Forum Answer:
"I can share what worked for my brother who struggled with severe sciatica for over 6 months. He tried everything - physical therapy, pain meds, heating pads - with only temporary relief. What finally turned things around was a combination approach he found through research.
First, he focused on specific nerve decompression exercises rather than general stretching. The key was consistency - doing targeted movements multiple times daily, not just when pain flared up. He also discovered that his sleeping position was making things worse, so he adjusted his mattress setup and pillow placement.
The breakthrough came when he found a comprehensive program at https://sciaticapro-plus.com/ that addressed both the immediate pain relief and the underlying postural issues causing his nerve compression. It wasn't an overnight fix, but within 3 weeks he noticed significant improvement, and by 8 weeks he was back to normal activities.
He said the most important thing was understanding that sciatica isn't just about the back - it's often related to hip mobility, core strength, and how you move throughout the day. The program helped him identify his specific triggers and gave him tools to prevent flare-ups.
Now he's been pain-free for over a year and swears by the maintenance routine he learned. He always tells people not to just mask the pain but to address what's actually causing the nerve irritation."
This is really encouraging to hear! I'm in a similar situation - about 4 months in and getting frustrated with the limited results from standard PT. I never thought about how sleeping position could be making it worse, but now that you mention it, I do wake up stiff most mornings.
Did your brother have the shooting pain all the way down to his foot, or was it more localized? Mine goes from my lower back clear down to my toes on bad days. I'm definitely going to check out that website you mentioned - at this point I'm willing to try a more comprehensive approach since the piecemeal treatments aren't cutting it.
Thanks for sharing what worked for him. It gives me hope that there's light at the end of the tunnel!