28/11/2024
Effective Tips For Soothing Sciatic Nerve Pain.
1. Massage
Massaging the muscles of the buttocks and backs of the legs (where the sciatic nerve runs) can loosen muscle tension and decrease painful nerve inflammation. How? Massage promotes blood circulation which will ease sciatic nerve tenderness and built up tension.
2. Apply Hot and Cold
The old hot and cold switch works wonders on sciatic nerve pain. Start by applying an ice pack to decrease sciatic nerve inflammation then follow up directly with a heating pad to soothe muscle tension and encourage blood flow to the tense muscles and nerves in the area at the backs of the legs and buttocks.
3. Pain Killers
Pain killers are quite effectively procured over the counter at most local drug stores. Concentrate on pain relievers for muscle tension, such as aspirin or ibuprofen. These will work to help eliminate the painful inflammation associated with chronic sciatica.
4. Acupuncture
Traditional Chinese acupuncture employs tiny needles inserted into specific pressure points on the body to ease pain and inflammation. Acupuncture has been shown to lessen the painful muscle spasms caused by sciatica. This Eastern treatment also encourages blood flow and circulation in the backs of the legs, lower back, and buttocks.
5.Prescription Medications
Chronic sciatic nerve pain may have you rushing to the doctor for prescription aid. In many cases, doctors will prescribe medications to treat sciatica, including muscle relaxants, higher dose pain killers, and even anti-depressants (to encourage endorphin production).
6. Stretching
Stretching or yoga can encourage tight muscles to loosen up. Promoting flexibility through stretching can ease sciatica by also improving lower back support and improving core strength. This way, less pressure is placed on the backs of the legs where the sciatic nerve resides.
7. Topical Ointments
Rather than pain relievers taken orally, many sciatica patients prefer to apply a topical pain relieving ointment directly to the inflamed area. These pain relieving gels (usually called analgesics) often contain menthol, an ingredient that blocks pain receptors and relaxes stiff muscles. My favorite is Anti-Flamme Extra with Arinca.
8. Back Support Aids
If you sit all day long in an uncomfortable office chair, you’re only exacerbating the sciatic nerve and causing greater inflammation and stiffness. It’s worth investing in a desk chair with sturdy support and a balanced surface to promote posture while reducing pressure on the lower back and upper buttocks.
9. Physical Therapy
Physical therapy in combination with massage will loosen tense muscles, encourage blood flow, and promote fuller range of motion and flexibility. Physical therapies will prescribe specific exercises and postures to lessen chronic sciatic nerve pain.
10. Hydrotherapy
Applying heat with a heating pad is alright but immersing your sore body in a hot tub or whirlpool bath bath is heaven. Hydrotherapy not only lessens muscle stiffness and inflammation, but also actually promotes circulation, which will help soothe chronic sciatic muscle spasm.
11. Chiropractic Care “those who received chiropractic adjustments experienced less local pain, fewer number of days with pain, and fewer cases of moderate or severe pain compared to people who didn’t receive adjustments.”
12. Bed Rest
In some cases of sciatica, rest may be the best medicine. WebMD indicates that three days tends to be enough, during which “it’s important to be on a firm mattress or the floor.“
While it may be tempting, be sure not to overdo this resting period. Avoiding activity any longer can typically lead to a downward spiral where episodes of pain lead to inactivity, leading to more pain, and so on.” So while a few days off your feet may not completely alleviate the pain, it’s important to get up and moving again in order to prevent even more pain from occurring.
13. . Exercise
Speaking of getting up and moving, exercise is important for reducing sciatic nerve pain. Although it may be the last thing you feel like doing when you’re in pain, “Exercise increases blood flow to the disk and the nerve, helping get rid of the chemicals causing the inflammation,”
Taking short walks (about 15 to 20 minutes long) or getting in the pool to swim or aerobic exercises, as “there’s not as much pressure on the back when you’re in the water.”
14. Epidural Steroid Injections
For some, the methods already mentioned on this list may prove ineffective for relieving their sciatic nerve pain. In such cases, more intensive therapies may need to be employed, such as epidural steroid injections.
These injections are inserted in the lower back, close to the sciatic nerve, and are intended to help reduce inflammation. They tend to only be prescribed for those whose pain persists for a month or longer, and for whom other common remedies haven’t helped. Steroid injections are also limited to three per year due to their potentially harmful side effects, such as loss of bone density.
15. Surgery
While, in most cases sciatic nerve pain can be alleviated through the tips mentioned here, for some the only effective method is surgery. This only tends to be necessary for about 5 to 10-percent of affected individuals, who experience persistent pain for a period longer than three months.
There are two main types of surgery for sciatica: discectomy and laminectomy. With discectomy, Your surgeon removes whatever is pressing on your sciatic nerve, whether it’s a herniated disk, a bone spur, or something else.” With a laminectomy, the lamina—part of the bone structure that surrounds the spinal cord— is removed, as well as “any tissue pressing on the nerve that’s causing you pain.”
