I'm 14 weeks and have really bad sciatica. It is mainly in my right butt cheek and so makes walking almost impossible and everytime i move my leg it hurts a lot. Is there anything i can take or do to help with the pain?
Hey chickie, really wish I could help you out, but I'm suffering myself. So, I'm offering sympathy and hoping you don't mind if I tag along for a hopeful rescue.
I can offer some help based on my history with back problems, but I don't have any experience with being pg so not sure how much help I will be sorry!
Can you have a bath/spa? I found with my sciatica that the muscle spasms were unbearable even with serious medications to help, but the warm water would settle the spasm down better than even narcotic pain killers. Also if you have a bath that is big enough to float in it just seems to take the pressure off your back and help the pain ease - floating in a swimming pool might do the same, but I have to admit I was addicted to the warm water
I also found heat packs to be my saviour, don't even ask how many I wore out before my surgery!! Whenever we left the house DP would say "Do you have your wheat bags?" coz if my pain started up he knew I couldn't cope without them.
If you can do some gentle massage in the muscles where you are getting the pain you may find that helps too. Use some oil and gently explore the muscle to see if you can find any 'lumps' or 'knots'. These are called trigger points and are basically little bundles of contracted muscle fibres that have a 'memory' & can cause the pain to stay around even if the nerve isn't irritated at that time. I had dozens in my calf, buttock & inner thigh on the same side as my sciatic pain. Massaging them, or applying gentle pressure with ur thumb or knuckle until they become less sensitive can make a big difference to how much pain you are getting. If you google 'trigger points' you will find lots of info on how you can work on them all day everyday to reduce ur pain.
Ice packs can also be really useful when the nerve is irritated. I found if I was getting lots of shooting pain lying on an ice pack could help settle it down.
Those are the best 'self help' tips I have. If you were interested you could also try a Feldenkrais class. These are classes that are based on awareness through movement, are very very gentle and can significantly help reduce sciatic pain. Alternatively a yoga class might offer some helpful stretches etc.
Hope some of that is helpful. Big hugs to you all .. sciatic pain sux!
Heat packs and a visit to the chiropractor is what helps me. Quite often sciatica is caused by a twist in the pelvis which results in the nerve being pinched at worst or irritated.
Make sure you interview them first to be sure that they practice gentle methods, do a good massage to warm up the muscles first before they manipulate you and that they have experience with PG women.
Being your third bub you will find your pelvis is more susceptible to the relaxin so be super careful lifting the kids and putting them in and out of the car. Also when doing housework, especially vacuuming!
I used to use a hot water bottle and see an osteopath. They are more gentle in their manipulations than chiros and most are certified to work on pg women.
Ask if you can take panadeine or panadol forte as I can't remember lol (placenta memory). Luckily I haven't had it so far with this one.
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Sciatica - Need relief!
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