How to Treat a Pinched Sciatic Nerve

The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body, running from the base of the spinal cord to the feet. Sometimes a vertebral disk may bulge out of place and pinch the sciatic nerve. This can cause mild or severe throbbing of the back and leg.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Firm Mattresses
• Aspirins
• Ibuprofen
• Pillows
• Heating pads
• Ice packs

1. Visit your family doctor or orthopedic surgeon.

2. Take aspirin or ibuprofen to relieve discomfort. Taking two aspirin every day, even when you aren't suffering with sciatic pain, can help prevent pain from recurring.

3. Place at least one pillow under your knees when you lie down. This helps relieve pressure that the disk is putting on your sciatic nerve.

4. Rest on a firm mattress or on the floor when sciatic pain is severe. Stay in bed, getting up only when absolutely necessary, for 3 days.

5. Ask for help to get out of bed or into the bath or shower so you don't strain your back while getting up and down.

6. Apply hot or cold packs to your back and upper legs. Sometimes ice will work better than heat; at other times, a heating pad will do a better job of relieving pain. Try both to see which one is more effective for you.

7. Don't lift anything.

8. Don't bend or sit in soft chairs.

9. Ask your doctor for prescription pain relievers if severe sciatic pain continues.

10. Eat a diet rich in fiber, fruits and vegetables to prevent constipation. Straining to defecate irritates the sciatic nerve.

Tips & Warnings

• If sciatic pain is severe and unrelenting or if you begin having difficulty walking, you may have to consider disk surgery or having a special enzyme injected into the disk to shrink it.
• Bed rest has not been proven to be beneficial in treating a pinched sciatic nerve, but it has been the standard treatment since the 1930s.
• Sciatica tends to recur, especially if the bulging disk is not surgically repaired.
• Pinched nerve should feel better in a few days but can take up to several weeks.
• Use a weight belt when lifting anything heavy to reduce possibility of re-injury.
• Never try to "walk off" a pinched nerve.
• If you have any questions or concerns, contact a physician or other health care professional before engaging in any activity related to health and diet. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

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[wellnessclinic]

on 5/21/2009 I HOPE THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN OF HELP TO THOSE OF YOU SUFFERING FROM THIS EBILITATING PAIN . ***REMEMBER YOU KNOW YOUR BODY THE BEST AND IF SOMEONE IS TELLING YOU TO DO SOMETHING AND YOUR BODY IS SAYING " I DON'T LIKE THIS , DON'T DO IT . ** sorry about all the mixed up posts but the site has limited text available . THANKS

[wellnessclinic]

on 5/21/2009 The red and near infrared light (600nm-1000nm) commonly used in LLLT can be produced by laser or high intensity LED. The intensity of LLLT lasers and LED's is not high like a surgical laser. There is no heating effect.The effects of LLLT are photochemical (like photosynthesis in plants). Red and near infrared light can affect cell membrane permeability and aid the production of ATP thereby providing the cell with more energy which in turn means the cell is in optimum condition to play its part in a natural healing process.Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) or "cold laser therapy" is on track to become one of the most important developments in life sciences since the discovery of penicillin. LLLT dramatically reduces musculoskeletal pain and inflammation as well as promoting tissue repair wherever the laser beam is applied. This is not a heat treatment, the effects are photochemical.I HOP...

[wellnessclinic]

on 5/21/2009 * Take a good combination supplement of Glucosamine and Chondroitin for assitance in repair .*Take a good Multi B for stress ( stress is a huge component of Back problems , particularly worrying over money ! )

[wellnessclinic]

on 5/21/2009 LLLT (Low Level Laser Therapy) is the application of red and near infra-red light over injuries or lesions to improve wound / soft tissue healing and give relief for both acute and chronic pain. First developed in 1967, it is now commonly referred to as LLLT.LLLT is used to: increase the speed, quality and tensile strength of tissue repair;soft tissue injuries ;non-healing wounds and ulcers; joint conditions like Arthritis; chronic pain ; resolve inflammation;to improve function of damaged neurological tissue; post operative pain and often used as an alternative to needles for acupuncture.The red and near infrared light (600nm-1000nm) commonly used in LLLT can be produced by laser or high intensity LED. The intensity of LLLT lasers and LED's is not high like a surgical laser. There is no heating effect.The effects of LLLT are photochemical (like photosynthesis in plants). Red and ne...

[wellnessclinic]

on 5/21/2009 I have a lot of experience in this area and have suffered 2 x herniated discs at L4 and L5 / S1 affecting fist the left side then right and have been hospitalised initially for both when they went , due to many years of motocross and kung fu when i was young , i also am a specialist in Laser Therapy and treat chronic Musculoskeletal conditions and pain in my clinic in Melbourne Australia . Firsty let me say that most of the advice given by GP's and other practioners is out of date and really does more harm than good . Excersise , stretching , swimming , cycling , pilates and yoga are DEFINATELY NOT TO BE DONE WITHIN THE FIRST 4 WEEKS . Complete rest is the order of the day and that means LOTS OF LYING DOWN on your back and getting up only when necessary .When walking in the first few days of the sciatic nerve being affected , shuffle very carefully and make no sudden movements . *Ta...