If you're having a flare of sciatica pain, you may be able to control it by alternating cold packs and heating pads. You could also take painkillers and muscle relaxants for relief. However, if the cause of your recurring sciatica is a slipped or ruptured disc, we may recommend laminotomy with discectomy.
Heat can help to increase blood flow around the area of discomfort causing the muscles to loosen, therefore relieving the pressure on the sciatic nerve. A hot bath may provide temporary relief as it relaxes your muscles. Ice helps to temporarily turn off nerve receptors which can help with pain and discomfort.
Anti-inflammatory drugs - You can use pain relief medication such as ibuprofen and other anti-inflammatory drugs that can be bought over the counter in your local pharmacy. These help to reduce swelling, pain and inflammation in the muscles surrounding your spine.
Go to Physical Therapy
PT usually involves most rapid relief remedies (icing, heating, massage, stretching, strength, and flexibility exercises) to provide pain relief, eliminate the underlying cause of the sciatica nerve pain, and prevent further injury and flare-ups.
The safest way to work out with sciatica is to look for low-impact (usually cardio) exercises. The most common options are: Riding a stationary bike. Walking.
Voltaren has an average rating of 7.7 out of 10 from a total of 9 reviews for the treatment of Sciatica. 56% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 0% reported a negative experience.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (e.g. Advil, Nurofen), are often recommended for sciatica and can reduce pain as well as inflammation.
However, it's important to return to activity as soon as possible, to help your spine stay strong. Sciatica treatment includes pain relief medicines such as paracetamol, anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and physiotherapy.
Voltaren (diclofenac) helps to relieve pain and inflammation by blocking the effects of cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes. This prevents prostaglandin synthesis (prostaglandins elevate body temperature and make nerve endings more sensitive to pain transmission).
As a general rule, you should avoid squatting, twisting, running, jumping, or any high-impact activity if you have sciatica. You should also avoid bending forward with straight legs or any seated or lying exercise that requires you to lift both legs off the ground at the same time.
There are four sciatica exercises your spine specialist may recommend to help you reduce sciatic nerve pain caused by degenerative disc disease: pelvic tilt, knee to chest, lower trunk rotations, and all fours opposite arm and leg extensions.
In addition to providing hydration, drinking water has the potential to alleviate sciatica, a common source of lower back and leg pain. Drinking water can slow the progression of symptoms and ease discomfort.
Even though it probably hurts to some degree, walking is actually good for sciatica. Dr. Shah points out that walking promotes blood flow throughout the body, and can even make the nerves more resilient.
Inability to walk: All of the symptoms of sciatica can come together and make it difficult for you to walk. Putting pressure on your leg to stand can lead to extreme pain and the weakness of the leg could even lead to you falling.
On the back – Research shows that many people find relief from pain when sleeping on their back. This can relieve pressure on the low back and sciatic nerve. For best results, elevate the knees by placing one or more pillows beneath them. Make sure the neck is also supported with a pillow.
Heat: Heat packs and topical heat rubs such as tiger balm can be really helpful when treating sciatica. When experiencing pain from spasmed muscles, heat and topical application of heat can help to relax the spasmed muscles providing instant pain relief and soothing.
Sciatica Stretch: Posterior Pelvic Tilt
Lie face up on the bed with your knees bent and feet flat. Draw abdominals in to flatten lower back into the bed. Hold for 5 seconds, then return to start position for 1 repetition. Do 10 reps.
The types of exercise recommended for patients with sciatica include stretching, strengthening and aerobic activity. Doing such exercises every day, with the doctor's consent, once an acute episode ends, may prevent further recurrences of the pain, or at the least, make episodes less painful and frequent.
On your back with elevated knees
This is considered the best position for sciatica pain relief. To achieve this position, lie flat on your back and elevate your knees by placing several pillows beneath them. Use as many pillows as you find comfortable.
Processed and sugary foods can increase inflammation, worsening sciatic nerve pain. Avoid eating foods high in saturated fat, processed carbohydrates, and added sugars to reduce your risk of sciatica flare-ups.
There are two potential trigger points in the glutes that could refer pain to the sciatic nerve. The first is located on the top of the glute, and the second is located on the side of the glute. To release these points, you can use a lacrosse ball or tennis ball.