Sciatica pain commonly starts from the back and travels down the leg, at the back part of the thigh, and it can worsen a patient’s mobility when severe. When you need quick relief from this pain, you should follow the below-mentioned tips. Our pain management doctors in OKC suggest these for patients when they are suffering. Take a look.
5 Most Effective Sciatic Pain-Relieving Tips
1. Heat or Cold Application
This is pocket-friendly and can be applied to the body without any hassle. This can give you relief from pain easily. When you start feeling the pain, take an ice pack and wrap it around the concerned area for at least 15 minutes. It will heal the local inflammation. If you feel that body part going numb, immediately remove the pack. Similarly, you can apply heat using a heat pack or a hot water bottle to your buttock, lower back, or the back of the legs for 15 to 20 minutes. It will dilute blood vessels, increase blood vessels, and relax your muscles.
2. Stretching and Aerobic Exercises
Stretch hamstrings to loosen muscles. When your muscles are tight or inflexible, it increases sciatica pain. One way to loosen up the muscles is to do a seated hamstring stretch. On the other hand, low-impact aerobic exercise releases happy hormones like endorphins, and it reduces inflammation around the sciatic nerve roots. Regular exercise will strengthen your core, which in turn is beneficial for pain management.
3. Over-the-counter Medicine
If the pain you are experiencing is due to sciatica nerve inflammation, according to the pain management doctors in OKC, over-the-counter medicine can work great to assist with pain.
4. Body Massage
Get yourself a good massage from a professional therapist. If not, you can try to massage yourself using a tennis ball. A therapist would focus on the tender points of the body and give gentle pressure while massaging.
5. Mind-body Techniques
Our pain management doctors in OKC use the mind to lower sciatica pain in the body. The mind-body technique includes deep breathing exercises, meditation, guided imagery, cognitive behavioral therapy, etc. to relax both the body and mind. It will control the sense of pain and reduce the anxiety and depression that are associated with pain.
For these professional treatments and more, come to our pain management doctors in OKC at Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management. We will help and guide you through the best ways to get your desired healing.
* * Disclaimer: This content should not be considered medical advice and does not imply a doctor-patient relationship.
