Relax! 5 Ways to Calm Down the Sciatic Nerve

At first, you think maybe you’ve strained a leg muscle. After some research on your own, you think the pain in your leg and buttocks could be associated with your sciatic nerve. What exactly can you do to get relief from this nerve pain? How can you relax a compressed sciatic nerve and not become debilitated by it? Try these treatments!

Take It Easy for a Bit

If your sciatic nerve is bothering you, it may mean that you’ve injured your back in some way. Subluxations or slipped disks can make normal functions difficult or extremely painful by pressing on the sciatic nerve, which starts at the base of the spine and extends into the legs. In this case, it’s okay to take a little bit of time to lie down or sit in a more comfortable position. In fact, many sciatica sufferers find the most relief when lying on their back for 15 to 20 minutes.

Stay Active

As counterintuitive as it may seem along with relaxing, unless the pain is too much to bear, you should also try to continue moving and stretching even with sciatic nerve pain. Remaining sedentary or sitting or lying down too much may only prolong the problem. In contrast, light to moderate exercise builds up the muscles that support your back and legs, strengthening them against reinjury in the future.

Take Over-the-Counter Medication

Although you shouldn’t rely heavily on pain medication, some options like ibuprofen contain anti-inflammatory properties, which may be helpful for sciatica relief. Alone, this treatment likely won’t be enough to give you lasting comfort, but it can work temporarily until you find a solution that addresses the cause of your pain.

Use Cold and Heat Therapy

Many injuries can be treated at home with cold or heat therapy. Tight muscles, for example, can relax with the warmth of a heat pad, and ice packs reduce swelling. For inflammation, which often accompanies sciatic pain, you should use cold therapy or apply an ice pack to your lower back primarily or your buttocks or leg to soothe the area and reduce pressure on the sciatic nerve.

Get Adjusted by Your Chiropractor

Perhaps most important, the sciatic nerve can best be relaxed by a highly trained professional in the nervous system. Your chiropractor can identify the root cause of your pain, which may originate in the back, not your leg. After diagnosing the issue, they can then treat it according to your needs, such as adjusting the spine, realigning joints, and physical therapy. They can also teach you exercises and stretches you can do at home to prevent future reinjury.

Sciatica pain doesn’t have to dominate or interrupt your life. Taking these steps can help you address the underlying cause of your pain and get back to normal activities without discomfort.

About the Author

Dr. Chad Wills has been practicing at Wills Chiropractic in Naples for more than 20 years. Over that time, he has become certified in Chiropractic Biophysics, one of the most studied treatment protocols in the field. Despite how important this certification is, he is one of only two in Collier and Lee County with this credential. If you have sciatic nerve pain and need treatment, you can schedule an appointment with Dr. Wills by calling his office at 239-331-6060 or visiting the Contact Us page here.