Do I have Sciatica?

I have the same pain MrsMojo. I belive it is sciatic nerve pain. I believe that just rest will help it go away. We must have pinched our sciatic nerve somehow recently. Its very painful. I would tell your midwife though and if the pain continues go and see the Dr. Not that they can give you any pain relief but they may suggest some physio exercises?
Good luck.

Edited by CarrieMumToBe

Hi I have experienced bad sciatica in the past, and unfortunately there are no simple solutions. As mentioned above, not much can be done about it other than rest, anti-inflammatories and pain killers.

Anti-inflammatories should be avoided during pregnancy because it hinders bone growth, and pain killers can be bad too because the baby might get addicted to them.

I would wait the 3 weeks until you see your midwife and then talk to her about it, because the doctor can't do much in the meantime.

One thing doctors or orthapedic surgeons would suggest for the average person is xrays/CT/MRI but unfortunately you want to avoid xrays at all cost while you are pregnant because it can disrupt the baby's DNA and cause abnormalities.

Some people find that accupuncture helps back pain, but I never found it be be of any benefit to me.
Rest is the best thing, and avoid positions which aggrevate it, for some people that is sitting, others it is standing.
If the pain travels past your knee however definitely get advice from a specialist. In my case my entire leg was numb and my foot had no strength. That was a few years ago, and the only thing that gave me relief was having a spinal fusion surgery.

I get the odd twinges still in my hip/buttock area and I'm hoping like anything that my back will hold up for the next 19 wks!

I really feel for you because pain is tiring and draining and long term can get you down.
Take it easy and hopefully with a bit of rest the inflamed disc will settle down and give relief from the nerve.



Edited by coldfish

Yeah I agree, I see sciatic clients all the time and it is usually very easy to treat. The trapped nerve is usually in the gluteal area, the piriformis muscle is to tight, or in the lower back. You shouldn't have to put up with it, ring your MW, she may know a good osteo or massage therapist in your area.

I'm with the ^^ last 3 comments, I had been having pain - that stopped me in my tracks.  To the point that I put my leg out of my van to get down and was cast (stuck)there for about 5 mins till I could work my muscles around and complete getting out.  I had a treatment  from someone who has just finished training  doing crainal-sacrical treatments and I am not walking/hobbling around like a cripple.  With my last pregnancy I was told that all that could be done was wearing a belly band which I got from the hospital which made little or no difference apart from a little support.  The problem hasn't completly gone and I have had on going problems with my lower back & sciatic and this is the best relief/result I have ever had!!

Golf ball's a good tip, thank you.  I have tried a heat pack to no avail so I'll try ice and get in touch with an osteopath too.  Thanks everyone.

Yip, I'm with everyone on the osteo. I had pain come on in month 4 from memory, and the ostoe was wonderful! It didn't go away completely, but I went from not really being able to walk without severe pain to minimal pain.

Sounds like you do. I had physio for all of my kids, and it didn't work, I spent basically 6mths of my pregnancy in horrific pain. I hated sitting down, and would always stand with my weight on my good side. I wish I'd been told about Osteo's.

Hope you get a quick fix Jo. What about a preggy pillow?

coldfish, I know where you're coming from as I had a prolapsed disc and sciatica for about 2 months. At the height of it I ended up in After hours at 1am getting a pethidine injection and was back there again at 5am for another

Anyway, I was lucky enough that surgery wasn't necessary for me but I managed a twin pregnancy without getting any back pain (aches yes but not pain) or sciatica. I hope it's the same for you!

Ohhh Jo I had this in the last few months of my pregnancy and it was hell!! I was in agony and my midwife said there isnt much you can do about it.

But what i found helped was a hot water bottle on the nerve and getting on my hands and knees when it falired up really bad. Mine got to the point where I couldnt even walk...
I'll find my thread about it..

ETA- I agree with the other comments to an extent, but my dad suffered from VERY BAD sciatica and he tried everything, physio, osteo, acupunture, and nothing worked.
Its one of those horrible pains that sometimes nothign will fix. I coudlnt afford to go and have any treatment on mine, so i had to suffer until the boy was born.

Edited by Sheza