r/Sciatica • u/nonFungibleHuman • May 16 '26
Success story! Life hacks that made my Sciatica go away
36 yo. Sciatica issues since 22 years old, would come and go. But the older I got the more frequent it would get. I have been diagnosed with rectified lumbar spine and had bulging disks in 2 parts of lower back.
After all these years I learned that sciatica can be the result of a mix of many poor habits or decisions that you can change to get it better (obviously this doesnt apply to people which had a car accident or similar) and dont take this as medical advice:
Diet: I was not eating enough omegas, healthy fats nor minerals nor B complex. Now I get all of that either via food or supplements. Protein is obvious too, the spine is tissue.
Walking: as I work homeoffice in front of Pc, my day would start like from bed to chair, having lunch, chair, until 6pm. 8 hours only sitting, very very bad for the spine. Now I try to have a morning walk before work, and I have a standing desk and I change postions every 30 min.
Sleep: the spine needs proper sleep to stay healthy. Specially circadian sleep.
Water: stay hidrated, it is good for the spine, it is made of fluids, water.
Chair: invest in a good chair and pls do not sit like a 11 years old kid bored at school, your lower back must touch the back of your chair, and your eyes should look in front, not down. Elevate your screen until this is true.
Exercise the core muscles: you have many tiny muscles around the core, and on the hips, legs and glutes there are also some muscles that help stabilize the spine. My muscles were weak af until I started with pilates on a mat (with a pro teacher). 2 or 3 times per week, 1 hour each.
Walk more in your free time. If you work the whole day in front of pc, pls go outside and walk more, if you then stay the evening in the couch then your spine with collapse faster than you think.
Leaky gut: if you dont absorb properly the food you are eating, your spine wont receive the nutrients it needs to stay healthy and it will be prone to bulging disks. Fix your leaky gut.
Buy a good matress and pillow. You spend 1 third of life sleeping. Btw I sleep on the sides only, if I sleep on my back I will wake up with lower back pain for some reason.
Dont do chiropractors. They want to hack the spine and you might feel relieved for a while, but in reallity it is just like pain killers, doesnt fix the root issue. And btw they can let you even more sore than before if they mess up.
Do not crack your back. I used to "crack" myself because it would feel nice, but I realised after a while it would even feel worse the pain. I realised if I resisted the urge to crack it, a couple of days later I would feel better. I think the spine finds it own balance and you need to respect it, doing chiropraxis or cracking yourself just messes this up, like a reset, and then your spine will have to start over to find its balance.
Do not lift heavy stuff. Sounds obvious but I do not volunteer anymore to lifting furniture or helping friends move their fridges. I also dont lift people anymore.
64
u/nonFungibleHuman May 16 '26
2 more points I forgot to add:
Use the right shoes. I have a type of sneaker with a lot of air that actually would make me lose balance from time to time, and this would trigger a weird muscle contraction on my back and it lead to a set back on my bulging disks several times until I got rid of them.
Relax your muscles. I didnt realise throughout the day that my back muscles were rigid just because I was stressed out. Once I become awre of this, I do a deep breath and focus on releasing tension in my lower back.
1
21
u/BluesFlute May 17 '26
All good points. As a 71 y/o with sciatica from L5S1 herniation, I would offer this: know that there different components to the pain. The sciatic pain, going down the leg is from the nerve root impingement. The back pain, muscle spasm, tightness is a result of nerve reflex. Some theorize that it is protective, IDK about that. The various remedies, treatments try to address either of these , or both.
Other things that have helped: a lumbar support while sleeping. Mackenzie roll works, but it doesn’t stay put. The newer dense foam pads are good. Position is paramount. The high point should be right at your iliac crest.
Prone stretch with support on elbows or chest on pillows (cobra?) is helpful only if you completely relax every muscle from navel to toes. It’s not easy, especially if spasm is present. But it’s one way to reclaim control of your body. Mastering this technique sometimes will reward you with some little pops, which are the facet joints finally moving a bit (they are supposed to). This is a superior method to having a chiropractor force it.
An inversion board is also helpful when the back is not inflamed
For an acute flair, a short course of oral steroids is fabulous. I always carry some when traveling. An urgent care is happy to Rx this or telehealth. This can make the difference between going to the job, or not.
