Natural Cures for Common Illnesses

Relief for sciatica pain is available in many formats. Some of them require a great deal of medical intervention, others are more natural.

Before beginning any form of treatment for your sciatica it helps to know the underlying cause. Sciatica is a condition caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve which creates pain in the lower back, legs and sometimes the feet. Numbness, pins and needles and muscle weakness are also common symptoms. All of these symptoms can be felt in different positions by different people and with varying degrees of pain.

The reason for this variety of symptoms lies in the variety of underlying causes. At its worst sciatica can be caused by a tumour or blood clot in the lower back. Although this is not very common, it is a very good reason to get a medical diagnosis when you first experience sciatica, to rule out these possibilities or get the required treatment right away.

The two most common causes of sciatica are pregnancy and slipped, collapsed or prolapsed discs. The extra weight of the unborn child can put many mothers off balance and this can put pressure on the sciatic nerve.

Discs provide the cushioning between the vertebrae of the spine and with age or trauma they can become damaged. This damage often results in pressure on the sciatic nerve, exactly where this occurs determines where and how much pain is felt.

Assuming your sciatica is not caused by a tumour or blood clot, then your options for relief are quite wide and many people will try all or many of them as the pain can be so intense.

Most people will try pills and pain killers in the first instance. They will give you some relief, but be aware of the side effects. Which include the possibility of stomach and liver problems, drowsiness, constipation and even addiction. It should also be clear that pills will not cure your sciatica, but only mask the pain.

Natural pain relief can be provided by hot and cold packs applied to the lower back. Cold packs will help reduce the inflammation of the sciatic nerve and any surrounding muscles that may also be inflamed. Hot packs will increase the blood flow in the area which will speed up recovery.

The variety of options available from the medical profession and alternative medical practices include massage, acupuncture, chiropractors, osteopaths Electrical Nerve Stimulation, Epidural steroid injections and surgery. All of these may give you some temporary relief of the pain. Some of them will work for some people and not for others. But all of them will require either frequent return visits or the pain will be back. It has even been noted that people who have surgery to fix the underlying problem often have a recurrence of sciatica 2-3 years later.

So how do you permanently solve the problem? Well there is a solution that will provide immediate relief and prevent sciatica returning. You need to release the tension in the muscles that are putting pressure on the sciatic nerve. You need to build the strength of your core muscles to support your spine and you need to keep your weight to healthy level so that you are not putting excessive pressure on your spine.

All of this is achievable with a suitable exercise programme. This will involve Yoga style stretching exercises to release the taught muscles and improve flexibility.
Continuing with Yoga or Pilates will strengthen your core muscles and support your spine, even if it is damaged.

Regular low impact aerobic exercise, like walking or swimming, will help you maintain a healthy weight and increase you vitality.