Sciatica Symptoms - A Real Pain In The Butt

My problems began years back, in my 40's now I am 54. My neck and lower back disc's were deteriorating. I was getting help from a chiropractor who advised that 4 neck and 4 lower back disc's were going and he would help me keep aligned. Then I lost my insurance and can't keep up appointments. Due to the discs problem when I would begin to sit my nerve was constricted or crushed and a horrid hot pain consumed me. Then I fell down my stairs to the upper level of my home. And every since that my right leg is non stop pain, sometimes severe. And to sleep there is no relief, this is 2 years now. Also due to chronic hives (no explanation for them but devastatingly bad) I am able to take NO MEDS over the counter or RX. This is a short explanation of my problem. I also believe in self healing both with your mind, herbs and therapy physically (in short natural if possible) I like to try the oriental methods when I can find correct methods to follow. Thank you for your help (if you can). Regards, Debbie

Dear Debbie, Thank you for reaching out to find an alternative to drugs for your painful condition. What would you say if I suggest to you that acupuncture may be able to help you with your chronic pain. Acupuncture involves inserting fine, sterile needles into different parts of the body to assist in balancing the energy or chi and works by improving the circulation and removing stagnation in the body. There are many studies being done recently to show that acupuncture does help with pain relief, especially of the back, neck, and low back, and sciatic problems. Even though we cannot fully explain the manner in which acupuncture works its magic on the body, it is more and more being recognized by many doctors in cases where all else seems to fail, especially when it involves nerve pain. Hopefully you will be able to find a licensed acupuncturist in your area who has had experience with the problem which you discussed. When you find that practitioner, you might suggest to him/her that there are Chinese herbal patches available from the Wei company in California which seem to help with stubborn back and disc pain. I have found them to be invaluable for relieving the pain in many of my patients. Good luck with your search for an acupuncturist.

I have had right groin pain for over a year now. It seems to be worse when I sit. I have been checked by ultra sound, cat scan, X ray and finally an MRI. The only abnormality it showed was mild degenerative changes of the sacroiliac joints bilaterally, and there is mild to moderate volume loss of the right Piriformis compared to the left. But the visualized course of the sciatic nerve is unremarkable bilaterally. Could the Piriformis be the culprit? Could strengthening the muscle help my pain. The pain is a dull annoying ache that often will wake me up at night. Do you have any suggestions for me? The only thing that takes the pain away is heavy Rx. Thanks, Patty

Dear Patty, It is wonderful that you are seeking more natural pain relief rather than relying upon heavy pain medications. It sounds as if you might have a muscle imbalance as shown by the visualization of mild to moderate volume loss of your right piriformis muscle as compared to your left piriformis muscle. Muscle imbalances can cause pain and if not corrected can result in chronic pain and muscle wasting. So you can see why it is very important to find and identify the cause of this problem. Pain is the body's way of telling us that something is out of balance or that something is wrong in the body. By pinpointing the cause, then we have a solution for the symptom which would be, in your case, the pain. Pain medications only serve as a temporary band aid to a problem and never address the cause. It's hard to know whether the cause of your groin pain is indeed the piriformis muscle, but since your diagnostic testing showed nothing more remarkable than the decreased muscle volume of the piriformis, and mild degenerative changes in the SI joint, then it could possibly be caused by years of being out of balance. You also didn't mention if you have normal bone density and any osteopenia or osteoporosis. If your bone density is low, then pain could also result from this. Following some simple exercises to diagnose the piriformis would be a simple and non-invasive place to begin. You can go here to learn more about some simple exercises which might help to diagnose and strengthen your piriformis > sciatica information. You also didn't mention if you have had a chiropractor check your spine and determine if there is an imbalance in your stance, posture, and mechanics. If there are no further complications, then you might want to consider Acupuncture and seek out a qualified Acupuncturist who might be able to help with the chronic pain which you described. Acupuncture is being researched more and more in regards to pain relief and has been proven to be an excellent remedy when all else seems to fail. I sincerely hope that these suggestions help with your pain. Good luck with your endeavors.

I am a runner, and I am experiencing piriformis pain and or sciatica pain. Is the elliptical trainer safe? I have no pain when I do it, but later in the day it does get sore.

