Reduce Sciatic Pain Without Surgery

When the sciatic nerve, or the nerves surrounding the sciatic nerve are compressed or irritated, this is a condition called sciatica. The pain felt with sciatica is felt in various places throughout the lower body. The lower back, legs, buttocks, and feet may all be affected by pain. Numbness, muscle weakness, difficulty moving or controlling the legs, and a tingling sensation in the lower limbs are symptoms of sciatica discomfort. Surgery is not always needed to treat sciatica. There are ways to reduce sciatic pain without surgery.

Putting an ice pack on the sciatic nerve can help reduce inflammation of the nerve itself. Keep the ice on the area for ten minutes at most, take the ice off for ten minutes, and put the ice back on. Do this about two or three times, several times a day.

Stretching can also help with the pain. The piriformis muscle, located in the lower back and hips, is the important muscle you want to stretch if you have sciatica. The sciatic nerve runs directly through this muscle. By stretching this area, it will alleviate pain quickly. Stretching for sciatica should be done a few times a day at least. The best times to stretch are in the morning right after waking up, and in the evening before bed time.

Another non surgical way to help sciatic pain is to keep moving. Sitting or lying down in one position for an extended period of time causes the muscles around the sciatic nerve to tighten up. This causes an increase in pain. It's important to keep moving so your lower back muscles stay loose. It doesn't have to be vigorous movement, the point is to stay moving.

Icing, stretching, and small movement can all be done without assistance. There are some options that require the help of professionals. Such as physical therapy. A physical therapist can give you certain stretches and mild exercises to do which can alleviate the pain of sciatica. Part of the physical therapy entails making sure you have proper posture, strengthening the muscles that support the back, and improving flexibility.

Prescription drugs can be prescribed by a doctor to alleviate pain. Muscle relaxants and anti inflammatory drugs are the most common, however stronger medication such as narcotics can be prescribed. A more aggressive treatment option, but still non surgical, is being prescribed with epidural steroid injections. The doctor will inject you with a corticosteroid medication which is injected into the area that is affected by sciatic pain.

These are a few options on how to reduce sciatic pain without surgery.