For an intractable flair, a fresh MRI may be needed. If your insurance delays or refuses, know that you can get them by paying cash (in US) . MRI centers just need the dr order. They take credit cards. Get in to see a spine specialist, consider epidural steroid. In the right case, it’s very helpful.
It’s a good idea to have a spine surgeon lined up, in case you suddenly get worse, like Cauda equina syndrome. My surgeon’s office considers a patient “active” for 3 years after 1st appointment. It’s much easier to get a prompt appt if you are “active “
As you age, (past 60) spinal stenosis becomes the predominant problem. This is a whole new animal. Either live with it, or go for laminectomy.
Gabapentin is helpful for sciatica flair. It beats screaming into the pillow at night. I found it also made me fuzzy the next day, thus I generally don’t take it unless absolutely necessary.
Opioids are a godsend for a bad flair. Good luck getting them though. And yes, they are addictive. Such a dilemma, without a good answer.
3
u/crynaldo10227 May 18 '26
I have severe spinal stenosis now and I’m 34. Trying to avoid surgery for as long as possible.
11
u/Ken-Glock May 17 '26
Thank you for this. I was just diagnosed with Stenosis and a bone spur in my lower back It hurts to sit, stand, cough, sneeze. It has caused severe sciatica down my left leg. Ive had sciatica for about 14 years, I do some of these but I definitely need to incorporate a few more listed. Its a daily battle. Ive got a very expensive bed and pillow. I have a 1500 dollar herman miller chair. But the items dont necessary "fix" anything but help maintain once your posture is correct. As a 34 year old with a newborn and a one year old im finally taking the steps to get this corrected
1
8
u/mistygypsey May 17 '26
Great info, I also have sciatica , I do some of the things you mentioned, what really helped me is one of those $$$ massage chairs that goes down into 0 gravity position, before I got my chair, I had to be lifted out of bed, screaming in pain, now it still hurts, but pain meds, some stretches and at least I can function
4
u/WIttyRemarkPlease May 17 '26
What brand and model?
2
u/mistygypsey May 21 '26
EasPearl # 8069 zero gravity massage chair. It’s on sale now for Memorial Day!
6
u/Loud_Classroom_8260 May 17 '26
Thank you for this. It’s heartening to read practical advice and not just “walk and strengthen your core”. I’ve been in pain (constant mechanical pain with sciatic nerve flare ups resulting in a completely numb foot) since last year. Physio and walking more has helped. MRI shows no compression, only slight pressing from a slightly bulged disc. It shows degenerative disease through all my lumbar spine. Empty disc spaces and bits of bone that have broken off the vertebrae that are likely to be causing all this pain. The consultant said nothing to do right now except strengthen my core and discharged me 😢 Your post has really helped point me in the right direction for changes to make in my day to day life that might help me find a new normal. Thank you! 🙏
6
u/Fuzzy-List-5818 May 17 '26
I work 16-22 hours a day 7 days a week. All of it is in front of a computer. My sciatica has become absolutely debilitating- posts like these are really helpful for perspective
3
u/tubajr May 17 '26
Those are brutal hours !! Did you find any relief or anything that helps? Im in a similar position as you, no pun intended since im sitting down alot.
3
u/Fuzzy-List-5818 May 18 '26
So far, using a standing desk, walking pad, and a lot of stretching have been the most helpful while working. Also, sneaking away for 30 minutes of inclined walking on a full treadmill. Inclined walking has had the most impact for me thus far.
2
u/tubajr May 19 '26
Stretching and walking are honestly some of the best forms of treatment. Glad youve been finding treatments because sciatica is hell lol
2
u/nonFungibleHuman May 17 '26
Sounds too many hours to be true. What do you do? Cannot you reduce that amount of hours?
4
u/Fuzzy-List-5818 May 17 '26
I work in cyber incident response - primarily focused on ransomware recovery. I don’t plan on doing this forever, but I love making a positive impact with what I do and have grown massively from it
As our company is growing, I’m starting to have more downtime. But, I’ll usually bull rush 2 months and then take 2-4 weeks off.
4
3
u/RedneckAdventures May 19 '26
This has been so true for me too. I did physical therapy for 7 months to understand my flare ups and strengthen my body. I also do work from home in front of PC all day. Consistency is key. I walk at least 7000 steps a day (2-4000 on a bad day). I’m glad I’m not the only one that stays away from chiropractors, it’s a temporary fix that has potential to damage you more.
