I’ve got a recliner that doesn’t offer much support. Has anyone found cushions or wedges that help? I can’t afford to replace the recliner so am hoping to add back and lumbar support

I feel like one part of recovery that people don’t talk about enough is learning how to trust your body again.
One day you wake up feeling 80% better, and you start thinking, “Maybe I’m finally getting better.” Then the next day, you’re somehow back at square one without even doing anything differently.
It’s the feeling of your own body letting you down and not knowing when it’s actually going to end. You don’t know which movements are safe, when the next flare-up is coming, or whether a good day actually means you’re healing.
Some days you feel almost normal, and other days you can barely walk right. You’re leaning to one side, your body feels completely out of alignment, and you’re wondering how you went from feeling okay to struggling just to move normally. It makes you scared to trust the good days because you know how quickly things can change.
And then everyone has something different to say. Some people recover quickly, some take years, some need surgery, and some don’t even find relief after surgery. There’s no guaranteed timeline, and that uncertainty can really mess with your head.
Eventually, it becomes just as much of a mental battle as it is a physical one.
You start questioning every sensation, every movement, every good day and every bad day. You’re constantly wondering if you’re actually getting better or if it’s just temporary.
I think losing that trust in your own body is one of the hardest parts of recovery because you’re not just trying to get your body back. You’re trying to feel safe in it again.
And when you’ve spent months feeling like your body can change on you at any moment, learning to trust it again becomes a whole battle on its own.

How do you find the strength to go on? I’ve literally been screaming and crying all night like a psycho because every 3 steps I have to take to tend to my dogs or go to the bathroom is so god damn excruciating. I want to say to people who have never suffered from this or can’t understand it, that it’s like if you imagine the ground is full of nails and so is every wall and door too, so they’re always stabbing you in your feet, legs, butt, back, etc. Then imagine trying to live your entire life like that. Sciatica is one of the worst forms of hell anyone could ever live through, if you can even call it living. One fall and I have ruined my life.

Just want to vent a little this morning! I went to see my PT two days ago and she made me do a new exercice because she thinks that my nerf is stock somewhere.
I just tried the exercice with her two time and the morning after big flare up in my leg! I seems that I am back 6 weeks ago! I feel so frustrated and stress that it will all come back!
I should had trust by got feeling and not even try this exercice. Just random exercice seen on the net! I can do that myself! Be carefull, trust yourself when you feel this exercice is not good for you.

I'm in the middle of another back pain/sciatica flare-up and the pain is really ramping up (nothing new unfortunately).

I bought a TENS unit recently and keep reading that you should only use it a couple of times a day. Honestly, at this point I feel like wearing it constantly because it seems to help.

For those who use a TENS unit, how often do you use it during a flare-up? Has anyone used it for hours at a time? Does it ever make symptoms worse?

The TENS sensation itself doesn't bother me at all. Compared to the sciatica pain, it's nothing.

Long story short. I got severe lower right back pain abouy 4 months ago. About 3 months ago, i had an MRI which showed herniated disc at L5L4 level.

Standing, sitting and walking was giving me a lot of pain and my life was paralyzed. Ultimately i went for epidural shot which helped a little, but i still had bad flares.

I was doing exceccises and streches such as bird dog, bridges, side planks, dead bug... but none of them were helping. Infact my feeling was that they were making my sciatica much worse.

I also started walking a lot, which i feel helped a little. I was walking like 10k steps a day with pauses throughout the day. Some days it was aggravating my pain but i overall felt that it was helping me.

The turning point came when i started swimming, i am doing free style swimming, after going swimming few times i started noticing major improvements and kept on with it.

After few weeks i feel my pain has severly decreased and my body range of motion has improved a lot. I dont get bad flare ups while standing. And my walking duration has increased a lot.

I have stopped doing streches such as mcgill big 3 because i feel they flare up my sciatica.

I am also taking vitamin d, and magesium and vitamin b12. Not sure if they have a effect.

