Do you have mild to severe pain in your lower back, butt, or legs? Often, when adults experience back pain, we immediately jump to the conclusion that a slipped disc or muscle tear occurs, but the truth is you may just be suffering from sciatica. Not sure what sciatica is? Stick around as we discuss this topic further and see how sciatica can be treated through home remedies and self-care combined with treatment from a professional.
We always recommend consulting a medical professional before starting any new treatment to ensure it is the best treatment option.
What is sciatica?
When you have sciatica, it means your sciatic nerve, which runs along your legs, is injured or irritated. When you have sciatica, you often experience pain in your back and buttocks and even in your legs. You may also experience a numb or tingling sensation.
The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the human body, about 2 cm thick. This is because it is not a nerve itself – it is made up of a group of nerves originating from the spinal cord. Because the nerve runs all the way down the leg, you may experience sciatic pain anywhere in the area.
How is sciatica caused?
Sciatica can be caused by anything that affects the nerves. It can also be the result of any other condition happening to the five nerves that make up the sciatic nerve. Some common conditions that may cause sciatica are:
- Injury to muscles or joints in the area
- herniated disc
- spinal stenosis
- foraminal stenosis
- Osteoarthritis
- Pregnant
- spondylolisthesis
- Growth, cyst or tumor
Home Remedies for Sciatica
In most cases of sciatica, you can treat it at home with some basic home remedies. However, in more serious cases, such as tumors or tumors, the solution must first follow a treatment plan for these conditions, but home remedies can at least reduce the pain. We recommend trying some of the following home remedies:
cold and hot
Hot and cold therapy is a great way to relieve pain caused by sciatica. A great way to apply this sciatica treatment at home is to replace the cold packs you use with hot packs and perform stretching exercises between each treatment. For example, use an ice pack for the first 7 days. Leave it on the painful area for 15 to 20 minutes, no more, and remember to wrap the ice pack so it doesn’t come into direct contact with your skin. Circuit for about an hour and a half, doing some light stretching in between sessions to keep your muscles relaxed.
Another convenient way to relieve pain is to get an ice massage. Freeze the water in a paper cup, then peel off the rim at the top of the paper cup. You just tear off a bit of the edge to reveal the frozen water. Then, slowly rub the end against the painful area. Apply a little pressure so it can properly massage the area without hurting you.
After using the ice pack for the first week, you can switch to a heat pack. Applying heat warms the area, dilating blood vessels and improving blood flow. This allows your body to deliver oxygenated blood and nutrients to the painful area faster, speeding recovery.
Just as you did with the ice pack, cover the food bag to make sure it doesn’t come into direct contact with your skin. Make sure it’s warm enough but not too hot. Apply for about 15 minutes and then gently stretch the area. Do this a few times until the pain is mostly gone.
stretch and move
Many people often seek rest when they feel the effects of sciatica. This may be because they did not properly understand their diagnosis and thought they had pulled a muscle or had a slipped disc. While rest can help with muscle injuries, it doesn’t help much with sciatica. You need to start moving and relax your muscles. So, get up, stretch, and walk around the house.
Moving is probably the most important thing you can do to relieve pain.
Many people with sciatica put themselves on bed rest or recline in an easy chair, thinking this will help them heal. But in fact, it’s not!
It’s okay to rest for the first few days after sciatica starts; after that, staying in bed usually makes things worse, not better. Movement can relieve pain in many ways:
You may experience some discomfort when moving around. If so, don’t push too hard. We want our muscles to grow, not deteriorate. If you do notice that the pain is getting worse, it’s time to talk to your doctor.
over-the-counter pain relievers
Purchasing over-the-counter pain relievers is also an effective way to manage pain. You’ll want to look for NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and medications like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve) that can help reduce inflammation and relieve pain. If nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs aren’t right for you, you can also use acetaminophen to control pain.
final thoughts
It’s easy to confuse back, hip, or leg pain with an injury like a pulled muscle or a displaced disc. However, understanding the source of the problem can help you treat it more effectively and save you a trip or two to the doctor. Compare your symptoms to those of sciatica, and if they match, practice some of these home remedies to relieve pain as you recover.
