Sciatic Nerve Pain Relief
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"If sciatica pain is making your life miserable, here’s a video I did that may help you find sciatic nerve pain relief fast.
The exercises focus on stretching the piriformis muscle and mobilizing the sciatic nerve.
Thanks for watching this video. I hope you found this video helpful in relieving some of your sciatic nerve pain.
Gotta question or comment? Let me hear from you. Fill out the form below and click the submit button. I’ll answer you shortly.
Dedicated to Erasing Your Sciatica & Back Pain
Malton A. Schexneider, PT, MMSc
The Back Pain Expert
Hi,
I have a bulging disc/ + herniated disc within the L2 - L5 area. (2 years ) In the past few months I’ve experienced a ‘clicking’ in my left hip/ache down the outside of the left thigh /ache continuing to the L knee and down the front of the lower L leg. My physician says it’s a tendon although it feels like bone. Last week I had a large muscle spasm on the L side of my back - tremendous pain. I was off work for 5 days. Although I’m also trying to lose about 30-50 lbs. which are a factor to my pain , is there a group of specific exercises I can do daily in addition to the ones you’ve shown in your video ?
Thank you !
Carmen,
Thanks for your question.
The “clicking” sound you hear is probably a tendon snapping over a bony prominence.
Although it’s good that you’re losing weight, you really need an a program that accurately targets your problem. Only then will you experience lasting relief.
If you haven’t already done so, check out my back pain relief program at http://eraseyourbackpain.com/program.
The program is designed to accurately identify your problem and then address those problems very specifically.
And, if you have medical insurance, the entire program is fully covered most of the time.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Malton
Excellent info! I believe I have Piriformus Syndrome. Pain in L butt + down left leg sometimes as far as my ankle. I have never had pain in the leg like this before. Pain worse when standing and lying down. Goes away almost completely when seated (does this tell you anything?). Using RMT, chiropractor and had accupucture treatment yesterday. Getting temp relieve but symptoms come back. All of them concur with PS diagnosis. Have been doing your stretch…seems to help but muscle seems to want to go back into spasm. Just persist with what I am doing? What about physio?
Thanks for your help.
David Lee
David,
Thanks for your question.
If you are getting some relief from the stretch but then the muscle goes into spasm again, I suspect:
1. Very irritable piriformis muscle for which I would recommend piriformis trigger point injection or a steroid sose pack.
2. Further diagnostics (MRI, CT) to rule out nerve emtrapment from the spine.
3. Another mechanical problem leading to the onset of the piriformis syndrome.
If option 1 or 2 doesn’t help, you may want to check out my program. The cost is $97 and is guaranteed to work. If I can answer any other questions, let me know.
Malton
Hi,
I am having terrible pain, especially early in the day, every day. It is in the right side of my lower back and hip and extends down the outside of my thigh and into my calf and foot. It hurts worse when I sit. Can you help?
Betty,
Thanks for your question. Your symptoms sound like an issue related to sciatica.
Here’s what I would do…
Begin a 10 day regimen of an over the counter anti-inflammatory medication - 4 Aleve per day or 9-12 advil/ibuprofen per day taken with meals works well. If you’re taking blood thinners or other prescription medication, DO NOT DO THIS, CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR
Do the exercises in this video four times a day.
What to look for…
1. If after a week things are great and you’ve got your life back, GREAT! Shoot me over a heart felt “thank you”.
or…
2. If after a week the exercises help but the symptoms return, your problem may be a little more involved and would require a little closer look. If this is the case, email me at backpainhelp@gmail.com and I’ll do a free personal consult with you.
or…
3. If after a week you’re no better, email me and I’ll explain your options.
Too many times people attempt a “shotgun” approach to sciatica treatment. I much prefer a system of “rule outs” so that i can get to the core of the problem fast.
Once the problem is identified, treatment for sciatica is much easier and less expensive for the patient in the long run.
Let me know how things turn out.
Malton
Hi do you do the exercise on both legs or just the one thats hurting?
Dee,
Do both sides but do twice the number on the involved side. Let me know how that works for you.
Greetings and thankyou for ll of this info!
I have L4 / L5 heriations and have been diagnosed with nerve root compression. The onset of pain occurs and intensifies as I stand or walk on a hard surface for as little as 15 minutes. I get immediate relive sitting and have no pain while laying down…thank goodness!! Physical therapy did little. Steriod injections (3) brought short term relief. My pain has returned even more sever.
