dallycat 0 #1 February 2, 2011 Was wondering if anyone had some suggestions for good treatment for sciatic nerve issues? I did search the topic and found posts dating 5 years ago but was wondering if there were any new treatments. I have been seeing a chiropractor on a regular basis and has been helping but i still have irritations. I also tried accupuncture, mind you only three occasions, and have had numerous massage treatments. I have been trying to stretch every morning and night as well. Has anyone had experience with one of those decompression tables or what ever they are called that stretch you out? Any help would be much appreciated, thanks!! D Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waveoff5500 0 #2 February 2, 2011 hey! im actually going through physical therapy to help this right now. i have been doing various leg exercises, "pressups" which is a pushup with your hips remaining on the ground, planks, bridges (lay on your back with your feet on a couch and arch, walking on a treadmill, a lot of ice, a lot of heat and propping (laying on my stomach propping my legs up and torso up so i form a U shape with my body. these are all exercises ive been doing to help my herniated L4/L5 disk which has caused sciatica. i actually talked to my physical therapist today about the inversion tables and she said that they have been known to help a lot of people, but you have to find the right angle, upside down may not be the right angle for you and may end up further hurting your back, so start out at a slight angle and increase to see what helps. also, these tables do increase blood pressure in the head and in general so be careful with that. hope this helps! feel better soon! "its just a normal day at the dropzone until its not" 1653 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 558 #3 February 2, 2011 I have suffered from sciatica since 1987. I could blame my sciatica on PD360 mains or helping build a rock wall. Drugs made no difference. Physical therapy helped a little. But what helped the most - in the long run - was thousands of sit-ups and hundreds of hours of stretching to pull my spine back into the correct alignment. My problem is - that when I get out of shape - I develop sway-back and my gut hangs over my belt buckle. The first step is always to increase aerobic exercise, to reduce weight, while stretching and doing hundreds of sit-ups to tighten my stomach muscles and pull my spine back into alignment. The first winter after I injured my spine, I just lay around and felt sorry for myself. The second winter, I swam laps three times a week. My weight declined, while my morale increased. The third winter, I took aerobic fitness classes two or three times a week and was fit enough in the spring-time to take a PFF Instructor's course. When I re-injured my spine - and bruised almost all my other muscles - in a plane crash in 2008, I did 2 rounds of physio-therapy, followed by thousands of push-ups, sit-ups and chin-ups to get back into shape. Three months after the accident, I was still so weak, that I re-injured my shoulder packing mains, but was able to resume doing tandems 8 months after the accident. Your first step should be to consult with your physical therapist as to which direction your spine is out of alignment, then establish an exercise program to pull your spine back into alignment. Rob Warner Strong Tandem Examiner Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldrookie 0 #4 February 2, 2011 In short, and only my opinion: Don't let someone do manipulations on your back ( ie chiropractor) if you don't know WHAT it is that irritates the nerve. Is it a disc, muscle, piece of bone etc.? Core muscle exercises will strengthen the back support and help with your posture, but it does not mean that your spine was out of "alignment " prior to the exercises. Heat, massage, accupuncture, physiotherapy, appropriate exercises and medications are the conservative methods of dealing with this, and 95% of people require only conservative methods for the symptoms to subside. APPROPRIATE exercises is the key here, as certain abdominal exercises, or exercises done the wrong way can make it worse. Stretching tables can be helpfull, but I think a visit to your GP for an examination and possible further investigations would be a good place to start. Good luck. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 259 #5 February 2, 2011 Surgery was the only thing worked for me, but mine was due to two destroyed discs. I knew it was time to do something when it started to hurt in freefall. PT is your friend. Talk to your doctor and have him/her order up a few appointments. At a minimum, you'll get some knowledge of what exercises will help and what might make it worse. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PiLFy 0 #6 February 2, 2011 Hi, I'm sorry to read of your trouble. I have herniated disks @L4 & L5. L3 is bulging, & a thoracic vertebrae also shifted. First, if I was going to submit to Chiropractics. It wouldn't be until at least five months post-injury. The disk(s) need time to heal. Without allowing the annulus time to mend. More gelatinous material may be squeezed out, worsening symptoms. You didn't mention Physical Therapy. This should have been your first stop. If you have them in Canada. I strongly encourage you to seek out a Physiatrist. They specialize in rehabilitative medicine. They will teach you the proper use of heat & ice. Too much heat, especially, can make your condition worse. They will ascertain which stretching & strengthening exercises are appropriate for your injury, & when. I realize some suggestions here were well-intentioned. If you start doing sit-ups & pelvic thrusts before you're ready? You'll do more damage. Everyone's injuries are different. What helped me the most? The first physical therapist (w/a 24yr career as lead PT on an NBA team) hurt me. His approach was dated & incorrect. The second team made all the difference. Mainly, it was proper stretching that took away my sciatica. In