Siatic Nerve

I would go see a back specialist. Not to knock chiropractors, but sometimes they can get it wrong. Especially if they are treating the wrong thing.

I have both back and hip issues. The pain is very different for both issues, but both cause muscle tightness in the lower back, across the buttocks and hip arch. You could have a spinal issue that is pinching the nerve or some other issue.

Good Luck

Yoga and massage, plus walking. That is how I dealt when I had Sciatic issues. I do yoga on a daily basis, stretching/strengthen and relaxing the muscles is most beneficial. I no longer have Sciatic issues.

I had the same thing and suffered with it for years. The nerve is pinched in your muscles.

Laugh if you will, but what cleared it up was getting on a motorcycle with my dad. The way you have to swing your leg to get on it was just the motion I needed to release the nerve. Any time since I feel like it's trying to pinch I do that a couple times and I'm good to go.

B., as a chiropractor, I can tell you that receiving an adjustment once a month for a condition as serious as sciatic neuritis is comparable to having an orthodontist apply braces to your teeth for one hour a month, then removing them for the remainder of time. To properly address this issue will likely require a course-of-care, including adjustments, therapies (yes, the same ones used by PT's), and more importantly discovering the exact cause of your condition.
I would also recommend that you avoid taking the advice of others who have had 'sciatica', because there are many causes and variable therapies, depending upon your specific condition. If your chiropractor is not willing to change your treatment protocol, perhaps it's time to find another one who will get to the root of your problem.

sitting straight in a chair helps me too, what also helps me is to hang from something. when we are at the playground or something, i just hang by my hands from something and it kind of unpinches everything

I used to have sciatic pain, so I can relate. Chiropractic does help, but the real problem is that the psoas muscle is too tight and that is what is pressing on the nerve. Visceral massage helps--rolfing really helps!! (In essence, a rolfer is to your muscles what a chiropractor is to your skeleton). Yoga also helps a great deal.
Good luck! You don't have to live with it.
J.

In addition to the advice from Tiffany and Jodi, do core strenghtening exercises.

I don't know how old your mattress is but you may want to consider getting a new one or even a different one. Tempurpedic mattresses are ideal but costly. If you can't afford that, try getting a tempurpedic-like mattress topper which are usually $30-$50 depending on the size of your mattress.
I'm only suggesting this because you claim the issue starts when you're in bed already.
It's always a good idea to change out mattresses and pillows every so often to ensure you're sleeping on quality, supportive material at all times.
Sciata is when the nerve is embedded between layers of muscle and so the nerve is getting pinched by the muscle layers.
You may also want to try deep tissue massage therapy. If you've never had a massage before, start out with a a light pressure massage and work yourself up to getting a deep tissue massage. Otherwise, your muscles will let you know they didn't like not being eased into it the next day.
I was an RMT for several years and never once did I see or hear of a chiropractor able to cure sciatica.
Short of the tips I have given you and/or surgically removing the nerve from within the muscle layers, I don't know what else could make it go away.

HTH,
Jen

Hi B., As a physical therapist specializing in women's health and orthopedic issues, the first thing that jumps out is the link between sleeping and your pain. By any chance are you sleeping on your stomach or another position where your lower back is in a relatively backward-bent position? If so, this would also correlate to the onset of your pain with walking and standing and the relief you experience with sitting. I would certainly recommend that you see a physical therapist with expertise in this area so they can evaluate the mechanics of your lower spine and recommend corrective exercises and posture/activity modifications. Good luck!

What helped me a lot is strengthening my abdominal muscles so that I wasn't using my back muscles improperly. Do crunches with your knees bent and the arch of your back flat on the floor (important!). Try to walk with your abs sucked in and your pelvis tilted toward the front rather than toward the back. You may be sleeping in the exact opposite position which is why you are worse in the morning. Chiropractic adjustments helps the spine but you aren't doing anything to work on the muscles. And yes, it can come on all of a sudden. Walking in the mall - perhaps you were carrying packages and were either weighted down or leaning slightly? Or just tired and letting the muscles slacken a bit? Sitting down might have aligned your spine in more of a pelvic tilt position. It's not the once a month adjustments that will help - it's daily ab strengthening - do short sets (maybe 12 repetitions), rest 30-60 seconds, and repeat. Do it 3 times. Then do the 3 sets again later in the day. It takes about 4 minutes to do this. Don't try a full sit up - just use your abs to raise your shoulders off the floor, keeping your back on the floor. Support your neck with your hands, but don't pull up on it - let your abs do the work and keep your face toward the ceiling rather than curl your neck too much toward your chest.

I'd say get a new bed! If the pain starts after sleeping that's probably the best thing. I also think if it's happening often that you should definitely be seeing the chiropractor MORE than once a month not less! I've got mine down to better after one adjustment but I still get it done once a week just to keep it away. And it took going regularly for a few years before it went away. Carrying kids doesn't help, which is why I still go often. And I also do massage therapy once a month. Acupuncture as needed and as a last resort a nerve block, probably once a year.

When I was pregnant, my sciatic pain was just like you described. I just got a maternity belt and wore it during the day, which helped, and it went away when I had the baby. I'm not sure what can be done when not pregnant, but it does sound like sciatic pain to me.

I am late to the party but wanted to respond. Have you had an MRI? You could be having disc problems. I have had two surgeries in the last two years. I know sounds worst than it was and I am pain free!!!!!! I had gone through physcial therapy and injections.. The one thing that does help is swimming. If you float on a noodle in the deep end your body weight will pull your back down. Sort of like hanging upside down. I would suggest you go to an orthopaedic doctor who specializes in backs and necks. I use the Fondern Orthopaedic Group. You want to be sure that there isn't anything else going on in there! Good luck!!!

Hi B.,

I had severe back pain for over 10 months a few years ago. I went through physical therapy, using a ball, walking, chiropractor etc. and loads of pain pills.
The one thing that finally stopped it was a teeter...this thing that turns you upside down and stretches your spine. If you decide to try this it is not necessary or encouraged to go completely upside down. A 45 degree angle is sufficient.
I also changed to a tempur pedic type mattress which helps as well.
Abd. muscle strengthening is important to keep everything in its place and as we age, it is vital.
I only use the teeter when I feel it trying to come back although it is designed to be used every day. Hope this helps.

K.

I have the exact same symptoms as you! Same time, same way, everything. I have zero luck with Chyropractors the only few things that work for me is serious stretching, how I sit, and working my muscles!

Be sure to do stretches that stretch out your hamstring and back and you will notice a huge difference. Also, take a look at how you sit or work during the day, I tend to favor one side which makes my sciatic nerve hurt worse. I also try to keep up my stomach muscles, I do a lot of crunches and use the Total Gym to work my back muscles as well.

All this together helps keep it in check, otherwise, I am not sure I would be walking.

Good luck to you.

A physical therapist or experienced yoga or pilates instructor can teach you exercises that help bring a little more mobility to the SI joint and strength into the lower back that can help you with sciatic pain.
It didn't start overnight and so the weakness/ mis alignment will take time. Be patient and keep going to your chiro and doing those exercises!

I believe you are wasting your time with a chiropractor once a month. I believe you need physical therapy several times a week. Go to your family internist doctor and he/she will write up a work order for physical therapy for you!