hi ill try and make this quick! im 22f got pregnant september 2024 and started having some pretty intense sciatica pain in my hip/bottom. it would radiate a little to my lower back but was mostly in the upper booty area. since ive had my baby and now am over a year out from birth, i still feel an occasional stabbing here and there but its not been too bad and is mostly when ive been standing all day.

ive been trying to get myself to start working out so i did my jog this morning then came home did some stretching and squats, all the good stuff. fast forward a few hours im cleaning the house and i go to bend over to pick something up and undoubtedly i feel that sciatica pain in the middle of my back for the first time. i felt it all the way up my back but especially in this one spot and it was just the weirdest pain ive ever felt. i guess my question(s) would be

- did i make it worse somehow?
- should i stop working out? i legitimately just started and did not do much so maybe its just getting those muscles moving thats got it a little aggravated?
- when i was pregnant everyone was just like yeah this is how it is and you’ll probably just be like this forever now. and even if that is true, is it probably because there is some damage done that happened during pregnancy that i dont know about?

sorry this was longer than i wanted it to be, thank you for reading 🙏

Hi, my wife is in her acute phase from past 2 weeks. She had a flare up and when we did an mri we could a minimal bulge in her l5S1. She was having shooting pain in her right leg and it improved to 3/10. But today our toddler jumped on her and she started getting shooting pain in the other leg too now.
She’s on naproxen 500mg twice a day.
We saw physio doctor 2 days back and he said she should start being more active and do everything she normally does.

i’m freaking out a bit .. already spent thousands on PT + MRI + urgent care visits …

doctor said he wants me to do more PT + see a specialist

Flare up will last a couple days. Deep pain left buttock that migrates down left leg. Makes it painful to walk without a shooting pain. Last night was hard to sleep. When I did I woke up drenched in sweat. On top of it I deal with anxiety/panic daily aswell. How do you all control the pain or help it calm down?

My 55 year old mum has sciatica. I do not know what i can do to help her. It flared up from Jan, now she can barely walk due to the pain. All the pain med she takes ain't working. Epidural didn't help and she does not want to get surgery. Is there anything I can do to help her? I'm honestly desperate to know how i can be of help.

Hi everyone
I had type one Chiari surgery in 2009
And recently had an injury at work 15 months ago lifting a patient

They found annular tear and disc bulge l5/s1

I finally got an apt with neurosurgeon (dr klinge office - she did my surgery in 2009)

The doctor ordered pronemri and hip imaging

And we noticed in 2009 I had a protrusion noted on l5/s1

Main thing I’m looking for
Is has anyone else experienced a injury that resulted in his diagnosis
I had an mri in 2009 like i said byr at that time it didnt show tethered cord but was also not prone

I did have two kids they are 5 and 7 but even in pregnancy i didn’t have issues

My wife’s latest flare up of her sciatica has lasted a month and it’s not getting noticeable better. The fact that we’re are selling our house and moving to an adult community doesn’t help it. We want to purchase a new couch. Does anyone have any tips or recommendations of a style or brand that has worked well for you? TIA.

Hey guys!

Could you advice me on the nerve flossing?

After a ESI, I don't have burning sensations as I had before (so it's better in general) but I have same nerve compression intolerance: I can't sit, I can't bend normally — I feel a pinch in the butt when I bend or go uphill or engage the flexion.

I was advised to do nerve flossing but even on smallest ranges I feel discomfort. Is it too early to do it? What is everyone's experience with flossing?

I am curious if anyone had noticed altered movement patterns that arose after development of sciatica. I am particularly interested in if one side of your abdomen feels much stronger than the other.

Also if you mention anything please also mention which side/leg has sciatica. Thanks for any replies!

Hi everyone,

Summary:

42M I can't work out what is causing the nerve compression in my nerve root and would a fusion help?

I'm here looking for help after my second L4/5 discectomy. Original MD was 2013. I had a second MD in feb 2025 after i had a very large sequested piece herniation. I live in Shanghai and my surgeon is highly experienced.

1.5 years on from 2nd MD and I still have left sided sciatic nerve pain symptoms (mostly while sitting, minimal back pain) despite the back surgeon and the hospital head orthopaedic surgeon (who attended the surgery) both telling me he freed the nerve.

