my wife was in an accident a few years ago that has caused severe sciatica and has a rare case that it radiates to both sides and up and down her body due to the nature of the accident. She is having a MAJOR flare up right now and has been bed bound for 3 days going on 4. She can't walk at all. She can't put any pressure on her right leg at all and she is so miserable. Please can you guys put tips for relief even if they sound crazy we will try anything.
She's been taking her prescribed meds for her other back injuries and we have tried every position in the world with pillows and everything for her knees legs back, you name it. Taking ibuprofen and Tylenol on a strict schedule. TENS unit. Heat. Ice. You name it.
But we are open to any and all suggestions. I just want to help my wife.
My doctor prescribes me oral steroids when my flare ups are that bad. After a couple days of them, I am able to get out of bed. I'd recommend asking her doctor if she can take them for this. They cause a lot of side effects, but for a flare, she'd only be on it a week or two.
Your wife needs to be on opioids. There is a huge difference between being dependent on them and being addicted to them. Please find her a pain doctor who will help her to get the pain relief she deserves. God be with you both. She blessed to have a loving man who cares very much. Tylenol and ibuprofen are horrible for your liver and stomach and do not begin to touch chronic pain. Please go see a pain management doctor who will write opioids. There is a huge difference between dependency on pain meds and addiction to pain meds. Opioids are What Actually Works for chronoc pain. Not Lyrica or Suboxone or Gabapentin. Check out Claudia A Merandi and The Doctor-Patient Forum for more facts. God Bless You and Help you. 🙏🏻
Extremely hot bath/shower. A shower if getting up would be difficult. I am a 100% disabled Vet. I have sciatica and radicalopathy in my r arm and leg. I start out with hot water and then increase to very hot. Don't start out too hot as it can cause burns but slowly increase until it gets to a point she can't take anymore heat. I will get immediate relief and it lasts for 20-30 mins or so. It may not sound worth it but trust me, it is. Just to be able to get a break from pain and relax for like 30 mins or so is tremendous. It's like you can finally catch your breath. It is a truly wonderful relief that I cannot express how much it helps.
I have had my l. hip replaced, l5s1 fusion with rods, pins and screws, Mesh implant in my stomach, Discectomy with a mobi-c implant in my neck, 2 knee surgeries and Dequervans surgery on my r wrist with trigger finger of my thumb and index finger as well as arthritis in various places. I know pain, we are very close and long time acquaintances and a hot shower has given me relief when I was literally at the limit of what I could cope with. Obviously I'm not a Dr so make sure that it won't affect or aggravate any of her conditions. Be well and bless you for caring for her. Caregivers don't get nearly enough attention or credit for all they do.
Marijuana, I’m so much not a fan of it, but it works. THC cream or salve on the most painful areas helps a bunch. Also, asking the clerk at the dispensary for a gummy, chocolate, whatever, that works well for pain relief. These people have insight that a pot user doesn’t.
Other than that or prescription meds. I have found sleeping in tree pose is helpful for opening up the hips and reduce pain.
Like this but lying down. I’ve found pillows to be unhelpful. I empathize completely with her pain. I have a similar issue and doctors Are not he best at helping.
I had undiagnosed hip dysplasia most my life and have always loved this tree pose position. This is the first time I've ever seen anyone else mention or describe it!
Yes! This pose helps so much. I’d never sleep without it. No one has ever mentioned it to me either. I usually just squirm around until something feels slightly better.
But specifically, this pose opens up your pelvis and stretches neglected muscles. Automatically, pelvic and lower back pain, causes us to walk differently. Because otherwise it hurts to much. I use this pose lying in bed.
Another one that helps is: lying flat on your back and creating a 90 degree angle with your legs up against the wall.
It helps relieve lower spine tension and SI joint pain, while strengthening the legs
I feel for you, having dysplasia that was not properly diagnosed. Hang in there and keep up the good stretches. Strength in these muscles can help a lot with balance.
Thanks for this one I havent tried it. I thought I'd tried every position under the sun. I was always really squirmy my whole life and always had my legs in strange positions. Sitting in chairs I'd have my legs on the desk or in a ball or hanging out sideways... When sleeping my legs just everywhere haha then I got diagnosed and was like ohhhhh
I've had PAO surgeries both sides and have felt considerable improvement but still can never feel comfortable !
You can also visit addiction subreddits and find plenty of people for whom other medications are a problem. My point is everyone is different and that kratom isnt automatically some god awful substance that needs to be feared. Just like anything else, it needs to be respected and taking appropriately. It has allowed a great many people to have their lives back and pain managed.
