i have sciatica how long does it take to heal????

[injured44]

will i ever lift again????

right now im taking IBUprofen and it hurts in my glute/hip area when i lay in certain positions or walk... most likely its from a herniated disc i guess...

whats the recovery time like on this???

[virtualdude]

sucks period. i have had bad sciatica/back issues for about 10 years now. in gerneral it has mellowed out. But just the past feew weeks it has actually been bugging me- down into my left foot.

so the real answer is- maybe people never get over it. maybe some do. i have been ok for several years, but never totally normal like i was once. my advice- listen to the medical professionals. And also listen to yur body- if it hurts- don't do it :-) but the doctors know best (or are supposed to) LOL.

good luck man- it's a real PITA- litterally

[injured44]

that sucks man the doctors really cant do anything except surgery and even that isnt a guarentee....

sad to hear you suffer from it for 10 years

how do you cope with it???

i swear i dont think i can take this for life id rather suicide

[virtualdude]

well- i am living proof of takin it and making it :-) it sucks...but the bad days are rare now a days. That's probalby the best thing i can tell you. Endure and then it eventually got not better but hidden in my case. meaning it's still there, but tucked away i guess.

and yeah- it is extremly painful- i am not sure people understand unless they have it...and endure it of course. uhg!

if you have a doctor then you are on the right path...if not get a doctor.


BTW i am surgury free...and in my case seem happy witht that decison. But many people have surgury to deal with it. i guess it all depends on you your doctor your situation etc.

good luck man

[jdmalm123]

I herniated two discs and tried everything...it could take a few weeks or a few years to "naturally" resolve.
I had some relief from epidural steroid injections (3) but ended up having a lumbar microdiscectomy. Best decision I made. Should have done it sooner.

Gave me immediate relief and now stronger than ever (just extra careful with form/posture).

[jordaro2002]

I've had sciatica on two seperate occasions. Unless you opt for surgery, there is no magic solution to the excruciating pain that I'm sure that you're plagued with right now. Stretching, ice, heat, and limited walking are your best bet for a successful recovery.

I've had sciatica on two seperate occasions, with both putting me out of action for more than 3 months. I didn't get surgery. In fact, I went strictly through a great physical therapist that recommended me a few stretches that I did multiple times a day. The best one was the pelvic tilt. I also had a heat pad and an ice pad. i'd heat up before stretching and ice up after.

Best bet for you is to see your chiropractor and/or physical therapist. Then commit yourself to lots of stretching. Patience my friend. 3 months will come and go.

[Dr. Joe]

How's it going. Kind of funny I joined today to ask a question and I see you're question. I'm a chiropractor and deal with this stuff quite a bit. The quick answer is, it really depends on a lot of factors. In general, most people recover from sciatica or disc issues within 6 months max. Luckily, most people recover within 6-8 weeks on average. But with shorter recovery times you're usually getting some sort of chiropractic or physical therapy type care for that. I'm not saying that people don't recover on their own, but usually intervention's the best way to go for long term recovery and lack of recurrence down the road.

Some people opt for pain meds, I don't blame them one bit, and others opt for surgery. I tell most people to stay conservative at first, then get more aggressive as time goes on if you're not really improving. I saw one person reply that they've had it for quite a few years. That's common for some people, but not necessarily for all - luckily. If $$ an issue, then at least check out some books at the library on stretches (yoga then go to pilates) that help relieve the pain. Go into those positions that feel good, and try to avoid those that feel bad or increase the pain. Some people like extension yet others like flexion. The goal is to centralize the pain from your leg back into your low back region, then let that pain in the low back diminish.

Anyway, good luck with that. Oh, I wouldn't go beyond about 2400 mg of Ibuprofen in one day. And do not...Do not take creatine with it, that will be too much on your kidneys and liver. I’d also avoid acetaminophen for that matter. Actually, I'd lessen my supplement load for the time being if you’re taking anything. You may want to take natural anti-inflammatories/muscle relaxants like bromelain, papaya, bioflavonoids, valerian/hops/passionflower, etc, but watch out if you have diabetes, heart issues, or other diseases with some of those products. You may also want to opt for ice packs to start with if there's any inflammation, then go to a heat pad. You can alternate with cold/hot also. I'd end it with cold if inflammed and don't go beyond 20 minutes with either one with a rest period of at least an hour in between. Anyway - do we get paid hourly in here for advice? I can start a little online thing..... Good luck.

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[maffie2]

i am disgnosed with a slip disc too... and it pinched onto my S1 nerve. My right calf is REALLY weak and cramps up easily too... my doctor didn't say much about it.

Is the weakness and cramps normal?

[csxo]

Don't stress. It could also be piriformis syndrome. Totally unrelated to any disc injury. The piriformis is a muscle deep below the gluteus. Hurts around the ass/hip when you strain it. It has the sciatic nerve running close by it, or in some occasions through it, therefore when it is inflamed it interferes with the nerve. This can cause referred pain either up into the back or down through the leg in a sciatic manner.

Go see a doctor, preferably a sports medicine doctor.