Sciatica

[Doc Alan]

I can sympathise Lordna, and hope your symptoms soon improve – as with any other member suffering a similar condition.


We are all vertebrates – meaning we have spinal / vertebral columns composed of vertebrae ( 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, sacrum and coccyx ). The vertebrae protect the spinal cord, and each vertebra is “ cushioned “ by a fibrous disc. Because we are primates who have evolved an upright posture, it’s not surprising that back pain is a common problem affecting most people at some stage in their life. It’s not usually serious, most often caused by bad posture, and usually gets better within a few weeks by taking painkillers, keeping mobile, and staying positive in outlook .


Sciatica is pain due to irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve ( which runs from the back of the pelvis down each leg ); a mild form may accompany lower back pain or it may be very painful. There may often be no obvious cause, or it may result from a “ slipped disc “ due to repeated back strain and increasing age.



Clearly anyone who has felt the need to visit their doctor with one or more of the many types of back pain – with or without sciatica - is worried, and finding it hard to cope with the pain. I’m sure in those cases the doctor will have given appropriate advice, after full examination.


“ Over-the-counter “ pain killers are effective for most people. For acute ( short term ) sciatica, drugs like ibuprofen ( an NSAID, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug ) are effective, but may be unsuitable if you have digestive or other disorders. Buy the much cheaper generic version . For longer term use, paracetamol ( acetaminophen ) may be used with or without codeine ( an “opioid or “weak relative “ of morphine ). “ Co-codamol “ is such a combination. It may be bought from a pharmacy ( Co-codamol 8/500 = codeine 8mg and paracetamol 500mg ); or prescribed ( Co-codamol 15/500 = codeine 15mg and paracetamol 500mg , Co-codamol 30/500 = codeine 30mg and paracetamol 500mg ). There are cautions about using these drugs, like any others, because of side effects.


My personal opinion ? Exercise is helpful – not inactivity as used to be recommended. Physiotherapy may be helpful. Other drugs, and surgical treatment would only be on individual medical advice. I would not pay a chiropractor or osteopath to treat a condition which in most cases will get better anyway.



http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sciatic...roduction.aspx

https://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/~/media...March2012.ashx

[lordna]

I can sympathise Lordna, and hope your symptoms soon improve – as with any other member suffering a similar condition.


We are all vertebrates – meaning we have spinal / vertebral columns composed of vertebrae ( 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, sacrum and coccyx ). The vertebrae protect the spinal cord, and each vertebra is “ cushioned “ by a fibrous disc. Because we are primates who have evolved an upright posture, it’s not surprising that back pain is a common problem affecting most people at some stage in their life. It’s not usually serious, most often caused by bad posture, and usually gets better within a few weeks by taking painkillers, keeping mobile, and staying positive in outlook .


Sciatica is pain due to irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve ( which runs from the back of the pelvis down each leg ); a mild form may accompany lower back pain or it may be very painful. There may often be no obvious cause, or it may result from a “ slipped disc “ due to repeated back strain and increasing age.



Clearly anyone who has felt the need to visit their doctor with one or more of the many types of back pain – with or without sciatica - is worried, and finding it hard to cope with the pain. I’m sure in those cases the doctor will have given appropriate advice, after full examination.


“ Over-the-counter “ pain killers are effective for most people. For acute ( short term ) sciatica, drugs like ibuprofen ( an NSAID, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug ) are effective, but may be unsuitable if you have digestive or other disorders. Buy the much cheaper generic version . For longer term use, paracetamol ( acetaminophen ) may be used with or without codeine ( an “opioid or “weak relative “ of morphine. “ Co-codamol “ is such a combination. It may be bought from a pharmacy ( Co-codamol 8/500 = codeine 8mg and paracetamol 500mg ); or prescribed ( Co-codamol 15/500 = codeine 15mg and paracetamol 500mg , Co-codamol 30/500 = codeine 30mg and paracetamol 500mg ). There are cautions about using these drugs, like any others, because of side effects.


My personal opinion ? Exercise is helpful – not inactivity as used to be recommended. Physiotherapy may be helpful. Other drugs, and surgical treatment would only be on individual medical advice. I would not pay a chiropractor or osteopath to treat a condition which in most cases will get better anyway.



http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sciatic...roduction.aspx

https://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/~/media...March2012.ashx

Thanks Doc Alan for your very informative post. Before going to my GP i was more than a little concerned about the pain and what it could be, but now very much reassured. I have let my daily exercise lapse over recent months so i am now back at getting up earlier for half an hour walk on the Ashdown Forest (very pleasant). It takes a bit of time to get moving, as some have commented, it gets more painful after inactivity or lying down.

Thanks also to everyone else for giving us the benefit of your own experiences, however unpleasant it was at the time. It did occur to me to contact Doc Alan in a private message but as Sciatica is quite a common ailment, i thought it might be useful to others at a later date to read AND to see how others coped with it. Thanks again everyone!