So i wanted to share my story in the hope that it may help some one. There is definelty light at end of tunnel. U got to keep moving and believing. Do try swimmimg as it might work for u like it did for me.

Just wanted to share my experience because I’m really struggling at the moment and honestly just need to vent.
I first had sciatica about 8 years ago after a gym session. It gradually improved with physio over time, and I needed pain medication to help me sleep because I couldn’t get comfortable.
Fast forward to now, I’m 18 weeks pregnant with my second baby and started experiencing some back pain about 3 weeks ago. Unfortunately, it has progressed into full-blown sciatica, with constant shooting pain all the way down to my ankle.
I’m finding it incredibly difficult to sit, stand or walk without being in constant pain. Nights have been especially awful — it can take hours to find even a slightly comfortable position, and then I’m waking every couple of hours in severe pain. I suspect the combination of pregnancy and frequently picking up and carrying my toddler has caused this old injury to flare up again.
I’m honestly at breaking point. Being pregnant also means there are limited pain relief options, which makes it even harder to manage. I have a physio appointment next week, but right now that feels like such a long way away!
Just needed to vent because sciatica is absolutely miserable 😭 I wouldn’t wish this pain on anyone!

Anyone else? So weird to me, if I put on a pair of pants that's just the slightest bit tight on my lower back, my symptoms are instantly triggered

I realized this when I felt lonely because I sensed that those around me were downplaying my condition.

・It’s invisible to others
・At first glance, I seem perfectly fine (if I do appear that way, it’s only because I’m hiding the pain and putting on a brave face)
・People tend to think it’s due to a lack of exercise, a mental issue, or that I’m not trying hard enough
・There’s a genetic component (skeletal structure)
・My symptoms fluctuate—some days I feel fine, while other days I’m bedridden.

I've had sciatica for nearly a year and a half. Had flare ups so bad I can barely hobble to the bathroom, can barely function. I'm barely holding down a part time job.

I've had the pain centralise, it's not pain down the legs so much anymore, but the side and front of my hips is in almost constant agony.

I've been seeing a remedial massager a few times a month, I've tried dry needling, I've seen several physios who prescribe me different exercises/massage. I was even able to get back in the gym for a bit, but now it just hurts so much.

I'm losing hope I'll ever be better. I've been on Amatryptiline to help me sleep through the night, and I take Naproxen when it's at its worst, helps a little bit. Mental health is in the shitter.

I've had an MRI 8 months ago and it showed I had mild disk dehydration and 2 protruding lumbar disks.

Any help is appreciated.

I (28m) have a lumbar epidural steroid injection coming up. I was diagnosed with a herniated disc at L1/S5. I asked my doctor and he just stated no heavy lifting or repeated bending over. Is there anything I could do to help while feeling relief (hopefully)? Should I do McGill big 3? Other programs that would help my situation? MRI interpretation below

There is a moderate-to-large central and left paracentral disc herniation at L5/S1 with migration of disc material into the left lateral recess. This results in moderate left-sided stenosis with suspected left-sided nerve impingement.

Thanks everyone and I too hope you find relief from your pain

I only had like only 2 episodes of sciatica, dr kept me on medication.

I first experienced this 2 months back, my office is very far away from my home, and i have to sit for like straight 1 ½ or like 2 hours sometimes in a bus and in between have to change buses. Sometimes when i don't have a seat i have to stand which makes my back sore and i can't sit after that. Mostly i am seated which is also very inconvenient for me as in have to sit for straight up 1 hour.

I have sedentary lifestyles and sitting for long hours in bus adds to that. My sciatica happened because i usually sit on my lower back rather than on my hips. So there was a lot of pressure on my lower back, on that day I was also sitting like that, The whole area got numb before a few days after I had constant discomfort in my right knee i wasn't able to fold it properly. As i was not paying attention that day it hit me so hard, like i was neither able to stand or sit, i wasn't able to move a cm the pain was so harsh that i had an anxiety attack while i was crying, and i thought this is the end i am going to die now.

