Sciatica help needed.

**El Gibbon** · 29-11-2008, 11:54 AM

This is what I do, but no guarantees it will work for you... first a couple of Ponstan available at any druggy.... anti inflamitory, don't let the partial outline of a woman put you off. It works, take a couple to start with and then one every four hours or so.

As for physical treatment: this is a remedy given to me by a military therapist many years ago and it also works.

get on the floor on your back, no pillow, place a chair under your calves to support your legs. This should result in a couple of 90 degree bends. Your hip to knee should be vertical and the knee to ankle should be horizontal. 15 to 20 minutes in this position relaxes all the muscles in your back. (actually have doctors tell me its the ONLY position where each muscle in your back is relaxed.) This is important since the constant pain is typically due to muscle spasms that result from the initial pinching of the nerve.

Keep you hands palm down on the floor adjacent to your hips.

I used to do this in my office every couple of hours and the first time my secretary poked her head in and ran and called the ambulance and fire trucks, thought I had passed out, fell from the chair and whacked my head... pretty funny when all the dust settled.

when you sleep try and keep the same alignment with pillows under your legs or whatever you have at hand. If you sleep on your side keep your neck in line with your spine with a pillow or towels etc. also put a pillow between your legs so that your hips stay pretty much squarely aligned with your spine.

As for stretching, from the positioned outlined above on the floor, raise each leg - bent knee- and GENTLY pulling the knee with your hands try and push your kneecap to your chest. Three to five times on each leg and then do the same with both.. Increasing the pressure each time you do a rep will gently stretch the muscles.

Hot compresses work as do the balms available here.

Good luck, having suffered with a back injury for 40 years I know how frustrating it can be... Rest, Ponstan, posture and stretching will eventually get you upright.

E. G.

**MeMock** · 29-11-2008, 12:31 PM

Great info, thanks EB.

I will try and get someone when they next go to town to get me some Ponstan, and a chair (we have just moved in and still don't have any furniture!)
I have some balm already so will increase that.

Who would have thought it would be so hard to find a chiropractors details online for Ubon. Should I just turn up at a private hospital and assume that they would have one on staff?

**Thetyim** · 29-11-2008, 12:48 PM

I used to get terrible back pains.
One of the most useful items I found in thailand was a wooden item which looks like a pair of tits and you lay on it with the wood in the bit that hurts.
Worth a million baht and costs 20 baht

**arunah** · 29-11-2008, 02:18 PM

I am just recovering from a two week spell of Sciatica, man that hurts.

I decided to control the pain with medication, and having recently had a shoulder operaton and remembering what the surgeon prescribed for me I just bougt the same drugs. Arcoxia, which is a Cox2 Inhibitor to reduce pain and inflammation and Tramadol which is an Opiate based pain killer (strong as feck so careful)

I would certainly reccomend a visit to the doc to make sure you are not likely to have an adverse reaction to the medication.

As someone said earlier, rest is a good option and I have just lay down for 10 days being pampered, but three weeks in, you need further medical investigation.

Maybe have a look at NHS online, they do a interent help line as I recall.

good luck

**arunah** · 29-11-2008, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

Causes........alcohol...........we were out on the piss 2 weeks ago were we not.?

For years I had problems with my neck and left arm. Went to many specialists in Oz and even Singapore when I was there on a job.

In soo much pain and decided to try the Bangkok Nursing Home on Soi Convent just off Silom. After discussing the problem with the department head, 2 x-rays and he had me straight into traction, daily ultra-sound treatment for a month and regular exercises at home.

Touch wood never had a problem since and what I had was 2 fractured vertibrae at the top of my spine and from memory due to a Moari cvnts tackle playing rugby. The pain was caused by the bones floating and piching the nerves running down my left arm to my fingers.

Don't know if that doctor is still there but he was brilliant with this sort of thing and the hospital has a very good reputation.

Good luck mate.

