Anyone have a cure for sciatica?

[Dennis S]

My Mom has it bad. Pain pills haven't helped. She's tried ice packs and a heating pad and chiropractic. The doctor said get bed rest, but that's what she was doing before she went to him. I've only had minor bouts of it for short periods and it's miserable.

Any suggestions?

[jdc]

should we already assume that you have googled for hours and/or visited a specialist?

not sure what else there is to do?

[ho'ard]

Bedrest== W R O N G.

1) Sit less

2) Google "Treat your own back" by Robin MacKenzie.

[space-time]

take it easy jdc.

sometime help comes from an unexpected place. never hurts to ask. in fact, sometimes hurts NOT so ask.

[jdc]

no -- im cool with the request -- but if i google and link to all of my google hits -- not sure thats helpful

so i dont want to go over the same research already done

my wife has problems with hers as well, but not on a regular basis

[ho'ard]

I get this sort of response half the time too--- "since you haven't written a 500 line essay on what you've already done, we must assume your first and only strategy was to ask the mr/f . . ."

[space-time]

jdc, I agree, no point in posting google links. Anyone can do his own googling.

But look at h's suggestion, I for one did not know about that book, and I am not sure I would have come across it just by googling.

[Dennis S]

[quote jdc]should we already assume that you have googled for hours and/or visited a specialist?

not sure what else there is to do?
Correct.

[Drew]

I've had back problems off and on for many years. Usually, my lower back would suddenly cramp while doing the slightest motion, but I would end up virtually unable to move and in extreme pain. Over time, I learned to feel it coming, which helped to avoid the worst most of the time. A year ago, it happened again but didn't get better. I finally got to the point where nothing helped and my leg and toes were numb and/or in big pain. Went to the doctor and found out I had a herniated disk, and was eventually scheduled for surgery. Since I was in such pain and because of some of the tests, I was forced into no movement bed rest and I began to recover. I did not want to have surgery and because the symptoms were relieved, I cancelled the day before I was to go in. The doctor wasn't happy. After that, I found a book that has helped a lot. It's not revolutionary, but has made a difference for me. I think that the disk is still herniated, but now there is not much pain and the numbness down the back of my leg and in my toes is gone.

http://www.amazon.com/Minutes-Pain-Free-...21?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1179972716&sr=8-1

Also, there are a number of back-pain related discussion groups on the internet. Some have good information, though you need to be skeptical of a lot.

[anonymouse1]

Robin Mackenzie is a god on this stuff, IMHO.

The one thing that helps me, other than preventative exercise, is the pain killer/muscle relaxant Aleve.