Sciatica Cure: Treatment or Time?

Sciatica occurs when there is compression at the base of the spine. The sciatic nerve runs down your lower back, down through each leg. When there is compression of the spine, the muscles around the sciatic nerve become inflamed and cause pain to this region.

The pain that is associated with sciatica travels from the lower back through the thigh, calf, ankle and even toes. Often it affects one leg only, which can feel numb or tingle. The duration of the condition varies from one person to another. It can severely reduce your mobility and interfere with daily routines.

Many people who are suddenly struck with sciatica, feel the need to bed rest. While this may help in the short term to relieve the initial pain, lying in bed for more than a couple of days can actually make the sciatica worse.

This is because the spinal structure can deteriorate further if there is no movement. This results in the back becoming weaker. When you exercise, the discs in your back remain lubricated and your muscles and joints stay flexible. So is there a sciatica cure or treatment, or is time the only answer to cure sciatica?

For many the pain that comes with sciatica can be very debilitating. It can come on very suddenly and is usually the result of a strenuous physical activity, or an activity that required unusual amounts of lifting or movement. Even long periods of driving can spark off an attack of sciatica.

For this reason many people find that once they have identified and ceased the cause, with appropriate care, the pain goes away with time on it's own.

However, for many it can be hard to change our lifestyles in order to stop sciatica on a long term or permanent basis. But there are some very simple self help cures you can try to alleviate sciatica. Most of them are not quick fix cures and require the sufferer to persevere for a period of time before they feel any relief.

Posture is very important in the treatment of sciatica. This is why having a suitable mattress and chair are often found to solve the problem of sciatic pain. It is recommended that you should change your mattress every 10 years at least. If choosing a new mattress do some research on the best one for you and seek advice. You should take into consideration the way you sleep, height, weight and any conditions you have, such as sciatica.

A mattress that supports your body properly will help to relieve stress on the muscles and joints of the back. Memory foam mattresses have become very popular with people who suffer from back problems. Memory foam mattresses have the ability to compress, but then return to their shape, placing less resistance on the joints.

The same is true of a chair. A chair should provide you with good lumbar support. An ergonomic chair that can be adjusted in height and back comfort can ease stress on the lower back. If a new chair is not an option, an insert lumbar cushion may give some relief to sciatica. This has the advantage of being portable, so you can take it to work, friends etc.

Although you may not feel like it, one of the best healing cures for sciatica is actually gentle exercise. Exercises developed for sciatica are very specific and are based on targeted stretching exercises. Stretching exercises loosen tight muscles and increase spaces between vertebrae, allowing more space for the spinal nerves.

Yoga is often used in the relief of sciatica. Movement is a good option in reducing pain. Doing exercises that stretch piriformis muscles are very helpful in controlling sciatic pain.

However, depending on the cause of your sciatic  condition, some exercises may need to be avoided, Therefore it is always advisable to check with your doctor first before starting any exercise.

Medicines are commonly used to treat sciatica in the form of pain relief. There is no magic pill for curing sciatica, but pain relief is often very welcome. There are several types of medicines used in the pain relief of sciatica. Firstly, anti inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen or codeine. Sometimes your doctor may prescribe a muscle relaxant.

Steroid based treatments are another option. Epidural or corticosteroid steroid injections can be given by a doctor to help reduce inflammation in the effected area.

For immediate relief at the onset of sciatica, ice packs are very beneficial. These need to be used within the first 48 hours of the onset of sciatic pain and help to bring down the inflammation around the injury. Remember never to place ice directly onto the skin. Ice should be used for 15 minutes at a time on and 30 minutes off. Heat should not be applied for the first 48 hours as it can increase inflammation.

After 48 hours heat can be applied in the form of warm towel, heat pads, or warm baths as moist heat works better than dry heat. sitting in a jacuzzi can also help ease the pain.

Surgery is only used as a last resort in cases of sciatica. This is because there is the risk of permanent nerve damage to the spine. Surgery is usually performed only after all other avenues have been tried and the patient is experiencing severe pain and lack of mobility. On occasions the nerve compression can lead to other problems such as bladder incontinence.

Therefore, the above sciatic treatments can help by curing or reducing the pain of sciatica, but overall time does definitely seem to play a big part in the recovery from sciatica. One of the most important cures for sciatica seems to be identifying the cause and rectifying it.