A severe and debilitating pain caused by compression or irritation of the sciatic berve is called sciatica. Most commonly it affects the lower back and it continues down the back of the leg.
There are some other symptoms that indicate sciatica pain such as burning or tingling sensation in the leg, shooting pain that causes difficulty standing up or sitting down and weakness and numbness dow the affected leg and toes.
10 Awesome Home Remedies To Get Rid of Sciatic Nerve Pain Fast!
the major cause of sciatica and the most common as well is a slipped or herniated disc, but there are also some other causes such as ishmic spondylolishesis, pregnancy, spinal stenosis, piriformis syndrome, disc disease and spinal injury. Unfortunately, the conventional treatments used nowadays only work for a short period of time, they just soothe the pain instead of getting rid of it. Some people even use steroid injections but most of them can lead to severe side effects.
Fortunately, there are some natural remedies that will help you lower the pressure of inflammation on the irritated sciatic nerve, and the problem will dissapear with time, around six weeks, and with rest.
We present you ten home remedies for the painful sciatica:
Hot or Cold compresses
Hot and cold compresses will certainly help with sciatica pain sine cold compress numbs the pain and lowers swelling around the nerve whereas hot compress relaxes tense muscles which might be pressing rhe sciatic nerve.
You can also combine heat and cold treatment. First begin with the hot treatment by using a steamed towel (moist heat) which is really effective. After that, put a cold or hot pack on the affected area, and let it stay for 15 to 20 minutes. Repeat this every couple of hours until you notice pain relief.
Note: People who are dealing with circulatory problems shouldn’t use cold compresses.
Turmeric
You can use turmeric to treat sciatica pain because it has anti-inflammatory properties. Just boil one cup of milk and add a teaspoon of turmeric and a small cinnamon stick if you like to improve the tase. You are also allowed to add honey as a natural sweetener and drink this amazing mixtyre. You should drink it one or two times a day until you notice improvement. You can also take turmeric supplements, 250-300 milligrams 3 times a day in the period of several weeks. Make sure you consult your doctor before you take them.
Note: People suffering from gallstones, and those taking diabetes medication and blood thinners shouldn’t use turmeric.
Massage
Beside being great for relieving sciatica pain, massage therapy will also help the body heal itself, espacially if the problem is a muscle spasm. Massaging the body will help you stimulate circulation, raise the range of motion and release tenstion. In order to relieve sciatica pain and inflammation, you should use St. Johns which is beneficial due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Use St. John’s wort oil to massage the affected area two to three times per day, until you notice relief.
There is another homemade treatment that will help you with this problem. All you have to do is to prepare a mixture of one cup of sesame oil and 3 tbsp of nutmeg powder. Heat the mixture and after that leave it to cool until it’s comfortably warm before you start with the massage. This treatment should be repeated couple of times a day for a few weeks.
Since the pain in the lower back, thighs and buttocks is often linked to the trigger points in the gluteus minimus and medius muscles, you can also consider trigger-point massage at least once a day.
Capsaicin Cream
The active compound in cayenne pepper is capsaicin which is a natural pain reliever since it helps deplete the substance P levels (a neurotransmitter that transports pain signals). In order to relieve sciatica pain, you need to apply an oitment or cream that contains 0.025% to 0.075% capsaicin on the affected area up to four times a day, in a period of one week.
Note: Do not apply capsaicin cream or ointment on a broken skin since it can cause a burning sensation.
White Willow Bark
Long-lasting pain relief can be provided by the bark of white willow as it possesses analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties as a result of the present olic glycosides with salicin. After consulting your doctor you should take 120 mg of white willow supplement or 240 mg of salicin on a daily basis within several weeks.
Valerian Root
The valerian root alleviates chronic nerve pain, and it’s particularly effective at lowering sciatica pain triggered by a muscle spasm.It is recommended to take valerian root supplements, 150 milligrams 3 times on a daily basis within a few weeks. Also, consult your doctor before taking these supplements.
There is also another alternative – drink valerian tea. Just boil a cup of hot water, and add 1 teaspoon of dried valerian root. Let it steep for about 10 minutes. You should drink this tea few times a week within a couple of weeks.
Exercises
We already know that exercise and physical activity is great for our body In general, so it is when it comes to sciatica pain. You should start exercising day or two after the flare-up of sciatica in order to speed up the process of recovery.
Knee to Chest Stretch is great for lowering the sciatic nerve irritation and improving your lower back’s flexibility.
First lie down on your back on the floor and stretch your legs hip-width apart.
Relax your upper body and bend your knee upwards while breathing in.
Pull your thigh towards your chest with your hands clasped behind it, as far as it’s comfortable for you.
Your leg should stay flat on the ground. Hold this position for about 20 seconds and make sure to have controlled and deep breaths during the exercise. After that, lower your leg carefully. Repeat the same procedure with your other leg. Repeat this 3 to 5 times and then do the exercise with both legs for about 3 to 5 minutes.
There are many other exercises which will help you relieve sciatica pain such as yoga. Doing the pigeon pose and cat-cow pose will benefit you a lot. Moreover, you can try spinal decompression exercises as well.
Note: Consult your doctor to make the appropriate exercise program for you.
Acupuncture
Use acupuncture in order to relax your muscles, alleviate sciatica pain, as well as help your body heal on its own. It is believed that when certain acupuncture points are stimulated, the central nervous system is also stimulated resulting in release of chemicals that produce a sense of well-being, or change the pain perception.
The Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine has published a 2009 study conducted on 30 participants. The acupuncturist used heated needles in order to reduce sciatica pain. This treatment worked since 17 participants got complete relief of sciatica pain.
Spinal Manipulation
Are you familiar with the fact that one of the well-known natural treatments for back and neck pain is the chiropractic care? In other words, a variety of techniques involving short and rapid thrusts are included in the chiropractic spinal manipulation that can soothe irritation of the nerve that is responsible for inflammation and other sciatica symptoms.
It is advisable to consult a chiropractor for a proper sciatica pain treatment.
Fenugreek Seeds
In order to alleviate the sciatica pain, you should prepare a poultice from fenugreek seeds because it provides anti-inflammatory benefits. Hence, it gives a great relief for gout pains and rheumatoid arthritis, too.
Take a handful of fenugreek seeds, grind them and add some milk in it. Next, you should boil the mixture until you get mushy paste. Then, apply the prepared mixture on the affected area as a poultice, and let it stay for a few hours. Finally, wash it off and repeat it every day until you notice relief.
Tips:
Avoid smoking as it promotes disc degeneration.
Regular exercise is useful, but don’t engage yourself in intense exercises.
Use a mattress that is neither too soft nor too firm.
Avoid making sudden movements.
After consulting your doctor take vitamin C, magnesium and calcium supplements.
Practice techniques for proper lifting where your back will be straight and your knees bent.
Good posture is useful when it comes to alleviating pressure on the lower back.
Consider using other herbal remedies, for instance the alcohol-based extract prepared from the parijat or harshiangar leaves; 1,500 to 2,000 mg two times daily of devil’s claw. It should not be used in case you have peptic ulcer. Furthermore, it is recommended to consult your doctor before taking any of these natural remedies to decide for a proper dosage and suitability.
Source: healthexpertgroup.com