Sciatica causes pain along the sciatic nerve. Sciatic pain takes the form of a burning or tingling ache or a shooting pain that extends down one leg. Causes include a pinched nerve, herniated disk and osteoarthritis, but there are a variety of other conditions that can result in sciatica. Some choose to treat their sciatic pain by using an inversion table. Always consult your doctor before using an inversion table to treat backaches.
Inversion Tables
An inversion table is a device that tilts your body to a degree that may be increased until you are upside down. The notion of health benefits from hanging upside down extends back to Hippocrates in 400 B.C. Any degree of inversion is now considered helpful for relieving back pain. The inversion table consists of racks and straps. You lie flat on your back on the table, and strap in your lower legs and feet. The table is then tilted to the desired angle, and locked in place to make it easier to move and exercise without the table tilting further.
How It Works
To use an inversion table for sciatic pain, you will be strapped in place, then inverted. For those new to inversion therapy, a 15-degree inversion is usually enough. As you progress, you may be inverted up to 60 degrees. Hanging upside down in this fashion relieves tension in your spine. This can reduce compression of the vertebrae, which may ease the pressure on your sciatic nerve, providing temporary relief of your sciatic pain.
Treating Sciatic Pain
According to the Mayo Clinic, the use of an inversion table will not provide a permanent solution for back pain of any kind, including sciatic pain. However, even temporary relief can make it worthwhile to add to an overall treatment plan that includes chiropractic care, medication, exercise and, potentially, surgery. You can buy an adjustable inversion table for home use, so you can modify your treatment as you become more comfortable with being inverted. You should not invert for longer than 20 minutes at a time.
Warning
Inversion tables and inversion therapy are not for everyone. If you have high blood pressure or glaucoma or other eye pressure, inverting can cause problems. If you have a back injury, eye disease, heart disease, get dizzy easily or are pregnant, do not use an inversion table.
