How to Help Leg Pain Caused by Herniated Disk in Back
A herniated disk is the most common cause of sciatica. Sciatica describes the pain that occurs when the sciatic nerve is injured. This pain shoots down the leg and sometimes into the feet and toes. In most cases, conservative self-care is sufficient to treat the herniated disk and the resulting sciatic pain. Surgery is rare, but a possibility. The Mayo Clinic and alternative medicine expert Dr. Andrew Weil offer several suggestions to this problem.
Instructions
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Use over-the-counter NSAIDs like aspirin, Motrin, Advil or Aleve. They relieve pain and inflammation. Take as directed. If these medications are insufficient, ask your doctor about stronger options. He can give you a corticosteroid injection right into the nerve and/ or muscle relaxants.
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Find the proper balance between rest and activity. You do not want to aggravate the injury by doing too much too soon, but you do not want to remain sedentary for a prolonged amount of time. This can cause stiffness and worsen pain. Short walks or low-impact activities such as stationary bike riding or swimming are a good way to incorporate physical activity into your healing process. As your condition improves, you can incorporate more vigorous activities. If you are not sure about how to proceed, ask your doctor for suggestions about appropriate activities and time frames for easing back into normal routines.
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Visit a physical therapist. He can show you stretching exercises to restore mobility and ease pain. It is important to follow his instruction regarding doing the exercises at home. This will maximize your benefits.
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Try alternative treatment modalities. Dr. Weil recommends acupuncture, the movement therapies of the Alexander Technique or Trager Approach, therapeutic yoga or osteopathic manipulation. You need to meet with trained practitioners for each of these treatments. The practitioners can also show you exercises to do at home that can complement these therapies.
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Use hot and cold applications to ease pain and inflammation. During the first two days, you should only use cold but after that, you can apply heat. You might prefer one to the other, or find that a combination of the two provides the most relief.
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See your doctor if your condition has not improved after six weeks. He can determine the need for additional treatments or surgery.
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