Mail order - what works?

I know... the first thing that comes to your mind is, "What is she trying to sell me now?" Actually, I have one of the few web sites on sciatica that isn't selling anything. How come? I just got tired of doing a lot of searching for ways to relieve the pain that comes for sciatica.

What products haven't worked for me

I have tried Sacro Wedgy, and it did not help. It claims that placing this plastic wedge under your tailbone will relieve the pain. I found it awfully uncomfortable to lie on it for five minutes, let alone the recommended time. (I forget if it was 10 or fifteen minutes.)

For clarification, I tried Sacro Wedgy for approximately four months, and it did not help at all. One day in November of 2002, I received a rather mean e-mail from a marketer who works for Sacro Wedgy. I've posted his e-mail and my response to it here. In short, I was annoyed that a complete stranger said that I "... need to invest a little more time into taking responsibility for your own back care instead of making it worse by spending to much time in a computer desk chair slamming something that can help you." I didn't realize that my honest opinion and experience with the product is "slamming".

I then received another e-mail from the guy. The e-mail and my response can also be found in my diary by following this link. The most annoying comment that he made was calling my sciatica web site "[a] little out-of-the-way geocities domain". I am very proud of this web site, and didn't need a boastful jerk to make such a negative comment, when he was obviously frustrated that he couldn't get me to say that the product was great. From these e-mails, I don't recommend anyone dealing with Sacro Wedgy's customer service. I shouldn't have been treated this poorly, and neither should anyone else.

What products have worked for me

When my sciatica was mild, or when it was completely gone, I used an inversion table. I purchased one through QVC when I lived in the States. I think you can also get one on The Shopping Channel in Canada. You basically secure your ankles and then invert yourself on a sturdy panel. Your body weight and the angle of your inversion determine the stretch that your back gets.

I decided to try Dr Ho's message system. It's a mini Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator (TENS) machine that comes with a number of sticky pads, a manual, and a video that tells you where to place the pads to relieve sciatica. It provided me with some relief while I was in physiotherapy, but it has helped even more in conjunction with my acupuncture appointments.

What products I have yet to try

There was also some sort of ball that you enter. I can't imagine ordering something like that. I'd hate to be trapped in one of those, and be bounced around by someone seeking revenge...

Finally, I saw an advertisement in Reader's Digest stating that for $17 or so in American funds, I can order a book on how to relieve Sciatica. Since the dollar in Canada has been sinking for the last two months, I'm reluctant to buy the book yet. However, I'm curious to purchase it. If anyone has ordered the book, please let me know whether some of the suggestions have worked for you.