Yep, been there done that. Doc sent me for physical therapy and it helped greatly. Seems MS made my hips crooked and they were able to show me some moves to keep them straight. They exercises really helped even though I thought they would not.

Me too RW!

I've had sciatica for the past two months. The pain's been shooting through the same hip as the one I've had tendonitis in for the past 9 months.

I assure you I was not overly pleased to add this rather nasty sharp pain to the ache and soreness I already had.

My GP wanted me to see an orthopedic surgeon first up, but I would not even consider spinal surgery no matter what at the moment, so I talked him into giving me a physio referral instead.

Anyway....... I've been seeing a physio for a combination of treatments. He started with some gentle traction on my sacro-iliac joint, and after that I had ultra sound, massage, gentle exercise, heat packs, TENS machine and acupuncture.

I believe it's the acupuncture that's finally brought me relief, but I must admit I was very dubious at first. I had absolutely no faith at all in the needles, seeing they hadn't worked the one time I'd tried it many years ago.

Considering I didn't think anything would happen... I was pleasantly surprised. For the first time in months, my hip is relatively pain free.

I hope you get some relief soon RW because I know how painful sciatica can be.

My DH has that problem. Even the Chiropractor won't touch him until he has a week of Naproxen and narcotic pain pills in him. Medication gets rid of the inflammation and dulls the pain, then get to the Chiro doctor. Otherwise it is a Epidural cocktail shot (3 meds in that shot) into the spine.

He never takes pills, so when he does, I know his back is bad. I hope yours heals fast on its own, or with OTC treatments.

Thanks everyone!

I have been doing the exercises that the doc gave me back a few years ago when I first had it, only time will tell if they will relieve the stoopid pain.

Last time it was on the right hand side and it was more hip and butt pain with leg weakness feeling sort of like the leg would collapse, so I saw the neuro and had an MRI of my lumbar spine. It showed a bulging disc at L4-L5.

I am guessing that this is the same disc except it's shifted to the other side. The pain is different too. It's the thigh and down the front of my kneecap and below it, running to the other side of the leg.

All I know is it HURTS! I'm usually pretty stoic about pain and I seem to have a high tolerance for it, so it's BAD...

(don't forget...this is from the girl who almost croaked because she had no pain or anything except that niggling impending feeling of doom when her appendix ruptured, worked most of a 12 hour shift, drove herself to the hospital, and told the nice nurses that if it was constipation, to give her back her clothes and she would leave quietly! )

i get a weekly massage and that helps.
there's also a stretch i do that helps release the glutt muscle. the nerve travels thru that muscle.

lay on the bed. lift the affected leg over your knee on the opposite leg. slowly and gently use the bent leg to pull your affected leg towards your abdomen. try to hold for 10 seconds. and repeat x's 3. when it hurts too bad back off on how high you pull the leg up. you can also do this move in a chair but it's more effective laying down.

i'd also check with your dr to try and track down the cause of the pain.

I have pain similar to that (they thought it was sciatica until it started happening other places). Used to take elavil. I still get quick flares, either hip/leg or mid spine. Enough to stop me in my tracks, pretty nasty stuff. If they started coming regular, I'd get right back on elavil.

If I'm sitting, something fluffy seems to help. And large amounts of muscle relaxers, just between you an me, is not too shabby either. I've had days where my back gets it so bad, it starts to spasm and lock up. Dh will take me out for margaritas.

The doc said ice then heat, but ice always makes it hurt more. So I just do a little heat - 20 mins or so. sometimes a ThermaCare if I have one, if it's going on all day.

Hope something helps you with this.

RW - How are you feeling? Hope you are doing better today and are finding things that help you with the pain.

I hope you're feeling better today, RW. You never complain so when you do I know you must be really hurtin'! Feel better soon!

I hear ya River. I complained to my primary years ago who said, sciatic
pain does NOT effect your knee...he was wrong. I get the pain in my
knee and down into my shin...ouch it really stinks! I hope today finds
you feeling a bit better~!

Thinking about you. I hope you are a little better..