My symptoms had pretty much gone away until the Pfizer booster, now when its cold its back again at an old level of annoyance. Could be co-incidence but seems strange after 11 years without noticing it.
Funny you should say that Corona. I suspect Pfizer sensitizes something in someone susceptible. From the feeling I had on the first one, not a reaction as such but a definite feeling, I said on the second one I suspected it shouldn’t be given to someone with MS or similar - kind of irritating or sensitising the nerve sheaths in some way - and was pooh poohed by the doctor at the vacc centre.
Of course any new substance injected or ingested or exposed, or the act of penetrating with a needle, can probably do similar. Nothing’s perfect and I still would take the vaccine particularly Pfizer, again.
I was a bit suspicious though of why when supply of Pfizer got low they reserved it for the young only - anyone else was forced onto Moderna for their booster. Theoretically they are as good as identical but there’s clearly a difference, hopefully not a difference in risk, between them. Otherwise I don’t see why that was mandated.
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In my experience it is important to make sure you are buying full-spectrum CBD oil. This means that the other phytochemicals active in the hemp plant have not been entirely filtered out. It also means there should be some amount of THC, the chemical that gets folks “high,” although the legal amount of THC in CBD oils in Europe is so low that there is no psychotropic effect. The interaction of all the other chemicals with CBD greatly enhances the pain-killing or calming effects of CBD oil. But again, full spectrum oil will not intoxicate you. I think the maximum amount of THC allowed by the EU is 0.2 or 0.3% which is a tiny amount.
CBD oil is so expensive I think it is worth shopping around and getting a good full spectrum oil - there are physical therapists & doctors who are knowledgeable about doses and concentrations but, depending on where you are, there aren’t many of them. If you find one who seems reputable you might want a consultation. One advantage of seeing someone is they can give you dosage advice in mg.'s of CBD which is a more accurate way of dosing than going by the percentage/concentration. It can just save you a bit of trial and error.
I’ve only ever found one health professional & I’ve been using CBD for pain for quite a while. I’ve used CBD oil sublingually for joint pain and tension. I’ve found a couple of “ice” or “cooling” CBD gels/creams for topical use that really helped, but the companies tend to come and go so I’m afraid I can’t recommend a brand right now.
However, I think that making sure your oil is full spectrum is at least as important as finding the right dose - most prudent to work up from 5-10% but people react differently & many people tolerate a higher concentration right off.
That is what the company I linked to above provides.
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Yes, indeed. I forgot to mention in my screed that the company SuePJ linked to, Formula Swiss, makes excellent products. In general Switzerland makes some of the best CBD stuff around.
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I think the suggestion by Gabby is right on the mark in diagnosing the source of the pain and not just treating the symptoms. I could be a pinched nerve in the lumbar region of the spinal cord, causing symptoms of sciatica. It could be inflammation from arthritis, in which case placing ice around the affected joints could help. A rheumatologist specializes in these kind of matters and may recommend a CAT scan or MRI to look at what is going on in the joints. And relevant exercise for lower back strengthening often helps. Best wishes Stella
Ray
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i chomped down on tumeric root (.7 cm) in the morning and my fairly serious aches and pains went away pretty quickly. another thing that may trigger it is gluten and sugar. so try cutting out one for a week and then the other for a week. i’m on my 2 day sugar fast and feel much better.
Its said that tumeric on its own is not very well absorbed hence why golden milk and other recipes are around. The pepper increases absorbtion my a large amount and fats like coconut oil slow down the transit through the body if you get my drift.
Good luck with cutting out the sugars and other carbs, I havent look back since doing so and a number of friends are very happy shedding 2 stone of fat!
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Hi I am a physio.