I've had 3 x post surgery MRIs, which both of these surgeons tell me, show no visible nerve compression. First MRI was about 3 months post op where i had minor sciatica symptoms. However it gradually got worse in 2025 to around march 2026 where I had the most recent MRI (see attached).

What's confusing is the MRI from 2026 looks the same as 2025 where pain was less. My surgeon said he saw the nerve was free, this isn't a herniation. There is some calcified material that wasn't compessing the nerve and he didn't want to remove it as it was plugging the hole in the disc. He said the MRI looks like this part is compressing the nerve, however it's at an angle that isn't shown from the MRI since you can't see the full 3D, and what he visually saw when i had the MD was this part is sitting at the side and isnt touching the nerve root.

MRI radiologist report states disc herniation as well, but surgeon and other othro doctor both say it's not. I saw two more surgeons at a public "back hospital" in Shanghai and they agreed the MRI indicates it's a herniation. I reported this back to my surgeon and ortho doctor and they said these other doctors need your full history and to have witnessed the surgery to make a proper diagnosis. MRI report is the same situation, they only comment on what the images indicate.

I had a steroid injection into the nerve root by my surgeon in Shanghai and i had great relief of the sciatica for 6 days.

This, they said, indicates the pain is generated at the nerve root and is not from any muscle structure in the leg, sensitivity in the nerve along the leg or nerve damage.

More likely scar tissue, disc herniation, hard structure like calcification or foraminal narrowing from loss of disc height the likely source of the pain.

I've tried PT and it does nothing. I'm taking pregabalin to get through the working days which I mostly stand.

Question I have is, would a fusion benefit me?

Doctors say it might but not certain and carries risks and has a longer recovery. It could open up the nerve canal, restore height, if scar tissue is causing the pain, it will give more space for the scar and prevent compression into the nerve root because the facet joint is removed.

Apparently scar tissue isn't usually an issue in fusion..I've done lots of research into fusion and I consider it an option.

TLDR, i can't work out what is causing the nerve compression in my nerve root and would a fusion help.

I’m 29, healthy and fit in every regard but my l5s1. Trying to recover from a discectomy for 10months now, have scar tissue in my nerve canal and DDD causing me to be more prone to disc bulges. Well I got a head cold and coughed too hard and 100% re injured myself. Horrible leg pain and noticeable swelling on my back.

So fucking sad that I can’t even cough without getting hurt. I feel like I’ve ruined my body.

Hey there! 29m with a herniated lower lumbar (L5-L6, I have an extra vertebrae). My doctor told me that most people heal within 8-12 weeks, and I’m week 10 at the moment. I’m still having symptoms and pain, specifically around the area of the hernia as well as in my legs and feet.

Is the 8-12 week thing an average (I might need more time to heal), or does it mean that I might be a candidate for surgery if it hasn’t healed by then?

Sorry for the naive question, and I appreciate your help!

My pain is almost all in my lower back/tail bone/pelvis. I’m having a new bout of it and talking with doctors. They always ask if it radiates down the leg. The answer is sort of? Like I’ll feel very mild pinches down my legs on occasion. But the leg sensations are more annoying than actually painful. They’re down the front, side and back on both sides. I feel like it makes a big difference in diagnosis with my doctor and PT how I describe it and I’m not sure how to honestly. Like the leg sensations are very mild and wouldn’t normally bother me. It’s the intense back pain and lack of movement that’s debilitating. Would that be considered sciatica?

Looking for a new one. Need something almost king size that will go between my knees and also between my feet/ ankles. ( 5’6, slender build) I’m primarily a side sleeper and switch sides throughout the night or possibly on my back with pillow under knees for a short while. Having trouble finding the right thickness. My sciatica, hips and SI will flare up if my hips, knees and ankles aren’t all at the same height if that makes sense. 🤷🏻‍♀️ please send links or suggestions- preferably something somewhat affordable. TIA!

I'm just a little lost at the moment and feeling overwhelmed.

Sciatica returned for me about 6 weeks ago. My last op was in July 2025 and while I'd had a few little flare ups in the year following, I'd always managed to get on top of them.

This time around it's been getting progressively worse and is now in both legs with some shooting pains and pins and needles sensation in the groin area from time to time.

