Home Treatment For Sciatica

 

Does hot water help sciatica?

How to Apply Heat Therapy: Position an electric heating pad or hot water bottle against your lower back, buttock, or the back of your leg for 10 to 20 minutes. The heat dilates blood vessels, which increases the blood flow to the area and helps relax your muscles.

Home Treatment For Sciatica - Five Simple Ways to Ease Your Pain

Sciatica can be a real pain, but the good news is that for most people sciatica will get better by itself, and it can often take just a few weeks. Such reassurance may not, however, be much comfort while you are suffering the pain and inconvenience of sciatica. What you need is some simple home treatment for sciatica that will keep you going. Here are five easy ways to do just that:

Number 1: Ease the pain with ice as soon as it appears. Ice acts to reduce the inflammation and provided you do this in the first 48 hours you may find that your suffering is greatly reduced. Hold ice on the affected area for about ten minutes, take it off for ten minutes, and do this a total of three times.

Number 2: Improve your circulation. If it is after the first 48 hours and it's too late to apply ice to reduce the inflammation (see Tip Number 1) then try taking a long hot bath, and follow that with a short cold shower to boost your blood circulation. Many people find this reduces their sciatica pain; hot and cold compresses can also help in the same way.

Number 3: Gentle stretches. This simple stretch can sometimes provide instant relief: sit comfortably in an upright chair, and place the ankle of the affected leg on the knee of the other leg. Then gently lean forward, moving your head slowly towards your affected leg -- but don't worry if you can't touch your leg with your head -- most people can't do that! Carefully sit upright again, and put the foot of your affected leg back on the floor. Repeat with the other leg. I emphasise: do all of this gently and easily with no real effort and no sudden movements.

Number 4: Do not take to your bed! You may be tempted to lie down to "let your sciatica get some rest", but this is normally one of the worst things you can do -- very often, extended bed rest will make your sciatica worse. In fact, you may already have noticed that your sciatica is worse in the morning when you get out of bed. Keep moving -- again, gentle movement is all that is needed -- and go out for a stroll now and then if you can manage it.

Number 5: Don't suffer in silence. If your sciatica pain persists, you must seek proper medical attention and check that you do indeed have sciatica -- and if you do have sciatica you will find out whether it needs more directed treatment. Your healthcare professional will also be able to provide advice about further ways to ease your pain, more specific to your condition.

So there you have it -- home treatment for sciatica is possible and can reduce the pain until your condition is gone; but if the pain persists or if you have any doubts about your condition really being sciatica then you must seek a consultation with your doctor to get it properly diagnosed.