How to Treat Sciatica: Can Natural Remedies Help?

Relieving Pain

Apply ice packs within the first 3 days of the pain. When a sciatica attack first starts, you’ll probably have swelling and inflammation around your sciatic nerve. Apply ice or cold packs to the area for 15-20 minutes at a time to relieve the pressure and numb the pain. Always wrap a cold pack in a towel before you apply it. Otherwise, it could cause frostbite.

Switch to warm compresses after 3 days. After the first few days, sciatica usually switches to a dull pain in your back muscles. Use heating pads to relieve sore muscles instead of cold packs. If the pain gets sharp again, then you can switch back to a cold pack.

Stay as active as possible to reduce inflammation. While you might not feel like moving, staying inactive could make your pain worse. Do your best to carry out your normal household tasks and walk around a bit so your muscles loosen up. You should definitely be careful while lifting things, though. Avoid picking up heavy objects until you’re feeling better. If you regularly exercise, then it’s okay to take a few days off. Don’t push yourself too hard.

Lay down and rest if the pain is severe. While you should try to stay active, a short rest can help if the pain is hard to tolerate. Try laying back on the couch or in bed for a few hours to relieve the pain. After the rest, get up and try to carry out your normal tasks again. Prolonged bedrest is not a good treatment for sciatica, and can make your symptoms worse.

Activities to Reduce Nerve Pressure

Stretch your back to relieve tense muscles. Tight muscles can press on your sciatic nerve and cause pain. Start a daily stretching regimen to loosen your back and relieve pressure and pain. Simple back stretches are standing straight and touching your toes, rotating your hips, and sitting down with your legs outstretched and grabbing your toes. For a more complicated stretch, try the yoga cat pose.

Try nerve glides to alleviate some pain. Start by lying on your back with your knees bent. Grab behind your thigh and lift your foot to the ceiling, pulling your toes toward you. Then, bend your knee, and pick your head up off the floor. Lower your head as you straighten your leg again. As you move back and forth, it can encourage the nerves to move, which can give you some relief.

Practice good sitting and standing posture. Stand and sit up straight to avoid putting pressure on your spine. This can help relieve sciatica pain and also prevent further flareups. Remember to take breaks if you sit for long periods of time. Get up and spend 5 minutes walking around for every hour that you sit.

Exercise for 30 minutes a day to keep your muscles loose. Regular physical activity is very important for preventing future sciatica flareups. Try to get at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 5-7 days per week to prevent muscle tightness. As long as you can tolerate them, walking and running are the most effective exercises for sciatica pain. You can also try low-impact activities like swimming. Also strengthen your core with abdominal workouts to support your back better. Be very careful if you do weight training. Keep the weights light so you don’t pull any muscles in your back.

Lift objects with your legs and hips instead of your back. This takes pressure away from your back muscles so you don’t get injured. Also hold objects as close to your body as you can if you’re carrying them.

Complete a round of physical therapy to strengthen your back. There is some evidence that physical therapy can ease sciatica. The stretches and exercises you’ll do can strengthen your back muscles and prevent pressure on your sciatic nerve. You may need a prescription or referral from your regular doctor for physical therapy. You’ll have to exercise and stretch outside of your therapy sessions for the best results, so keep up with your therapist’s instructions.

Quit smoking to keep your vertebral discs strong. Nicotine can deteriorate your vertebral discs and trigger sciatica, so it’s best to quit or avoid starting altogether.

Trying Alternative Medicine

Visit a chiropractor for spinal manipulation. Chiropractors aren’t medical doctors, but they are skilled in treating numerous types of back injuries. A round of spinal manipulation may relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve and get rid of your pain.

Have an acupuncture treatment. By using thin needles to access pressure points throughout your body, acupuncture might help relieve sciatica pain. Some people find it helpful, while others don’t see significant results. You can try it out for yourself and see if it helps. Always visit a licensed and experienced acupuncturist so you know you’re receiving safe, sanitary treatment.

Try doing yoga to improve your posture. Yoga exercises that stretch and strengthen the back might help relieve sciatica symptoms. Try practicing yoga 3-5 days per week to see if it helps you. Even if yoga doesn’t specifically improve your sciatica symptoms, it’s very good exercise that can help you stay active.

Follow an anti-inflammatory diet. If your sciatica came from an injury like a slipped disc, then it’s possible that an anti-inflammatory diet could help. Eat plenty of proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and overall fresh foods to reduce your body’s inflammation. Fried, processed, and fatty foods are all associated with increased inflammation. Reduce your consumption of these foods as much as possible.