Sciatica Care- Home Remedies For Leg Pain And Lower Back Pain

By Author: Albert
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Sciatica is the most common condition affecting nearly 40 % of the population. Sciatica is a type of pain that radiates from the path of the sciatic nerve, travels from your lower back through the hips and buttocks and down to the leg. It occurs when a bone spur on the spine or herniated disk compresses the sciatic nerve. This leads to numbness, pain, and inflammation in the affected areas.

Home Remedies for Sciatica Pain
Although the pain can be severe, in most cases sciatica nerve pain reduces over a matter of few weeks without the intervention of surgery. Sciatica pain can easily be treated with some simple home remedies that are easy as well as effective. Listed below are some simple home remedies for sciatica pain in those who have just started experiencing the pain.

1} Try to exercise
It may be hard to exercise while in pain but resting too much can aggravate your sciatica symptoms. You can incorporate some simple and gentle exercises that is not strenuous or painful. For eg. Walking helps strengthen the spine and does not put strain on the body. Exercise is known to trigger the production of ...
... endorphins which help reduce your perception to pain.

2} Stretch it out
Stretching is a wonderful way to improve spinal strength and mobility. They are simple to perform and are not strenuous on the body. Stretching also helps relieve sciatica nerve pain and its associated symptoms.

3} Hot and cold pack treatment
Alternate cold and hot treatment gives immediate relieve from sciatica pain. Heat encourages blood flow circulation to the painful area which in turn speeds up healing. Ice therapy helps reduce inflammation. You can start alternate heat and ice therapy by placing an ice pack on the affected area for 15 minutes every hour followed by heat for 15 minutes every 2-3 hours. Do not apply heat or ice directly on the affected area. Instead use a barrier like towel or napkin to prevent direct hot and cold on the painful areas.

4} Refresh posture
If you stay in a same position for too long, sciatica nerve pain tends to spike. It would be a good idea to keep changing your posture every 20-30 minutes. This helps reduce sciatica symptoms and take pressure off your spine.

5} Change your mattress
For those who suffer from sciatica pain, pressure relief is of utmost importance. Have you ever considered changing your mattress for sciatica pain? Mattresses made with latex comfort layers and memory foam are best for pressure relief, as it cushions heavier parts of the body to reduce pressure build up. Medium-firm mattresses is best for people suffering from sciatica as it gives proper support to the spine and keeps the pelvis aligned. So, if you are suffering from sciatica pain, you may want to consider changing your mattress.

When to Visit Your Doctor
Although home remedies are quite effective in easing sciatica pain, it is important to understand how long you need to wait to get relief. If the above-mentioned home therapies do not help you, you must visit your doctor.
Make sure to reach out to your doctor if you observe the following symptoms:
Worsened pain even after home remedies.
Severe pain in lower back and legs.
Loss of bladder and bowel control.
Nerve related symptoms like tingling, numbness, pain, and weakness.

Conclusion
The approach to treating sciatica pain can be different based on the degree of pain. If you have been experiencing sciatica nerve pain only recently, you can first try out the home remedies to see if you are experiencing relief. If the pain persists or worsens, call your doctor immediately.