I found that physical therapy accomplished little, but exercise, especially walking or running UPHILL helped immensely. Walk or run hills, or set your treadmill to an uphill setting, the higher the better. An eliptical exercise machine set to a high resistance will accomplish the same thing. USE IT OR LOSE IT is the key. The less I exercise, the worse I do. Try this...
Also, I find that rather than taking an antiinflammatory on a regular basis, taking a large dose of Motrin (600 to 800 mg) ONCE during a flare-up, or one big dose every couple of days during a flare-up, works best. That way, I am far less likely to suffer the side effects of regular usage of the antiinflammatories.
Look into piriformis syndrome online. THis may be your problem and there is a surgery.
Just read about it and see if it sounds like you.
Good luck.
Denise
Facet disease has lots of other names but it basically is arthritis in the articulating surfaces of your spine. It is caused from overuse injury mostly, especially from extension. The only way to truly diagnose to see if this is what is causing pain is to do a facet block. They basically numb the nerves in the area and if your pain improves then thats where you are hurting from. If that is a sucess they can perform a facet neurotomy or sometimes called facet rhizotomy where they go in and burn the nerves which can keep you pain free for 6 months to a year. I am getting this procedure done in a month, so I can't wait to not hurt. They can only do one side at a time though, so you have to decide which side hurts worse, lol.