the beginning, I did those three times a day. They work. It's a beautiful thing Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ridestrong 1 #7 February 2, 2011 Chiropractors and traction (stretching) tables are only temporary fixes, and frankly for lazy people, but I'm not going to say they do NO good. The best thing you can do that also has the potential of lasting effects is physical therapy as others have mentioned, but unfortunately many don't follow through with it because it takes work. I would also recommend some anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen... Narcotics like Percocet and Vicodin will mask the pain but not do anything to help the nerve irritation, stay away from them. Ultimately if no conservative therapy helps you may need a microdiscectomy, which is just 'shaving off' the portion of a herniated disc that is most likely the cause of your sciatic pain. Don't let any surgeons tell you you need anything more than a microdiscectomy without getting a second opinion. -Josh (PA-C) spine surgery -Happy to help answer any other ?'s you may have here or by PM.*I am not afraid of dying... I am afraid of missing life.* ----Disclaimer: I don't know shit about skydiving.---- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dallycat 0 #8 February 2, 2011 Thanks everyone for your input. I am going to seek out a Physiotherapist and apply the other good suggestions when appropriate. Thanks again! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spootch 0 #9 February 2, 2011 Quote Thanks everyone for your input. I am going to seek out a Physiotherapist and apply the other good suggestions when appropriate. Thanks again! Mr Ianharrops suggestion was to try and remove that stick from your ass! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dallycat 0 #10 February 2, 2011 Quote Quote Thanks everyone for your input. I am going to seek out a Physiotherapist and apply the other good suggestions when appropriate. Thanks again! Mr Ianharrops suggestion was to try and remove that stick from your ass! Will try that also Kyle Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpsalot-2 2 #11 February 3, 2011 I've had Sciatic nerve problems for 20 yrs. I've jumped on days with pain. I'll be in pain, but from experience I know when I exit the plane my body relaxes, my body is not supporting my weight anymore, and I'm " FREE " ( from the pain ). If I could just stay in freefall forever.......Wow....... Maybe a windtunnel............?Life is short ... jump often. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
david3 0 #12 February 3, 2011 QuoteI've had Sciatic nerve problems for 20 yrs. I've jumped on days with pain. I'll be in pain, but from experience I know when I exit the plane my body relaxes, my body is not supporting my weight anymore, and I'm " FREE " ( from the pain ). If I could just stay in freefall forever.......Wow....... Maybe a windtunnel............? It's the packing and passing out drunk on the hangar floor that bothers my back, not the freefall. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shward 0 #13 February 3, 2011 I've had several patients that had some relief by simply not carrying around a wallet. The constant pressure can lead to irritation. I agree with most of the above posts that suggest push-ups, sit-ups, crunches, planks and any of the core-strengthening exercises. Fully agree with whoever said to use ibuprofen (NSIAD) and avoid the narcotic pain-killers. Narcs simply turn a switch off in the brain and not recognize the pain, the damage is still there and usually getting worse. NSAIDs actually have a physical effect on the injury aread by reducing inflammation and therefore pressure on the nerve. Just today I recieved the MRI results from a patient that I've been following for a while and it revealed micro-fractures in his L4 & L5, leading to inflammation in the area and pain that has been previously diagnosed as sciatica. Considering your rather "high impact" activity, that might be something to consider. Talk to your doc. Just my $0.02, sorry to hear that you're in pain and hope that you can find something that helps soon.Life is short, eat more bacon, have more sex and jump anytime you can!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dallycat 0 #14 February 22, 2011 Just some post info on this... I went for Bowen therapy last week at a local wellness center and have been pain free for a week. There is a little tightness in my back but for the most part the pain is gone. I have 2 more sessions to go to before we re-evaluate things. I stronly suggest if you have any sciatic nerve irritation that you check into Bowen therapy as it seems to have worked for me in a short time. I cannot say how long it will last but i am happy with the short term outcome as of now. I also have a MRI next week as well to see if there is anything else going on in there to rule out other things. Just thought i would update this thread. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ridestrong 1 #15 February 22, 2011 Good to hear!!! Hopefully it lasts!*I am not afraid of dying... I am afraid of missing life.* ----Disclaimer: I don't know shit about skydiving.---- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Imanewdiver 0 #16 February 22, 2011 Great book called "how to tell if you need Bach surgery". Great diagrams showing nerve routes and what tests are required. GREAT explanations with diagrams. L5 surgery here and jumping next month. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dallycat 0 #17 February 22, 2011 Quote Great book called "how to tell if you need Bach surgery". Great diagrams showing nerve routes and what tests are required. GREAT explanations with diagrams. L5 surgery here and jumping next month. Is this a "do it yourself" book on back surgery? I will check it out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dallycat 0 #18 February 22, 2011 Quote Good to hear!!! Hopefully it lasts! Yes i do as well, thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
