The longest and widest nerve in the body is the sciatic nerve. Originating from the lumbar spine and running down the legs while crossing through the thighs and hip, sciatica nerve ends below the knee. Since it covers major parts of the body, there is not just one reason which could lead to sciatica pain.
Sciatica pain is considered as one of the most excruciating as well as challenging one to treat. However here we will discuss some of the most effective tips that can help you get rid of sciatica pain. We have categorized them into three major sections as home treatment, different therapies and through medical interventions. Continue reading to find out about them.
Treating Sciatica At Home
Although managing the pain at home is not a long-term treatment, it can give you instant relief. There are different types of sciatica exercises that have seen helping people making their pain bearable. However, it is advised to consult your doctor before starting any exercise. Once they give a green flag, you may start anyone.
Yoga- There are many yoga asanas which are easy, safe and beneficial against sciatica pain. However, at the same time, it is essential to perform them only under a trained yoga expert. Always start gently and make sure you are doing it correct or else the problem may get worse.
Pilates- Utilizing low-impact exercise, pilates work on the muscles and stabilize them. They strengthen the abdominal muscles in the front and side of the body and support the back in such a way that helps to overcome the low back compression.
Stretching- Anne from Free Your Spine mentions that, stretching the body as soon you wake up and right before going to bed gives beneficial results. You may find different easy stretches for sciatica pain online that can help to combat the pain instantly.
Sleep Well- It is essential that people who suffer from sciatica pain take proper sleep in the correct posture. Less sleep may worse even the mild sciatica pain. Get the best mattress and pillow that suits you and practice adequate sleep hygiene to overcome the problem.
Eat Well- Diet that contains food low in fat and sugar are anti-inflammatory, therefore considered best for sciatica pain sufferers. Although they will not give instant relief, they will maintain healthy body weight and low levels of inflammation in the body.
Treating Sciatica Through Therapies
Adding professional help to your home remedies will be highly beneficial. Some of the therapies to get rid of sciatica pain include
 Sciatica Massage- It helps in releasing the muscle tension and giving relief in back and sciatica pain. Mild to moderate pain is seen getting relived with the help of special sciatica massage.
Acupuncture- Unblocking the energy points, acupuncture has no side effects and has been observed to make people get rid of sciatica pain after many focused sessions.
Physiotherapy- There are certain exercises in Physical Therapy that when done with proper care help to combat sciatica pain. Generally, physiotherapists make a pain management plan that you need to obey for relieving the pain.
Chiropractic- It focuses on finding the misalignment in the spine through different ways like manual manipulation or with the help of special invasive instruments. Once the root cause is found, efforts are made to correct it.
Treating Sciatica Through Medical Interventions
If the pain is severe and none of the home treatments or therapies is helping, interventional approaches are still there to ponder. Medical interventions for sciatica pain relief ranges from least to most invasive. Some of them include
TENS Therapy- Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) therapy blocks the pain signals to reach the brain from the affected area. It is one of the minimally invasive interventions which help in pain relief and is completely patient-controlled.
Injections- Pain relief injections containing inflammatory steroids and an anesthetic are injected into the affected areas of pain. Another benefit of using injection is it also helps in diagnosis by assisting in finding the precise location of the pain.
Radiofrequency ablation- It uses mild electric current delivered through an electrode inserted at a strategic point in the body. Using X-ray or fluorescence, doctors position the electrode in the exact site of the nerve pain. Along with the electrical application, a steroid is also injected to minimize inflammation. The primary goal of radiofrequency ablation is to damage the nerve that sends pain signals to the brain.
Surgery- When none of the less invasive techniques fail, surgery is the last option to consider. The success rate of surgery is very high. Although when it is combined with the above approaches, the results are astonishingly great.
Conclusion:
Sciatica pain is terribly annoying even when it is mild. Therefore, attempts should be made to prevent making it worse and severe. Targeted exercises, proper diet and physical therapies including the above approaches should be performed in the initial stages to make it manageable.
