Intermittent sciatica

crinkly1

Having been diagnosed with widespread nodular OA more than 30 years ago I have succeeded in managing the symptoms and limitations quite successfully to date. Now in my early 70s I feel that I'm losing control and am being especially harassed by intermittent bouts of sciatica.

The present bout, affecting right hip and leg, has lasted about five weeks but shows little sign of clearing. Thankfully I can sit (including driving our automatic car) and lie down comfortably but standing and/or walking for more than a minute - even around the house - causes nigh unbearable pain that starts with a warning 'pins & needles' in my foot and lower leg which, at least prompts me to sit down before it gets worse.

The pain is untouched by Cocodamol and I'm unable to take NSAIDs on a regular basis. To add to the hassle I badly fractured the head of left humerus in a 'walking netball' mishap a year ago and am due to see the surgeon next month re a likely second operation. This prevents the use of most walking aids and severely restricts exercise as even swimming makes the shoulder pain worse so, at times, I'm feeling pretty useless and losing motivation to go out while the house needs the sort of clean-up that defeats me!

I know I'm lucky only to have OA and to have remained relatively mobile until now but there is very little NHS help available other than assurances that this isn't a serious condition. Physiotherapy is well-meaning but no longer alleviates pain or improves range of movement and I don't have the means for a private consultation so any self-help tips would be welcomed please.
(I use an electric powered chair outdoors, have various general aids including stair-lift and a great OH also have been down the Pain Management Programme route. I take Coco 30/500 as needed plus Amitriptyline at night.)

With thanks in anticipation - Crinkly1

dreamdaisy

Oh dear, Crinkly, this is not fun is it? My Ma had sciatica (nothing else at the time apart from the general debilitation of advancing years) and it wrote her off for six months or so. What finally made the difference was six months of hydrotherapy, she was initially given six weeks and the first glimmer of improvement happened in the sixth week, how she swung another 18 weeks of it on the NHS I do not recall.

It's very facile to say avoid exacerbating matters when even doing the simplest thing does just that and I think it is a serious condition because of the effect it has on everyday life. I will have a think overnight to see if any bright ideas strike but I fear they won't. I am so sorry, sciatic pain is one of the worst ones going. DD

jennand

Crinkly, you seem to be taking the maximum medication but it may not necessarily be the best way to manage sciatica. Analgesia takes the edge off it for sure but it also means that we are then tempted to push further than we should. Pain is an indicator and we should never push further than the accepted level. Do you see what I mean? Whatever activity you are doing, just do it UP to the point that causes pain and then stop and rest.
The sciatic nerve starts in the lower back & travels through the buttock & down the leg. Inflammation of a disc presses on the start of the sciatic nerve & hey presto, travels all the way down. As you can’t take NSAIDS, try using alternate heat & ice on your lower back, in the middle just above your buttock ( hot water bottle, bag of peas, both wrapped in a towel. If either one of those causes more pain, then stop it & just use the other. If you don’t have access to a hydrotherapy pool, then soak in a warm ( not hot) bath and then do some specific stretching exercises. Google stretching for sciatica exercises.
The average bout of sciatica usually last for 2-3 months so I’m sorry that there is no immediate fix. It’s always worse though when we have other conditions to contend with too.
Hopefully you might be over the worst of it soon.

jennand

PS. I’ve just reread your post and noticed that you said you can sit down OK. This isn’t a good position. As you sit down you are pulling on the sciatic nerve and irritating it. It’s better to lie down wherever possible, say when you read or watch TV. Try to keep your leg as straight as you can.

[Deleted User]

Hi Crinkly1,

I’m sorry you are suffering with sciatica on top of everything else, I hope it eases soon for you. You have had repeated bouts of it, can you find a trigger for it? Maybe a visit to your GP will help with that, or perhaps a referral to a physio?

I’ve looked at the NHS website and they have information on sciatica, jennand was quite right re the way the sciatic nerve works. It also states paracetamol does nothing for sciatic nerve pain which could be why you haven’t felt the relief you hoped for. Heat is good as are stretches, it is important to exercise even though you are in pain, again GP or physio. Here’s the link

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sciatica/

Let us know how you get on, especially if something worked well for you, I’m sure some of us will need your advice in the future!

Take care
Yvonne x

crinkly1

Thank you for thoughtful advice and comments. Having 'been here' on several previous occasions I'm already aware of much of what you've said and just hoped there might be someone with similar experience who has a hitherto unpublished tip for managing the condition.

I won't respond to points in detail but fully understand the effects of degeneration of spinal discs and clearly misled you by stating that I use pain relief without specifying that this is because it helps with other OA and shoulder injury fallout. (And I rarely use any during the day.)

I guess it's simply a matter of resigning myself to sensible pacing (rest and appropriate exercise) until the aggravated nerve settles.
As Yvonne suggests I would probably not have posted at all were there only one issue being a 'b' at present!

Thanks again - Crinkly1