What You Need to Know About Sciatica Pain

Do you experience pain that runs through your lower back down to your legs and into your ankles and feet? If you do, then you could be dealing with sciatica. When the pain and discomfort become severe, it may become difficult for you to sit, stand, or even sleep. If you want to know more about sciatica pain relief, read on.

Facts About Sciatica Pain that You Need to Know

What is the Sciatic Nerve?

The sciatic nerve is responsible for providing you with sensation to your outer leg, as well as your foot. Furthermore, it originates in the lower portion of your back on both sides of the spine and runs through your buttocks before it branches down each of your legs. 

What is Sciatica?

Contrary to what most people may think, sciatica isn’t a disease or an injury. It’s an uncomfortable symptom of an underlying problem in your back, hip or pelvis that puts pressure on your sciatic nerve. If you have it, you’ll experience a sharp, shooting, and burning pain, as well as weakness in your affected leg. Furthermore, coughing and other sudden movements may worsen the discomfort. 

What are the Causes of Sciatica?

This can be caused by an injury to the pelvis, hip, or back. Moreover, other possible causes include a herniated disk, the narrowing of the spine called spinal stenosis, which compresses the sciatic nerve, and a bone spur that’s located on the spine.

How Can the Pain Be Relieved?

A wide range of treatments is available to help ease sciatica pain. Putting hot and cold packs on the lower back and taking over-the-counter pain relievers such as naproxen sodium and ibuprofen only offer short-term relief. Furthermore, stretching exercises can provide long-term pain relief.

Sciatica Pain Relief Through Practitioner-Assisted Stretch

If you want to experience long-term sciatica pain relief, book your 30-minute practitioner-assisted stretch appointment at Stretch Zone today.