Sciatica is a condition characterized by compression or injury of your sciatic nerve, which runs from your spine through your buttocks and down the back of each of your legs. It typically appears as a symptom of other medical disorders. You can help relieve the effects of sciatica with remedies or exercises that address the underlying causes of your condition.
Sciatica Basics
Sciatica produces pain that can range from a mildly unpleasant sensation to severe, incapacitating burning or aching, according to MedlinePlus, a website created by the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Additional potential symptoms include tingling, numbness or weakness. Potential underlying causes of the condition include fracture or injury of your pelvis, slipped spinal disks, spinal disk degeneration, a buttock muscle disorder called piriformis syndrome, tumors and a narrowing of your spinal canal called spinal stenosis. Typically, you will experience sciatica at the site where injury to your sciatic nerve occurs.
Potential Remedies
MedlinePlus lists potential short-term remedies for sciatica-related inflammation that include use of nonprescription painkillers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen and sleeping in a fetal position with a pillow between your legs. You can also use ice packs for two or three days, followed by applications of heat. If you don't gain sufficient relief from these approaches, your doctor may recommend cortisone injections or use of other medications. In some cases, you may require surgery to relieve your sciatica-related pain.
Establishing a Program
While short-term rest can decrease the pain of a sciatica flare-up, long-term inactivity can significantly worsen your pain, according to Spine-Health. By exercising and moving your body, you can relieve or diminish pain and improve the health of your spine, spinal disks and back muscles. Exercise programs for sciatica are tailored to the specific factors affecting your sciatic nerve health. Typically, a sciatica program seeks to relieve your current pain while simultaneously increasing your conditioning and lowering your risks for future sciatic problems. Health professionals who can help you form an appropriate exercise routine include physical therapists, physiatrists, certified athletic trainers, spinal specialists and chiropractors.
Sciatica Exercises
Most sciatica programs feature exercises designed to strengthen the muscles in both your abdomen and lower back, Spine-Health reports. In combination, these exercises improve your ability to support your back properly. Your doctor or health professional will also likely recommend a series of stretches designed to reduce tightness and inflexibility in specific muscles where you experience sciatica-related pain. Whatever the location of your pain, your program will also probably include hamstring stretches designed to reduce stress on your lower back. As an additional component of your routine, your doctor may recommend walking or other low-impact aerobic exercises that don't contribute to back stress.
Considerations
If you think you have sciatica, performing exercises without a proper diagnosis and your doctor's advice can trigger a worsening of your symptoms, Spine-Health notes. Additional components of a sciatica treatment program include supporting your back while sitting, emphasizing proper posture during lifting or everyday activities and avoiding standing or sitting for prolonged amounts of time. Consult your doctor for more information.
