In many cases, sciatica will heal on its own in a few days or sometimes week. There are times, however, when the patient will have bouts of pain or recurring flare-ups of sciatic pain. If this happens, it’s probably a sign that some sort of sciatic treatment should be initiated. Pain from the sciatic nerve can be dull and occasional to a intense throbbing pain if the sufferer experiences too much pain, they should definitely get started on sciatic treatment. In some cases, a simple and regular exercise program with pain management methods are what the patient needs. In more severe cases, the patient may require physical therapy or possibly surgery.
Most people do not want surgery when they have sciatica and are willing to do almost any kind of sciatic treatment they need to so they can avoid having surgery. There are a few different types of non-surgical treatment methods available to the sciatica sufferer. One of the first steps in the sciatica treatment is in determining the exact cause of the sciatica pain.
Heat and/or ice can be very helpful in relieving pain in the legs, especially in the beginning stages of the disorder. Although some use ice in the very beginning, many seen to find that heat makes them feel better. You may also want to try alternating between the two. Whether it’s heat or ice that is used for sciatica treatment, it should only be used for 20 minutes at a time every few hours.
Different kinds of medications are available as sciatica treatment for the individuals affected with sciatica. For the flare-ups of pain, many over-the-counter medications are available. You may also want to get some anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, to help reduce inflammation, which can also increase the sciatica pain. Many patients find an epidural steroid injection to be quite helpful in relieving the pain or reduce inflammation. The difference between the injections and the oral medications is the injections go right into the area of the pain and begin to work almost immediately. The relief may last up to a year.
In addition to the typical sciatica treatment, there is several alternative type of treatments available such as acupuncture, chiropractic manipulation and massage therapy. Acupuncture deals with the idea of maintaining good health by way of keeping the open flow of energy throughout the body. It is believed with sciatica that that energy pathways are blocked, which is what causes the pain. With acupuncture, fine little needles are inserted in the area of the pain and left there for a few minutes. These needles are believed to open up the pathways allowing energy to flow freely through.
Massage Therapy has been very helpful sciatica treatment for relieving pain, increasing blood circulation, relaxing the muscles and helping to release endorphins in the body, which are the natural pain relievers of the body.
Manual manipulation by chiropractors and physical therapists often work wonderful towards helping to relieve the pain. Therapy should only be done by a qualified specialist, but should be done on a regular basis.