Pain Blog: Remedy Sciatica & Prevent It From Returning
When your lower back hurts and sudden waves of excruciating pain radiate down your leg, it’s only natural to find a comfortable position and rest. But if you want to remedy sciatica and prevent future flare-ups, prolonged rest is the worst choice you can make.
So what do you do when exercise is the key to treating sciatica, yet your sciatica pain makes it impossible to even think about moving? That’s when we at the Headache & Pain Center can help.
With our interventional pain management techniques, including epidural steroid procedures you can get the pain relief you need to stick with a therapeutic exercise regimen, as well as longer-lasting treatments that allow you to enjoy daily life again.
Sciatica follows a different course for each person. Your pain may quickly improve and never return, or you may need to work through months of flare-ups. In both cases, interventional pain management allows you to overcome and recover from sciatica.
Here are the top five ways to remedy sciatica and prevent it from returning:
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Consider pain management
Interventional medicine is different from standard medical care because it focuses on treating the source of your pain. Though we specialize in many different types of interventional therapies, they generally work one of two ways.
Some ease the pain by reducing inflammation in the sciatic nerve. Other interventional procedures stop nerves from sending pain signals to your brain.
These are a few examples of treatments we offer to reduce the pain of sciatica:
- Lumbar epidural steroid injections
- Spinal cord stimulation
- Facet joint injections
- Nerve blocks
- Radiofrequency ablation
- Intrathecal pain pump
Depending on your symptoms and needs, we may recommend a procedure that helps you achieve short- or long-lasting pain relief.
Avoid prolonged rest
Though you may need to rest for a short time to reduce the pain of a flare-up, bed rest and prolonged sitting are guaranteed to make your sciatica worse. Even if you can only manage gentle stretching or slow walking, movement is an important part of your sciatica remedy.
Practice self-care during flare-ups
During those times when you truly need to rest due to the pain, follow self-care treatments such as ice, heat, massage, and taking pain relievers.
You can diminish inflammation and pain by using an ice pack for 15-20 minutes several times daily. But you should only use ice for a few days, then switch to a heating pad or warm shower to relax your lower back muscles.
If your pain doesn’t improve in several days or it gets worse, it’s time to let us help.
Follow a customized exercise routine
You may be surprised to learn that most doctors include exercise right at the start of your treatment for sciatica. As you engage in structured physical activity, you strengthen the muscles that support your lower spine, improve flexibility, and even improve bone density in your vertebrae.
Exercise alleviates the pain, reduces swelling, and prevents future bouts of sciatica. When you’re active, you also boost circulation, bringing healing nutrients and oxygen to the damaged tissues.
A carefully designed exercise program that fits your overall health, age, and fitness level promotes healing in the sciatic nerve and damaged discs. That’s important because 90% of all cases of sciatica are the result of a herniated disc.
Support your spine with good posture
Poor posture is one of the top ways to guarantee sciatica will return. Slouching places extra stress on your lower back, leading to herniated or bulging discs that pinch the sciatic nerve.
Lifting a heavy object by bending your back instead of bending your knees and hips is another way to trigger a sciatica flare-up. Whether you’re sitting, walking, or lifting, always think about good posture and safe ergonomics.
To learn more about how Headache & Pain Center can help you overcome sciatica, call our nearest office or book an appointment online today. We’re located in Gray and New Iberia, Louisiana.
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