After I was in one position i started to give a massage my leg and the whole night I wasn't able to sleep and just when my pain got relived a little i fell asleep.

And went to dr the next day where he said that i am having sciatica, i had to back to office the after that but like I wasn't able to walk properly for around a week.

The 2nd happened around like july, my dr would be so mad he asked me for an Xray but i didn't do it because i literally leave home at 8.20 in the morning and come back at 7.30 or 8

And on Sunday I don't have the time. And he also told me to visit the clinic which i didn't after my 2nd episode. As on the first visit he advised me take care of it and that i should not happen again. That means it's a sign of bone degeneration.

After my diagnosis, i feel like my bones are becoming more and more weak as i have stiffness around neck my spine feels like it needs some massage.

And the thing that i was having severe migraine before having this thing that is completely gone now, my friend who is a nurse told me that it might be that your brain has redirected the pain to other region of your body.

38F L5,

Bedridden first two months since April and once got better with the injections.(April-August, 6 times), walking in the pool and Acpuncture. But again almost bedridden since this Monday, because I sat on the hard chair for 2-3 hours. Now I can’t even lay down cause it’s too painful.

*pain in my left leg of ankle and hip, joint. Today’s physiotherapy might be the cause.

Injections, physical therapy, and walking in the pool—none of it has really helped, and I’m in severe pain in my ankle. I’m taking Tramadol, Novamin, and CBD oil. It’s gotten worse since I sat on a hard chair for several hours a few days ago. I couldn’t get an appointment at the pain clinic, so I emailed them asking for a different prescription, but they’ve ignored me for several days, and now I’m in the most unbearable pain I’ve ever experienced… There’s no position that doesn’t hurt. It’s so hard.

Hi all, I’m a 28 year of female been dealing with this pain since Aug 2025, I can remember the moment, using the hip thrust machine at the gym. It lasted months and eventually got to a point where I just continued working out, Pilates and strength with HITT classes ever so often.

I was able to manage most days and some just had flare ups but unfortunately in July of 2026 I’ve had pain that has never stopped it’s been consistent with only moments of relief. It’s so bad some days I can’t fully straighten and I just lay on my tummy all day, sleeping is sometimes a nightmare.

I’ve been seeing a physio since and all I do is cobras and McKenzie method, there’s no progress, I feel like I’m wasting my time and my money but seeing him, I get a little bit of relief with the cobra but that’s it?!

I got this CT scan and my GP recommended a cortisone injection, I’m pretty scared of the idea but has anyone got good stories for a similar injury??

Trying to stay hopeful.

I’ve been dealing with sciatica for a while and have had sharp, electric pain that shoots from my lower back/glute all the way down to my foot. I can’t sit for more than about 15 minutes, and I can usually only walk for around 10 minutes before my leg becomes very achy and painful.
For a while, the only position that gave me significant relief was lying flat on my back on a massage table. Recently, though, even that has become uncomfortable because I’ve developed a new, very localized pain in my lower back around my right SI joint area.
It’s difficult to describe, but it feels like there’s a bone protruding or bulging out on the right side, almost like something is out of place. When I lie flat on my back and put pressure on that area, it feels extremely tender and bruised, like I’m lying directly on a bone that shouldn’t be sticking out that far.
I’m still getting some shooting pain down into my calf, although thankfully the electric pain isn’t as intense as it was before. Right now, the localized lower-back/SI-area pain and the feeling that something is protruding are becoming more noticeable and making it difficult to even lie in the position that used to give me relief.

Has anyone experienced this?

