_{Welcome to Sciatica Help. The UK’s most extensive sciatica relief website.}

Written by a real life former sciatica sufferer and detailing the experiences of other people with sciatica. I’m going to share with you my story of how I went from being in agony from my leg, hip and butt pain to living a pain free life. I’ll describe my experience of being in so much pain I was actually on the verge of tears, to the joyful realisation one day that sciatica was no longer playing a major part in my life. I’ll show you some of the sciatica relief tips, coping mechanisms, strategies, pain reduction techniques and treatments I use to take control of my pain. Leading to one where sciatica is no longer a, or as often was, the focus of my attention!

If you’ve tried sports massage, acupuncture and physio etc, strong pain tablets and still finding no sciatica relief then I want you to know I was in the exact same situation. Excruciating pain down the whole of my leg, worse than the actual back pain, agony to stand or walk for more than 10 minutes, nerve pain (Neuropathy), pins and needles, numbness and weakness. Not only the physical effects but also the mental ones too, lack of sleep, worried about work, missing out on life, family and friends. It’s hard to be positive mentally when you’re living in pain.

_{^{It started as acute sciatica.}}

About 8 years ago I had several episodes of acute sciatica, lower back pain radiating into my butt cheek, leg and hip. Over the next few months or so this would swap back and forth between my right and left side. Some months I would be fine and others the sciatica would come back and flare up. When experiencing a flare up my GP would advise a course of the normal low level tablets, ice and gentle stretches, this really didn’t lead to any sciatica relief. A further visit to my GP and this time I was given a stronger anti inflammatory and pain relief tablets, again no real significant improvement, some mornings I could hardly put my socks on!

^{_{It then became chronic sciatica.}}

After a few years of coping with regular bouts of pain and not getting any better I started researching potential sciatica cures or natural remedies and embarked on numerous massage, acupuncture and physio sessions. Although these had a temporary relieving effect (a few days at most) the pain would return and no matter what medicine the GP gave me the pain was an ever present thorn in my life. By this stage I had chronic sciatica and the pain had moved permanently to my left side.

I make my living as a wedding photographer so luckily most of the time I’m sat at home on my computer editing photos (sitting down reduces my discomfort), this also gives me a chance to ice my back, which is great for sciatic pain relief. Unfortunately, on an actual wedding day, I’m on my feet for the best part of 10 hours, a lot of that time carrying a weighty camera bag over my shoulder.

Standing (or walking) on my feet is the main trigger to bring on the very painful symptoms that I used to suffer from. On a wedding day I found I’d be spending more mental energy thinking about my back and leg pain than I was on the actual photography!

It got to the stage where large parts of my life were being determined by my sciatica! Before I left the house I would rub anti inflammatory gel on my back, make sure I had pain relief tablets on me. Ensure I had ice gel in the car. I’d be working out how much walking I’d have to do, will I have to stand for any significant amount of time, will there be somewhere to sit when I get there, if not can I even go there at all? Can I walk 1/2 a mile home or do I need to call a taxi? Can I do a big shop or shall I just grab some bits? Will I be able to do two weddings back to back over a weekend? Something had to change!

^{_{By now I’d had sciatic pain for 4 years.}}

4 years ago I went back to the GP and pleaded to have an MRI scan to get to the bottom of my pain. The diagnosis was general wear and tear to my lower spine causing friction to my sciatic nerve. The solution? Nothing could be done! He said I’d always have it and now it was just a case of how I managed it. I was referred to a physiotherapist who showed me some daily stretches and routines to ease the pain. When I say ease it, it would go from pain level 8 out of 10 to 7.5! So by now I’d been living with sciatic pain for the best part of 4 years and was just resigned to the fact that this was how it was going to be.

_{^{I was on the verge of tears.}}

About 2 and a half years ago I was in Rome to watch Italy v England in the Six Nations rugby tournament. I went with my wife and a few other couples from our local rugby club for a long weekend. As with any city break we did a lot of walking, wandering around the sights and standing queuing at attractions – great, a chance to crouch down and stretch out my back! My sciatica was bad, depressingly so, maybe worse than it had ever been.

On the third day I wanted to see a photography exhibition at a local gallery and so my wife went off with our friends and we agreed to meet later. Walking around the gallery I could barely go more than 2 minutes without crouching down to get some small element of relief (I was already on my daily routine of anti inflammatory gel, then alternating anti inflammatory and pain relief tablets, with a dollop of ice gel thrown in for good measure). I left the exhibition and headed off to meet up with my wife.

I could barely walk more than 50 yards without stopping, the pain was incessant. Moving down a quiet alleyway I found a secluded spot to rest, stretch and rub in some more ice gel, anything to get a little sciatica relief and respite from the agonising pain, this was probably my lowest point, I was actually on the verge of tears. After a while I managed to get myself together and made it to the pub where my wife and friends were. At last I could sit down – and numb the pain with some alcohol!

_{^{My back pain felt better.}}

Later that night I was talking to one of my friends, who worked in healthcare, and she said “you shouldn’t be in this much pain, you’ve got to do something. Promise me you’ll go back to the doctors and get it sorted”? When we returned from Rome I made an appointment with my GP and told him the difficulties I was having. He suggested a new pain reduction tablet I’d never had before. It actually did make a difference! For the first time in a long time my back pain felt better. Just to be clear, I was still experiencing pain, but not at the agonising levels I had been, maybe a 6 or 7 out of 10.

Some of the issues with strong pain relief tablets is that they can make you feel groggy in the mornings and some users experience weight gain. To me this was a small price to pay if it meant my pain would be reduced. At work though my back pain was still present and always a distraction, particularly towards the end of a long day when I’d spent many hours on my feet. So I started looking at ways I could reduce the pain level even further.

