thought was sciatic pain which turned out to be a prolapsed disc and I also found cycling helped.
Unfortunately the disc caused some nerve damage which resulted in slight muscle wastage in my right thigh.
Hopefully the cycling will help restore the muscle tone a bit, but if not at least I can still get to work even if longer journeys are out at the moment.
So wrong side of eighteen stone, bad back and dodgy knee, but two stone lost in the last five months.
Cycling works!

[al_yrpal]

On the re-emergence of mine I went to an osteopath who diagnosed that muscle in the side of the buttock pressing on the sciatic nerve and a siezed up flexible pelvis joint as the problem. 40 minutes of him pummelling eased it, and I went in for two more sessions. Total cost £125. I also did a lot of (the only bloke!) Pilates sessions at the gym/golfclub that I belong to. It all helped.

Best of luck, its a rotten condition

Al

[munroad]

Pilates to improve your core strength is the way forwards.

[Vorpal]

I have had occasional problems with sciatica. Cycling always helps. So does sports massage therapy. I've had little trouble since being given some exercises by a physio.

[Slowroad]

I had sciatica caused by a prolapsed disc about 15 years ago and for some weeks could hardly walk but could cycle. When after 3 months wait I got to see a specialist I was walking fine again and could even bend, cautiously. They were surprised I wasn't on crutches! I do think the cycling helped. I've not had sciatica since though I do notice my back if I've not been doing my stretching exercises for a while.
I hope your back gets sorted out/sorts itself out.

[cotswolds]

I had bad sciatica for about 10 months last year, walking was painful, standing was painful, sitting on the sofa was painful. Laying on the floor relieved it somewhat, but cycling was pretty much pain free - I did the 100 mile Exmouth Exodus fairly fast (got to the breakfast café before it opened) and without problems.

I gradually worked my way through the NHS system, had an MRI scan, saw the consultant about an operation and was on the waiting list. He said cycling probably relieved it because the forward curve of the spine gave a bit more space for the nerve, and hands on the handlebars meant the spine was carrying less weight. (My sciatica was due to a prolapsed disc, there are several other possibilities.)

About a month before the operation the pain started to recede though still wasn't great. I phoned for advice and was told I would be mad to have the operation because it could make things worse, so with 2 weeks to go I cancelled. The pain is now pretty much completely gone. NHS is slow to escalate treatment because sciatica often does go away, usually after rather less than the 10 months I had it.

If it doesn't go away, there are different types of painkillers your doctor can prescribe. In retrospect, I don't think any of them did much for me, and the side effects weren't great, but everyone reacts differently. The one thing that really helped was a TENS machine (bought quite cheaply as a LIDL special). Like you, my sleep was badly affected, but I used it for 10 minutes at bedtime and got to sleep easily, and then maybe a couple of times during the night when I was woken by pain, and could get back to sleep without problems.

I think my sciatica was triggered by yoga and doing hamstring stretches after running, both of which put a lot of pressure on the lower back. Early this year I gradually resumed normal activities, but the one yoga session I went to set me back two weeks. After six months when I barely walked, I resumed running before Easter and a few weeks ago ran a half marathon and knocked 4 minutes off my PB. I have slight knee pain caused by tight hamstrings, but have decided to live with that for now at least.

As others have said, keep as active as you can without pain. Consider trying a TENS machine, and with luck it will start to get better soon.

Rob