I am going to begin your stretching exercises and pray for relief. A close friend did not get relief until surgery……..I fear that I’m heading in the same direction.
I am unable to do this particular exercise because it is painful to bend on my knees. I have two knee replacements. Do you have an alternate excersise?
Carolyn
I get this question all the time. Here’s what you do…
Sit in a chair and cross your leg like a man would sit. (e.g. right ankle on left knee)
From this position, simply lean forward
Let me know how this works
I look at this exercise in great hope. but i cant get beyond the ain in m body to get into any of these formations. I have anklosing spondylitis, of which is painful all by itself, but thats not soo much which has me in dire pain. i also am suffering from what i call an extreme case of Sciatica in my left leg. it is soo painful that i cant do anything, even with the slightest movement of the muscle. it feels like lightning is shooting through my leg, and i pretty much can hardly bend the leg or walk for that matter.. im only 25 and my only source of movement around my apt is with a walker.. i take soo many NSAIDs and yet it still takes me sometimes over an hour to get out of bed and literally drag myself to the bathroom or wherever… is there anything that u would recommend in m situation or what are your insight on acupuncture? im soo eager for relief from this immense pain.. and i thank u in advance
Brian
I AM 70YRS OLD AND HAVE PAIN IN MY KNEES WHEN BENDING ALSO WHEN I START WALKING MY RIGHT KNEE IN PARTICULAR CLICKS AND I EXPERIENCE PAIN IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO TO RELIEVE THIS
How come my Sciatica pain is much worse after I wake up, especially after sleeping on a bed? I can hardly sleep, and not for more than 2 hours at a time.
I have been in pain since January 2008. Going to my neurologist to only be asked to take Motrin 800 and Darvocet. Had 4 epidurals to mask the pain. Nothing has worked. I decided to see a Chiropractor. I feel some relief, some…. I am thinking of surgery but not sure about this yet. Have to take care of my mother. I started doing the exercise you recommended to Carolyn. Will keep doing it from now on and will let you know if it worked. Thank you.
I have had both knees replacesd and have rods (5) and screws (8) in my back at which time one screw has backed out and a pocket of fluid has formed around it. I need exercises that can be performed safely.
My problem is a sciatic nerve irritatio — cause not yet pin-pointed (pinal, piriformis syndrome, other. I have been following your videos, but cannot get your video on sciatica to show (I click on the link, and see nothing. I see the other videos without any problem. Would appreciate your assistance, and comments.
Hi Malton. Nice to be able to contact you like this.I live in Scotland and had you been nearer I would have been visiting your office.I had knee replacements ten years ago and I thought that when the pains came on it was the breakdown of the replaced joints. However radiography showed no sign of trouble in the joints and my medical said he would get me an appointment to see a consultant. I was told that I would get an appointment in 18 weeks (NHS) time.
I did think I had strained the hamstring muscle and had it looked at by my massuse and she said it was not that .
Then this week I looked up the INTERNET and came across your info on Sciatica symptoms and back pain. I am trying your exercises and already have found a considerable relief. I have noticed you said three times a day so will be in contact later. Many thanks . Ian. I am 84 so getting in shape again. regards
thanks for ur video. I find it useful but I donot have much pain but discomfort in lower back, buttocks, and thighs is persistent…there is occasional burning senation and tingling in thighs and feet.. Discomfort is realised more in sitting position, though there are frequent wake up after about 4 hrs of sleep…exterior of right leg gets stiff and painful on rising in morning but it gets ok after mild walk. Is it sciatica? I m 52 with 66kg meat and 172cm height..no bp, no diabetes but chrnonic sinus with persistent morning sneezing….Regards/ Suresh
Sounds like sciatica to me but I couldn’t say for certain without more information. The fact that it gets better with activity suggests muscle involvement.
Let me know if I can help further.
Hi Malton,
Thanks so much for the exercise in dealing with the sciatic nerve.At present i’m on medication as my problem is too severe,as soon as i’m able to,I will for certain start using your advice.Thanks again,
Kind regards,
Steve Byrnes.
Thank a million for the video but my problem is that my thight is as if there is a screw driven into it that it does not allow the muscle to flex for easy movement.
