Sciatica Home Treatment

Sciatica Home Treatment Advice - Steps 1- 4

if you have recently been diagnosed with sciatica from a disc bulge here are some sciatica home treatment suggestions to help you to help yourself.

But first:

The first thing you should do before trying to manage this at home is to make sure you really do have sciatica – only 5% of people with back pain have it, most people have simple lower back pain instead.

Read this page on sciatica symptoms to help you decide and go and see you doctor or physical therapist.

If you do have sciatic symptoms then you need to make sure there is not a more severe lower back pain problem underlying it such as cauda equina syndrome.
If you have pins and needles, numbness or loss of power in your legs – go and see someone about it before attempting to self manage the problem.

Assuming then that you are sure you have sciatic back pain and you are sure you have nothing serious to worry about; the following suggestions may help you manage your sciatica with home treatment.

Step 1. Sort out some effective pain relief for sciatica.

Your doctor may prescribe an anti-inflammatory drug, a painkiller, a muscle relaxant or something to help you sleep. Take them! You need to control your pain so that you can get back to normal as quickly as possible. I meet people who fear that taking pain relief for sciatica will mask their symptoms and they worry they are going to injure themselves.

Don’t worry; this is highly unlikely to happen.

Taking medication calms down the pain response and allows you to get better faster – there is nothing to be gained by suffering sciatica symptoms.

Unfortunately, the pain of sciatica can be very severe and is not always eased by medication alone. If that is the case try the next step.

Step 2. Find a position of ease.

Often, sciatic back pain is worse in certain positions and better in others. Many of my patients say that standing or walking is far better than sitting or lying in bed. Find the best position for you.

Try lying on your front with pillows under your hips.
Try lying on your back on a firm surface with pillows under your knees (see below)

sciatica home treatment

Try lying on the floor and getting your calves up on a chair seat or footstool (so your calves are supported and your hips and knees are at right angles)

Step 3. Keep active.

Taking to your bed is a bad idea!

You may feel really off your feet for a day or two but try and get back to some normal activity as soon as possible after this.
I recommend a gentle activity such as walking, alternated with periods of time in the position of ease (see above).

Step 4. Avoid positions of discomfort.

If you find that sitting is really uncomfortable then avoid it for a while.
Certainly don’t stay for hours in a position that you know makes your sciatica symptoms worse.
Make sure you always have a correct sitting posture and if your bed is soft and making you uncomfortable try making some of these changes.