Sciatic Pain: What It Is And How To Find Relief

Sciatic Pain: What it is and How to Find Relief

Caused by irritation, inflammation, pinching, or compression of a nerve in the lower back, sciatic pain radiates from your lower back into the back or side of your legs. The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body, running from your lower back, through your hips, legs, and finally your feet.

Back pain is a leading cause for visits to the doctor, and about 40 percent of people in the U.S. experience sciatica sometime during their life. While other sources of back pain can be hard to identify, sciatica is easy to pinpoint. Discover how sciatica works and how you can find relief from sciatic pain.

How Sciatica Works

Sciatica, or sciatic pain, refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve. This nerve is the longest and largest nerve in our body, branching from your lower back through your hips and down each leg. Sciatic pain most commonly starts due to a herniated or slipped disk or a bone spur, which can put pressure on the nerves around it, resulting in pain down the nerve. Most people who get sciatica are between 30 and 50 years old. Other risk factors for sciatica include prolonged sitting, your job, and weight.

The pain associated with sciatica can range from mild to severe and is described as sharp, shooting, or jolts of pain. This pain may be constant or may come and go. You may also experience numbness or tingling in your leg or foot.

It’s possible that you feel pain in one part of your leg and numbness in another region. Additionally, the pain may worsen if you cough, sneeze, sit or stand for long periods, or twist your upper body. More severe complications, such as feeling, weakness, or loss of bowel or bladder function, need immediate medical attention.

Sciatic Pain Relief

The excellent news about sciatic pain is that most people get better in a few weeks without surgery. However, there are things you can do for sciatic pain relief. Your initial reaction may be to rest and take it easy because of the pain, but if your pain isn’t too severe, it’s better to keep moving. Holding will allow the nerve to continue to be irritated in that spot, while staying in motion will reduce the inflammation.

Try to stretch, go for short walks, or participate in any other physical activities that you feel up to doing. In particular, try to stretch your lower back. In addition to movement, you can try ice packs, heating pads, and over-the-counter medications.

If these home remedies aren’t helping your sciatic pain, then it’s time to seek treatment. The team at ACellOrtho will pinpoint the underlying cause of your pain and discuss the different treatment options. Working together, we will develop an individualized treatment plan to help you feel better and restore you to the highest functioning level.

Dr. Rich and the ACellOrtho team offer patient-focused and solution-driven minimally invasive treatment options. Take charge of your life and contact us today to schedule a consultation.

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Key Takeaways

• Sciatic pain refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve.
• Sciatic pain is caused by irritation, inflammation, pinching, or a nerve’s compression in the lower back.
• The pain associated with sciatica can range from mild to severe.
• Most people suffering from sciatic pain get better in a few weeks without needing surgery.
• Dr. Rich and the ACellOrtho team offer patient-focused and solution-driven minimally invasive treatment options.