Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings

If you have ever suffered from severe sciatic pain, then you know that it can really disrupt your normal life. Regardless of the cause of the pain, there are several ways you can get rid of it. Depending on the degree of sciatic pain, the range of medical interventions ranges from physiotherapy and medication to surgery.

Steps

1. 1 Make sure the pain you are experiencing is really sciatic.
   • Sciatic pain is localized in the buttocks, as well as in the back of the leg.The pain is usually sharp and worse when you sit. It may also be accompanied by tingling or numbness in one of the buttocks, one or both legs.
2. 2 Wait a few days, the pain may go away on its own. If sciatic pain is not very severe, it usually goes away on its own without any medication, back reduction, or surgery.
3. 3 Putting ice packs and a heating pad on the site of your sciatic pain will help reduce the pain. Remember to put a towel or other cloth between the ice pack or heating pad and your body.
4. 4 Exercise regularly, as prolonged bed rest makes the condition worse.
   • Focus on strengthening your abdominal and back muscles, and use the aerobic elements of your workout. This will help train and strengthen your back.
5. 5 To relieve sciatic pain, stretch your leg, focusing on the hamstring. When the hamstring is too tense, it puts more stress on the lower back and therefore exacerbates the inflammation of the sciatic nerve.
6. 6 If exercise and stretching are ineffective, buy over-the-counter medication to reduce inflammation.
   • Look for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and ask your pharmacist for advice on the drug that will best relieve sciatic pain.
7. 7 See a chiropractor or other licensed physical therapist for back adjustments that will provide temporary or long-term relief.
8. 8 Talk to your doctor about more serious and invasive treatments for sciatic pain, including surgery to remove any physical obstruction that touches and pinches the sciatic nerve.
   • Another common option is an epidural steroid injection. Sciatic pain is caused by inflammation and steroids will help reduce this inflammation.

Tips

• Find out what cause your sciatic pain is diagnosed by your doctor. This will help you understand the methods of treatment and preventive measures that are prescribed for you.
• Start exercising and stretching before your sciatic pain worsens. This will make you healthier and stronger, while the likelihood of experiencing back pain will be significantly reduced.

Warnings

• Never consider surgery as the first option. Before discussing surgery with your doctor, try all non-surgical treatments and medications first.
• Do not treat sciatic pain without consulting your doctor. The wrong treatment for sciatic pain will only make your condition worse.