Tried and true remedies for sciatic pain?

I do chiropractic care to get things in alignment and stretching feels really good. The only thing that really knocked it out was walking at least three miles at a time, a few times a week. Any less and it hurt like the dickens but something about three miles does something. If I slack off with walking the pain comes back.

My mother went to a chiropractor, a pain specialist doctor who used something on her that was similar to a tens machine but much stronger, then also used a tens machine at home, buy one with a strong battery. She went to each Doctor weekly. She also did acupuncture which her insurance paid for. It eventually went away.

I don't think that's sciatic pain. Sciatic pain is more like getting hit with a jolt of electricity in your glute and if it's bad it goes all the way down your leg. I'd recommend seeing your doctor as the things you can do for sciatic pain may aggravate what you have.

I'm sorry you are in pain!! I had to have surgical intervention for my sciatica but then again it was a bit more than that... But I have two more moderately herniated discs and when they flair up my sciatica sings. This is what I do after learning from a lot of PTs over the years.

Lay on the floor with my legs up on the couch/chair. Scoot butt as close to chair as possible to get a 90 degree with knees/legs/back. Lay there. The muscles aren't constricting so it helps.

Stretch- lay on back, cross knees, keep knee bent at 90 degrees, pull back on bottom leg until I can feel it in my butt. This link shows it as the pretzel stretch: www.fitness-training-at-home.com/glute-stretches.html

Then, if that doesn't get it to release, I do the pigeon (also shown in that link). This is my favorite but it takes a bit for me to get limber enough to get into the position. If you can't, google yoga alternative poses for the pigeon. You can do it from your back and on the wall.

Okay-- still in pain. Next I do the "little movements". I learned this while living overseas and it is a life saver. A US PT has never taught me this so... I sit on my exercise ball, feet shoulder width and tall back. Comfy, but good hip to back to feet posture. Then, I move side to side trying to isolate each vertebrae. Hard to explain, hard to learn but doable. It is a tiny movement. Movement helps the inflammation go away.

Another stretch I routinely do is a stretch for scoliosis. You hold two broom sticks (I have a perfect width hallway so I just use the walls), hold sticks with arms making 90 degrees and forearms up (goal posts). Stand tall, good posture. Push out on the sticks with your forearms or against the wall. Hold. The thought is to release the muscles.

I also do a little in home traction. I'm pretty tall so this is easy for me but I hang from the door or the moldings. My feet aren't off the floor that far but just enough to get a good stretch to the spine. Not sure what you could use if you can't reach the top of the door.

Another good stretch is the cobra. Lay on belly, raise up on forearms. When I'm in great pain, I can barely get up but just the littlest bend seems to help.

The McKenzie exercises are good too and includes the cobra (called something else though).

Prevention is the key but sometimes it is too late and I am in pain. I can work my stomach muscles when I'm not in pain. These help me get out of pain. I take advil and try to get the inflammation down. Be gentle with yourself and go slow. I do find that when I am less active my back hurts more. When I'm in a lot of pain I just want to lay down but that is the worst thing I can do. You will have to find your balance. Listen to your body! Go to the Dr. if it doesn't get better. If you lose feeling or the ability to pee go to a Dr.

My husband is dealing with this now-he's going to the chiropractor twice a week and he's starting to feel better.  He also started using a foam roller to stretch-his chiropractor recommended it.  He purchased it from Walmart but I've seen some on Amazon, as well.

I helped mine with weekly massages. It eventually went away. I agree that yoga also helps.

Exercise. Honest to goodness it was the only thing that fave me long term results. It hurts like a Mother-f*****r at first but within a week you should start to feel better. I walk, swim, bike.

Go to the doctor. I was diagnosed with sciatica, had PT for 6 weeks. Basically, they had me doing the yoga cobra pose 15x when I felt it and every 2 hours when I didn't. Worked beautifully. When I feel it "tweak" I just get in cobra and it takes care of it.

I haven't read the entire thread but my cousin bought a brace called Be Active siatica brace on Amazon. If I remember correctly it went around his knee and pressed on a nerve to relieve the pain He said it worked great. The reason that I noted the name and wrote it down was that my daughter has delt with siatic  pain and I wanted to tell her about it. She hasn't had any more problems so she has not bought it.  Might be worth looking into as my cousin highly recommended it.