Dear Jennifer, Because you are a runner, it is important to do lots of stretching before running as a warm-up and also after running. Elliptical trainers are generally considered a safe form of exercise for low back and sciatic pain if done in a gentle, slow, regular, progressive manner, meaning that you will start training for a short amount of time and gradually build up your time to 20 or 30 minutes. The secret here is to go slowly, and not be sporadic or intermittent with your exercise program. If the pain continues, after you have slowly and safely built up your workout, then you should consider an evaluation by a professional to see if there are any other more serious complications. Acupuncture works well for sciatic pain. Exercise safely, remember to stretch, and stay healthy.

I have pain that starts in my buttock and runs down the back of my leg and then below the front of my knee and down the side of the shin to my foot, could this be my sciatic nerve since it also hurts down the side of my shin to my foot?

Dear Ginger, The sciatic nerve runs down the entire leg, and it is not uncommon for sciatic pain to extend and radiate down the entire leg and into the foot. Some sciatic pain stops halfway down the leg at the level of the knee joint, or can radiate to any level down the leg. There is also a phenomena known as "Dermatome pain". Dermatome pain can be caused by a vertebrate or disc which is impinging upon the nerve root of the spine. The level at which the spinal or disc displacement is located can be determined by your doctor from where the leg pain manifests. If you have any questions about your pain, you might want to have a professional do a thorough and complete diagnosis of your problem. Also, acupuncture is a wonderful treatment for low back, spinal, and sciatic pain.

I know I have problems with my sciatic nerve. I've been to a sports therapists and a chiropractor. The sport therapists really focused his attention on the piriformis muscle which seemed to help, but I couldn't afford to continue to go. Whereas the chiropractor just used a decompresser machine and a few stretches. He seemed to hurt me more than help. I ended up trying some things on my own that I read about. I have gotten better, but now the problem is when I sit down for any length of time it hurts when I get up. When up and about I have no problems. I feel so close to getter rid of the pain but haven't been able to. Do you have any suggestions? I have this problem for almost a year now. Thanks

I injured myself 6 weeks ago while golfing. I made a bad swing and immediately I felt a shooting pain in my lower back. Over the course of a few days, sciatic symptoms showed up, only on the right side of my leg. Now, 6 weeks later, it seems to have gotten a little bit better. Driving still is excruciating, and putting on my shoes. If I bend over to touch my toes, the pain goes down the whole length of my leg after only bending about 2 inches. What is causing my sciatica, and what do I do to help? My chiropractor hasn't done anything to help as of yet.

Alex and Jason, acupuncture is a good treatment choice, also there are exercises that can help. The link for the exercises appears in Dr. Leia's response to Patty's question above also check out> Acupuncture For Healing.

If I lay on my right side for more than two minutes, I develop a pain that runs from the front of my thigh to my foot. The longer I lay on my side the worse the pain becomes. If I roll on to my right side during the night, I wake up with the pain. I do not have pain when standing, sitting, or laying flat on my back. Is this Sciatic or Piriformis? Would the tennis ball exercise help?

Hi Sarah. It wouldn't hurt to try the exercise, but if it hurt I would not do it. It would be best to be seen by a doctor that has your medical history and can visually see your injury.

Wondering if this could be piriformis. It started with right sided back pain in 2006, all MRI's, xrays, nerve conductions, etc came back normal. Two months after the back pain my right thigh started to throb, and I was in excruciating pain. This has gone on since then despite months and months of physical therpay, chiro, and osteopaths. No clear diagnosis. I am now considering prolotherapy as my current osteo thinks it could be ligaments and tendons around the joint. Any suggestions?

Hi Rosa, I would read the above posts for some clues as to what would be happening. I think with all the work that is being done on your behalf that they will eventually figure this problem out.

