?? Sciatica HELP!

[Liserpiece]

Over the past few months I have developed a seriously painful lower back. It feels like a pinched nerve, that twingy, take-your-breath away sort of pain. I can locate the spot, it sits in the muscles just to the left of my spine, level with my pelvic crest. If I apply pressure with my fingers the pain is really intense. I can feel the pain running all the way down my leg to my knee and sometimes it radiates around to my belly. From what I've researched, it sounds like Sciatica. From what I've read, some of you...knock, knock Revvell... have had luck with being raw and Sciatica. My question is, were there any other things you did, ie, stretches, exercises, cleansing, that helped the healing process? (I do not and will not see or get a Dr. and I will not take pain killers, just looking for some advice from those who have healed themselves naturally :) And this may or may not matter, but I will hit my 1 year raw anniversary in May)
Thanks in advance!!

[carolg]

I remember the pain too well, but it took a long time to find the right combo that worked for me which was: pilates on the machine and deep tissue massage. Actually a holistic MD recommended this and within let's say 6 weeks all better and been years.

Reflexology, arnica, chiro didn't help at all. Above worked wonders. Feel well and hope what I shared will heal you totally.

Sometimes when doing yoga if I sit in a wrong position a new problem: a stinging and could be a nerve or such on my leg. If I move my position it leaves. I would go for me acupuncture if feeling I needed attention.

Also behind my one knee I may have pulled something as doing a yoga cross legged position painful sometimes, but monitoring it. I am not quitting my exercise, but using wisdom in running or high cardio choices.

carolg

[Liserpiece]

Thanks! I've done Pilates in the past, never with the machine though. I will look into that!

[aliciamatheson]

Elissa,

It sounds to me like you have a trapped nerve in the area around your glute or somewhere around your hip joint.

Any kind of hip stretch that can open the muscles around the hip and untrap that nerve.

It's hard to describe the yoga poses that will help but if you go to yogajournal.com and on their pose finder, look up hip, sciatica, it will show you the poses and how you can come into them.

The key is to untrap the nerve by releasing the muscles and open up the lower back.

Hope that helps -sciatica is awful but can be resolved.

Alicia

[Revvell]

I'll get back to you in a bit. Busy, busy day and need time to feed and be. :)

[Revvell]

This is what I told someone else: http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showpost.php?p=404859&postcount=6.

If that doesn't work, come see me. :)

[Liserpiece]

Alicia and Revvell,
Thank you both for your advice. I am going to the yoga journal site after this, what a handy application they have! I answered your q's, in the link, Revvell and I'm going to attempt the tennis ball. I can feel the tension in my glute, so that sounds good. FYI, it only hurts when I move and is worse after I lay down or sit down then get up.

Thanks again for all your help!

Off to heal!

[carolg]

For me it was the combo of pilates on the machine plus the deep tissue. I didn't try them alone however.

Rev,
Got a question.

May have pulled a tendon or ligament behind knee. Suggestions welcome. Thanks.

Wish I was closer to you but states away.

I do yoga and even the half lotus was a little bit achy with that one area behind knee. Tonight was yoga and tomorrow for sure.

What may have happened is trainer had me doing these bunny hops with hands on waste for 1 minute, 5x plus he had me running gym 1 lap, rest 30 sec., and then do a total of 5. Maybe it was too much for my body. I'm doing the bunny hops still but not the running now. He also had me on the stairmaster, like climbing stairs all for the purpose of giving my metabolism a push to get more of it going.

carolg

[Revvell]

Rev,
Got a question.

May have pulled a tendon or ligament behind knee. Suggestions welcome. Thanks.



I'm not sure what "bunny hops" are yet it sounds to me that they would be more of a problem than running. How does your connective tissue feel when you do them?

First, I would talk with your trainer about this. If s/he's not having you stretch immediately after, when your muscles are warm, s/he's doing you a disservice. You "should" be stretching for at least 20 minutes after a workout as you describe.

At home, I would do some alternating cold/hot packs for a few days and see how that works. If it doesn't seem to make a difference, then just hot.

Keep moving yet, be conscious of that area's limitations. You want to work it yet, not over work it.

I injured my back pretty seriously at one time. Could NOT do a forward bend as my spine was literally twisted. Most told me not to do any movement at all. My teacher told me to do what I could do as the body will heal and adjust itself. Not doing something keeps things where they are OR assists in deterioration. I was able to do a forward bend w/in two weeks. The sciatica was a different story so I became REAL good at sciatica in my practice.

So, I applaud you for continuing to work out. Just work that area up to the pain but not beyond it; hold gently while breathing... (hearing "hot" in my head), so, heat after.

Lemme know how that works for you.

Revvell

[carolg]

Rev the Angel,

Great "back" story.

I do stretch and this week couldn't meet with trainer but described the pain. It could be ligaments or tendons I pulled. Bunny hops are where you jump only a little off ground like a bunny jumping around for one minute, but 5 times. It's more like tiny jumps and not about height or speed but just staying off ground with elevated heart rate.

I do work closely with the trainer. I don't know if the Stairmaster is helpig me either as it is a tough one but it like climbing stairs for as long as you are on the machine. I see our gym is using an older version which is much harder than the current one too. They are changing out some machines next week and this could be one.

Thanks for all your suggestions always. Off to yoga.

carolg

[Liserpiece]

Last night I tried some recommended yoga postures, but there was too much pain, my body isn't quite ready for that. :) I tried the tennis ball and wow, I had no idea that the pain was there as well. I sat on it, rolled around and the pain there mimicked the pain in my back. The back pain is easier for me to aggravate and feel with daily movements but the glute is clearly affected too. I was able to sleep better, always a good thing. I was also able to better visualize the troubled spots during meditation (now that I know there is an area I was missing! :)) So I will continue with the rolling, it did seem to help.

Thanks so much for the suggestions!

[linda12]

I have suffered with sciatica and spent wasted hours seeking medical treatment (http://www.mamaherb.com/Home/Index.aspx) without results. I purchased Sciatigon and received relief the first day. Within 3 days the symptoms completely subsided with consistent use of the product. Thank you for giving me my life back!

[JaniceTemple]

Just like you, I had experience same thing now. My doctor gave me some drugs for it. He even recommends me to do some sciatica exercises.