Most of us know what sciatica means and that is low back pain that radiates/spreads into the buttock down into the leg and sometimes into the foot. The pain can be mild to excruciating, but fortunately, if it is mild sciatica can usually be alleviated in 3 months. These are a few non-invasive conservative treatment therapies that can be done at the house.

 

 

Here are a few at the house sciatica remedies for people who started experiencing sciatic nerve pain or whose pain is not severe. But you should get a doctor’s approval before trying any of these at the house therapies.

If sciatica has been present for a few weeks or the low back and leg pain has become debilitating you should see a doctor.

House Tip 1. Exercise is OK & Beneficial

It might seem strange to exercise when you’re in pain, but research has shown that too much rest can aggravate back and leg symptoms.

Remember this is not a hardcore burning massive calories exercise, but a gentle exercise routine that you can work into your day.

These Exercises should not be painful or strenuous.

A walk around the house is a great form of physical activity that keeps your spine strong without worsening the injury.

Make your spine stronger with core exercises, but make sure they will not exacerbate your sciatica symptoms. And remember that exercise triggers the release of endorphins to reduce the pain.

 

House Tip 2. Start Stretching

Start doing gentle stretches regularly. Stretching will improve your spinal flexibility and motion range and also builds core strength. Most stretches can be done while watching your favorite show/movie.

 

House Tip 3. Ice Packs and Heating Pads Help

Alternating heat and ice therapy can bring relief from nerve pain. Ice helps reduce inflammation, and heat generates blood flow to the areas of pain that speeds up healing. Both help reduce muscle spasms that usually come with sciatica.

Apply the ice pack for 15 minutes once every hour, and then bring the heat for 15 minutes every 2 or 3 hours. Remember to protect your skin when using these pads, and never sleep with the heat or ice pads.

 

House Tip 4. Change Your Posture

If you are working at your desk or just relaxing, don’t stay in the same position too long, as it can make the pain spike.

Therefore move around and change your posture every 20 minutes. Using the correct posture for various activities will help take the pressure off your spine and reduce symptoms.

 

House Tip 5. If You Need To Use Medication Properly

Over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications can help ease symptoms when they present. These medications can relieve inflammation and pain, whereas acetaminophen (Tylenol) only reduces pain.

However, there are health risks, so make sure to discuss their safety with your doctor.

Examples include:

• Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
• Aspirin (Ecotrin)
• Naproxen (Aleve)

 

The Remedies Are Not Working

Recognize when at the house remedies are not reducing your symptoms. When the treatments aren’t helping, it could be time to see a doctor, chiropractor or spine specialist.

People including myself want to avoid the doctor. It could be knowing how to use your health insurance or if you don’t have any. Whatever the reason do not opt for the ignorance is bliss and hope it will all go away.

If you need help figuring out how to use your insurance here at Injury Medical our staff are trained to help guide you through the process. And if you don’t have insurance we can still help and work out different types of plans.

Now there are sciatica symptoms that warrant immediate medical attention. In these rare cases, holding off medical care could cause permanent nerve damage.

If any of the following occur, please see your doctor as soon as you can:

• There is severe throbbing/stinging pain in your low back and legs
• Nerve associated symptoms like:

1. Weakness
2. Numbness
3. Tingling
4. Electric shock-like pain

• The pain is not improving after 2 weeks
• The pain gets worse, even with house therapies
• Loss of bowel or bladder control

At the end of the day reducing sciatica symptoms doesn’t always mean having to use an extreme treatment approach. Relieving sciatica symptoms at the house with light exercise, ice/heat therapy, correct posture, and medication can help speed up recovery. The most important thing you can do is to take it seriously and call your doctor or chiropractor if relief is not happening.

Please contact our chiropractic team today to schedule an appointment if you are experiencing symptoms of sciatica. We are ready to help you feel better and get back on your feet again!

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Sciatic Nerve Pain Relief | El Paso, Tx

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NCBI Resources

A study cited by the health magazine Prevention found that sixty percent of sciatica sufferers who failed to get relief from other treatments found their symptoms improved after chiropractic care. In fact, they got the same level of relief as those who went through surgery – without any of the serious side effects that so often come with surgical procedures.

Chiropractic is effective for treating sciatica because it gets to the source of the problem – relieving pressure on the sciatic nerve.