Sciatica is a medical condition involving numbness, weakness or tingling in the leg. It is caused by injury to or compression of the sciatic nerve. Sciatica affects people in different ways. Some people have mild symptoms which go away quickly others suffer for days to weeks at a time. If you suffer from sciatica, you have probably tried several options to relieve your pain.
Treatment Options
Options include joining your local gym for optimal stretching of the back, which helps alleviate pain for many people. Working with a trainer where techniques are utilized to work certain muscles may provide a holistic remedy to helping pain management associated with sciatica. Both working out at the gym and spinal decompression treatments help to reduce symptoms without the use of prescription medications. Other treatment options include steroid injections and back surgery. However, many people who elect for back surgery have to have a second surgery within five years.
Physical Therapy and Physical Symptoms
Doctors will likely suggest a form a physical therapy, ranging from walking to a physical exercise program. You may find that one option or a combination of treatment options work to help your pain.
The sciatic nerve runs from the lower back down the back of each leg. It controls muscles in the back of your knee and lower leg and in addition to giving feeling to the back of your thigh, sole of your foot and part of your lower leg. Any of the above mentioned body parts can be affected with an episode sometimes isolated and other times all at once.
Charting Your Course
Keeping a diary of sciatic episodes can help in choosing treatment. Sciatica is treatable and a person can learn to reduce the pain and discomfort associated with episodes. You know your body best and when it is operating at the optimal level.
Pain Management
You may recall exactly what you did to develop sciatic nerve damage. If so, you want to avoid repeating whatever gave you initial distress. For example, bending may be difficult as well as sitting and or standing for long periods of time.
The easiest thing to do is ask your doctor for medication. A muscle relaxer has side effects of drowsiness, lethargy and can become addictive. While there are other methods to help with pain management, you may do well in the long run to incorporate them over medication. Steroids while helpful can cause weight gain and you can only get so many per year.
Back surgery will have you out of work for several weeks to months and many people find they have to have repeat surgery. This is worth researching because you don't know when you will experience an episode that knocks you down.
Considerations
Worth noting is the fact that people who incorporate exercise experience a greater length of time without symptoms and for some symptoms simply go away after time. Self-care is important and includes learning what you can about sciatica and how your body will respond to a treatment.
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