3 Secrets to Finding Sciatica Relief

Oh no! You feel that dull pain start to creep into your hips or lower back. Your sciatica is coming back! What can you do to fight off that sciatica flare up before the pain reaches an excruciating level and starts to interfere with your ability to get through the day or do simple things like walk or go to work? Here are 3 secrets to getting sciatica pain under control quick: First, as soon as you start to feel a “back attack” coming on, apply ice to the area. A lot of the pain that comes from sciatica or other types of back pain is the result of inflammation of the soft tissues around the nerves. Ice will help to reduce the inflammation in the area. I know it might feel good initially to use a heat pad, but do not use heat until you’ve been icing the affected area for at least 48 hours. The heat will make inflammation worse. But if ice the area for at least 48 hours first, the inflammation should be under control and the heat can help to restore circulation and relax the muscles in your back. Second, when you feel that light twinge of sciatica start, you might want to try a few light aerobic exercises and simple stretches. A lot of cases of sciatica are caused by tense or spasming muscles that irritate the sciatic nerve. By exercising and stretching the muscles in and around your back, you can loosen them up and stop the muscle spasms that cause back pain. This is especially true if you have a condition like Piriformis Syndrome where a tight muscle is clamping down on your sciatic nerve. Third, you want to give yourself some good rest and relaxation. I know I just recommended you get some exercise, but just make sure it is light exercise. Many cases of sciatica are caused by overexerting yourself during athletic training such as running. Inflammation only makes things worse and continued use of the muscles can agitate your sciatica more. Get some rest to allow the inflammation to subside. Take some anti-inflammatory painkillers if you need to, but do not get in the habit of taking them for more than a short period of time, since common NSAID’s (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) can actually be dangerous if taken regularly. Sciatica can be a painful thing to deal with, but if you take action as soon as you feel it start to creep in, then you can often avoid the intense and debilitating pain of a sciatica flare up. Unfortunately, most people tend to look the other way and hope that the problems gets better on its own. That usually isn’t the case though, but if you use these 3 secrets you can often prevent the pain of sciatica before it’s too late.