Another sciatica question?

[scheelimama]

Hi mamas, anyone else dealing with sciatica? I've never had it before with my other pregnancies. But for the last 2 weeks, my hip has been bothering me. I've always had issues with my right hip and over the last year or so, it's gotten progressively worse. So, at first I assumed it was that. But today I was thinking about it and usually it's joint pain, this is more of a deep nerve pain and in a different area than normal. It's kind of in my lower back/upper butt area, but off to the side and deep in my hip if that makes any sense. It feels kind of like an annoying feeling, not painful when I'm not moving, but any movement and it's a sharp pain, enough that I've learned to move carefully, or it could cause me to fall to the floor. Really, I'm not exaggerating. It's such an intense pain, but eases quickly as I move around. Does this sound like sciatica? Is there anything I can do to help it? It's been constant for the last 2 weeks, I can't think of anytime that it's let up.

[LittleBrownDog]

Yup- you have described sciatica to a "T" unfortunately. It sucks- I had it before pregnancy and I have had it with both pregnancies. That feeling when you step wrong and start to crumple is SO scary, especially if you're on the stairs or holding a toddler Fortunately mine seems to come and go so far. My MW recommended chiropractic care, but it's not covered by our insurance so I'm trying to put that off until (if) it becomes constant. I sit on a birth ball at the computer, that definitely helps.

My old boss showed me this stretch and it helps a bit:

Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. (For the sake of this example I'll say it's the right side that has the sciatica pain) Take your right foot and put the outside of your ankle on top of your left knee, so the inside of your right leg is facing up. Slowly press down on your right knee- Press slowly but firmly, you should feel the muscles in the area loosening. Reverse the whole operation if you also have pain on the other side.

It doesn't fix anything, but it does provide some temporary relief until you can do something else!

[scheelimama]

So, is it true that once you get it in a pregnancy, your chances of getting it again in the next pregnancy are very good? Honestly, I'm not sure I ever want to be pregnant again! I have 12 weeks left, how will I endure this for 12 more weeks?!? Chiropractic care is not covered by my insurance either. I was wondering about seeing if I could get physical therapy covered, if that would help at all.

[LittleBrownDog]

Yeah I think once you've had it you're more prone to it when that area is under stress. I originally got it when I was a conference manager and was on my feet 14-16 hours/day at conferences. It went away for a while but came back about mid-way through my last pregnancy and at about 8 weeks this time. I didn't have it at all in-between pregnancies, but I didn't do anything particularly strenuous either.

[melissakc]

I am dealing with this too. I had it last time, MUCH worse bc I did nothing about it and it just got more and more miserable. It was so bad I couldn't walk up stairs at all.

This time I went to see a chiropractor and it is GONE in 2 weeks. It took 5 visits (3x/week and then 2x/week) From now on, I'm going to go every 1-2 weeks to make sure everything stays in the right place. I also want to make sure this baby is not posterior like last time, so it's a double reason for me to go. After an adjustment, I feel like a million bucks!

Most chiros are very flexible and will work with you to figure out a plan to help you. Mine is sooooo nice and just wants to help, and there are all kinds of payment schedules for people without insurance.

Good luck! It's horrible!

[Apryl Srissa]

Call the chiro fast as you can! I get this during each pregnancy, and I've found that seeing my chiro as the pregnancy goes along can almost prevent it. This time around, I've had almost no pain at all, I do the stretches she suggests, and see her every month. Now that I'm getting bigger I go ever 3 weeks.

Sadly, this week it's starting. And I just saw her and have weeks till I go back. I slept badly the other night and woke up with that twing down there, and now it's all down my leg. Hoping some yoga will help though

[scheelimama]

Well, my insurance doesn't cover chiropractic care at all. Yoga hasn't helped, but it hasn't made it worse. Do you guys think it would be worth it at all to pursue physical therapy? Might that help? I think I could get that covered by my insurance.

[MamaHippo]

I've got the sciatica too - i had it with DS and that was the reason i stopped working 2 weeks before I had him. Its begun for me again.. owch! I dont know anything to help it other than just getting off your feet and doing the tailor-sit to relieve the pressure on the nerve, but infortunately the only thing that will stop it for good is to have the baby. :
If you figure out any good remedies, let me know!

[melissakc]

I think it's worth a shot to try physical therapy. Sciatica can be caused by a tightness in the piriformis muscle, so they could help with that.

[Lexi_029]

*hug* It showed up like in my first trimester and just never left. It's getting so bad lately that I will cry rolling over in bed at night.

[LittleLlama]

Definately go for the physical therapy. Even my chiropractor had me doing PT things between adjustments (I just haven't gone for a while)

Most chiro places will charge around $100 for an initial adjustment and about $50 each visit after that. Double check with your insurance, most cover 12 visits a year.

[gwinna]

I've been dealing with sciatica through most of this pregnancy too. It's really rough. I'm also seeing a chiro for it, and it *really* helps. I mean a lot. So if you can swing it, do. The stretch that was described above really helps too. My chiro also suggested sitting/lying on either a tennis ball or golf ball. You want to get it up into that muscle in the middle of your butt. It actually works on that piriformis muscle that's pressing on your sciatic nerve, and works out some of the muscle tightness that could be causing the pain.

Here's a link to an article which talks about sciatic pain/piriformis muscle, and describes the tennis ball treatment.

http://www.healthynewage.com/sciatica-pain-relief.htm

It really hurts when you're doing it, just like any deep-tissue massage, but does actually help to solve the problem.

Another comment about the stretch described above by LittleBrownDog, is to lean into the stretch from your lower back. Again, it can really hurt while you're doing it, like any stretch, but it's quite helpful.

[scheelimama]

Thanks for all the support/info ladies. I went to the pool with the girls yesterday, and amazingly, I have had hardly any pain today! And I didn't even swim much. Just played with them in the 3 ft. end for most of an hour. Unfortunately, the pool closes on Labor Day, so not too much more time to go swimming, but I will go again tomorrow. It made such a difference and I didn't go with the idea of helping the sciatica pain. We were just going to have fun. I may have to look into local indoor pools and see if any of them are reasonably priced since it helped so much.