Important Tools to Relieve Sciatica Pain
In a study reported in the journal, Orthopedics, 650 people were examined for lower-back pain or sciatica. About 25% had reported an episode of sciatica in the past six months of the study and this shows how common sciatica really is.
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica is a term used to describe pain in the buttock or radiating down the leg that is caused by irritation to the sciatic nerve. Many causes of back pain can radiate pain down the leg, such as a herniated disc. However, true sciatica is specific to the sciatic nerve being irritated or compressed. This can occur in the back or the butt.
Symptoms
- Aching pain to the butt traveling to the back or side of the thigh.
- Numbness or tingling.
- In severe cases, extreme pain and weakness in the leg may result, causing a “buckling” sensation to the leg.
What can be done to help?
It is important to treat the cause of sciatica and not the symptoms. Medication may help to numb the pain and decrease the inflammation, but it does not treat the cause of the pressure or irritation on the sciatic nerve.
Here are important tools for you to relieve the pain and discomfort:
Change your position frequently.
If you have a flare-up of sciatica, make sure to alternate between sitting, standing, and lying down positions. Try alternating every 15 minutes if possible.
Do not sit for long periods.
Sitting causes increased pressure on the sciatica nerve as it travels below the gluteus muscles down to the leg. Avoid sitting on a soft couch for a long time or hard chairs.
Improve your hip mobility and strength.
Our hips move through a very large range of motion. However, with frequent sitting throughout the day at a computer or watching TV, our ligaments and muscles around the hips tighten up, leading to loss of motion. Improve your hip mobility and strength to relieve the pressure on the sciatica nerve.
Increase your spine flexibility safely.
Having a strong, flexible spine is critical to your overall health and performance. However, knowing the right exercises for your sciatica or back pain is very important, as further damage could result if exercises are done improperly.
Get help from an expert.
If you have been suffering from sciatica for more than three days, then you need to get help, before long-term damage occurs. Sciatica is a disease of the musculoskeletal system. The medical experts in treating the musculoskeletal system are physical therapists. Therefore, seeing a physical therapist early is critical to a swift recovery and preventing future episodes of back pain or sciatica.
There is much that can be done to relieve your sciatica or back pain. Physical therapy is the first line of natural treatment to a successful recovery. Discover how our back and neck program can give you the quick relief you deserve without the need for pills.
Call Comprehensive Physical Therapy today at (985) 869-7221 to schedule your evaluation. Let us help you have relief!
By Dr. Billy Beaudreau, PT, DPT, MTC, OCS, FAAOMPT