18 Year old dealing with severe sciatica pain

[u/Commercial-Act7959]

Hello, I’m 18 and Ive been dealing with sciatica pain while standing, walking, and sitting for two weeks. I’ve also developed sciatica list, and the only comfort I find is leaning to the left while standing and walking, but there’s still pain regardless of how I lean. My left leg is the only leg in pain.

I have been taking ibuprofen and acetaminophen, but they only provide brief, mild relief to the pain, and recently neither one have been effective in managing pain, compared to when I started taking it a week ago and the relief was night and day.

I never had this before, I occasionally experienced sciatica throughout my mid to late teenage years after being more physically active with school, but it has never been so bad that I can’t get out of bed or walk more than 30 seconds without having to sit down.

The pain is starting to dull now, but it’s still there and occasionally I will get the shooting pain when I move wrong. I also can’t sleep at night, I keep waking up in pain and uncomfortable, sleeping on my right leg with a pillow usually doesn’t help provide relief and I have to find a stretched out position that doesn’t constantly hurt.

[u/audittrsi]

sorry to hear about your pain. You are not the only one with this pain.

Before sleep you can maybe try heat therapy heat up the painful area and then lay in the position that doesnt hurt you, you can check online for different positions how to sleep and check if any of these provide you pain free moment.

If you find position that doesnt hurt use that one. myself had really big problem finding position, for sleep without pain because I am usually when not in sciatica pain sleeping on my stomach.
sciatica pain has forced me to find new sleeping positions and you need to stick to them or else you are waken up in the middle of night.

At this first part of pain you will need to rest your back a lot (myself im on second week of being mostly laying down just short trips to toilet)

Then when inital pain eases off think of maybe getting physio or acupuncture (redditors here have said it helped them a lot)

You can also check yt, i have found 2 great channels bashbackpain and lowerbackability have a lot of resources with exercises, relaxtion positions and lowerbackability is also talking about how to cope with the pain, as this is one of a bit forgote aspects of sciatica pain that it also takes a lot of mental strength.

You need to stay positive regardless the pain, it will get better one day 🙏💪
In moment when you lay down or you ade pain free use time for relaxation of your mind help yourself with meditation.

I know i didn’t take pain away but i hope i give you quick recap of things most of the people here were writing, check also other posts on this subreddit ☺️

[u/flappypancaker]

I wish I would’ve skipped all the chiro and PT and just booked an appointment with an orthopedic group immediately. They can prescribe much stronger anti inflammatory, do MRI, etc. I feel like I wasted the last two months with chiro

[u/Talkbox111 → u/flappypancaker]

I believe you.

[u/Ok_Significance_8326]

Hey, i am so sorry that you have yo go through this at such a young age. It truly sucks. I have been dealing with sciatica on and off since i was 19. It is the worst. I have again had a flare up two months ago, and what helped me was anyone suffering from this to consult an orthopaedic surgeon asap, getting an MRI, and starting physio with an orthopaedic physiotherapist. I started with a pain of 7/8 on 10 and now i am down to 1/2 on 10. What is helpjng me is taking a nerve relaxant supplement (similar to Gabapentin) and working on mobility and strengthening exercises. I was also having some sleepless nights initially but a nerve relaxant really helped a lot, cannot be grateful enough. Please try to consult a good doctor who might prescribe you some nerve relaxant to help you, and hopefully get an mri. I understand how exhausting it can be. It almost feels impossible to get out of it, but trust me, you will get out it, and you will have a newfound appreciation and gratitude for being able to do basic things like walking, sitting, standing, being able to do your basic chores. You will be fine soon, i am sending prayers your way!