If you experience pain that starts in your lower back and radiates to your legs through your buttocks, you may have sciatica, a pinched nerve, or sciatic nerve pain. Understanding and preventing sciatic nerve pain is important, mainly because it is such a common yet debilitating condition. The sciatic nerve is the largest in the body, extending from the spinal cord all the way down to the foot. Hence, if it is irritated or pinched, the pain can be felt anywhere along that line. It is also common for people to experience numbness at certain parts, or excruciating pain whenever that part moves suddenly.
Understanding and Preventing Sciatic Nerve Pain – Looking at the Causes
Before you can treat or prevent a condition, you have to get to know it. Sciatica is usually caused by degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, or a herniated disc. The latter, also known as a slipped disc, happens when someone suddenly makes a twisting motion, or if there is a forceful impact or blow to the back. This can happen in a car crash, for instance. A slipped disc’s most common symptom is sciatica, and it may also require immediate medical attention.
If it is caused by spinal stenosis, it means that the spinal canal becomes more narrow, restricting the spinal cord. This is more common in people over the age of 60. Similarly, degenerative disc disease is closely related to age. This happens when one of the discs along the spinal cord is weakened, leading to lots of tiny movements that cause irritation to the roots of the sciatic nerve through the release of inflammatory proteins.
Understanding and Preventing Sciatic Nerve Pain – Looking at the Treatment
One of the best forms of both treatment and prevention of sciatic is Pilates. This is a gentle form of exercise that strengthens and warms up the core muscles, including the back, which support the spinal cord. When Pilates is particularly targeted at this area, and people take part in it regularly, they may experience more rapid recovery as well as preventing recurrent episodes.
Rest is also good, although complete bed rest is not recommended. It means not moving as much and not carrying very heavy things. People should only lie on hard, flat beds so that they don’t further aggravate the nerve. They should also have proper back support on any chair they use. All movements should be slow and controlled and no single movement should be engaged in for too long.
Warm showers and heat pads can also help. The heat pad should be on medium to low and be left in position for between 15 and 20 minutes. This should be repeated every three hours. Have a shower instead of using the heat pad if you want to.
If the pain does not get any better after one month, or if it becomes so severe that it is disabling, a pain relief specialist may be able to offer help. Targeted exercises, for instance, can be highly beneficial. Usually, however, the pain goes away by itself after awhile.