LT, was that Dr Suthee, Head of Rehabilitation? If so he is now at Bumrungrad, excellent Doc

**Nawty** · 29-11-2008, 04:20 PM

TRy this, stretches the back naturally and nice and straight. Worked for my back, although not sciatica, but a vely vely angry brahman bull many years ago that rammed me into a fence post with a bolt sticking out of it.

Any way. this exercise, you could make it up yourself very easily....you rest your elbows and forearm on the horizontal arms and let your body hang. It stretches all your back with the weight of your lower body and it does it straight down with the force of gravity.

Do it several time a day for a few minutes and it helps, might stretch out the muscles and nerves and stop them from being pinched.

Now i am not a doc, I am many things other than a doc....so up to you.

**LSNEED** · 29-11-2008, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by Tao

I'd advise a visit to a good chiropractor. I had back problems and sciatica for almost a year and wasted my time seeing regular GP's who prescribe you pain killers and recommend light exercise.

The chiro told me exactly what was wrong and after 1 treatment i'd say i was 85% better. I saw him a couple more times after that and i reckon it took me a month or so to get back to full strength.

Agree, usually a chiro will have you feeling better fairly quick, if not then the right meds might help.

**Nawty** · 29-11-2008, 06:37 PM

I think JJ can get the right meds from the Laos sneaky border crossing.....my back is also playing up a little lot.

**LSNEED** · 29-11-2008, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by MeMock

I have Sciatica

It started 2 weeks ago and has gotten so bad over the last 5 days I have been basically bed ridden apart from the odd painful trip to the bathrom. (Which is why I have been posting more crap on TD lately...sorry)

I went to a health clinic and picked up some pills.

They gave me this to take which doesn't seem to be helping Myopas tab - drug information from MIMS (Thailand)

They also gave me some Ibufen.

Are these two pills any good? Both at the same time? One or another?

Has anyone else had it? How long for? Any other treatment ideas?

Be sure they have you correctly diagnosed.

This kind generally involves either the nerves and/or the surrounding muscles. Inflammed nerves and tissue with muscle spasm.

The myopas will only relax the muscles.

Generally Voltaren (over the counter) available as pills and salve will help relieve inflammation. You can usually take up to 200 mg of pills per day.
The inflammation takes time.

Reparil (over the counter) especially effective for nerves, take up to 200 mg a day to start, when you feel better lower to 60 mg a day.

I have used these over the years, thus I have checked to make sure there are no side effects. These two can be used together.

Be cautious, many drugs can cause you interior bleeding, watch your poop, blood many times only shows as very dark black poop, which might be might be bleeding inside, unless you are eating a lot of chocolate or dark greens.

There are many many drugs available for this "type of condition."

One time in my life, I had really really bad pain and my doctor gave me a combo(inflammation and relaxation) shot in the upper back muscle that jump started my recovery which covered around 5-6 weeks.

I wish you the best and hope this provides you with some help.

**chitown** · 29-11-2008, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by MeMock

My biggest problem is that I am living in rural issan

Are you near Surin?

There is a Vietnamese acupuncturist in town there that cured a shoulder injury I had suffered with since 1995.

10 years of pain and being told nothing could be done and after several visits to him in 2005 I have been pain free ever since.

**LSNEED** · 29-11-2008, 06:53 PM

Originally Posted by MeMock

What caused it was a sneezing attack of all things. I had a hay fever attack as soon as I had woken up so it was before my body had warmed up resulting in an injured lower left hand back, base of the spine. It was very sore for a few days and then slowly I noticed the pain travelling down my left leg which then got worse every day until finally I couldn't walk anymore.

Just read this part, definitely try to get a muscle relaxation shot from a doctor, it will relax the muscles that are in spasm. Pills take time.

**terry57** · 29-11-2008, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by MeMock

I am assuming it is being pinched given it happened after hurting my back. This is the first time I have ever had it.