Vitamins A, C, D, E, and K, as well as B vitamins, can help with inflammation. You can get these vitamins from:
Foods
Fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, and vitamin-fortified foods.
Vitamin C
A powerful antioxidant that reduces inflammation by neutralizing free radicals. You can get vitamin C from green, red, orange, and yellow fruits and vegetables.
B vitamins
Folic acid can reduce inflammation when taken daily for a short period. A combination of B6, B9, and B12 can also reduce some markers of inflammation. You can get B vitamins from kale, bell peppers, mushrooms, liver, black-eyed peas, asparagus, and dark leafy greens.
Vitamin K. One report in the journal Metabolism found that vitamin K can reduce inflammatory markers, help with blood clotting, and protect bone health.
Vitamin A. It seems to play a role in keeping your immune system from overreacting and causing inflammation.
Avocados. Avocados are often sought after for their creamy texture and satiating taste. But they are also powerhouses when it comes to fighting inflammation.
Vitamins C and E are two antioxidants found in avocados that promote heart health by slowing the rate of LDL, otherwise known as “bad” cholesterol, oxidation.
Berries
Berries like blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are rich in anthocyanins. This is the phytochemical that gives these berries their deep red, purple, and violet pigments. Studies show
eating 1 cup (150g) of blueberries daily reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 15%! Additionally, other benefits associated with berry consumption include a reduction in cancer risk, cognitive decline, dementia, heart disease, blood sugar, and cholesterol.
Green Tea Green tea contains antioxidant compounds called catechins. EGCG (Epigallocatechin-3-gallate) is the major and most active component.
EGCG reduces inflammation by decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress caused by free radicals. Want to up your antioxidant intake even more?! Try matcha powder! Matcha powder is created by grinding green tea leaves into powder. Consumption of the entire leaf itself results in more potent effects, consequently making this a powerhouse anti-inflammatory food.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil:
Olive oil is rich in:
the monounsaturated fat oleic acid the anti-inflammatory antioxidant oleocanthal
vitamins E and K
This certainly makes it an excellent anti-inflammatory food.
Olive Oil Tip: When choosing olive oil, be sure to opt for extra-virgin, or cold-pressed, olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is the least processed. As a result, it contains a more pleasant taste. Most importantly, it contains the highest amount of antioxidants, vitamins, and polyphenols.
Onions: Onions contain an anti-inflammatory flavonoid called quercetin.
Quercetin reduces inflammation. It does this, for instance, by:
Inhibiting inflammation-causing leukotrienes, prostaglandins and histamines in osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA),
Reducing heart disease risk by lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol,
Helping prevent the progression of cancer.
Onion Tip! When cooking with red onions, aim to remove as little of the outer layer as possible to best retain its quercetin and antioxidant components.
Spinach: Spinach is rich in the anti-inflammatory antioxidant Lutein.
Lutein decreased chronic inflammation found in Coronary Artery Diseases (CAD) patients by decreasing the pro-inflammatory cytokine Interleukin 6.
Spinach Tip! Lutein is a fat-soluble antioxidant. In order to get the most health benefits from you spinach and be sure to pair this leafy green with a healthy fat. For example, you can use olive oil or a whole egg.
Turmeric + Black Pepper:
Turmeric is commonly referred to as the “golden spice”. Moreover, it is known for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-carcinogenic properties.
The main active ingredient found in turmeric that gives it its anti-inflammatory effects is curcumin.
Studies show that curcumin can aid in fighting chronic inflammation in the body by suppressing inflammatory molecules and can subsequently reduce osteoarthritis, general pain, and depression symptoms.
However, curcumin is not well absorbed by the body on its own.
Turmeric Tip! Pair turmeric with black pepper. This is because it contains a bioactive ingredient called piperine that increases curcumin absorption by up to 2000%!
Walnuts:
Walnuts contain the omega 3 fatty-acid Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA). Consequently, this promotes heart health through the reduction of artery blocking cholesterol.
Here are some great ways to add walnuts to your diet for example:
Add chopped walnuts to a green salad
Toss a small handful of walnuts in a Ziplock bag to enjoy as an on-the-go snack
Serve walnuts on top of yogurt or oatmeal for a delicious crunch
Add walnuts into a homemade granola
Use crushed walnuts as a coating for chicken or fish.
Other supplements that may help with inflammation include:
Curcumin
Fish oil
Ginger
Resveratrol
Spirulina
Green tea extract
Bromelain
Cat's-claw
Boswellia serrate or Indian frankincense.
It’s important to remember that just one meal won’t make you healthy or unhealthy. That is to say, no single food or ingredient will make you healthy or unhealthy. Instead, it is your entire diet and the foods you choose to consume on a consistent and regular basis that will ultimately determine your overall state of health.
Hope this information helps on your journey to a painless future.