I literally push myself to move and the numbness on my feet makes me unstable. my hip muscle is not free with tingling pains
it all started one evening as i try to lift a weight with someone that i night i could not sleep because of pains on lower back. its been on like for the past four months now.
You are a gift to mankind
kris
NIGERIA
Dear Malton,
Thanks for your helpful info on your site. I wanted to ask your counsel on something. About a month ago, after a pregnancy, I had painful lower back pains with sciatica when sitting, could not get around well and had to take pain killers. I rested for about a week, did some stretching and exercises and all seemed back to normal.
Then about a week ago, the pain returned in a flash, the sciatica wsa horrible even though I tried to stay in bed as much as possible, still whenever I would get up it was just as bad as before. The bad thing was that I had to make a long flight from India to New york and then Amtrak to DC. The first half of my journey was quite painful with the sitting and I was taking Myospaz. My left leg starting having muscles spasms al the way from the upper thigh down to my calf.
After a few hours of that, my leg seems to have partly gone to sleep, starting feeling tingly and slightly numb and all the pain is gone.
I am in DC now and I can walk around quite well with no pain, but my leg continue to feel slightly numb and partly asleep and weak when I lean my full weight on it. I am not sure if this is all okay or a sign that things are actually worse. What would you advise?
Your pregnancy may have affected things in your low back. I recently talked about this here: http://eraseyourbackpain.com/sciatica/sciatica-and-back-pain-during-pregnancy-3-exercises-for-fast-pain-relief/
let me know how this worked for you
Hi Malton,
Apologies for not getting in touch with you sooner, I have been bowled over by a flu bug and this, on top of my back pain, has put me out of action.
My Dr has diagnosed me as having sciatica and assures me that things will improve and that the pain will go away. However, having put up with this for two months, during which time the pain has worsened, I have lost faith in his promised relief. The pain has become so severe that it cripples me and I can’t seem to find any position that is comfortable.
Initially I would go to bed and be awoken by pain in my left buttock. It felt as if I had been kicked in the left buttock and then the pain would increase in severity until I was almost at screaming point. Often when the pain is not so severe in my buttock, pain develops right down the back of the affected leg, to my ankle. The latest development is a burning sensation which alternates with numbness on the surface of the thigh on the other (right) leg. If I put weight on the leg while it is feeling like this, I experience a sharp flash of burning pain.
I am wondering what exercises or what else can I do to ease the suffering. The pain has taken over my life. I am taking strong painkillers that the Dr prescribed but even they don’t give me much relief. Before getting the strong painkillers (DHC 60mg), I took Ibuprofen (400mg) twice daily and didn’t get any relief.
Can you please help me? I look forward to hearing from you,
kind regards,
Trevor Gilmour
Hi Malton, I found your site to contain some valuable information on sciatica. Thank you for that. I have left sided sciatica and have been suffering with it for many years. I have tried many different options but I have not been able to get more than just temporary relief of my sciatic pain. I have done a lot of research and came to the conclusion that my sciatic pain is caused by more than one condition. Firstly by a buldging disk in the L5 S1 region, secondly from tension or irritation in the Piriformis muscle and thirdly some problem with the left psoas muscle also causing pain in my left shoulder. Could you please suggest some exercises or a way of treating this combination of causes that might provide me with some relief of the symptoms? Furthermore, do you think it would be possible to permanently put an end to this type of sciatica? Your advise on how to approach this type of sciatica will be greatly appreciated.
My Wife has been haveing the pains everyone else is talking about pains all the way down to her feet. She has been to a Ortho whom has said it seems it was a Sciatica gave her Motrin and light pain killers and to follow up with her PC in two weeks .It wasn`t a week later we were in the ER in Bad pain once again Motrin and light pain killers . By the time we got a appointment with her PC He told us it wasn`t a Sciatica. He told us he was going to request A MRI and send us right back to the Ortho that we started with inthe first place.I have done a little bit of reading on the subject the break down of the back and stomach muscules my have some thing to do with this. She has put on about twenty pounds in two years and she used to wear very high heels four fifteen years could that have something to do with it? One or Both.She just started you streching exercicees to day I am hoping this will help; and what it you r theory on ice or warm mosice heat ?