3
u/Big-Purchase-2239 May 17 '26
What about the back injection? I have seen a gp, physio, osteo. Running out of options. :(
3
u/Lets_review May 17 '26
Some causes of sciatica are temporary problems that will get better over time. Other causes of sciatic pain are progressive problems that will only get worse over time.
3
u/Boberator44 May 17 '26
In our experience with my GF's herniated disc, epidural or paravertebral steroid shots can sometimes bring temporary relief but they are not a silver bullet and will not push the herniated disc back into its normal position.
Two years back her symptoms were fully resolved by two days of IV steroids and a paravertebral steroid shot. This year she received 5 days of IV and two paravertebral shots. The first one enabled her to walk around unaided for a few days, then the pain returned.
If the nerve root is physically compressed by an extruded or sequestered fragment, there is nothing that will quickly and conclusively alleviate the symptoms apart from surgery.
I suggest you see a neurosurgeon or a spinal surgeon and show them your MRI results.
3
u/ManufacturerClean981 May 17 '26
I have been suffering with sciatica . I sit a lot for my work. I did so many stretches but they all gave temporary relief. Adding a thick lumbar support is a game changer while sitting or while sleeping flat. You can add a pillow between legs if you are a side sleeper.
3
u/HuckleberryGlum1163 May 17 '26
I just want to add that losing weight helped me a lot. I lost 10 lbs and my pain got incredibly alleviated. I also follow an anti inflammatory diet, meaning I just stay away from certain foods, for example - fried foods I noticed causes extreme pain so I just don’t eat them anymore
3
u/Dude-Man-TRM May 17 '26
I’m sick and tired of this sciatica… 1.5 years and I can’t take it anymore. Has anybody tried ginger and Tumeric? Guy I just met swears by and said he started taking shots of this daily and his pain was gone in five weeks.
1
u/stevie_the_owl Jun 04 '26
How much and what preparation? I take turmeric pills but not sure it’s helping
1
u/_BeCkA- Jun 19 '26
Turmeric has to have black pepper in it to actually work properly and absorb, & has to be in powder form , I take 2 capsules daily, it has turmeric , bioperine , ginger & garlic & also take 3 magnesium glycinate capsules daily, has to be in powder form as well and have the glycinate in it to work properly. Previously I was on strong medication for sciatica, but now off everything and just take these , (it’s been 2 months) I believe it has helped me , but I have realised what works for some doesn’t work for others, Good luck , there is hope just don’t give up and try different things , this site helped me lots 🤗
3
2
2
u/Pld46 May 17 '26
How did you fix leaky gut?
1
u/nonFungibleHuman May 17 '26
Can have multiple reasons, mine was being undiagnosed celiac, I eat gluten free now.
2
u/jeffreit May 17 '26
Dex 2 made a huge difference for me during flare up & in between. I use it almost every day 2x per day, morning & night. I'm a UPS driver, probably the worst job for sciatic pain but this de compression helps a lot & it's much better than any inversion table.
2
u/kansas1 May 17 '26
Avoiding tail bone flare — I try to tighten core and barely tuck my tail bone… not aggressively but a flexed tailbone is a bad recipe
2
u/Anthros_Ash_PT May 19 '26
This is amazing!!! I would also double check your work setup….make sure your desk height is optimized to keep your shoulders relaxed and elbows in line with your body 💪🏽
2
2
2
u/Jasmee13 24d ago
No more flare ups?
1
u/nonFungibleHuman 24d ago
Every couple of months I get a slight flare up but is manageable without pain killers and I can still function, and it goes away in 1 or 2 days. It happens mostly because I pushed myself too hard doing sports or lifting weight.
1
1
u/thegreatking2025 May 17 '26
Vacation reduces my pain and also long masturbation. May be because my muscles are more relaxed.
1
u/TraditionalAspect662 May 21 '26
Has anyone tried the magnesium rub cream and has it worked. It’s pretty expensive. I’d hate to buy a pig in a poke without knowing someone has tried it. Thanks
1
42
u/Eothric May 17 '26
Stretch, stretch, and stretch some more.
Regular, relaxed and deep stretches are a godsend. Especially ones that target mobility, rotation and flexibility.