I Fell at work back in 1990, I had a L5-s1 bulged disc effecting my left leg and back. I have had Chiro., Acupuncture, and massive amounts of medications. You name it and I have tried it. Steroid shots helped for several years. Then 2 1/2 yrs ago my right leg and back started hurting, and I was diagnosed with a bulged disc, spinal stenosis, and piriformis muscle in the right leg. It was so painful, I couldn't even touch it. After Chrio. again, exercises, have helped some. Steroid shots, trigger points injections, caudal shots, and RF radio frequency, which was the most painful procedure, were not very effective in stopping the pain. I am running out of options. I would like nothing more than to solve this naturally with exercises but the ones the Dr, gives me are in the swimming pool. Now, I have gained 20 pounds over the last 2 yrs from not being able to exercise. I am some what better and starting to exercise some for the stretching, but I was wondering if there are any supplements that might also help while I am trying to get back on track.

Hey Doc, I'm a runner and about 8 months ago I started feeling a slight pain in the butt at about 5 km into my run. The pain didn't last more than a few hours after, so I continued with my running. In the last 2 months the pain intensified to the extent that I had trouble even walking. I have done physio. for 6 weeks and I have seen a sports medicine Dr. The physio seems to have helped but the pain still persists. I then tried the tennis ball technique. After 3 or 4 minutes of this massage, the pain disappears almost completely, I was amazed. Here are my questions. How and why does this work? How long will it take to heal completely? Can I start running again now? Will it interfere with my recovery? If not, at what point do you think I can start running again? Thanks for your help.

I'm 18 going to be 19 in a few months. I have sciatica which causes non stop dull and uncomfortable pain down the back of my right leg and foot. This makes it impossible for me to walk not even a couple blocks. As I lay in bed waiting for doctors to figure out what exactly I need to do, my condition only gets worse. The fact that I'm not getting any exercise is making my leg weaker. I can't work or start college, because I can't sit or stand for more than a few minutes. I am over weight 298 lbs. Before this happened I was very active. It has been over 8 months now and I'm starting to lose my sanity and patience. I need help. Any information will be highly appreciated. I am taking a drug for the pain labeled Naproxen, but it has no effect.

Hi Kris, Eric, and Felix. Dr. Leia is not able to diagnose over the internet and she suggests that you visit your physician. She also recommends acupuncture as it can relieve sciatica symptoms. In addition it is wise to lose weight if you are very over weight when you have this type of problem.

Hi, I'm suffering from excruciating pain from the buttocks down to my leg. The pain is unbearable. I went to the docs and was given diclofenac, co dydramol, didn't work. I went to the hospital and was given tramadol and diazepam which helps a little bit. My legs feels cold. But if I ask somebody to touch it they would say it's warm. From time to time I will get pins and needles on my foot. Can I use the exercise you mentioned? The one with the tennis ball for this?

Hi Miriam, Dr. Leia feels it is alright to try the exercise, but if it hurts stop and see a physician. She also suggests acupuncture as it has helped so many of her own patients.

Hi, I get a pain in my right leg after driving for about 15 - 20 minutes. It is at the back of my thigh but at the front of my shin. If I carry on driving it can become extremely painful, and I have to stop and walk around for a few minutes before continuing. I am a Fire Service Engineer and used to keep a small bunch of keys in my right back pocket and this probably did some damage without me realizing. My doctor diagnosed sciatic nerve pain and put me onto Diazepam and Solpadol but I am not very impressed as the pain is still there albeit not quite so bad. I am interested in your tennis ball treatment and will try it, but is there anything else I can try? I am 67 years old and otherwise very fit.

Hi Andrew I think acupuncture would be a good thing to try.

Why is piriformis syndrome common in runners? The tennis ball exercise feels good, but is there anything about the way I run or sit that can prevent the problem from returning?

My mother says it's her sciatic nerve or something that is hurting. And when she moves into a certain position she says its like its pinching her. I tried to put pressure on her lower back but that didn't work. Does she need to go to a chiropractor?

Nicole, it may be necessary for her to see her doctor. A chiropractic visit may be helpful if cleared by a physician. You may also want to consider Acupuncture treatment.

