Question:
Anyone have any good relief plans for sciatic pain in buttock/leg/foot?

I take Arthrotec 75 mg. X 2 daily. It controls it somewhat but begins to wear off before another dose is due.

Also, Arthrotec is $90.00 for a month's supply. Any suggestions for a cheaper route?

Answer:

sciatic pain is due to the sciatic nerve becoming trapped - usually at any of the 15 points where it branches out from the spine before travelling down each leg.

It is a very common condition and is easy to treat non-surgically.

Medication will help to mask the symptoms of pain, but it will not free the trapped nerve which sooner or later may require treatment. There are some rotation exercises you can try while lying on the floor which may reduce the nerve impingement or free it entirely.

Since it's due to a mechanical cause (the cause of most back problems) it should therefore be treated mechanically by mobilisation - not manipulation.

I have found that taking Potassium every day helps.

What you are describing is fairly vague. You have to pinpoint what is causing the sciatic pain and where it is located. Most likely, (in my personal experience.... I am NOT an MD) it could be a herniated disc. Depending on the extent of the herniation, relief can range from simple bedrest to surgery. It is important to gauge the amount of nerve damage. If you start losing control of bladder or bowels, you HAVE to get in ASAP. Normally, the course of treatment consists of bedrest, anti-inflammatories and physical therapy (make sure it's a good PT). If that doesn't work, they usually start with a regimen of prednisone or other oral steroid. If that doesn't help, then they may prescribe epidural injections of steroids directly to the area. Last resort is surgery which may or may not be successful (I had 2 failed back surgeries at L4/5).

I would suggest that you do some research for a competent pain specialist. Some university hospitals even have complete pain clinics where they treat the whole person (I live in Miami where the University of Miami has an outstanding pain center). Just remember that nowadays (In my HUMBLE opinion), with the way that the insurance companies are running the show, you need to take a personal investment in your own care and recovery. Ask LOTS of questions in newsgroups such as this one, learn from others' experiences and don't be afraid to speak up for yourself. It is difficult for those who have never suffered chronic pain to fully understand what we go thru, but there ARE compassionate people out there (including in the medical profession) who are willing to try and help us to live relatively normal lives.

Manipulative treatment for sciatica is not a good idea because it causes trauma in the area around the nerve sleeve, which then has to heal a second time, further exacerbating the condition. If elasticty of the soft tissues is diminshed, localised or referred pain will be more readily produced. Chronic sufferers should therefore not be manipulated.

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