Tips for relieving sciatic nerve pain?

Sciatic nerve pain can be extremely difficult to deal with and a long-term chronic condition. It can affect people’s ability to exercise, work and generally take enjoyment from everyday life. Luckily there are many treatments that can help manage and treat the pain, from professional chiropractic adjustments to simple exercises one can do at home.

For those who are looking for some guidance here are some tips for relieving sciatic nerve pain:

Chiropractic Adjustments

Sciatica is caused by nerve compression which can be a result of misaligned vertebrae or a herniated disc. Another common form of sciatica is piriformis syndrome which is when the piriformis muscle is injured from a slip or fall and causes pinching of the sciatic nerve. Chiropractic adjustments can be extremely helpful in reducing the pressure on the sciatic nerve by restoring the proper position of the spine. This can work to help reduction in pain, inflammation, muscle spasms and other symptoms related to sciatica.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy treatments are often a good addition to chiropractic adjustments to help reduce sciatic nerve pain. Physical therapy works by using a combination of strengthening exercises focusing on the lower back, glutes and abdominal muscles, stretching and low impact aerobic exercises. This type of exercise can help strengthen the body and reinforce the positive effects of chiropractic adjustments. This can make recovery from sciatic pain quicker and make episodes of painless likely in the future.

Dry Needling

Another common form of therapy for sciatica is dry needling, a treatment that looks similar to acupuncture but targets pain trigger points often referred to as knots. Dry needling can be particularly helpful in reducing the pain of sciatica by releasing the tightened muscles around the sciatic nerve. 

Ultrasound treatments

Ultrasound treatments for lower back pain and sciatica have become a common way to treat discomfort and speed up the healing process. Therapeutic ultrasound works by producing vibrations from a handheld device and rubbing it against the affected area. This helps provide heat and energy to the body and works to reduce the pain experienced by sciatica.

Ice therapy

An often overlooked way of treating lower back pain is through simple ice therapy. While the other treatments require serious expertise and understanding built on years of learning, ice therapy can be applied by anyone in almost any situation. The simplest method is to apply the ice for 15 minutes on the area that is affected a couple of times per day. This can help reduce swelling, inflammation and reduce the pain that patients might be experiencing. 

Simple exercises at home

Another great way to target sciatic pain when you are at home or in a hurry is simple exercises to help strengthen and stretch the affected area. While this might not be possible for people with extreme pain, it might help those that are experiencing more manageable symptoms. Some stretch to do include the sitting spinal stretch, standing hamstring stretch and different variations of the pigeon pose.

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