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[Tinkerbell]

Any cures, almost three weeks in and it is driving me mad
I have ordered a new mattress as mine was lumpy, hoping that will be an overnight cure   I have tried the exercises suggested but am too stiff to do those, walking around eases it but I can't do that all day. I also have the buzzing, numb toes and feeling like being tickled down the leg, plus the pain.

[ellie]

Tinkerbell, my strong advise to you with those symptoms is......GO to the doctors or A&E today.......numbness in your toes must mean something is being trapped, hence the tingling......
Please don't just ignore it...

[Tinkerbell]

I have seen doctor and been told it is Sciatica, but will see if I can get a phone appointment and discuss it further.

[breeze]

Had this same problem a few years ago. 
Yes tingling toes is pressure on the nerve.  My doctor advised physio straight away. 
It did the trick and I only needed 4 sessions instead of the expected 6.
Don't put up with it for weeks and weeks, like I did.  It's not worth it.

[Annie0710]

I had sciatica during my slipped disc but it only went down to my knee and nowhere near as severe as I hear others experiences, the back however, 14 months on is a living nightmare

My neighbour was on morphine patches and walking aids with his sciatica plus physio x

[nearly50]

A physio should help you and will give you easier versions of the exercises to allow you to build up to the ones you can't do just now.

[ellie]

Tinkerbell was it all the way down to your toes when you saw the doctor?   I just worried when I read that.

[CLKD]

Mine misses the knee area and goes into the foot/ankle  .  An altered sensation rather than true numbness.

Mine is caused due to bad posture.  When I bend to put the dogs' leads on rather than kneeling; same with gardening, unless I knell the sciatica comes on over a few days ………. I take 2 Nurofen and go for a Very Brisk Walk, initially hobbling bent over but by the end of 2 miles, I am upright again.  For me it seems to loosen the nerve and the pain relief eases any pain.

Sometimes sitting on the loo is SOOOOO Painful 

[bramble]

I had this a few months ago but it did eventually go of its own accord. The doc gave me some exercises to do to stretch the back and leg.
Bramble

[CLKD]

That's why I think my method eases sciatica for me.  We don't live in a completely 'flat' area so there's plenty of up and down  slopes, hills etc..

[countrybumpkin]

My disc collapsed back in March and I was in a wheelchair for months as I could not stand for more than 30 seconds without severe back and leg pain.  As a long term spinal patient the red flag symptoms I have always been given is if you develop any numbness in your saddle area or problems with bowel or bladder or complete loss of use of a limb then straight to Dr or hospital. Its very rare to get cauda equina syndrome but this is what GP's look for when you see them with leg/back pain.
Numbness tingling in leg or foot is sadly common when a nerve in your spine is irritated.   
Most Gp's will say wait 6 weeks and if no improvement then they will arrange an mri scan of your lumbar spine, I had this and the collapsed L5/S1 disc showed up. I saw a neurosurgeon who said once again WAIT.  If I was still no better in 4 months then I had to go back and he would consider microdiscectomy but this would only resolve leg pain not back pain as such.   10 weeks later I was out of the wheelchair and standing/walking for up to 15 mins. I have to be very very careful that I do not stand or walk too much or how I move and I have had one more episode of totall siezure and unable to walk for 2 weeks or straighten up but once again it got better on its own.
You can try hand on physio ( this made me worse!) or none manipulative chiro/osteo ( do not have any manipulation before a scan has shown the problem).
I have lots of damaged discs and over 20 years of back problems/pain so lots of experience unfortunetly!!!!
If your job is physically demanding or homelife etc and you really cannot be out of action then see your GP sooner about referral for scan etc but in most cases time is a fantastic healer.

[CLKD]

……. as is remembering to bend correctly, as in my case  .  Some ladies find that when the iron sitting down it stops back/leg pain.  I could never fathom that one ……. also do check your shoes, making sure that they are firm so that the foot/ankle don't wobble.  Many times I follow ladies in the street and want to suggest that they choose a 'better' shoe because their gait shows that they obviously compensate which can cause/aggravate back pain.  "School" shoes really do work  because they are built solidly.  Saving flimsy shoes for 'best' can help ease symptoms.

[margaret]

Hi,

Google some yoga positions for sciatica they were great for me x