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Sciatica is a common condition and one of the leading causes of lower back pain in Livingston. The pain mainly streams down to your leg as the sciatic nerve extends from the lower back to the leg. Managing the condition begins with a diagnosis to identify the underlying cause to understand the best treatment option for the disease. Treatments can range from lifestyle changes, medications, alternative medicine, up to surgery for severe cases. Contact your doctor soon to evaluate your symptoms. You might benefit from the following treatments.
Ice the Pain Away
For the first seven days of experiencing mild lower back pain, you can use ice packs to soothe the inflammation. Generally, grab an ice pack and wrap it in a thick dry cloth to apply it to your back. You can use frozen vegetables in place of the ice and hold them against the area you are experiencing pain. Ask for directions on how to go about it from your doctor. In most cases, you will be encouraged to hold the ice for about fifteen minutes, remove it and wait for another fifteen minutes before going back. You can repeat the process for about two hours to combat the inflammation around your nerve and numb the pain.
Take Over-the-counter Medications
Naproxen and ibuprofen are the ideal pain relievers for lower back pain due to sciatica. You can get the medicines from the pharmacy or local stores and use them carefully, following the instructions on the cover. Additionally, you can consult your doctor about the medication before using them for approval. OTC medications are a great deal, especially if you understand the triggers of the pain.
Change Your Sleeping Position
Most of the lower back pain complications arise from poor postures, including poor sleeping postures. If you woke up hurting your back, you might have slept in an unhealthy posture. Therefore, consider adjusting your sleeping position, such as breaking out an extra pillow to support your nerves. If you sleep on your side, you can use a pillow between your legs or bend your legs at a slight angle.
Consider Physical Therapy
Physical therapy has been found to offer relief for some cases of lower back pain. Consult your doctor about finding the best therapist who will help you exercise, change postures, and stretch optimally to manage sciatica-related pain. Do not try out any exercises without consulting your physical therapist, as you can only make your condition worse. Also, consult your doctor to ensure that physical therapy is your best treatment option.
Take Prescription Medications
If OTC medicines fail to provide pain relief, you can consult your doctor to see if you can benefit from prescription medicines. Your provider will evaluate the severity of your sciatica as several medications are available depending on different components of the sciatic pain. Your doctor may prescribe some muscle relaxers, tricyclic antidepressants, steroids, or anti-seizure medications.
Steroid Injections
While medications can offer temporal pain relief, you might want to consider steroid injections for pain relief lasting up to twelve months. Your doctor will approve the treatment and inject corticosteroid directly into the most irritating nerve area in a high dose. Although the pain relief will not last forever, you will be pain-free for several months, where you can combine with other treatment options such as lifestyle changes to extend the relief further.
Learn how to relieve sciatica-related low back pain by talking to the experts at Samwell Institute for Pain Management. Book your appointment today to have your condition diagnosed to understand which treatment option best suits you.