Thank you ,AS Moore Phx.,Az.
i i have had very bad sciatic pain for over a year i am on maximum pain killers intiflamitories and paracetamol with no relief, i have had a couple of steroid injections which didn’t work, i am at the end of my teather, this is effecting my work which i love and swimming my main love.
i can’t walk around the shops and find it difficult even getting from my car and walking 100 yards,about six months before i had two disc herniations removed which were well on the mend, then i jus woke up one morning in horendous pain, can you suggest anything, the local NHS pain clinic dischrged me saying i have to manage the pain myself which is chronic,
I have severe pain across right back to hip all down right leg, right side of shin ankle and into right foot. MRI apparently showed a L5 pinched nerve . Will the above exercise help and how often should I do it.
I’ve looked at both your videos and you show a specific exercise. What you don’t say is whether we are supposed to do this exercise with both sides of the body or just the side you show in your video. Thanks for you time.
Hi Malton
First can i start by saying what a wonderful person you are to dedicate
your hard work and video to the free world,I’m only sorry we cannot meet.
I have received your second exercise video and i am wondering were i sit with all this before i start the programme,I have unfortunately gone through the main pain barrier before i found you.
My problem is my back pain starts at the lower lumber goes through the groin to the top of my thigh to my knee, my back then goes into a curve.
My posture is usually good and upright. My muscles are good, as i am in construction. 1 year ago i had a severe bout of pain and discomfort which led me to have MRI scan and was diagnoised with 4 compressed disc’s. The surgeon said that he did not recommend any surgery at this time. The pain settled down and i have been ok for the last 10 months, but when it comes back it takes such a long time to get better again.
The thing i find strange is i can do any exercise without pain but the pain is there and i cannot put my finger on it, I get strange tingling from the lower back to the top of the thigh this happens in spasms, it feels like the nerve is trapped, so do i carry on with the programme
,
I hope i have explained myself ok. I am 63 and i live on one of the Greek islands.
Yours Sincerley Barry
thank you once agin, for the videos. they are very helpful.
thank u so much about these info. and we will continou our cotact to get the great benefit from u
thanks
Dear Malton,
i truly believe i am having sciatica pain although my pain is mostly on my right knee. my knee has some swelling. an MRI revealed that i do have a stenosis of the L-5 (mild), my back does not ache at all just my buttocks (sciatic nerve) but would that cause my terrible, constant knee pain? i am limping and it hurts less when sitting. i just started your excercise today. hope it works.
Dear Malton,
For the past three months I have had sever sciatic pain on my left side. When I sit for over 20 minutes its almost impossible to stand up because of the pain which runs down the left side of my leg. Once I manage to put my foot on the floor and stand up with lots of pain it finally goes away. I have tried the chiropractor and had accupucture treatment, For the past two weeks I am doing exercises which seem to work for a short time, but the pain still returns every morning when getting out of bed and sitting down. I will try your suggested exercise to see if that makes a difference. Any other suggestions would be sincerely appreciated. Regards, Don
Dear Malton,
This exercise looks great, but the thing I always worry about is that I’ve had a complete hip replacement on both my hips, and I’m always terrified that I’m going to dislocate one or both of them.
After the replacements (10 years apart) one leg has ended up 3cm shorter than the other, which I’m sure is putting my back out all the time. I use a stick all the time, and hate it. I’m now in a vicious cycle of not doing too much because of the pain, and not doing too much causing more pain. I’m lost in all this. I so need some advice, but can’t afford physiotherapists, and though here in Australia if one is on a Pension (I am) medical treatment is all free, but . . . . . . . . there can be up to a two year waiting list for specialist doctors, physios etc. My problem is considered very minor (they should be ME!), and consequently I’m just offered more and more painkillers - right up to morphine. No thanks - I had drug problems in my youth, and am NOT going that route again.
If you feel you could help this chronic pain (I’m a young 64!) I’m willing to get your course, but if you feel you can’t help me I can’t afford anything that will not do me some good, at least.
Thank you so much for the way you help people, and for all the advice on your site that you provide free. This makes me feel I can trust whatever you might decide in my case.
Sorry for the long-windedness, but of course it’s ME I’m writing about, and often I feel no-one understands that it TRULY does hurt to do almost anything - I’m fed up with the “just get up and do it” approach from so many people, they DON’T understand.
Yours most sincerely,
Leah.