The Do’s & Don’ts of Sciatica
What is Sciatica?
The Webster dictionary describes sciatica as pain that starts in your low back or upper butt and radiates into your leg, back of leg to the foot or wraps around to the front of your leg. It is often sharp and nerve-like pain, but can present as warm and cold, burning and/or tingling. The word sciatica indicates radiating pain originating in the Sciatic nerve.
Mild sciatica oftens presents like pain in the butt with a little radiation into the lower butt or upper thigh. Where serious cases can result in difficulty walking, lifting a leg, etc. Sciatica also almost always occurs in one side of the butt or one leg. If both legs are painful or exhibiting similar symptoms, please seek medical help to rule out a disc problem.
(Medical disclaimer: lower back pain, facet syndrome, low back disc extrusions, herniations, and bulges may also present like this, so it is best to seek medical help and not diagnose yourself based on this article.)
How did I get sciatica?
While sciatica can present “out of the blue,” it is often something that has been building for some time. Within our patient base, we commonly see sciatica in our pregnant and postpartum patients or women who have had children in years prior, but never had the time and ability to rehab their bodies properly. The natural shifts in the body during childbearing years, related to hormones and a shifting spine to accommodate the growth of a baby, often lead to sciatica-type pain.
Men and Women outside of the perinatal stage can also experience sciatica. These episodes often occur from recurrent desk work, tightness in the back, a workout gone wrong, or a home project where you were in an awkward position and maybe twisted and lifted something.
How can I help my sciatica at home?
If you believe you have sciatica, start with these home remedies:
Ice! Ice is your best friend when you have sciatica. Sciatica is nerve-based based = inflammatory. And icing over the base of the nerve root is essential to help the pain.
Foam rolling or massage gun: not over the SI joint, but lightly on the glute, piriformis, IT band, quads, and hamstrings.
Belt it: if you have a Serola SI belt from a previous injury or pregnancy or have a friend with one, borrow it! Use it to support your hips and SI joints when you are in the most pain. The ideal time to use the belt for support is when standing in one place for extended periods of time. (Think dishes and cooking.)
I’ve tried everything, who can help me?
Well, our answer is a Chiropractor. Both of our doctors have special training in the prenatal and postpartum space, which encompasses all kinds of pelvic issues. We feel that makes us pretty good at figuring out how to diagnose, treat and manage sciatica pain, so you hopefully won’t have to deal with it again!
Do’s & Don’ts of Sciatica:
Do NOT use a heating pad over your pelvis, butt or leg in hopes of helping your sciatica. Sciatica is nerve-based = inflammation and heat will only make it worse.
Do NOT only ice or apply a topical to your leg where the pain is being felt. You can apply these things here, but you’ll do yourself the most good by applying the ice/topical to the root of the nerve which is located at the top of your butt.
Do NOT do pigeon pose to try and relieve the pain. It may feel good when in this position, but it is often overstretching the sacroiliac joint that sits just above the sciatic nerve and will aggravate the surrounding tissue.
Do NOT sit on a soft couch or slouch in bed to rest. This position can be comfortable when in it, but will be quite painful when you stand up. It also stretches the soft tissue supporting the SI joint and will irritate the sciatic nerve.
DO ice it or use a cold topical, like Cryoderm. Ice is 10-15 min ON, 40 min OFF.
DO sit in a supportive chair when resting. Such as a dining chair or hardwood chair with lumbar support. If you want to rest, lie down on your side with a pillow between your knees.
DO continue to move, walk, etc. The SI joint needs mobility to move the inflammation out of the space.
Don’t have a massage gun or foam roller? Get in touch here, and we can order one for you! We recommend Therabody products and have these available at a discount.
If you, a family member, or a friend is struggling with Sciatica, reach out! We’d love to help you find a provider in your area or get you scheduled in our office if you live near Boulder, Colorado. You can reach us at info@wellspinefamilychiropractic.com or 720-403-8255.