Sciatica Treatment
Even though sciatic pain is not fun, there are sciatica treatments for the situation. There really is no one event or injury that causes sciatic pain but ,rather, sciatic pain comes from normal wear and tear or perhaps a degenerative disc disease. Treatments for the pain vary widely.
Because treatment for sciatic pain does vary, it is wise to look at all options available to your situation. Treatment may be as minimal as getting pain relievers over the counter, physical therapy or a modestly invasive procedure such as a microdisectomy or a more extensive surgery like an anterior/posterior lumbar fusion.
Going from the bottom of the spinal cord all the way down to the feet is the largest nerve in your body, the sciatic nerve. At times a disk or disc may expunge out of its proper position in turn pinching the sciatic nerve. This pinching of the nerve can be the cause of mild to severe throbbing down the posterior of your leg.
For initial sciatic pain treatment, you should check with a family doctor, who may refer you to an orthopedic surgeon. The physician may recommend that you take ibuprofen or aspirin for inflammation or to relieve pain. Even if you are not in the midst of sciatic pain, you can take two aspirin each day. This may keep the pain from recurring. When you are in bed or when you lay down place a pillow under your knees. This aids in taking pressure off the disk that is irritating the sciatic nerve. When the pain gets extremely severe, use a firm mattress to rest or even on the floor. It is also recommended to stay in bed and get up if necessary for three days.
Get help getting off of the bed or in and out of a shower or bath in order not to avoid excess strain on your back while getting up or down. Use cold or hot packs on your upper legs and back. One may work better than the other or even alternating between the two. Do not pick up anything. Do not sit in soft chairs nor bend over. If the severe pain continues, you may want to consult with your doctor for stronger pain relievers. Eat a lot of fiber in your diet to keep from becoming constipated as straining in the restroom can irritate the sciatic nerve. Do not attempt to walk off a nerve that is being pinched.
A pinched nerve commonly will feel better in a matter of days; however, it may take weeks or months to ease, Sciatic pain has the tendency to come back and may need to be corrected surgically. A sciatica treatment plan needs to be planned with your doctor who may or may not recommend the above mentioned procedures.