Sciatica is pain that radiates from your sciatic nerve, the longest nerve in your body. Symptoms include pain in your low back, buttock, back of your calf and thigh. You may also feel numbness and tingling or experience a loss of bladder control. Though sciatica typically dissipates with time, consult a doctor if your pain lasts longer than a week, you lose bladder control, or your pain follows an accident. With your doctor's permission, try holistic therapies, such as chiropractic, yoga, acupuncture or massage.
Chiropractic
Chiropractors offer spinal manipulations, also called adjustments, that help realign your vertebrae. Adjustments help restore mobility to your spine, which may relieve pressure on nerves and associated pain. The type of adjustments your chiropractor recommends depend on the cause of your sciatica. Causes include a herniated disk, narrowing in part of the spine called lumbar spinal stenosis or piriformis syndrome which involves muscle spasms. Chiropractic is effective for initial pain relief, according the Mayo Clinic.
Yoga
Practice yoga because stretching reduces nerve pressure and exercise helps strengthen your core muscles. Weak core muscles are prone to spasm, which puts pressure on the sciatic nerve. Though moving may seem counter intuitive for pain, exercise helps release endorphins which are your body's natural pain killers. Look for a gentle yoga class and discuss your medical concerns with instructors beforehand for the best results.
Acupuncture
Consult a licensed acupuncturist who relieves sciatica by inserting needles at specific points on your body. Scientific research on acupuncture and sciatica is inconclusive, but many patients feel it offers relief. Acupuncture needles may stimulate nerves to release pain-reducing hormones. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, acupuncture increases your pain threshold, improves circulation, stimulates white blood cells active in immunity and helps regulate blood cholesterol and blood sugar.
Massage
Use massage, which involves muscle kneading and compression to reduce muscle tension and relieve pain. Massage improves circulation and helps your body flush out cellular debris, according to James F. Balch, M.D., author of "Prescription for Nutritional Healing." Improvements in circulation help repair tissues and speed recovery of back pain, says Balch. Benefits from massage depend on the practitioner and their massage techniques, so you may need to experiment with different therapists before finding the right fit.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Sciatica; April 2010
- Spine Universe; Chiropractic Treatment of Sciatica; Ron Grassi, D.C., et al.; April 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Acupuncture; Steven D. Ehrlich, N.M.D.; December 2009
- "Prescription for Nutritional Healing"; James F. Balch, M.D., et al.; 1997
