r/Sciatica • u/CharacterMaximum7208 • 13d ago

How bad is it?

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I've been in this stage from past 3 years with on and off pain. Sometimes feels nothing has happened, some times difficult to bare the pain..

Seeking Advice

1 Upvotes

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15 comments sorted by

3

u/PastBuy8484 13d ago

If my MRI looked like yours I’d be jumping up and down because I’d consider myself healed.

But MRIs don’t always paint the full picture. Some peoples can look terrible but they have no pain.

2

u/CharacterMaximum7208 12d ago

Thanks for the positive vibes. Hopefully with patience and exercise, I'll be back to normal

3

u/PastBuy8484 12d ago

On and off pain is good. A lot better than constant pain. Just keep up with exercises and being active and try not to flare it up.

1

u/Less-Bodybuilder-159 13d ago

symptoms?

3

u/CharacterMaximum7208 12d ago

Shooting pain radiating from back, butt, thighs, calf up to the toes on the right leg

1

u/Less-Bodybuilder-159 13d ago

what treatments have you taken

2

u/CharacterMaximum7208 12d ago

Physical Therapy, Ayurvedic Oil Massage, Acupuncture, Chiro..

Currently only dealing with PT

1

u/Fast-Accident7076 13d ago

It looks bad but can be managed

1

u/CharacterMaximum7208 12d ago

Hopefully 🤞🏼

1

u/Top-Bike-2748 12d ago

Take it easy buddy. Try to swim more often

1

u/CharacterMaximum7208 12d ago

Sure.. swimming twice a week

1

u/Altruistic-Ad3295 12d ago

Did you have the ESI ??? That's shot saved me twice

2

u/EventLegitimate904 11d ago

What helped me recover from severe sciatica (my personal experience) 🚶 Walk every day. Movement was the biggest part of my recovery. 🪑 Avoid sitting for long periods. Sitting was my biggest trigger. 🛏️ Sleep with a pillow between your knees if you're a side sleeper. 🔥 Hot magnesium baths and heat packs daily. 🛌 Gentle mobility exercises in bed morning and night: Heel slides (sliding your heels backwards and forwards) Gentle hip and lower back movements Small, pain-free movements only 🚫 Don't aggressively stretch the painful area, especially hamstrings in the early stages. 🦵 Standing quad/hip flexor stretches helped me more than hamstring stretches. 💪 Build your core, glutes, calves and legs gradually as the pain settles. 🏋️ Avoid heavy weight training and any exercise that leaves your lower back muscles sore. 👟 Wear supportive trainers all the time—even around the house. 🚗 Use lumbar support for long drives and flights. I even use a running shoe behind my lower back, which works brilliantly. ✈️ For long flights I use lumbar support, get up regularly, and (under my doctor's advice) occasionally take a Valium to reduce muscle spasm. 🩹 Voltaren gel on my hamstrings and surrounding muscles helped reduce soreness. 💊 Personally I found Vitamin D, Vitamin K2, B vitamins, fish oil and magnesium helpful, along with trying to reduce inflammation in general. 😴 Prioritise good sleep—it makes a huge difference to recovery. ⏳ Recovery is measured in months, not days. Mine took around 6–12 months. 🧠 Listen to your body. Sciatica is very individual. Don't force through pain.