Sometimes going to the doctor, making weekly visits to a chiropractor, or trying new remedies for pain can be a hassle. Sometimes going to the doctor or taking medicine can be costly, and many sufferers of sciatica, an extreme pain in the sciatic nerve in the lower back, are hoping for inexpensive, quick ways to get relief of their back pain. While exercises like walking, swimming, and bike riding can help give relief to sciatica, there are other methods people can use in the home to help with their sciatic nerve pain. These ways are inexpensive or free, and often times are good lifestyle choices to make to ensure a long, happy, and pain free way of living.
After a long day at work, we all want to come home and sit in our comfy chair and relax. While there is nothing wrong with coming home and relaxing after a hard day at the office, you want to make sure that your favorite chair or couch is not causing any strain on the muscles surrounding your sciatic nerve. If your chair is too soft or too low, it can put a strain on your muscles, making them tighten up, leaving you with severe pain. If you continue to sit in a chair or couch like this, your pain will only get worse over time. Make sure when you are sitting you are elevated and that the material you are sitting on is firm.
Another way to get relief of you sciatic nerve pain is the traditional cold and heat method. Putting an ice pack, or even a package of frozen vegetables on your lower back can help ease the pain. After having the cold on your back, alternate to heat. You can use a heating pad, or a hand towel that was run under hot water and wrung out. Heat penetrates deep into the muscles and nerves, providing great relief to back and sciatic pain. Make sure to alternate using both methods, and see which one works the best for you. If one method works better than the other, only use that method to ensure you are getting as much relief as possible.
You can also sleep in two positions that help alleviate pressure on the back, especially where the sciatic nerve is. If your back is in pain during the night, try sleeping on your back, with a pillow under your knees. It should relieve some of the pressure off of the muscles in your lower back. If you do not like sleeping on your back, you can sleep on your side, with a pillow either under or in-between your knees. Either one will help reduce and relieve sciatic pain, as well as prevent it from happening in the future.
Putting some different, healthy herbs and foods into your diet can help with pain relief and reduce inflammation. Foods like lemons and pineapples can help with sciatic nerve pain, and herbs that can help are turmeric root, ginger root, cayenne pepper, and bromelain. Adding those to your diet and to foods you already eat will help relieve you of some of the pain, and reduce inflammation around the effected area.