6 Things You Can Do To Ease Your Sciatic Nerve Pain!

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Last Updated on November 26, 2020

Aging is inevitable. What you can try to avoid for as long as possible are the health problems related to age progression. Lower back pain is known to be one of the most common types of pain.

Approximately 40% of people will suffer from sciatic nerve pain at some point in their lives (usually during their forties and fifties, and men are more likely to experience this injury). But what is the sciatic nerve exactly?

It is the largest nerve in the human body, extending from the lower back to the foot, providing sensation to the skin of the foot and lower leg by connecting it to the nervous system.

Sciatica is a health problem often comes by a pain that extends from the lower back all the way down to the leg. Symptoms of sciatic nerve pain include hip pain, burning sensation down your leg, difficulty moving your leg/foot due to weakness or numbness, lower back pain, and pain on one side of the body.

Such pain can be so severe that it makes it harder to perform some of your everyday tasks or even limit your movement.

Before we uncover some of the methods used in sciatic nerve treatment, let’s see what are its most common causes.

What causes sciatic nerve pain

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The vast majority of sciatica (about 90% of cases) is caused by a spinal disc herniation pinching the nerve, an injury that is due to excessive strain or trauma to the spine.

Degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, muscle spasms, lumbar spinal stenosis, and pregnancy are other common causes. There are other risk factors such as obesity, lead a sedentary lifestyle, smoking, aging, and having a medical history of lower back pain.

#1 – ways to treat sciatica: Physical therapy exercises

Once the severe pain is controlled and you can get back to your routine, you should talk to a physical therapist so he can help you prevent future back injuries.

He will most likely recommend you very specific body exercises to correct your posture, strengthen your back muscles, and improve spine flexibility. The cat-cow and the bird-dog exercises are perfect examples of simple exercises that can help you a lot in preventing sciatica.

And don’t forget to stretch! Full body stretching can have the same effect as those aforementioned exercises. The butterfly and hamstring stretching are two of the most used stretching exercises to improve flexibility and strengthen specific muscles.

#2 – Footbath

Many people have noticed a decrease in sciatic pain after trying out soaking their feet in an apple cider vinegar bath on a regular basis. As you may know, apple cider vinegar is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and is often used as a traditional home remedy to relieve the symptoms of several inflammatory conditions.

Preparation: Mix 500 ml of apple cider vinegar and a cup of salt in a small bucket filled with warm water and soak your feet for about 15 minutes.

Dry them properly and put on some warm socks to guarantee that your feet stay warm throughout the night, If you stick to this procedure and do it at least 3 times a week (ideally before bedtime), you might experience pain relief after a couple of weeks.

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#3 – Acupuncture

Since we are talking about alternative therapies, acupuncture for sciatic nerve pain relief is a method that been used more frequently. And for very good reasons.

A study published in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine in 2015 concluded that acupuncture is a clinically valid procedure that can even be more effective than medication on a few specific parameters (such as in reducing pain intensity and increasing pain threshold).

It is worth mentioning that this ancient Chinese practice is considered a pseudoscience by western standards. This means that although it can have clear effects in alleviating some forms of pain, it can’t be used as a form of treatment nor does it offer any long-term benefits.

#4 – Hot and cold packs

Cold and heat can be applied in alternation to help relieve the pain and increase blood flow in the affected region.

Start by applying ice packs to reduce inflammation and reduce the pain in the first three days after you start experiencing acute symptoms. Do it for about 15 minutes every three hours. On the fourth day, start alternating it with heat therapy.

Using hot packs or heating pads will dilate your blood vessels, thus increasing blood flow and warming up the muscles, so you should apply them before performing any physical activity.

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#5 – Massages

Massage therapy is another great way to ease sciatica pain. It helps soothing tense muscles, thereby reducing the pressure they put on the sciatic nerve, while simultaneously stimulating the release of endorphins: a neurochemical that, among other things, makes you feel good (it is the same chemical released during sex, exercise, and eating).

There are several different types of messages that are used to alleviate sciatica: Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, myofascial release, neuromuscular massage, and hot stone massage, just to name a few.

There is no evidence to support the hypothetical benefits they provide, so we advise you to find a qualified massage therapist (preferably one with experience in treating lower back pain) and try a few of them to see which brings you the best results.

#6 – Medicines

Since there is no medication to treat sciatica per se, doctors usually recommend over-the-counter medications to deal with early symptoms and relieve the pain.

Aspirin and ibuprofen are great options, but they can’t be used for extended periods. If the pain is interfering with your daily activities, you should schedule a doctor’s appointment.

Anti-inflammatories, narcotics, muscle relaxants, and tricyclic antidepressants are the types of drugs that he might prescribe you.

There are two other habits that can ease your pain and prevent further complications: sitting straight with your back properly supported and both your feet touching the ground; and sleeping in the right position – the best sleeping position to take the pressure of the sciatic nerve is to lie flat on your back with your knees elevated by a small pillow.

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