My quick fix has been Neurontin, added to the muscle relaxants. I find it
works much better for me than standard pain pills.

Also, my sciatica is caused by muscle spasm. So I find heat, gentle
stretching and trigger point therapy (can be done either as
electro-stimulation or deep tissue massage) help, too.

Adelle

yes.  i have, (((((((janice))))))).  sigh . . . 3 weeks is miserable.   heat
works best for me (cold made mine worse.  but if icing  helps you, sweetie,
use it.) and any way or method you can stretch out or decompress that lower
lumbar area.

don't do this---i used to hang my head over the foot of the bed, as far as i
could go without falling all the way out of bed and breaking my neck, though
i did fall out a few times---i was sooo desparate and would try anything and
that is NOT a good method.  so, please don't do that.

do you know how to do lower back stretches in bed, where you lie on your
side?  with your body and legs totally straight while lying on your side,
you hang your leg that's closest to the ceiling over the side of the bed to
allow gravity to stretch your spine out---the idea is to keep the rest of
your body, except for the dangling leg, as much in the same position as when
you began.  (as you get comfortable with that stretch, but not before, try
moving your shoulders in the opposite direction to your dangling leg and
just hold it for a minute, if you can.  when you gain confidence, focus on
relaxing when you hold a position)   then you change sides of the bed or
flip from head to foot on the bed and do it with your other leg.  do these
stretches when you are warm for maximum benefit.  maybe somebody on asa
knows where to find a picture of that stretch?  that would be very helpful.

if you have a pilates ball or can borrow one, that might help you, if you
roll on your tummy on it.  or try putting a big pillow, or more than one,
under your lower abdomen, move the pillow until you find the most
pain-relieving place for it.  (wish i could put you on my inversion table.
i know that's helped me, but i've only discovered this contraption recently,
thanks to my son.)

soak in a tub with hotish water to your waist for as long as you can, but
don't let the water become too cool, before you get out of it--then put on
your warmest and most comfortable clothing or pop into bed to stay warm.

and if your dh is willing, ask him to massage your lower back for you.  or
if you can afford to have a professional lower back massage (inform the
masseuse that you want the most benefit for sciatica), that will help.

sigh . . . i hope there is something that i've suggested that will help you,
hon.

kate

((((((Janice)))))  Our neighbor is in the midst of a bout right now, truly
miserable.  He's at about 3 weeks, also and his mom was laid out in bed for 3
weeks when she had it.  (Not helpful, I know, except to know others have
shared your misery.)

only idea I have is to maybe try a pro massage for the back to loosen up the
muscles that may be aggravating things.

Yes, I have, and the only thing that helps is heat and **gentle**
stretching.  I hope you find relief soon.

DeeTee
________________________________
DeeTee and Bob Taggart
http://www.marykay.com/dtaggart3
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze8fwov/
________________________________

Have had sciatica, but chiro helped mine. Also stretching exercise helped.
Are you icing and heating the hip or the lower back. It might make a
difference if you are doing the lower back.