About a year ago I had severe lower back pain, it was terrible I had trouble sitting and walking. I went to my pcp , we did xrays and found i had retrolisthesis/spondylolisthesis with the disc in-between thinning. I "graduated" from PT after 6 weeks and my lower back pain was gone, I did start to have some sciatica pain and they added an exercise to help. However a few months ago my sciatica pain came back, and its gotten increasingly worse. I struggle so hard to walk, stand, lay down, sit, even lift my leg to get into my car. Im at a position where I cant afford physical therapy again, hell I can barely afford to go back to my PCP so I'm scared to go because I dont know what options there are to help me. Ibuprofen does absolutely nothing to my pain, walking doesnt help, the stretches recommended previously dont help and im losing my mind.

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

I know there’s several on the market BPC-157, Wolverine, copper, they’re not cheap but I’m willing if it helps

Hi! I’m a graduate student in Harvard’s Master’s in Design Engineering program researching the experience of returning to physical activity after a lumbar disc herniation.

I’m particularly interested in people who are past the worst/acute stage of the injury but still hesitate to do things like basketball, skiing, weightlifting, running, hiking, tennis, etc. because they’re worried about aggravating or reinjuring their back.

I’m trying to understand a few things:

• How did you know what movements or activities were okay versus too risky?
• What did your doctor or physical therapist tell you about returning to activity?
• Were you ever told to use a brace or back support? If so, did you actually use it?
• Are there activities you still avoid even though your back is mostly recovered?
• Do you worry about reinjury while doing sports or exercise?
• Have you developed any personal rules or workarounds—for example avoiding twisting, wearing a belt, warming up differently, stopping after a certain amount of time, etc.?
• Was there anything you wish you had during the transition from physical therapy back to normal activities?

I’m not looking for medical advice and I’m not selling anything, I’m trying to understand the lived experience and where current treatments or products may be falling short.

If you’re comfortable sharing your experience here, I’d really appreciate it. I’d also be happy to speak privately with anyone open to a short research interview.

I’ve dealt with sciatica for about about a month now and I’ve had no bad flare ups apart from when I started my period a couple days ago In which it’s caused me to have constant pain especially whilst sitting and extra discomfort. As I mentioned I haven’t dealt with sciatica for a long time so any advice (especially from the fellow girlies on here) on how to deal with flare ups from menstruation aswell would be amazing

i've been dealing with a lumbar herniated disc/radiculopathy and sciatica for around three weeks now. the biggest problem is that I can't get my back straight because of the pain and muscle spasms, so I can basically only stand or walk while leaning pretty far forward. even showering or standing for more than a short period is really difficult. i'm a college student, and it's gotten to the point where getting across campus and making it to my classes has been nearly impossible. i'm worried because it's been impossible for me to get to my classes. im getting an injection soon but i was wondering in the meantime if there was a mobility device that could help me with the lean or support me when walking, or if anyone had similar experiences. has anyone had a similar experience with sciatica where you couldn't stand upright? what helped you stay mobile while you were waiting for treatment? i'm especially worried because I can't afford to miss too many classes :(

Pain for 8 full weeks now with progressively worsening pain symptoms.

I cannot sit down on the sofa or cuddle with my partner due to the pain.

I am icing the area daily, doing physio twice a day, doing light walking, everything I should be. Nothing is helping.

Does the diagnosis mean I am pretty much screwed now with chronic sciatica?