I'm in a pinch, so to speak. I started having very painful sciatica, or Piriformis pain back in May. It came and went for the next three months, and now I am saddled with horrible pain again. Just one week before I leave for a 10-day bicycle ride with the Elder Hostel Club in Zion and Bryce National Parks. I have been a quite avid bicyclist for the past three years, and I don't have sciatica pain when I'm on the bicycle. Mornings have been worst for pain, and I usually take 1800 - 2400 mg Ibuprofen each day, and the pain definitely subsides, except for when I'm sitting, especially at my computer. I rejected having an epidural injection my doctor offered because, frankly, I can't see myself being without the blood thinner for an entire week, And also, I worry that an Epidural will not work, or last, and perhaps may leave scar tissue to contend with. At this point, since I'm leaving Sept. 29 for my trip, is it to late for an epidural. I saw a Physical Therapist last week, and she told me that Piriformis Syndrome was very rare, and that it is probably coming from stiffness in the lower back. She gave me exercises to loosen the lower back, and told me to role over a tennis ball in that back pocket area. Well, I began using the tennis ball, and on the first day, I thought "oh my god, this feels so good. And "This is going right to the area where my pain emanates". However, the next morning, my pain level was higher than ever, about a 9-10 on a scale of 1-10, and I felt faint from the pain. I quickly swallowed 800mg of Ibuprofen, and soon the pain subsided. This morning, one day later, I had the same pain, maybe at a level of 8-9. Also, in part of the area that I rolled over, it's now too tender to roll over the ball again. Some area is still OK. I purchased Jesse Cannone's "Lose the Back Pain" system last week online, and I'm waiting for it to arrive any day now. It appears that you refer to his web page. I am most worried about the short term problems like waking up each morning in Utah with excruciating pain, getting dressed, eating breakfast and rushing off on another day's bicycle journey. What do you suggest I do at this point, in the short term, and in the long term?

Hi Claudia, A pain on the level of 8-9 is very serious. You should be talking with your own doctor. Is riding a bike in this condition and going on this trip more important than your long term health and well being?

My problem started when I worked in a warehouse. I spent lots of money on chiropractic treatments. Now I just do some back exercise and for the last year I have been fine. I just do basic exercise and use some tiger balm and in three days I'm fine.

Hi, I am twenty and have been having pain in my entire left leg. I have tried several doctors. They prescribed lots of tablets but nothing has changed until now, I am married. This pain started when I was not yet married. Do you know of more exercises that may be of help? You said to roll the tennis ball while gradually increasing the weight on it. Now should I roll the ball only on the hip or should I move it on my thighs as well?

Hi Saquib, you may want to try and lay on your side and slowly raise the leg on the side that is not against the floor up very slowly until you are in the fetal position with both legs up. This seems to be helpful to many people. Then do the same for the other side of your body.

I feel sorry for any one who's got sciatic pain. I have a disc prolapse at L4/5 with nerve root entrapment. I have too much pain in my right leg that make's me cry every night. I have tried acupuncture, physiotherapy and visited my chiropractor for seven times without any relief. My spine is shifted to the left, my pelvis is unbalanced and my right leg is longer in length. I need help from any one who can help.

Hello I've been living with back issues since 1971 when I had a roll over in a truck in the service. So, I've had six back surgeries. One neck surgery. I have back pain which is real. It starts low back, into left leg, all the way into the foot, to the toes, and hurts. No medication helps. I've tried just about everything out there if anyone knows of a procedure let me know.

Hi, I'm a runner, and I started having this piriformis or sciatica pain about two months back. At first I thought it was due to pushing too hard on the hills, but soon realized it was aggravated by sitting, and especially by driving. I think the seat side-bolsters made it worse. I've just tried your tennis ball exercise and can report an immediate overnight improvement. It's still not gone, but I can run through it, and am supplementing with lots of stretches. Thanks a lot as this saved me many physio bills!

I have had a piriformis problem for about four years. I just began the tennis ball approach and get worse after doing so. Hurts more now than before the tennis ball. Any thoughts?

Several doctors have told me that I have sciatica issues. I get it on each side. Rarely both sides at once but it has happened. I find that I can't sleep on a bed. I've had to spend the last nine months sleeping in a recliner. The bed seems to aggravate the nerve really bad. I'm wondering if there is a mattress type that may be more gentle to my nerve. The one I use now has the coiled springs and I really think they push on me and cause a lot of the pain. If I lay flat on my back, both sides will hurt. If I lay to one side then the side I'm applying the pressure will hurt. I used to take medications for this but those have led to ulcers and liver damage. At present the recliner is my only real relief. That being the case I haven't been able to lay in bed with my wife for over nine months now. I'm considering the memory foam mattresses or even the sleep number but they are so expensive and I don't want to get stuck paying so much for another bed that I can't use. Any suggestions would be great. Thank you for your time.

