6 Excellent Ways to Relieve Sciatic Nerve Pain

sciatic-pain

Overview

If you have experienced a numb butt and leg after sitting for an extended period, there may be an underlying health issue. Your numb butt may be the result of sciatica nerve pain, but the diagnosis doesn’t end there.

For many, walking around a bit can easily relieve the numb, tingly sensation in their butt and leg. However, for those who experience sciatica nerve pain, numbness, and tingling, the pain will not be relieved by a quick stretch and stroll around the office.

Did you know that 40 percent of people will experience sciatica nerve pain to some degree?

That’s right, sciatica nerve pain is pretty common, but interestingly not commonly discussed. Sciatica nerve pain is also misunderstood. Sciatica is not a condition but a symptom of several conditions.

How do you get rid of sciatic nerve pain naturally?

There are remedies for back pain that treat sciatica nerve pain and improve spine health. Here are 6 natural treatments.

  • Chiropractic Spinal Adjustments
  • Yoga and Stretching
  • Acupuncture and Massage Therapy
  • Heating Pads
  • Get Moving
  • Reduce Inflammation

If you have woken up feeling extreme pain from your upper thighs to your feet or if you deal with intense lower back pain that spreads downward and no matter what you try it just won’t go away, you could be dealing with sciatica nerve pain. It causes painful throbbing in the lower back and limbs.

It all starts in the lower spine and can come and go. Once you begin dealing with sciatica nerve pain, you’ll be dealing with a lot of discomfort that will quickly ruin your day. But, there’s good news. Some remedies for back pain treat sciatica nerve pain and improve spine health. Here are 6 natural treatments for sciatica nerve pain: 

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How to relieve sciatic nerve pain?

1. Chiropractor Spinal Adjustments

A chiropractor can work with you to realign your spinal discs and prevent protrusion into the canal that targets the underlying source of pain. One study from the Official Journal of the North American Spinal Society found that those who suffered from sciatica nerve pain and received chiropractic adjustments experienced less local pain.

They also had fewer days with pain, and even fewer cases of moderate or severe pain compared to those who didn’t receive chiropractic adjustments.

2. Yoga and Stretching

Certain movements can aggravate sciatica nerve pain, but in some cases, it can actually help to relieve pain. For some people, sitting or standing for a long time and then moving around suddenly tends to trigger pain. Scrunching or shortening the spine tends to make the pain worse like raising the legs up, bringing the knees toward the chest, or squatting.

On the other hand, lengthening the spine through stretching, yoga, or lying down can help you develop a good posture while reducing stiffness, inflammation, and pain.

Studies have shown that yoga is safe and effective for people with sciatica nerve pain. The most important movements for preventing sciatica nerve pain target the back, building strength, and relaxing the stiff areas. Exercises that prevent lower back pain and strengthen the core are used even in rehabilitation settings for sciatica nerve pain patients after surgery.

3. Acupuncture and Massage Therapy

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine practice based on achieving or maintaining better health by opening the body’s natural flow of energy. The practice uses tiny and practically pain-free needles to target specific pathways in the body. FDA has approved it as a treatment for back pain. It is even supported by different studies for relieving chronic pain of all kinds, including sciatica nerve pain.

Rolfing and massage therapy are other two nonsurgical, holistic approaches that open muscles, tissues, and channels of energy within the body, which improves blood flow and fights pain. Massage therapy is linked with a reduction in back pain, muscle relaxation, and even healthy releases of endorphins that act as pain relievers.

4. Get Moving

Being stuck in the same position for many hours can make things worse when it comes to bulging discs and back pain. Most treatment plans suggest more movement in general, together with targeted exercises to loosen up inflamed areas. Include some stretches or light isometric exercises in your daily routine.

It can help relieve pain in the spine of the legs while improving strength. When your symptoms come back or worsen, you can practice some stretches and exercises at home without having to visit your doctor.

Start by alternating periods of sitting/lying down with short walks. Make it your goal to take more steps every day. Get a pedometer or fitness tracker to motivate you to be more active and increase your walking distance. When you’re at home, work on lengthening your spine by improving your posture.

5. Use Heating Pads

Most people find relief by using heating pads set on a low or medium setting placed on the lower back for around 15 to 20 minutes every day. Try doing this several times a day while at work or when you’re home. A similar approach is taking warm baths because heat loosens up tight muscles and helps increase circulation. Try to get a reusable heating pad that requires hot water or to be plugged in.

Heat is usually used to dull pain but the opposite works for some people. Some prefer applying an ice pack to the back for 10 to 15 minutes every two to three hours. If pain remains, doctors usually recommend taking an over-the-counter painkiller when symptoms get bad, like Ibuprofen or Advil.

6. Reduce Inflammation

About 5 to 10 percent of all patients with low back pain have sciatica, but there are a few personal and occupational risk factors that increase the odds of developing sciatica nerve pain. These factors are older age, being tall, high levels of mental stress, being overweight or obese, sitting for long periods, smoking, and high amounts of exposure to vibration from vehicles.

Most of these risk factors cause inflammation and makes it harder to heal from injuries and even increase pain. To fight inflammation and improve your odds of feeling better more quickly, eat a nutrient-dense healing diet, avoid smoking and recreational drugs, get exercise, and get good sleep. Reducing inflammation may even prevent cancer.