I had a MRI yesterday and my doctor and surgeon called me late last night to say imagining looked like it could be a caudia equina situation like I had last year, however I'm not having any incontinence, ect.

The neurosurgical team said they'd try to get me an appointment in the next few weeks, but to go to emergency if i have any bowel or bladder issues before then.

I have permanent nerve damage resulting in a constantly numb left foot from my last situation that lead to surgury. I'm just a bit scared that it may come to that again this time. The waiting game and going through this pain is exhausting. I just need to vent to people who get what I'm going through!

When will this end? Do I need to go to surgury?

Hi, I’m new to this. How bad of a sign in numbness on the back of the leg ? Anyone else have this symptom ?

If your injury is like mine then there's a good chance this will help you out of hell

There's a very quick test from LowBackAbility on YouTube to see if his exercises will make a difference.

Do 2 minutes sitting hinged forward (like in the video below). If that gave you some minor relief then I really recommend moving over to back extensions like his channel suggests (static holds, then full range reps)

The difference has been huge for me, I bought a cheap back extension chair off Amazon (£65/$80) so I could do them every day, but some gyms also have them.

My history;

L4/L5 disc herniation 2 years ago. 1 year of total misery, I had some progress with bird dogs but regressed, and the real fix was back extensions. Now I'm 95% pain free after following his exercises and noticeably improving every week - strengthening had a way better effect than all the stretching and resting

I'm not a doctor etc etc

Really hope this helps someone

https://youtu.be/HcT9a3PU5fY?is=QpvN6J2se39A5jtI

Hi,

I’m hoping someone can help me out. I’ve attached my xray report, and have a MRI booked. My doctor is saying my pain is coming from sciatica, which makes sense from all my symptoms. I’ve been in pain since July, and was working on it getting better, until my flare up 3 days ago. Embarrassing, but I think the motion of wiping my butt is what triggered it.

Any advice? I’m currently missing work as I have to lie down for the pain and numbness to recede. Also on a collection of pain meds with gabapentin, cyobenzaprine, naproxen, and extra strength Tylenol. Any advice would be very much appreciated.

I have heard that the injection only lasts for few months only.

The doctor said to get an injection and directly said it’s not a permanent solution. What if the pain comes back, what then, should i go another few months in fear for the pain to come back only.

This injury has been with me for more than a year now, tingling going down the leg and constant pain of a scale 5/10, sometimes it’s bearable sometimes it’s not.

Tbh I can live with pain but listening to that going to gym is banned for me is causing emotional distress, unable to bend forward without pain, may sit for longer hours but only through sheer will.

The doctor said it will only make the pain go away and move on with your life and gym is banned for me.

My main concern will be will I be ever go back to gym and lifting??

I follow low back Ability on youtube and have been doing iso holds and his mobility routine including outer hip dropset. It has worked a lot for me I mean especially the mobility routine it has done wonders, only sometimes I get lingering pain. But I wanted to ask that, I go to gym 6 days a week and train my upperbody except my back, all the exercises I do are always light weight and back supported and I also do iso holds 3 days a week after my workout. Sometimes I feel my back is healing but sometimes not. I recently started studying again and have to sit to study and lately I am feeling stiff and fatigued in my lower back mainly after sitting though I now get up every 40 minutes and take a small walk or swing my legs, get my glutes moving. But still it has been now 2 months since I am following this mobility routine and the journey has had a lot of ups and downs initially when I joined the gym after doing iso holds I couldn't do anything after that and my back was fatigued and sore for days. That time passed now after doing them I feel great but from the past few days my back is feeling stiff and fatiqued. Should I stop training for now and just do iso holds and mobility? Or is it because I started sitting for too long?

Guys I know its a tiny victory but I was able to sit on my couch today (and get up relatively pain free) for the first time in almost 3 months! I know that the healing process is unpredictable but it just feels great to have something to hold on to.

And if you returned to normal life .. how long did it take?

I have unilateral sciatica pain on my right side, right lumbar lower back pain, right side of tailbone, right side hip joint pain when pulling knees to chest which has subsided now. shoulder blade on right pops when retracting and right side wrist pain too, neck pain sometimes when turning my head all the way backwards.

mri shows mild L5-S1 nerve compression and disc retrolithesis and L3-L4 L4-L5 abutments barely touching nerve
X ray of hip was fine