How to Recover From Sciatica

Sciatica, often a result of a herniated disc, can result in debilitating pain and discomfort. The pain radiates from the spinal cord to the hips, buttocks, and legs.Typically pain and discomfort will diminish within four to eight weeks. Fortunately, there are measures you can take at home to help recover from sciatica and its gripping pain.

Things You'll Need

• Ice pack
• Heating pad
• Anti-inflammatory medication
• Doctor appointment

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Instructions

• 1

  Apply ice. For the first 48 hours, apply ice in 20-minute increments throughout the day. Ice will help to reduce the swelling and alleviate sciatica pain, according to the Mayo Clinic. Keep a towel between the ice pack and your skin to avoid any possible skin irritation. After 48 hours, switch to using a heating pad to help relieve pain from sciatica. You may find a combination therapy of the two, switching back and forth, to be successful as well.

• 2

  Include stretching in your daily routine. Stretching your lower back muscles can help alleviate disc pressure and thus relieve pain from sciatica. A common exercise for this, is to lay on your back and slowly pull your bent knee back towards your chest. Do this with each leg in order to fully stretch your lower back.

• 3

  Take anti-inflammatory medications. Over-the-counter products, such as naproxen and ibuprofen, are successful at relieving most sciatica pain. Acetaminophen, such as Tylenol, can also be an option for pain relief. Contact your doctor should these not control pain as prescription pain relief may be an option.

• 4

  Get plenty of exercise. Initially, resting may help alleviate the pain and immobility that can occur with sciatica, but too much rest is not good. According to the Mayo Clinic, rest may make the condition worse. Exercise actually helps to release pain-reducing endorphins from the brain. For sciatica pain, low- impact exercises, such as swimming, are the best options.

• 5

  Make a doctor appointment. If you cannot alleviate the pain and discomfort of sciatica, or it becomes worse, please contact your physician. They will evaluate you and recommend a treatment plan. Treatments for sciatica can include steroid injections or surgery to help reduce the pain if necessary.