Coping With Sciatica

[Joeyjake]

I was diagnosed with sciatica three weeks ago. I have been taking naproxen and co-codamol which are having very little effect. I have constant pain, sometimes excruciating, in my right leg and buttock and my right foot is numb. I know nobody can say how long it will last but I am concerned that the medication seems to be having very little or no effect. It's affecting my sleep and I can't get comfortable. Is there anything I can ask a GP for that might help?

Thanks.

[gingejbee]

When I had nerve-root pain in exactly the same location, the only thing that kept me going was maximum dose of diclofenac on prescription.
I ended up having surgery, btw!

[Mosaic]

Try the tennis ball: place ball between buttock and firm wall - lean in and roll as much as you can bear. Gives you a nice deep massage as the gluteous is a troublesome muscle to get to.

[jackthehat]

Acupuncture gave me relief.

[vodkancoke]

Physiotherapy and acupuncture helped me with sciatica.

[Sqad]

As well as the analgesics, maybe you could ask if he thought that Valium might help.

[gingejbee]

The actual best treatment for the pain depends on the cause of it. You can make things worse by, for example, having any sort of manipulative treatment without first having the cause investigated - by MRI, for example.