Dear David, coil spring mattresses seem to be extremely irritating to many sciatic patients. And many patients have been helped with memory foam and the sleep number mattresses. Another suggestion is a zero gravity recliner which takes the pressure off the inflamed and irritated area. However, it is entirely individual depending upon the patient, the circumstances, and the extent of the injury. I would definitely try acupuncture which has helped many to find relief. Good luck to you.

Hi, I had a MRI done and they say that I have two protrusion of the disc 2, nerve damage, 2 cysts on the spine, curvature of the spine and Spinal Arthritis. What is hurting me the most is my lower back, down my left leg and my butt bones. I have a lot of trouble sitting in a car without hurting. I have to put my foot up by the window were my leg is straight to relieve the pain. Getting to sleep is a challenge. I can't lay on my side anymore with out the pain shooting down my leg and sometimes to my feet. I have been going to a physical therapist for three weeks now and when I get there my left leg is usually longer then the other, and they say that my joint is out and pushing on the nerve. By the time they are done both legs are the same length, but I still hurt in the same places. Not having medical insurance makes it very hard to have anymore tests done, but after reading what you wrote I am going to try the tennis ball and see what happens. I am only age 53 and very active, but because of the pain I have it is slowing me down and I hate it! If you have any idea's that would be great. Thank you and God Bless you.

OH, thank you so much. I lifted my laptop case this morning in an awkward position, and went from searing pain to dizziness, heat, dizziness and more pain. But since I own my own business, and if I don't open, nobody opens, I waited for the dizziness and nausea to recede, and drove to my nutrition club. Once there, I went searching for something to help, and found your site. As soon as I got home I grabbed one of my husband's tennis balls and did the exercise, Relief! It still hurts, but it's manageable, not breathtakingly painful. And, having had four C-sections and a scare with pulmonary emboli when my kids were young, I know the difference between "hurts" and "I can't deal with this". Thank you, thank you again!

I'm 18 years old, and I've worked in a restaurant since I was 15 years old. For the past year and a half or so, I've experienced horrible lower back pain at the lowest base of my spine, typically spreading into my hips, legs, and feet, leading me to think it's pressure on my Piriformis Nerve or Muscle. When I'm sitting with my legs up, it's torture to get back up, or standing from any low seated position. I have a feeling the majority of this pain stems from my lifting heavy trays of food, buckets of dishes, moving tables, etc. I've tried to help ease the pain through back massages, heating pads, and stretching but it never gives long lasting results. I'm only 18 and I hate having back pain so young. Are there any exercises, treatments, mattresses, or anything that I can try to ease this pain? Thank you!

Hi, I am 32 years old and have never been able to touch my toes. When I try to touch them I get this sort of shooting pain through my lower legs. I am quite fit and my flexibility in other areas of my body are quite good. I had a conversation with my boyfriend the other day and we thought it might be my sciatic nerve. I do get sciatica occasionally especially after long drives, when I'm the driver. Recently I have decided to learn how to drive a manual car but find it difficult to leave my foot on the floor and put pressure on and off the gas. It is uncomfortable to have my heel on the floor and press on the gas so in my auto I have my foot in the air and not touching the floor. Is it possible that I am having sciatic nerve pain? Will I ever be able to touch my toes, or drive a manual? Is there something I can do like an exercise to fix the problem.

Good Day, I am a married lady of 37yrs and last year I had a sharp pain on my back and I took some pills for my backache and it went straight to my left foot and it's so painful and the pain is unbearable. I have been crying for the past 3 months now because of this pain and early this year I was diagnosed sciatica and have been taking some medication but it's doesn't help and I also went to physiotherapists and also chiropractor but nothing is helping. Please if somebody can help me the pain is unbearable, I can't sleep at night. Please help.