May I suggest a definite diagnosis. OA of the lower spine can definitely cause sciatica, but, dependent on the type of OA physio treatment options vary. Straightforward OA (wear and tear) may respond to general mobility and strengthening exercises ( not necessarily Pilates although those are good for core strength and stability but be gentle and build up slowly NO double leg lifts for example find a physio who can teach clinical Pilates. A few mobility exercises and stretches first thing in the morning before getting out of bed should help. If on the other hand it is a diagnosis of Stenosis ( OA affecting the back of the joint only) then a particular set of exercises need to be followed quite carefully. If bending forward or sitting for a short period of time helps if the pain comes on with walking then it may be stenosis. An MRI would show this. Spinal operations are really last resort and steroid injections are into the spine are done usually by an anaesthetist or Radiologist and can be repeated after 3 months.
This may sound patronising but sometimes softening your mattress with a topper may help OA often prefers comfort over orthopaedic correctness. Have a go at changing your mattress and perhaps that will offer some ease.
Finally sciatica is awful but it will usually settle in time or at least become manageable.
Good Luck
Anne.
Think you might have meant to reply to OP rather than me? Hopefully a very helpful post for him.
(I have RA which has given me problems with alanto-axial joint amongst others, plus OA having added issues of stenosis, facet problems and herniated discs. All in all my physio is one of the most important people in my life!)
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Oh dear yes indeed! I am sorry for your own health issues , but as you say keep going with the physio! 
Pain is a serious issue. My right knee, my right ankle, my back …
But I did read an amusing review of a Sainbury’s Scotch Whisky “I bought a bottle of this because I had toothache. It worked” Awarded ***
Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences with pain relief. It has helped a great deal. Our main problem is that we are committed to moving to the Charente at the end of the month and Mary is not fit enough to travel as the pain is worse when sitting down. There is obviously a problem with the hip and back but the main source of pain is the swollen inflammation on the hip which seems to be getting worse. The osteopath has so far been the most helpful . We are still attempting to get a face to face appointment with the GP to obtain some medication to reduce the swelling. Meanwhile Mary is just applying a cold compress as often as possible and we have just received some CBD from boots but will look into the other suggestions asap
Sounds like you need to get to France as soon as possible to get proper health care!
Even at the worst of the pandemic I was still able to see my GP face to face…
Probably a silly question, but have you tried full strength ibuprofen? Ie up to 1000mg a couple of times a day. Prescription anti-inflammatories would be better, but if you can’t get them right now then this could be worth a try if you’ve not done so already.
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If my arthritis is bad I take cocodamol 500/30mg - maximum of 8 a day.
If the pain gets really bad, then I also take naproxan 250g (with omeprazale 20mg to line the stomach).
Due to the potential side effects, I try not to take naproxen unless its absolutely necessary.
I don’t think anyone has mentioned acupuncture - invaluable for pain management. I had chronic pain in my right foot due to cracking a bone and then onset of O-A. Two sessions with the acupuncturist and pain gone.
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The CPD oil from Boots does work! It may not kill the pain much but helps Mary to get some sleep which is a big plus. Physio seems to be a long term solution. The osteopath gave some excellent advice. The telephone conversation with the GP did not go well.
So Mary is taking low levels of codeine to make the pain bearable cannot therefore take ibuprofen which she is allergic to anyway cold compresses which again relieves the pain and the CBD capsules which at least helps her to sleep and relax.
Unfortunately the swelling is spreading to the back . Mary is hoping the cold compress will eventually reduce it.
We checked on the recommended Swiss company which Mary is keen to try as she knows from past experience Swiss products tend to be very high quality but they don’t do oral CPD products just oils and creams.Are the oils applied where the pain is or any part of the skin?
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The oils ARE oral. you take them as drops. 
Thanks Sue I thought so but had to check. So we’ll give them a try
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We totally agree! The good news is our CPAM accounts are still active from three years ago. I’ve checked with NHS overseas and we don’t need to apply for a new S1 but they are sending us a letter with an update including our new address which we are to take to our local cpam office. How soon we can make use of our carte verte I don’t know but it sounds promising.
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