Sciatic Nerve!!!

I write this a few days before Xmas and 5 weeks before I am due to go to Soll. Not sure what I did but on Sunday had a pain in my left thigh, and on monday the pain from the outside of my thigh to my groin was like someone had it in a torneque (not spelt right)! Absolute agony, and can hardly use my left leg at all, reliant on walking stick and strong pain killers from my doctor. She thinks its a trapped nerve somewhere a possibly the sciatic nerve. I would have expected the pain to be down the back of my buttock and the back of my leg. Been recommended to see a pysio after Xmas. Has anyone got words of comfort that this will pass, as being a relatively fit 50 year old this is the first time I suffered such an injury. Streuth it hurts sitting down typing this, best I hit another tablet!! :(

A few years ago I was laid out with a sciatic problem for about 5 days. As you say, couldn't walk, in absolute agony.
However, it was straight down the back side, nothing in the side region.
If it is sciatic, it can go quite quickly.
fingers crossed :thumbup:

SF, Wow, I sympathise, but this is about what to do. After my OH broke her leg just over a year ago, she had physio right up until when we went skiing, (after the plaster cast came off!) She skiied really well, albeit quite gently.

However, after the season end, she was hit with the sciatica. This went on for months, but eventually it went. She did have some remedial massage and extra physio, and her feeling was that this did help quite a bit.

Have you changed anything recently, footwise, new shoes or trainers. Have you started a newsport/fitness activity? Gone biking? Been injured?

I would suggest this, don't wait until after Christmas, you will lose a couple of weeks. Find a physio/masseur now. Suggest that you look at sports clubs, say your local rugby club. Talk to a sports doctor.

I have to agree with Dave Mac. I wouldn't wait. I'd go and find someone (physio/chiropracter/osteopath etc.) as soon as possible, especially as you want to be ski-ing soon.

Ally

SF, agree with all the above suggestions. Go right away,before it gets any worse. I suggest an Osteopath, ask your neighbours/colleagues/friends who they trust. The Sciatic nerve is a big one, and yes, it does run down the backside. It can be as big as a little finger. There are other nerves running through the lower spine and the pelvis which can produce the sort of pain you are experiencing. My uneducated and unqualified guess is that there is a tiny impingement on one of the lumbar vertebrae. You need expert help, not guesswork by your GP.

Good Luck and keep us posted :D

I pulled my sacroiliac out some years ago trapping the sciatic nerve ...bloody painful .the gp said ...nuerofen .the physio told me to exercise my stomach muscles and gave me stretches band eventually it went away ..only to return ..I went to a chiropractor who manipulated my back and spine and after 2 appointments it was cured ..ask around locally for recommendations..

If the mainstream treatments aren't helping, the alternative ones can sometimes work.

A few years ago my husband had a really bad back - problems with the sacro-iliac joint - and he could hardly walk for months. He was going to the GP but all he got from him was anti-inflammatories, pain killers and sick notes. He tried a physio as well, but no good.

Eventually he had a really bad day and he was lying on the floor in total agony virtually unable to move (he had to crawl on hands and knees to the toilet) and the GP came round and couldn't do anything, and a friend of ours who is a reflexologist said he'd come and have a look at him. All our friend did was twiddle my husband's feet, and the pain went instantly and he went to sleep on the floor (after being awake all night in spite of taking massive amounts of pain killers). And when he woke up he just got up - problem gone :D :D

I know it sounds an unlikely tale :shock: , but it is totally true. I wish I'd videod it. And I'm not recommending reflexology for everyone for everything, but in this case it produced a startling cure.

Ally

100% get it sorted now, and dont waste time with the NHS. Go see an Osteopath and/or sports therapist asap. If it is sciatic it may be serious and lead to back problems and operations, but thats worse case scenario. What you might get in the short term is a fix and relief. I hope so!