It's a muscle in my backside that's pressing on the nerve, apparently. It's not spine related. I take tablets each day to suppress the pain. It's always there in the background, but it's tolerable. Certain things do make it act up, though. That manifests itself as a "Pass out or puke" feeling, due to the tablets suppressing the pain. I know when I feel like that, that I've pushed it too far. Fortunately, I've done neither of those yet, but that's the effect I feel.
This's why I've never used painkillers as such for anything, in the past. Pain lets you know when you're pushing it too far. You suppress the pain, however, & you can pass the limit without realising, & then it manifests in other ways.
Damned if I do, damned if I don't. I wouldn't be able to do my job if I didn't take the tablets.
Occasionally it does also decide to give me a quick, notable pain reminder that it's still there. People must think I'm tapped when they see me talking to my leg, & calling it some choice names
I thought I had sciatica for years in my left leg but it is caused by the same thing as you.
I have been to numerous chiropractors and physios with it who told me it was coming from my back but they never fixed it properly.
It took a yoga teacher to diagnose me. He noticed my pain during a yoga class and talked to me afterwards. He spent many years studying alternative therapies in India and had learned massage as well. He also treated sports injuries. I visited him at his studio and he examined, pulled and prodded me.
Then he started stretching and massaging my hip muscles. It was quite painful but afterwards my leg pain was gone. He said my back is injured but it was not causing my leg pain. It was due to the tight hip muscles pressing on the nerve. He said it was very commonly miss diagnosed as a back problem but usually caused by tight muscles. Very common in folk who stand in 1 spot for long periods like soldiers or cops on guard duty.
Anyway I had a few stretching sessions with him and the pain was gone. He also taught me a few stretches similar to yoga poses and if I feel the pain coming on I can sort myself out.
I can really recommend yoga for getting you free and flexible and easing pain.
