Sciatica Pain Relief Tips
Burning. Numbness. Weakness. If you are experiencing any of those symptoms that start in your lower back and move down your legs, you might be suffering from sciatica. Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which branches from your lower back through your hips and down to each leg. A common way sciatica occurs is from herniated discs. Discs are made of cartilage and act as a cushion between each vertebra allowing the spine to be flexible. A herniated disk occurs when a disc is pushed out of place, putting pressure and compressing the sciatic nerve, resulting in sciatica.
Sciatica is easy to get rid of when you know how to treat it. The problem is many people don’t know how to target sciatica to relieve the symptoms that are causing the pain. Through stretching or muscle relaxers, they are doing just enough to get by, but not enough to cure sciatica. When working with a professional, most cases can be resolved with non-operative treatments in just a few weeks. Try out these sciatica pain relief tips for some instant relief and give us a call to set up an appointment so we can make a plan that is specific to your needs together!
Reduce Inflammation
Most of the time, pain stems from inflammation, so by reducing the inflammation, you will reduce your pain symptoms. You can do this through nutrition. Try eating a diet rich in whole grains, natural foods, fruits and vegetables, nuts, and fatty fish. On top of reducing inflammation, these foods will help build up immunity and improve your overall health.
Keep Moving
If your pain doesn’t have you down, try to keep moving. By moving about, you will help your muscles and body stay loose and flexible. This helps reduce the amount of pain. You can try walking, stretching, yoga, and even water therapy exercises! Water therapy is great for providing relief to the lower back. The water pressure helps strengthen those muscles around your lower back to avoid future reoccurrences of back pain.
Relaxation
Massage is a great way to improve movement in the lower back because it encourages increased blood flow as well as decreased tension to the affected areas. For short term pain relief, acupuncture is another relaxing method to try!
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care is extremely effective in treating sciatica. Adjustments help realign the spine to help with mobility and flexibility as well as release the pressure surrounding the sciatic nerve. Better Life Chiropractic & Wellness focuses on teaching our patients corrective exercises to help strengthen and correct their unique problems. These exercises can be performed in the comfort of your own home and can improve the effectiveness of your spinal correction.
Are you ready to kick your sciatica symptoms to the curb? Set up an appointment and we will start working right away to create lifestyle changes that will allow you to live your best life!