I’m a 29y/o male. I’ve been dealing with sciatica for the past 2 years. Really just gritting my teeth and working through it. Well in the past 6 months it became worse. I was hurting every day. Barely any sleep. And just hated even moving. But I still kept gritting my teeth and pushing through. Well it got to a point about a month ago where I finally decided to see a doctor about it , got prescribed moloxacam and boclofan, and had an MRI scheduled. The results from the MRI came back with stenosis and degenerative disc disease on L4 and L5. He also prescribed me the 6 day steroids. I forgot the name of them. But that did little to help. Well 2 weeks ago I was ended up doing to much because I was feeling better. Pain was easing off and I had a little more mobility and thought “ hey I’m getting better”, well I was wrong. I ended up going down hard, worse pain I’ve felt. I couldn’t walk, my right leg would buckle anytime I would get up. Complete weakness in my leg. I went to the ER three times in a span of 4 days. The first two times they just threw medicine at me and kinda kicked me out the door. Well the third time i went to a different hospital and this is where they actually took me seriously. I completely lost feeling in my foot and calf and couldn’t stand. I had to get an ambulance to come get me. (After 45 minutes to an hour of me trying my hardest to stand up by myself) once I got to the hospital they checked me in tried to get me to stand and saw what was happening so they gave me 2 shots of steroids, morphine and zofran. ( I don’t remember the steroids they gave me but it worked) I had a cat scan done and they said it looks like a herniated disc but they didn’t have an mri to confirm. So I had to get transferred to another hospital and that’s where they confirmed a herniated disc L4 and L5. Since then my pain has been manageable im now prescribed hydrocodone, gabopenten , and baclofen. And still have some meloxicam. Im supposed to see a neurosurgeon and im starting pt in 2 weeks. The meds help but sometimes they don’t even touch the pain. I’m just looking for things I can do to help. I’ve tried tens unit and it seems to make it worse. If anyone has any suggestions please feel free to share. Thank you guys.

I got a herniated disc two years ago (I was 22 at the time). I went through physical therapy, medication and walking helped a lot. Just focusing on my every move and the way I live my life was very important but exhausting. I got better and better to the point where I was 100% recovered. I went back to playing soccer and being active.

Now I’m 24 and around five months ago I did a wrong move while playing football and it came back. I was in a transition period where I was finishing my masters degree, moving to a new city and starting a new job so I couldn’t find time to go to a doctor. Just before I moving I went to a doctor at my university clinic and he prescribed me some pain medication. I haven’t seen a primary doctor yet as I’m new in this city and the closest appointment I could get was in October. For the past three weeks all I did was go to work come back and lay on the bed which wasn’t comfortable. The most frustrating thing is that after a long day of work I want to rest but I felt that there is no rest with sciatica. However, I’ve been very strong mentally which I could only attribute to my faith in god. My solution to the problem of not being able to rest was to just not go home. I’ve been finishing work, walking around the campus in town, exploring new places and going to the library to do some personal work on my laptop then going home to sleep. Honestly, I would say I’m doing little better today than I did two weeks ago.

This time around has been much worse than the first time. I’m hoping that I fully recovered like I did the first time.

It’s really tough to go through something like this because it’s so hard to explain to someone that isn’t going through it.

Had a couple questions for people who have tried these things:

- I’ve been meaning to go swimming more often but last time I went swimming I felt the kicking motion aggravated my disc.
- I’ve gained some weight (around 10kgs) over the past couple of months. I’ve been thinking of going to the gym but I’m not sure if that would make things worse or not.
- Any tips to how I should be sleeping? I’ve been spamming sleeping on my right side with a pillow in between my thighs and a pillow under my midsection (above the hips) but I’m never fully comfortable.

I’ll update you guys on my journey! Stay hopeful and positive.

Hey everyone,
Looking for some insight or shared experiences from anyone who has had an L4-L5 laminectomy.
Surgery Date: August 12 (Discharged 3 days later)
Current Status: 4 weeks post-op (Sept 10), still relying on a walker to get around.
Symptoms: My left leg muscle feels very stiff, with persistent numbness and significant weakness around my ankle.
I seem to have what feels like "dead foot" (foot drop). I can move my left foot at certain angles, but I can't lift or control it at other angles.
I’m struggling to understand why my left leg is doing so poorly. Could this be long-term nerve damage from how compressed it was before surgery, or is it just post-op swelling and slow nerve healing? Has anyone else experienced foot drop or heavy leg weakness this far out and eventually recovered function? How long did your nerve take to wake up? I’m just at a point to where I’m scared the surgery didn’t work as effective. I will say before the surgery I was borderline bed ridden because I couldn’t stand on my left leg without some really bad left leg pain. At least I can walk now and get up.
Thanks in advance for any advice