Around 40% of the population will get sciatica at some point in their lives, and people between 30 and 50 years of age are most prone to this painful condition. Treating sciatica should be a cooperative effort between you and your doctor. Sciatic pain is normally not resolved in a day, or with a single procedure, but your pain symptoms can be mitigated with changes to lifestyle.
At NuVation Pain Group locations in Buena Park and Los Angeles, California, Dr. Phillip Lim can analyze the source(s) of your sciatic pain and develop a multi-modal plan to help you relieve your symptoms and return to an active life.
What is sciatica?
The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body. It runs down your back and splits around your tailbone to run down each leg. When the sciatic nerve is pinched or compressed, you’ll feel sharp pain arrowing down the affected side, often followed by tingling or numbness. Sciatica is a symptom of the compression or nerve damage, not a stand alone condition. To treat sciatica, the root cause of the nerve compression must be found and addressed.
What can be done for sciatic pain?
Dr Lim can recommend appropriate treatment after reviewing your case and possibly ordering scans of your spine and hips. He may recommend a treatment program that involves surgical intervention and pain management, He will also inform you of lifestyle changes you can make to reduce sciatic pain.
Lifestyle changes for sciatic pain reduction
There are four ways you can reduce sciatic nerve pain and limit your dependency on pain medication.
Lose weight
Excess weight can cause compression of the sciatic nerve and result in increased pain in your back and legs. Even a slight weight loss takes extra pressure off your spine and legs. If you are extremely overweight or obese, losing weight can significantly change pressure on your sciatic nerve and could lead to a cessation of symptoms.
Exercise carefully
Foam roller exercises, stretches that target the lower back and hips, and careful arm and leg lifts from a lying down position can help stretch muscles and tissues surrounding the sciatic nerve, relieving pressure and alleviating shooting pains.
Use your mind power
Biofeedback sessions can show you how you react to stresses like pain and help you regain control of your body’s physical reactions. Clenching muscles and stiffening up are normal reactions to sciatic pain, but can make it worse. You can reduce pain by teaching your muscles to relax on command instead of contracting when a pain signal is sent to your brain.
If sciatica is making your life seem unbearable, contact NuVation Pain Group at one of our two locations, or book an appointment with Dr. Lim online.
English
Korean
Spanish