pinched sciatic nerve pain

[ILLEATYERFKNHART]

Been struggling with this for 5 years, I have no pain when working or working out. But when I take a couple days off from everything the pain comes on hard. Anyone else here have the same problem? What stretches or pain killers work best for you? Chiropractor and doctor don't help much just prescribe me painkillers and tell me to stretch more.

[Lunk1]

I t is most likely do to a buldged disk. When you move around blood flows to the disk and the swelling goes down. When you stop moving the swelling increases. If you have had the pain this long you could have caused permanant damage to the nerve. Does the pain run to your knee or to your ankle???

[johnnylucifer]

Same issue here. I, along with many other people on this forum, suffer from lower back issues.

In fact, from what I've seen so far, you could change the name of this website to "Bodybuilders with lower back problems.com", and the same guys would continue to show up.

Hopefully, you just have some inflammation (Due to a bulging disk). Go see a doctor, and ask for prednisone (or equivalent). That has cleared me up several times.

Then, watch your business because you'll be prone to messing it up again. Here are my rules and you can apply as you see fit...1) Careful with any over-the-head moves. If you start arching that lower back, you are using too much. That actually goes for bench pressing as well.2) Don't do deadlifts and squats on the same day. 3) When doing Squats and deads, warm up well, and don't do too many sets.

[Lunk1]

Ice NOT heat and take time off to let the swelling go down. Honestly if you have had nerve pain THAT long you should see a Doc and get an MRI done. Good chance you may have perm. nerve damage!

[Times Roman]

Same issue here. I, along with many other people on this forum, suffer from lower back issues.

In fact, from what I've seen so far, you could change the name of this website to "Bodybuilders with lower back problems.com", and the same guys would continue to show up.

Hopefully, you just have some inflammation (Due to a bulging disk). Go see a doctor, and ask for prednisone (or equivalent). That has cleared me up several times.

Then, watch your business because you'll be prone to messing it up again. Here are my rules and you can apply as you see fit...1) Careful with any over-the-head moves. If you start arching that lower back, you are using too much. That actually goes for bench pressing as well.2) Don't do deadlifts and squats on the same day. 3) When doing Squats and deads, warm up well, and don't do too many sets.

thanks for the laugh. but it's true................!

[MickeyKnox]

i recommended you dont' do ANY deadlifts. take it form a guy with two microdisectomys. and if you're going to do squats, make sure you use strict form. personally, i use the smith machine for squats. for me, it makes all the difference in the world.

[Lunk1]

i recommended you dont' do ANY deadlifts. take it form a guy with two microdisectomys. and if you're going to do squats, make sure you use strict form. personally, i use the smith machine for squats. for me, it makes all the difference in the world.

Got one of those under my belt as well ;(. From deadlifts and bent over Tbar rows. Now deadlifts are light and mostly staright leg and I squat light but concentrate on ROM.

[LT75]

I have the same issue. Try the foam roller at the gym and loosen up your glut and hamstrings. I use the roller also after injections. Massage therapy works too. Just tell the therapist you have sciatic issues. Did they say how your nerve is located(through the muscle,along the muscle). Lots of times tense muscles put pressure on the nerve, or like stated above, it could be a bulge putting pressure on it. There are the days where norco is needed to relax and sleep. Another thing that helps if you have morning pain is a memory foam mattress, but they are expensive. Most have a satisfaction guarantee, so you can return it after a month or two.

[greenwell001]

Get an inversion table, works like a charm.

[ILLEATYERFKNHART]

Get an inversion table, works like a charm.

I've been dreaming of one for years.. tried one and loved it.


I honestly think chiropractors are a joke, he just cracks my back and sends me out the door.. the only thing that works for me is t3's and time. I should look into getting an MRI done. Squats don't bother me only deadlifts, sometimes leg extensions and rows. It just pisses me off that I have to be an old man when I'm on days off and trying to relax. Has anyone got rid of the pain completley? And if so how?

[MickeyKnox]

on cycle i barely feel it.

[Lunk1]

I've been dreaming of one for years.. tried one and loved it.


I honestly think chiropractors are a joke, he just cracks my back and sends me out the door.. the only thing that works for me is t3's and time. I should look into getting an MRI done. Squats don't bother me only deadlifts, sometimes leg extensions and rows. It just pisses me off that I have to be an old man when I'm on days off and trying to relax. Has anyone got rid of the pain completley? And if so how?

Are you speaking of the sciatic nerve pain. If so then yes...several times. About 14 years ago I was doing heavy t-bar rows and when I dropped the weight oain shot through my back. Dropped me staright to the floor. I basicly stopped lifting and after alot of rest the pain went away. I believe this was my first herneation. Fast forward to about 5 years ago. I had been hitting the gym hard making great gains. Life was good. I could lift a house. I attempted to deadlift 495, pulled up and down a crashed..couldnt walk outa the gym under my own power. I tried resting it, chiro, massage, meds you name it. I got back in the gym and started to feel better. Not 100% mind you but better. I started squating again and fugured i would go light and build my way up...yep you guesses it 315 and down I went! I wasnt able to stand up straight till half way through my day and I was getting some tingling down my leg to my knee. But by afternoon I was standing straight and the pain was tolerable.Sooo back in the gym I went but NO more deadlifts or squats. I had adifficult time bending over and picking up weights and the more I tried to lift the wrse I would feel afterwords. Within a month I cldnt tie my own shoes or stand up straight all day. MRI was done and I had a severe buldge in my L4/L5 and a small buldge on my L5/S1. The top was was pinching the nerve so bad that the irratation and swelling would never go away. 3 rounds of epi floods and eating oxycodone like popcorn did nothing for me. A decision was made by my Nuero to do a discectomy surgery. He allowed ne to wait until after deer season lol. They put me under ealy in the afternoon, by super time I awoke and felt like a million bucks. I still have reminders and warning from my back when I am overdoing it and I have learned to communicate with it. It soeaks and I listen. Heavy deadlifts and squats are never in my future again but I have geneticly sexy legs so I will survive.

Moral of the story. Do not mess around and get the MRI done.

[MickeyKnox]

too funny, L4/5 and L5S1 are the exact discs i had operated on.

[Lunk1]

They are the most common injured. Thank god I did not suffer a rupture. I would hate to think of a fusion. Those guys are NEVER the same again.

[Fenix E]

I also have sciatic nerve issues. I find that if I stretch throughout the day it helps alot. Also pre and post working out. Also, I lift 6 days on 1 day off. On my one day off sometimes I go to the sauna and hot tub. This makes my entire body feel great, but also helps alot with sciatic nerve issues. Motrin sometimes takes the pain away, or Flexiril if I need more of a kick. If the pain is still there after all this time, and say it runs to the knee or even as far as the ankle, I would take Lunk1's advice and get an MRI my friend...

[Lunk1]

I also have sciatic nerve issues. I find that if I stretch throughout the day it helps alot. Also pre and post working out. Also, I lift 6 days on 1 day off. On my one day off sometimes I go to the sauna and hot tub. This makes my entire body feel great, but also helps alot with sciatic nerve issues. Motrin sometimes takes the pain away, or Flexiril if I need more of a kick. If the pain is still there after all this time, and say it runs to the knee or even as far as the ankle, I would take Lunk1's advice and get an MRI my friend...

Fenix...I would avoid a hot tub or sauna when you are having lower back issues. Most often it is because the muscles are swollen and pulling on the back. You can further irratate them with heat. You need ICE to bring the swelling down. Just a warning for the wise. Good luck!