Having back pain is something most people deal with at one point or another in their lives, and usually, it’s in the form of sciatica nerve pain. Herniated spinal discs and inflammation are the biggest reasons for sciatica nerve pain. The best thing that you can do is to start stretching and moving your back muscles to prevent this painful condition. If symptoms persist or worsen consult your doctor.

Read More: How Does Gabapentin Help Nerve Pain?

What does sciatica nerve pain feel like?

The pain associated with this common symptom commonly begins in your lower back and spreads throughout your legs, buttocks, calf, thigh and foot. This happens when your nerves become injured, thus causing sciatica.

Let’s dive into a few other sciatica nerve pain facts that dispel the myth of sciatica being a condition or injury, and rather a symptom.

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Sciatic nerve flossing

Nerve flossing comprises various gentle exercises used to mobilize and stretch the nerves to reduce irritation. Additionally, this helps improve your range of motion, especially in the hips. Nerve flossing may also be called nerve gliding or nerve mobilization. When used in combination with other treatments, nerve flossing is most effective. Be sure to contact a doctor for further information.

Best stretches for sciatica

Figure 4 Stretch

The figure-4 stretch can help increase the mobility of the hips. There are different versions of this stretch. Sciatic nerve pain can be relieved by:

  1. Lying flat on your back and bending both your knees.
  2. Crossing your right foot over your left thigh and then moving your legs up toward the torso.
  3. Stay in the position for a moment and then repeat on the other side.

Do not force or push yourself hard to avoid strain.

Seated piriformis stretch

This exercise is carried out by sitting on a chair and then crossing your painful leg over the knee of your other leg. The steps are as follows:

  • Bend forward and then try to hold your spine straight. If you do not experience any pain, try to bend over a bit more. If you experience any discomfort, you should stop.
  • Hold this position for around 30 seconds. After that repeat the exercise with the other leg.

Standing hamstring stretch

This stretch typically helps relieve the pain and strain in the hamstring that stems from sciatica.

  1. Place your right foot just at or below your hip level. You may use a chair or step on a staircase. Flex your foot, straightening your toes and leg. You may slightly bend your knee if it tends to hyperextend.
  2. Bend your body forward slightly. Don’t push so far to prevent pain.
  3. Next, release the hip of your raised leg downward instead of lifting it up. You can use a yoga strap or long exercise band for assistance over your right thigh and under your left foot.
  4. Hold the position for at least 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

Pigeon pose

  1. Kneel on the floor on all limbs.
  2. Next, pick up your right leg and place it on the ground in front of your body. Your lower leg should be on the floor. Your right foot should be positioned in front of your left knee. Your right knee should stay to the right.
  3. The next step involves stretching the left leg out behind you on the floor. The top of your foot should be on the ground with the toes pointing back.
  4. Shift your body weight from your arms to your legs. At this stage, your legs should support your weight. It would be best if you now sat up straight with your hands on the side of your legs.
  5. Take a deep breath, lean your upper body over your front leg while exhaling. Use your arms to support your weight.
  6. Repeat on the other side.

Knee-to-chest stretch

This kind of stretch helps relieve sciatica pain by helping to loosen your gluteal and piriformis muscles. These often become inflamed and compress the sciatic nerve.

  1. Lie straight on your back with your legs extended. Flex your feet upward.
  2. Bend your right leg and hold your knee.
  3. Pull your right leg close to your left shoulder and hold it in that position for 30 seconds. Only stretch as much as you can.
  4. Push your knee, returning your knee to its starting position.
  5. Do this 3 times with each leg.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is based on your medical history. After that, a physical exam is carried out. Different forms of the test may be done, such as the straight leg raise test. Additionally, the following tests may be ordered:

Facts About Sciatic Nerve Pain(Numb Butt)

Sciatica Nerve Pain Occurs in Many Places

This is an important fact because many people think that if the pain doesn’t stretch from the lower back to the foot, it isn’t sciatica. But this is not true. The pain can actually be localized. You can experience pain in just your lower back, or it can spread all the way to your calf, just short of the foot.

It Can Happen to Anyone

Sciatica nerve pain can present in professional athletes, as well as office workers who are not extremely active. One common misconception is that the pain occurs after an injury. However, this symptom can also present in someone who simply isn’t sitting well in his or her chair at work.

Sciatica Nerve Pain is Different for Everyone

A significant fact to understand about sciatica is that it can present in different ways. It may be painful for some with sharp pain. Some people may only experience numbness and tingling. Others may just have muscle weakness. It truly does serve up different experiences for different people.

What Kind of Doctor Should I Consult for Sciatica?

If you are experiencing pain, numbness, tingling, or muscle weakness in your lower back, legs, butt, thigh, calf, or foot, you may consider your sciatica as the source of discomfort. But what kind of doctor should you consult? What is the treatment for nerve pain?

Musculoskeletal specialists are the doctors of choice when it comes to this symptom. If you have been feeling discomfort for over three days, it is time to talk to a specialist. They will be able to assess and determine what is causing your pain.

Remember, sciatica nerve pain is a symptom, and finding out the cause of that pain is important. Always discuss discomfort and pain with a doctor. Our doctors are standing by to answer all your questions via our free Dr. Chat.

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