I am fighting between advice that rest is the best cure and from people here are saying about stretching, playing golf etc. Maybe I should be out going for a walk instead of wallowing in selfpity on my bed.

Melvbot, any stretching suggestions?

If you have pain in your lower back and its now shooting down your leg you more than likely have a pinched nerve or a disk bulge.

The best thing you can do is get yourself to the nearest hospital and get a cat scan to ascertain exactly what is going on.

Don't fok around, get to the hospital and get it sorted.

**Boon Mee** · 29-11-2008, 07:56 PM

Acupuncture is the answer.
Broke my neck in Singapore some years ago - C!, C2 and cracked C3.
Only thing that got me back on my feet with no pain was Acupuncture.
I'm a believer...big-time.

**Tao** · 30-11-2008, 02:07 AM

Originally Posted by Thetyim

I used to get terrible back pains. One of the most useful items I found in thailand was a wooden item which looks like a pair of tits and you lay on it with the wood in the bit that hurts. Worth a million baht and costs 20 baht

This one is interesting Thetyim, you got any pictures of this thing? The reason i'm asking is that that the first thing my chiro had me do was lay down on a couple of small blocks for about 20mins. Sounds like the same thing, although it might be a little tough to get them into the right position on your own, especially if you don't know what your doing.

**davearn** · 30-11-2008, 06:01 AM

worst pain you can have, did a 3 week course done by workcover when injured my back at work,
mainly walking and pool exercises, Its not till you experience the pain that you want to remove your back done.
you cant sit in a chair or car without pain, having a shit causes pain even putting on soxes and undies causes pain.
i have used several types of anti inflammatory VOLTARAN is good but must be taken with food gas build up is bad other wise and that hurts when you fart,
disk compression and swelling cause the pain in lower back and extends down leg and into ankle in some cases,as much as you just want to lie down its the worst thing.
I bought a TENS machine on the net $100. its what sport injury clinics use
It consists or a unit the size of a mobile phone with leads that come out of it and go to sticky pads which you attach to your pain effected area, you switch the unit on and regulate the intensity of the electric pulse, and can also regulate the intensity of the bursts on another dial, be careful you set low other wise you will jump ou of your skin.
This pulsing numbs the area slightly and stimulates the surrounding muscle and gets the body to start repairing that area.
After using machine start walking and increasing the intensity on the dials you should be able to get the unit up to full settings in 15 minutes just a bit at a time.
The results are mind blowing i used to use mine 4-5 times a day pain was gone after using unit,
Chiros are a waste you cant manipulate a flattened disk pressing on a nerve, but you can train you muscles through excercise and walking to accept the weakness on one side or your torso.
I could stand in front or a mirror with my hands by my side and see daylight big time through my left side between my arm and my body. The muscles had stretched on one side of my back causing the disk to press on the nerve,
there is an operation out now to chisel the bone around the nerve and remove the spur its called
Discectomy this link explains it

Discectomy Slipped Disc Surgery: Patient's Guide
there are aussie links as well
You cant understand a bad back until you have one and unless you walk it out the pain is there to flare up again and again.

laminectomy Laminectomy Back Surgery for Spinal Stenosis Pain Relief | Spine-Health
good luck with it

just realised i am using davearns pc as i am visiting him and its signed him in automatically
Corvettelover

**terry57** · 30-11-2008, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by davearn

You cant understand a bad back until you have one.

^
Truer words never said.

The most important thing is that you get a correct diagnosis as all back injuries differ and the treatment also differs greatly.

Some require total rest flat on your back and some require you to walk them out, manipulation and treatment.

I foked my back in Borneo last year and ended up in Kota Kinabulu emergency ward hardly able to move. Fok, that was an experience.

Anyway, turned out somehow I had bulged a disc, 4 months later I finally got back to work after being on light duties and lots of rehab to strengthen up my back.

The initial treatment was to lye flat on my back all day, the worst thing for it was sitting, standing or walking, total rest was required.

