Possible Sciatica?

Uptheduff

I've had what I think is a trapped sciatic nerve for the last month or so. It's not painful exactly more just uncomfortable. When I'm sitting down for a while I can feel a twang in my right buttock going down the back of my thigh. I can do movements to relieve it short term but it ever fully goes away. If I'm sitting for a while my cheek will eventually go numb.

Has anyone any clues what this is or what I can do to get rid of it for good?

jlm29

Uptheduff wrote: »

I've had what I think is a trapped sciatic nerve for the last month or so. It's not painful exactly more just uncomfortable. When I'm sitting down for a while I can feel a twang in my right buttock going down the back of my thigh. I can do movements to relieve it short term but it ever fully goes away. If I'm sitting for a while my cheek will eventually go numb.

Has anyone any clues what this is or what I can do to get rid of it for good?

You should look to be referred to a physio in your maternity hospital or local primary care centre. It’s free, and you should be prioritised. How many weeks are you?
I had similar trouble, all through 4 pregnancies. It definitely got worse throughout each one. Also worse on each pregnancy. The thing that helped most, which I only discovered on baby number four was foam rolling my gluts. But there’s other stretches and strengthening exercises that might help too, depending on what the physio would find on a full assessment

Uptheduff

Thanks for the feedback, I'm 19 weeks.

jlm29

I would definitely start with stretching your ITB and trigger pointing your glutes (foam roller or sitting on a tennis ball). Both can get very tight in pregnancy, but definitely look for a proper assessment too!

Pistachios & cream

Get referred for the physio and see if they can do any manipulation to your pelvis to release the nerve.

I got a bout of sciatica that lasted about 2-3 weeks but it was horrendously painful it started off as stiffness and ended up that I couldn’t put any real weight on that leg without pain. Luckily the baby moved and the nerve released.

I also did a hypnobirthing course and in it My husband also learned massage techniques for my pelvis. It involved me sitting on an exercise ball with him behind me manipulating my hips. It’s meant to help in labour but This really loosened my hips and gave me a full range of movement so maybe look into pregnancy massage.

Yellowmac

You poor thing sciatic pain can be miserable. Like pistachios, I also got a really bad flare up in the last few weeks and thought how am I going to last the rest of pregnancy with this pain it was torture but luckily eased off again after 3 weeks so baby must have shifted. You should definitely get it checked properly to confirm that's what it is. As others have said foam rolling the glutes helps, and there is a stretch called seated pigeon stretch that helped to relieve mine. You also need to be careful how you sit especially if sitting down for long periods in the evening to watch tv etc. Try to make sure your bum never goes lower than your knees if that makes sense?! As that position was what caused me the biggest problem (the toilet was the worst!!) So feet on the ground but bum raised on a cushion or similar. GP told me to avoid the couch altogether but I'm too lazy for that! Some people swear by siting on a yoga ball instead of couch as it can keep your bum in line with knees. None of this is expert advice only what worked for me! Feel better

Skybirdjb

Oh you poor thing , like most of people here I also had this ...... def get referred to the physio in the maternity hospital they are miracle workers I swear .!
Hot water bottle was my go to thing behind you on the couch

honerbright

What everyone else said - get to a maternity physio soon as. My pain started at about 11 weeks and all my doctors passed it off as sciatica and didn't refer me to anyone. Turns out it was to due the the hormone relaxin that you body releases when you're pregnant, it got even worse after birth and it took 6 months of intense physio after my son was born to deal with it because it was left for so long.

Uptheduff

Thanks for all the advice guys, glad to know I'm not experiencing something completely off the wall. I have my 20 week scan soon, I'll ask about a physio referral then.

jlm29

Uptheduff wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice guys, glad to know I'm not experiencing something completely off the wall. I have my 20 week scan soon, I'll ask about a physio referral then.

Actually, your 20 weeks scan will probably be done by a sonographer rather than a doctor. They will probably just tell you to ask the doctor. You could get your gp to refer you sooner

bee06

Uptheduff wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice guys, glad to know I'm not experiencing something completely off the wall. I have my 20 week scan soon, I'll ask about a physio referral then.

Depending on your hospital the wait times for a physio could be quite long so I’d get it started ASAP.

Skybirdjb

Not sure if you still can but I rang the physio dept in the maternity hospital myself and they gave me an appointment I told them I would take anything they had cause at that stage I couldn’t even walk . I was there weekly then from 23 weeks . They were so good