The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in your body that rises from the lumbodorsal spine and innervates your legs. Sometimes this beam of fibers can be squeezed or pinched, causing sciatic pain. Sciatica is an intensive, sometimes unendurable pain that begins in the low back and travels down to buttocks, thigh and lower leg. It mainly occurs in one leg and may impair your life for several weeks. Sciatic pain is commonly accompanied by burning and tingling, numbness and weakness in the leg. These symptoms become worse while sitting. It’s worth to say that sciatica is not a separate diagnosis. It’s a symptom that indicates certain problems in your spine.
In the majority of cases, the culprit of this trouble is the herniated disc. Disks represent the cushions between vertebrae that consist of the fibrous outer ring and gel-like inner matter. If this internal material leaks out, it irritates nerve root, causing pain.
The other frequent reasons for sciatic pain include degenerative disc disease, lumbar spinal stenosis, spine tumor, and isthmic spondylolisthesis. Nobody is assured from this trouble. But doctors say that following a sedentary lifestyle increases your risks of sciatica. It’s not always possible to treat sciatica without medications.
However, these tricks can help you alleviate or avoid unpleasant symptoms in low extremities.
1. Exercise:
- This simple exercise is dedicated to mobilizing the sciatic nerve and hock.
- Lie down on your back and put a small pillow under the head. Flex your knees, keeping the feet straight on the floor apart from the hips.
- Relax upper part of your body.
- Lead up one of your bent knees towards the chest and clasp your hock with hands.
- Than slowly unbend this knee and accurately straighten the leg.
- Hold in this position for 30 seconds and slowly return to starting pose.
- Repeat exercise two to three times for each leg. And don’t forget about deep breathing!
2. Use cold & heat:
- As your sciatica has just started, you may relieve it with applications of cold packs.
- Wrap the ice pack in the towel and put it on the painful part of you back for about 20 minutes.
- After several days heat lump or hot pad may be more able to give you alleviation.
- You can also try to alternate cold and hot packs if your pain continues.
3. Massage:
- Pressures and rubbing enhance blood circulation, relax strained muscles and increase endorphin production.
- This method can help reduce pinching of the sciatic nerve and relieve pain in this way.
- Press on the trigger points with thumbs and rub the painful areas, gradually kneading your lower spine muscles.
4. Extension:
- This stretching exercise can reduce your painful senses in the lower back.
- Lie on the bowel, undersetting yourself with elbows.
- Let down your shoulders and straighten the neck and the spine.
- Push down your hands and arch the spine back up.
- Do you feel a stretch in the abdominal wall muscles?
- Yes? All right! Breath deeply and keep this position for 5 to 10 seconds. Then return to the beginning and repeat it 10 times.
- It’s a good idea to consult with your doctor about possible causes of sciatica.
- He or she would examine your spine and give needed recommendations.