My point being, all these remedies the lads are giving you are a load of old bolliks until you find out exactly what your problem is, once you get the diagnosis you can begin the correct course of action to treat it.

You may very well be prolonging your agony and damaging your back further by foking around asking us muppets why your back is hurting.

Get the Cat Scan done A.S.A.P.

**MeMock** · 30-11-2008, 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by LSNEED

Originally Posted by Tao

I'd advise a visit to a good chiropractor.

Agree, usually a chiro will have you feeling better fairly quick, if not then the right meds might help.

Originally Posted by LSNEED

definitely try to get a muscle relaxation shot from a doctor, it will relax the muscles that are in spasm. Pills take time.

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

Acupuncture is the answer.

Originally Posted by Thetyim

One of the most useful items I found in thailand was a wooden item which looks like a pair of tits and you lay on it with the wood in the bit that hurts.Worth a million baht and costs 20 baht

Originally Posted by Corvettelove

Chiros are a waste you cant manipulate a flattened disk pressing on a nerve, but you can train you muscles through excercise and walking to accept the weakness on one side or your torso.
r

Originally Posted by terry57

The most important thing is that you get a correct diagnosis as all back injuries differ and the treatment also differs greatly.

Some require total rest flat on your back and some require you to walk them out, manipulation and treatment.

My point being, all these remedies the lads are giving you are a load of old bolliks until you find out exactly what your problem is, once you get the diagnosis you can begin the correct course of action to treat it.

You may very well be prolonging your agony and damaging your back further by foking around asking us muppets why your back is hurting.

Get the Cat Scan done A.S.A.P.

I knew when I started this thread I would get a lot of different advice and I thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to tell me what has worked for them.

Terry I guess has summed it up pretty well also as every person is different (I wouldn't say talking bollocks Terry

)

Today I managed a small walk of about 100m down the road, rest and then 100m back. Could be I am on the mend, call also mean that I just took more drugs (which I did although I still don't have anything that is really strong... yet)

I found out that someone else in the village has the same problem as me (we think) and he got an injection that I am guessing was a muscle relaxant from someone in the next village (not trained as far as I can work out) I asked them to get a name of what it is he wants to inject ,e with so I can look it up first before accepting or not. Other then that It looks like time to hire a car and drive the two hours to Ubon in the hope of finding a half decent hospital.

Thanks again.

**Norton** · 30-11-2008, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by MeMock

Other then that It looks like time to hire a car and drive the two hours to Ubon in the hope of finding a half decent hospital.

My well be the answer to the back problem. If I ride the motorsi too much, as you've been doing lately, my back begins to bother me as well.

**Johnny Longprong** · 30-11-2008, 02:16 PM

You have probably had enough bush doctors with advice already, but I will jump in anyway.

A couple of years ago I had this problem (55 years old and wearing fast). I had been clearing some bush by hand and trying to pull plants out of the ground. I think you know the process.

I consulted the local doctor, who was about as much use as tits on a bull. The gear he prescibed to ease inflamation didn't do anything much.

Luckily, a local remedial massage girl and her Osteopath partner helped me with a combination of massage and stretching/twisting exercises.

Of course the solution to your problem is unique to you, but my feeling is that I created my problem with a long period of physical inactivity before taking on a huge physical activity. My massage sheila reckons that she has heaps of patients who are there as a result of a sneeze, so you are not alone.

Good ruck. I do feel for you. You really don't appreciate good health until you don't have it eh?

**Jools** · 01-12-2008, 03:34 AM

Wish I could offer more than condolences. There are several articles on the web suggesting certain exercises that benefit those with sciatica, but if your case is bad enough to leave you bedridden, then I suppose such activity is out of the question. I have bouts with this nuisance and long plane rides are torture. Ibuprofen and Celebrex seem to work best for me.

