Quote:
Originally Posted by BlueCarGal
I had a bout with sciatica a couple of years ago while I was in hospital. They started me on PT, which they said would continue 3x/wk for 3 months.
When I was released from hospital, the pain was worse that ever. It took over my life, ironically hurting the most when I lay down. I couldnt imagine putting up with this any longer, & really couldn't fit the time-consuming PT into my schedule if it was going to continue to prove useless.
I haven't seen acupuncture mentioned in the thread. I opted for acupuncture, which I used first for pain management when I had shingles.
This time I had three treatments a week for two weeks, then once a week for two weeks, then monthly for two months. The last 2 were my idea, combined with a general energizing treatment. By the fifth treatment, all pain was gone.
15 months later I felt some twinges in the affected butt-to-ankle area & I had a week of 3 sessions. It didn't come back.
Any question...ask away.
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In 25% of the population the sciatic nerve routes THROUGH the piriformis muscle deep in the posterior hip; in the rest of us, this little 3" muscle can impinge the nerve and cause excruciating pain and/or numbness down the leg on the affected side and into the foot even.
Many if not a majority of people who suffer from sciatica don't have a spinal problem-- correction: most of us do have some mild compression in one or more vertebra of the spine, but this seldom develops into a problem. Most sciatica is caused by neuromuscular trigger points in the piriformis or one of its cousins in the Deep Six lateral rotator group of the hip. Trigger points in the gluteus medius can also contribute. But the piriformis muscle is usually the sole cause.
You may be able to release the trigger points yourself. Lie on the floor on a tennis ball, roll your buttock of the affected leg on it till you find a painful spot (about the size of a quarter or even a dime), then press your weight into the ball; breathe deeply...after 3 or so breaths you should feel a "melting" and a lessening of the pain. Roll around some more, searching for other painful spots. A better, more certain solution, however, will be a session of therapeutic massage with a therapist qualified in neuromuscular therapy (NMT), which concentrates specifically on finding and releasing trigger points.