You probably already have heard of sciatica- a kind of low back pain that spreads downwards into the left or right hip into the leg and sometimes all the way into the foot. The pain is excruciating. But you may be pleased to hear that sciatica pain can be cured within 3 months with conservative treatment. By conservative treatment, we mean ‘non-invasive treatments’ that can be done from your home.

Here are 5 at-home remedies for the people who started to experience sciatica back pain or whose pain is not severe. But still, we recommend consulting with your doctor first before trying out any of these treatments.

Exercise

At first thought, one may think that exercising might be a bad idea when they are in pain. But the researchers suggest that too much resting can also aggravate the problem. Better to involve some gentle exercise in your daily routine to ease your sciatica pain. Remember the keyword is: ‘gentle’ You don’t want to become a powerlifter and start doing high-intensity workouts.  You want to go for simple activities, like walking,  which does not put a strain on your back and make your spine stronger simultaneously.

Stretching

Home Remedies For Your Sciatica & Low Back Pain have included some normal stretching in your daily routine. As it can be an easy way to increase your spinal flexibility and range of motion. Other than that stretching also helps to build core and spinal strength. And they are so easy that they can be done while watching the news or your favorite movie.

Fire and Ice

Changing to and fro between heat and ice therapy can also provide quick relief from sciatica nerve pain. Ice will help you to reduce inflammation, which heat will maintain the blood flow to affected areas, which consequently aids in healing.

Just simply apply an ice pack to the affected area for 15 minutes every hour, then apply heat for 15 minutes every 2 or 3 hours. Make sure to put a barrier (like a cloth or towel) to protect your skin from burning.

Change Your Posture

Whether you work at home or work at the office, if you stay in the same posture for too long you will find sciatica pain spikes. Try to change your posture every 25-30 minutes. Using proper posture can help to reduce the pressure from your spine and check the sciatica symptoms.

The Medicines

Over the Counter, (OTC) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) might help in easing up the sciatica pain. NSAIDs are a good option as they cure both inflammation and pain, unlike acetaminophen (Tylenol) which only reduces pain. However, these medications bear a certain amount of health risk, so it would be better to discuss with your doctor taking anything.

When To See The Doctor

It’s very vital to observe whether at-home remedies are working for you or not. As if they are not easing up the sciatica pain, then it might be the time to see your spine doctor. Remember that some sciatica symptoms demand absolute medical attention, and delaying that can cause permanent nerve damage.

If you are experiencing any of the following issues, it would be better to get it checked by a doctor:

• You are experiencing severe pain in the lower back and legs
• Your pain isn’t easing up even after 2 weeks
• There is a loss of bladder control.
• If you are experiencing nerve-related symptoms, like weakness, tingling, or electric shock-like pain.

Treatment of sciatica pain doesn’t require any extreme treatment procedures. You can easily cure this with proper posture, gentle exercise, and proper medications. However, the most important thing you can do for your back is to take it seriously and always consult with the doctor if you are not getting any relief.

Asian Neuro Centre is one of the largest and most experienced practices in Indore where the best & experienced neurologist is skilled in dozens of specialties, working to ensure quality care and successful recovery.

Dr. Navin Tiwari
Consulting Neurologist