Originally Posted by MeMock

I have Sciatica

It started 2 weeks ago and has gotten so bad over the last 5 days I have been basically bed ridden apart from the odd painful trip to the bathrom. (Which is why I have been posting more crap on TD lately...sorry)

I went to a health clinic and picked up some pills.

They gave me this to take which doesn't seem to be helping Myopas tab - drug information from MIMS (Thailand)

They also gave me some Ibufen.

Are these two pills any good? Both at the same time? One or another?

Has anyone else had it? How long for? Any other treatment ideas?

**forreachingme** · 01-12-2008, 11:48 AM

looks like most of people have to go through this between age 30 and 40 !

I had a serious back problem after lifting on a bad way some heavy weight, could not seat, barely walk for near 6 month and each doctor told me, nothing can be done...
One doctor, came then with the idea of cortisone shots, made 2 or 3 each following week, 10 year off the pain now !

A friend had bad problems of back as well one year ago, could not walk anymore! transferred to hospital in Korat and they just made it worth only... He feeled once that they displaced a nerv, bad pain they added!!
Not going better we moved him to Bangkok and he went to one american shyro who made him extension scessions, expensive and not really efficient...

Returned to korat and went to a local massage healer! this one made wonders in no time! He placed backk all displaced nerves and release the pnched ones..The friend is doing fine now, 1 yar after...

Few healers around korat, heard about many pain relieved after consulting them, by people who had problems with back or neck...

Displaced nerves, my mother had that as well few month ago, in Switzerland, doctors talked big about operation and other big treatments, she went to shyro and after one scession she was able go up the stairs alone again, at age 75...

**MeMock** · 02-12-2008, 02:06 PM

Update: Things are on the improve! Two days ago I forced myself to get out and go for a small and painful walk but I think I was the better for it. Yesterday after the recommendation on here to try the drug Ponstan I finally managed to get some and boy they sure did work better then the Ibufen I was on so yesterday and today I have been going for a few walks and even managed to sit down on a chair for about 15 minutes! managed to brush the kids teeth and put them to bed as well last night so I think the pills are allowing me to do more which in turn is helping a lot as well.
There is light at the end of the tunnel and I don't think it's a train.
Thanks all for your help, I will keep you in touch with my progress.

**melvbot** · 02-12-2008, 02:14 PM

It does sound like a nasty case of it. My dad gets it worse than I do yet the golf always makes him get up and out, hes never been bedridden with it AFAIK.

**MisterStretch** · 02-12-2008, 03:57 PM

You need to stretch, MeMock. Get on all fours and gently ease your butt back down on your legs.

I've had back problems for the last 30 years and am sometimes in terrible pain. Sciatica is a major pain in the ass, no pun intended.

The ibuprofen is a good anti inflammatory and that's somethine you need right now.

You also need to stretch, MeMock. Get on all fours and gently ease your butt back down on your legs. Do this 20-30 times.

Then get on your back, pull one knee up to your chest, leaving the other flat on the bed/floor. Release the knee and straighten it out. Do this 20-30 times for each leg.

These exercises will help loosen those muscles that are drawing up and giving you the nerve-hurting sciatica.

Once you are reasonably ambulatory, get on a bicycle. What a great way to stretch out those problems, as well. Swimming is one of the finest things you can do.

Originally Posted by Nawty

Try accupunture. There is a chinese hospital in Bkk if you can waddle down to it, very good at accupunture so I have heard.

I also agree with this. I've been using acupuncture for the last 9 months as I've been really sedentary and have allowed my muscles to draw up too much. My treatment starts with electroshock, then very hot heat, the suction cups on the back and finally the needles.

Works well. After just a few good treatments you should be mobile.

Good luck...it ain't fun being bed-ridden.

**El Gibbon** · 02-12-2008, 04:33 PM

Glad to hear you progressing, Ponstan is my personal "wonder drug" for back pain. Have introduced it to several others with similar results.

E. G.

BTW I think I've been JAILED>>>

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