Sciatic Pain: Causes, Remedies & Tips

If you’ve encountered sciatic pain, or sciatica, you know that it is a literal pain in the butt! Your sciatic nerves branch off from your spine and travel down the back of each leg. When one of these nerve bundles gets compressed, you get uncomfortable. Sciatic pain is most prevalent among those aged 20-50, an age group tends to do a lot of sitting. Sciatic pain is also a common side effect of pregnancy, as well as for individuals that do a lot of lifting or turning in their daily life. Having diabetes or being overweight also increases your risk of developing sciatic pain. Significant injuries like falls or car accidents offer additional opportunities for sciatic pain to encroach on your wellbeing. Read on to learn what you can do to feel better fast.  

While hard to do, getting movement when your sciatica is flaring is a great way to alleviate the discomfort. Movement helps to calm down the inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Gentle stretching, walking or swimming are great movement options to consider. 

When sciatic pain first starts, icing the area can bring relief (while also addressing inflammation). After a day or two you may find that applying heat — or alternating heat and cold — brings additional relief. A general rule of thumb with temperature therapy is to apply the hot or cold pack for 20 minutes at a time. 

Taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS) can also be extremely effective in alleviating the discomfort of sciatic pain. As always, if you are taking blood thinners or other medications that can cause interactions check with your care provider before adding additional medicine into your repertoire. Additionally, some people will find relief through alternative treatments like chiropractic care, acupuncture, yoga or massage.  

For the majority of those that suffer from sciatic pain, you’ll experience relief within 6 weeks. For pain that lasts longer, or for more intense pain, your care provider may recommend physical therapy. Sometimes, diagnostics like X-ray or MRI are helpful to find the root of the pain. If your sciatic pain resolves but then returns, make sure to see your care provider for a proper assessment. 

To focus on preventative care, take care of your body now. Maintaining a healthy weight and stopping smoking are good steps to take (as well as being helpful for overall health). Work on having good posture and getting movement each day. If you encounter an injury, take the proper time to heal so that your body doesn’t have to compensate for weaker areas in a way that can activate sciatic pain. 

Do you deal with sciatic pain? See your provider at Gateway Hancock Health and we’ll help you feel better fast!