_{^{Could CBD offer any sciatica relief?}}

Should I try some for myself to see what all the fuss was about? I did a lot of research into what it was, what it wasn’t, what dosage, cost, different types of CBD etc. After a week of comparisons I settled on a simple low strength oil and a balm type lotion. One of the recommendations when starting on CBD is to start low and slow, i.e. take your time to build up to a dosage and frequency that feels right for you. In the first week I started on 2 drops of oil in the morning and afternoon and after about 7 days added in another 2 drops early evening. At this stage I wouldn’t say the difference was dramatic but I could tell my pain was definitely improving. After 2 weeks of being on CBD along came my first big test, a wedding. Normally, as mentioned before, a wedding would be a real struggle for me as I’d be on my feet all day. I kept waiting for the bad pain to kick in as normal but it never really fully developed. I could still feel the painful discomfort and the odd strong twinge but not the excruciating pain I’d become used to.  

_{^{What a difference, my back pain was barely a 4 out of 10!}}

The next week my dose was 3 drops morning and afternoon and 2 drops early evening. By now I could tell my pain was much reduced and started to believe that maybe I’d found something that was actually making a difference. Another wedding that weekend and I started the day with 4 drops in the morning and 3 in the afternoon. What a difference! All day the underlying pain was barely a 4 out of 10, at times it was like a 2 out of 10! (remember my pain used to be 8 out of 10).

The following week I had a gig to go to on the Friday night. I used to love going to watch live music, I’ve been to Glastonbury, Isle of Wight festival, V, Reading etc. But standing for any length of time was just so painful it was hard to enjoy myself as much as I could’ve without the pain. This particular week I’d bought some CBD capsules (similar to cod liver oil capsules) as these are easier to take on the go. With the oil you have to take drops under the tongue, this needs to be done in front of a mirror so you can see how many drops you’re taking and also, because it’s an oil, it tends to leak if the bottle isn’t kept upright. I took a few drops of oil before I left the house and pocketed one of the capsules for later (the capsule had the equivalent of 5 drops of oil). At about 8.30 I could feel the oil I took earlier wearing off and my pain becoming noticeable so I took the capsule.

_{^{For the first time in 7 years I actually felt pain free!}}

At 9.00 the main band I’d come to see (Diiv, in case you’re interested!) came on stage and launched into their set. By this time I’d probably been on my feet for 3 hours+ and also throw in a one mile walk to the gig from the train station. Prior to CBD this would have been a very painful night for me. As I started to slowly sway to the music I became aware the slight pain I had was beginning to subside. A few more songs in and I was starting to stomp my feet and move my weight from one leg to the other, something I hadn’t done in years as I always favoured placing my weight on my right side. It was then I realised I couldn’t feel any pain, and I mean ANY pain. For the first time in 7 years I actually felt pain FREE!

I can honestly say since that night sciatica is no longer an issue for me. Some days it feels like I’ve never had it! I take a fairly low dose of CBD every day (more if I know I’m going to be on my feet) and I use the balm occasionally. For less than 60p a day I have my sciatica under control to the point where it just doesn’t bother me anymore.

_{^{I now get so much sciatica relief I’ve completely stopped taking traditional pain killers.}}

After taking CBD for 6 weeks I was so confident of my dosing and its effect I started to reduce the pain relief tablets I was still on. I slowly cut down over three weeks until I stopped taking them altogether. The only thing I take to manage my pain now is CBD oil.

_{^{I can honestly say CBD has changed my life.}}

Since that gig night I’ve swapped and changed different oils (sativa and indica strains), brands and potency and have settled on one 10mg capsule first thing in the morning, then maybe 3, 4 or 5 drops (2.5mg per drop) of oil as a boost later in the day if I know I’m going to be on my feet for any length of time. I’ll also use the balm if I feel my back beginning to get niggly.

I can honestly say CBD has changed my life. The sciatica relief I now feel enables me to go to the gym most days, during lock down I was going for hour plus walks, weddings are fine for me now, standing in queues at theme parks, not a problem. Sometimes I’m even called upon to be the linesman (assistant referee) at my son’s football matches!

_{^{The sciatica relief I feel since taking CBD oil nearly had me in tears (again).}}

Earlier I mentioned I was on the verge of tears in Rome when the pain was so bad. The only other time I nearly cried over my sciatica was a few months after I started using the CBD oil. I was telling my wife about how great it was and it just made me think of all the previous pain, the worry, the bad mornings, the interrupted sleep and just the whole mental anguish I’d endured for over 7 years. My voice was going and my top lip was beginning to quiver, I was getting emotional!

_{^{Sciatica relief is possible. Sciatic pain can be managed.}}

This website was created to share with you my, and others, experience that sciatica relief is possible and that sciatic pain can be managed. Ice, heat, stretches, posture, physio, furniture, massage, surgery and other natural remedies can all play their part. We’ve spent hundreds of hours researching and many years living with sciatica. I’d like to share with you the natural sciatica remedies and treatments that made a difference to me and what other sciatica sufferers have said worked for them. 

_{^{Please please do not let doubt stop you from living a pain free life.}}

If any of the above sounds familiar to you, you’re experiencing sciatic pain, trapped nerves, tried the usual strong pain tablets your GP advised, physio etc. If nothing is giving you any sciatica relief then I would 100% recommend you visit the remedies page to see what other treatments are available.

“When told by my GP that nothing could be done for my sciatica I doubted anything would ever help. I now lead a pain free life”!