Sciatica: How I Eased the Pain in My Back and Leg | Advance7
Sciatica nearly stopped her in her tracks: how Denise, 66, got moving again
Denise Holt · Age 66
For more than thirty years Denise Holt, 66, cared for people in their own homes. All that lifting and bending caught up with her in the end, and the sciatica that followed left her barely able to walk. She tells us how she got moving again.
Denise, tell us a little about yourself.
I’m 66, and I spent more than thirty years as a home carer, going into people’s houses and looking after them. Some of them I cared for years, you become like family. I loved that job, I really did. But it’s hard on the body, all the lifting and the bending and helping people up out of their chairs. I think after all those years my back just said enough.
When did you first notice something was wrong?
It started in my lower back, but the strange thing with sciatica is it doesn’t stay there. The pain went right down through my buttock and into my leg, sometimes all the way to my calf, with this burning, tingling feeling and a bit of numbness. There were days the sciatica pain was so bad I could barely walk to the kitchen. Sitting made it worse, standing made it worse, and a decent night’s sleep went out the window.
What did you do about it?
Carried on, mostly, which is what we all do, isn’t it. I took painkillers, sat with a hot water bottle behind my back, tried to rest it. I kept thinking it would settle down on its own. It didn’t. If anything it got worse, and after weeks of it I finally admitted I needed to get it seen to.
When did you find out what it actually was?
The GP told me it was sciatica. He explained that the sciatic nerve, which runs from your lower back all the way down each leg, had become irritated, and that’s why the pain was shooting down like that. In my case it was wear and tear in the lower spine after all those years of lifting. It helped to understand it, because when the pain is running down your leg you start to imagine all sorts.
What treatment were you offered?
He started me on the usual things. Stronger anti-inflammatories and a referral for physiotherapy, with a set of exercises to do at home. He was honest that sciatica can take weeks, sometimes months, to settle, and that in bad cases there are injections or, very occasionally, surgery. I did the exercises religiously and they helped a bit, but the pain was still there, and I wanted something I could actually use on it myself.
How did you come across Advance7?
My daughter found it, looking online for the best cream for sciatica pain. I was a bit doubtful, but I was willing to try anything by then. There’s Advance7 Gel you rub in, a spray for the parts of your back you can’t easily reach, which for the lower back is a real help, and capsules you take alongside. I thought, what have I got to lose.
What difference has it made?
My daughter rubs the gel into my lower back for me, and we use the spray for the spot right at the base of my spine that I could never reach. The rubbing seems to get the blood moving and it eases the pain, and being able to sleep through the night again made all the difference. I’m on the capsules too. I can’t say I’m cured, the odd day still catches me out, but the pain’s manageable now and I can get about, do my shopping and see my grandchildren. A few months ago I couldn’t walk to the end of the road.
What would you say to someone going through the same thing?
Don’t leave it as long as I did, hoping it’ll just go. If you’ve got pain shooting down your leg from your back, get it looked at so you know what you’re dealing with. And give Advance7 a proper go, it’s what worked for me when I’d run out of ideas. I spent too long thinking I just had to put up with it. You don’t.
Denise’s experience is her own and results vary from person to person. Advance7 is not a medical treatment for sciatica. If you have ongoing back or leg pain, see your GP, especially if you have numbness, weakness or any loss of bladder or bowel control, which need urgent medical attention.
Frequently asked questions
What does sciatica feel like?
Sciatica usually feels like a sharp or burning pain that starts in the lower back or buttock and travels down the back of the leg, sometimes as far as the calf or foot. Many people also get tingling, pins and needles, or numbness along the same path. It often affects one side and can be worse when sitting, standing for a long time, or first thing in the morning.
How long does sciatica last?
For many people sciatica eases over a few weeks, but it can take a couple of months or longer to settle fully, and it sometimes comes and goes. Staying gently active, doing the exercises your GP or physiotherapist recommends, and not sitting still for too long all tend to help it along.
What are the signs of sciatica improving?
A common sign that sciatica is improving is the pain easing back up the leg towards the lower back, rather than running all the way down. Less tingling and numbness, being able to sit and walk for longer without a flare-up, and sleeping more comfortably are all good signs too.
What is the average time off work with sciatica?
It varies a lot with the job. Many people with milder sciatica keep working or are back within a week or two, while a more severe flare-up, especially in a physically demanding role, can mean several weeks off. Your GP can advise what is right for your situation.
What exercises help with sciatica pain?
Gentle movement is usually recommended over bed rest. Common stretches include knee-to-chest, a gentle hamstring stretch and pelvic tilts, always within comfort and ideally guided by a physiotherapist. It helps to avoid heavy lifting and long periods of sitting while it settles.
What is the best cream for sciatica pain?
There is no single cream that suits everyone, but many people prefer a product they can massage into the lower back and the affected area for targeted relief. Advance7 is a natural pain-relief gel, and the spray reaches the lower spine, which is otherwise awkward to get to. As with any treatment, use it alongside the advice from your GP or physiotherapist.