Sciatica is acting up again - UGH

Sciatica is acting up again - UGH

This stinks. It hurts so bad. I dont know if I made it worse by going to the gym and working out yesterday. I could not sleep to well last night and I couldnt get out of bed this morning.

I have been applying ICe to my back for 20 minutes every hour and I have the shiatsu massasging mat on my work chair.

Do you think working out made it worse? Should I keep stretching the muscle? I did that before I went to bed last night.

Should I go for a walk today? I am trying to not have to go to the Physical Therapist.

Scott

Re: Sciatica is acting up again - UGH

I'm not sure. Different things help me at different times.

Sometimes ice is good to reduce inflammation, but sometimes heat will relax the muscle. Ask your doc. I would go with GENTLE stretching, and stay away from the gym,

Re: Sciatica is acting up again - UGH

Yeah I will be staying away from the gym until it feels better.

Like I said earlier I have been using ice, and stretching and I just found my T.E.N.S. Machine that the Chiropractor had given me last year.



TENS

Re: Sciatica is acting up again - UGH

i do both heat and cold. It could also be your sacriliac. That responds best to cold.

Re: Sciatica is acting up again - UGH

Its my sciatica - ALways is

Re: Sciatica is acting up again - UGH

The only thing that helps me is laying flat. I need to stay off of my feet and sometime ice it on and off. I'm sorry. I know how painful and uncomfortable it can be.

Re: Sciatica is acting up again - UGH

Have you ever had an MRI? What I thought was sciatica was a herniated disc.

Re: Sciatica is acting up again - UGH

Yes - I was in a car accident in 99. I was rear ended and I went under a corolla. I have 3 herniated discs in my back and 1 Deteriorated disc, Sciatica and TMJ. I hat an MRI last year and that is how I found out I have a deteriorated disc.
Scott

Re: Sciatica is acting up again - UGH

Another day and still in pain.....Hopefully by tomorrow I will be feeling better.....

I found some stretches online...should I do them now or wait till I feel better?

Re: Sciatica is acting up again - UGH

Yes, most likely it's the workout.

Did you do some stretches?

Gluts
Lower back
Hamstrings

Re: Sciatica is acting up again - UGH

I didnt do any stretching today...

Re: Sciatica is acting up again - UGH

Where are you applying the ice and TENS? It should be on the piriformis muscle, center of the glute. A piriformis stretch helps alot also.



**Edited to add -- the leg that is crossed is the leg that is being stretched.

Message edited 1/24/2008 8:44:07 AM.

Re: Sciatica is acting up again - UGH

Keep stretching. I go to Physical Therapy for a herniated disc that is making my sciatic act up, and I am told I need to keep stretching it out. When you don't use the muscles, it will get worse.

Re: Sciatica is acting up again - UGH

Re: Sciatica is acting up again - UGH

I am feeling better tonight. I havent been to work since monday, but I am going back tomorrow and I will start stretching

Re: Sciatica is acting up again - UGH

I have sciatica as well. Mine has been acting up in the last few days, and I don't know what I did to aggrevate it. I have found alternating bewtween heat & cold works best for me.