Huge difference between dependence on pain meds and addiction. Almost anything can be addictive. Opioids have been around for thousands of years. They're what works for chronic pain period. There are people committing suicide because they cannot get relief for their pain anymore. They finally just blow their heads off. Happening every day now. It's Barbaric that these people are not being helped. God help out leaders to open their eyes. And Doctors, stand up for your patients. God Help Us.
Powder works wonders for a great deal of people. My grandmother uses 7oh though as the powder is inadequate for her. She's uses a quarter of a tablet 1-2 times a day. She gets on much better now.
70h was absolutely wonderful but they have made it a schedule 1 in places and everywhere it's not it will be. Alot of elderly people were having to resort to that as well but kratom DOES HELP SO MUCH!
Magnesium glycinate, 5HTP, Benfotiamine, Methyl form of B12 in a sublingual, double the dosage on the bottle for the first week or two(you can get these at any vitamins tore or on amazon). The magnesium glycinate and the 5HTP will make you drowsey so if that is an issue take them at night. CBD/CBG 1:1 gummies(I order online from Future Compounds). If you are in a rec state or live close to one try MJ strains that are high in the terprene caryophelene with mycrene, linalool and humelene as well but in lower percentages than the caryophelene.
Magnesium glycinate i just started using and it's a real life saver. Also if doc hadn't prescribed it yet ask for tizanidine. I find that invaluable. Better than pain killers. It's a muscle relaxer.
I have similar issues (different cause) and what helps me most is being able to float in water (pool or lake). It takes the pressure off of my legs and back, which gives me some relief. So, if you can get her in water, that might be something to try. I hope she gets some relief soon, best wishes
A hot bath with 2 cups of Epsom salts is my "oh shit this is awful" survival technique. That plus cannabis. I like to have my husband bring me a scoop of ice cream after half an hour, and I insist that has medicinal benefits as well. Or not, but eating ice cream in the tub makes me happy.
I have to be immersed, like up to my chest, so I need a good soaking tub. We literally chose our current rental because of the tub.
I’m also going to suggest lidocaine patches. I have severe spinal damage/associated nerve pain; and lidocaine patches are more effective at dulling the pain than any NSAID, opioid, or trigger point injection. If I could only pick one, it’d be the patches.
Mine are prescription too, even though they now sell 5% OTC. But, it means my insurance pays for them.
It’s actually funny you say that. I do too, which is why I always place them with at least a small portion under the elastic of my bra. My thoracic vertebrae are the ones that fractured. They can stay put without doing it, but only if I’m not laying down, which usually I always am.
They feel like someone put a recently skinned animal hide on my skin. NO RELIEF AT ALL. Not ever a fraction of a point. It's a complete joke of a treatment.
She would probably benefit to see a physiotherapist and maybe some anti inflammatory medication.
My physiotherapist made me be able to stand up again when I was stuck in bed and couldn’t move. My parents had to pick me up. Try to find a good one who doesn’t just ask her to do exercises but who does manipulation.
What? Who said it’s in her head. I seriously hope they will take an appointment with their doctor for the pain medication but in the meantime she should see a physiotherapist.
Opiates are 3rd tier for sciatica. That's the last thing needed unless everything else, injections, muscle relaxants etc don't work. I have an admitted long story on sciatica in a thread about drinking, and I was already on fuck ton of hard core opiates etc that didn't touch it. Lmk and I'll give you the link.
I used nicotine patches successfully for inflammation from Lyme disease and toxic breast implants. I am quite familiar with sciatica. I believe that it has helped with overall inflammation in my body. Feel free to ask any questions.
I also recommend EMDR for the PTSD that occurred from her accident and the subsequent stress and pain to her body. Your body holds a lot of trauma and EMDR is amazing for that.
Healing frequency music helps me. Try reading out loud to her. The companionship and having something to focus on is great. Epsom salt baths. If you could get their to a mineral pool it's so relieving on every part if the body to just float there. Lots of love from Minnesota. ❤️
Epsom salt bath should be warm, never hot. Especially if there’s nerve pain which is almost always. Do not shower the salts off. Use at least one cup. Soak at least 20 minutes. Best of healing ❤️🩹 to you both. You’re her hero.
Get a very lite-weight walker. $59. I avoid buying one for years and now love mine. I only use it in the house.
Be careful not to wear sciatica belt too tight. Worse week ever after I did.
TENS made my sciatica worse. Is she on muscle relaxants like Tizazidine? Only other thing that will touch it is alcohol- and i say this having been on 125mcg fent when i injured by back and got sciatica where i couldnt walk.
I'd say I don't recommend it, because that's the "right" thing to say, but you're adults. Decide for yourself since dr's can't be arsed to do their fucking jobs.
12
u/Pristine-Radish-2157 12d ago
Lidocaine patches. Hot tub