Both lower back pain and sciatica occur in the lumbar spine (lower region of the back). Lower back pain is oftentimes one of the main symptoms of sciatica, but it can also occur on its own, as it can be caused by other spinal problems as well.
Differences Between Sciatica and Lower Back Pain
The term sciatica refers to a set of symptoms that occur when the sciatic nerve becomes pinched (most often due to a herniated disc or spinal compression). It is the thickest and longest nerve in our body, spanning from the lower back, down the hips and back of each leg. Considering that it passes through the lower body as well, it can sometimes lead to leg pain (or even leg or foot pain).
Sciatic nerve pain is a type of pain that is exclusively attributed to the sciatic nerve, and can oftentimes be accompanied by other distinctive symptoms such as numbness, tingling (also known as pins and needles) or weakness in the lower back. Sometimes it can lead to painful leg symptoms as well, if the pinching is severe.
Lower back pain, on the other hand, can be caused by sciatica, but there are other conditions that can trigger it, such as sitting or standing for long periods of time without adequate support for the lower back, handling heavy weights, engaging in repetitive bending movements of the spine, muscle strain, spinal stenosis, spinal joint dysfunction, or even piriformis syndrome.
In some cases, lower back pain can also extend to other parts of the body and can lead to problems in the hips, and especially the sacroiliac joints or iliac crests.
Treatment
Lower back pain tends to go away on its own without any intervention after a while, but sciatica may be more stubborn, and cause flare-up episodes, where it is not present at all times, but tends to come and go over an extended period of time.
To alleviate or lessen the pain, there are certain natural and non-invasive pain management and relief options you can try at home, such as:
- Applying a hot water bottle to the painful region to increase blood flow.
- Allowing your back to rest, if muscle overuse is the reason for your pain.
- Alternatively, you can engage in physical therapy and exercise if your lower back is stiff or lacks the strength to support your upper body.
An even better solution, however, is to engage in spinal decompression therapy with the Spinal Backrack, to remove the negative stress of spinal compression that has been placed onto your spine. This non-invasive treatment modality will also stretch your spine, restoring the natural space between the vertebrae, and provides a lengthening effect of the spine as well.
Backrack Spinal Decompression Device
Please note: If the pain persists, gets worse, or other symptoms such as having a fever flare up, seek medical help from a qualified healthcare professional.
Author: Spinal Backrack
