Back pain could be due to reasons such as improper posture, age or diseases. Sometimes, this problem is due to a different reason i.e. sciatica.
The term sciatica refers to the pinching of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in our body and ranges from the lower back to the back of the legs.
Since its trajectory is in different parts of the body, due to pressure on the sciatic nerve, the pain can spread from the lower back to the legs and buttocks.
This is not as serious as it may sound and only 10% of the people suffering from sciatica pain need surgery in such a case. The patient suffering from sciatica feels a searing low back pain that may spread to the legs. This pain also penetrates deep into the buttocks and travels to the back of the legs. Other symptoms of sciatica include feeling numbness, and the pain might feel like a burn at times. Sciatic nerve pain feels dull but constant or it may be electric-quick.
There are a few medical conditions which can lead to sciatica. These include degenerative disc disease, herniated disc or slipped disc, osteoarthritis, and lumbar spinal stenosis.
The common symptoms of sciatica are pain traveling from the lower back to the hips, pain in one or both legs, pain which increases with coughing or sneezing, numbness in the legs, weakness and tingly sensation in legs and lower back. If any of these symptoms last for a few weeks and have appeared all of a sudden, then it is an indication that you might have sciatica.
Home Remedies for Sciatica
A lot of people tend to self-diagnose and they do it wrongly. Surgery should not be at the forefront of your thoughts every time the sciatic nerve fires up. Physiotherapy (physical therapy) or pain relievers may be helpful, but there are easier ways to deal with this problem at home.
Walking
When you are faced with pain, walking might be the last thing to cross your mind, but it can actually help in relieving pain. Since this pain is due to inflammation, you need to reduce the presence of inflammatory markers. Walking helps in doing that as it induces the release of endorphins in the body. To make this a habit, walk for a few minutes every day and your endurance will build over time.
- Walk briskly for half an hour up to 4 times a week if you have a constant appearance of the symptoms.
- When walking, keep your posture correct and stand upright.
- Wear the right shoes for walking or the pressure on the sciatic nerve could increase.
Improved Posture
Your posture could also be the reason for sciatica. Improve your posture by elevating your knees whenever you sit. Keep your feet in an elevated position to reduce stress on your back. Sit up straight and do not slouch in an office chair as slouching increases spinal pressure.
Decompress Your Spine
Compression of the sciatic nerve is another reason why you feel sciatic pain in the first place. When this happens, the sciatic nerve gets pressed down on due to compressed vertebrae. In other words, spinal compression causes sciatic nerve pinching. To relieve sciatica in this case, the optimal solution is to reverse the process of compression. You can do that with the help of a spinal decompression device called the Backrack.
Relieve Sciatica at Home
When to Go to the Doctor?
Self-diagnosing sciatica is not recommended since there are many medical conditions mimicking the symptoms of sciatica. Some of these include spinal joint problems, sacroiliac joint dysfunction and Piriformis syndrome. Severe sciatica may also cause serious symptoms such as loss of bladder or bowel control.
It is possible that your back or leg pain is due to one of these reasons. It is important to get clinical guidance if you suffer from any one of the problems mentioned above. You can try home remedies for your back pain, but if the symptoms do not seem to go away, or they even get worse, then you should seek professional medical advice and go see a doctor.
