SCIATICA! 5 Steps to Heal Sciatica at Home

I'm seeing more and more cases of sciatica in my office. It seems to occur more often in my patients that have sitting jobs. Sitting puts more stress on the body than any other position, especially on the joints of the lower spine and gluteal muscles. We treat our patients successfully by correcting the root cause of the problem and giving them these recommendations to continue the treatment at home. I will provide you with steps to relieve your pain, but more importantly, prevent it from happening again!

The sciatic nerve is the longest and largest nerve in the body. It runs from the spinal column near the pelvis down each leg and can be as wide as your thumb. Sciatica is associated with an irritation of this nerve and can cause pain, numbness, and muscle weakness in the hip, buttock, leg, calf, and foot. Sciatica occurs when the nerve is compressed, irritated, or inflamed. It is most commonly a result of a misaligned lower spine that is pinching the root of the sciatic nerve. This can cause the gluteal muscles to tighten and can pinch the nerve as it passes through the buttocks. The most common sight for entrapment in the gluteal/buttock region is in the piriformis muscle.

STEP 1 - STRENGTHEN YOUR CORE!

In my experience, the most common cause of sciatica is a weakened, or imbalanced core. Even if you are physically fit, your core can be imbalanced. We have sets of core muscles in the front of our body (anterior chain) AND in the back of the body (posterior chain). Almost every activity we perform throughout the day is forward facing and uses our anterior core muscles. For example: sitting at workstations, cooking, sitting with a laptop on the couch, checking our phones, reading in bed. Even many forms of exercise put our bodies in constant forward flexion such as running or cycling. Our posterior chain isn't activated nearly as often and this creates imbalance. When your lower back, gluteal muscles, and hamstring muscles are weak, all of the stress is placed on your weaker, vulnerable spine instead of the strong, capable core muscles. This can create many pain syndromes such as sciatica, low back pain, knee pain, hip issues, and neck and shoulder problems. You will not correct your sciatica symptoms or a lower back problem without strengthening and balancing your core. When your core is strong, your posture is upright and effortless, you move properly, and feel strong and flexible.

The core strengthening protocol that I use in my office is Foundation Training. Foundation Training is a series of exercises designed to change destructive movement patterns and build a powerful posterior chain which begins with a strong low back. It is no secret that our posture, sedentary lifestyle, and bad movement patterns put too much stress on the spine, particularly the lower spine. You must redefine the core and shift the emphasis from the abs to the much larger muscles in the back of the body. Foundation training is based on simple, but unique idea that strengthening the upper back, lower back, gluts, hamstrings, and inner thighs allows the strong muscles in the back to do their job of supporting the weight of the upper body and maintaining upright posture. From there, you can go anywhere with flexibility, power, and endurance.

I have seen significant changes with just a few exercises in only 2 weeks of strengthening the posterior chain. See the 3 best core exercises for sciatica here.

STEP 2 - USE A FOAM ROLLER- I recommend using a foam roller to release the tight muscles and fascia that occur as a result of sciatic nerve compression. Using a foam roller is like performing self myofascial release. That's just a fancy word for self massage. Myofascial release involves movement with massage. By applying pressure to specific points on your lower back, gluts, and legs, you are able to release muscle tightness, remove trigger points, and assist in returning them to normal function. Utilizing stretching alone is not always enough to release muscular tightness, which is why foam rollers have thrived in the market.

It's important to release the muscles of the lower back, hamstring, the iliotibial band, and the muscles of the gluteal region, especially the piriformis. Spending only a few minutes foam rolling can bring tremendous relief.

When you purchase your foam roller, a detailed list of how to release each muscle should be included. I recommend The Grid foam roller because of the quality and practical instruction that is included .

Remember, self myofascial release should not be excruciatingly painful, expect tenderness, but tolerable discomfort!

STEP 3 - DRINK ENOUGH WATER!

Dehydration can cause many health concerns including muscle and joint pain. I have a patient that plays semi-professional hockey. He comes to our office for treatment of reoccurring lower back pain. With each visit, he makes the same statement. "Doc, I've done it again. I've allowed myself to get dehydrated and my back goes out EVERY TIME"! Dehydration can also lead to fatigue, tiredness, headaches, constipation, and even weight gain.

It is recommended that we drink half of our body weight in ounces of water. If you weigh 150 lbs., you need 75 ounces of water per day. And if you exercise, you need more. Always drink pure, filtered water as it is free of potential contaminants found in tap water.

A good way to see if you are getting enough water is to look at the color of your urine. In most cases you want to drink enough water to turn your urine a pale yellow. Frequency of urination can also be used to judge your intake. If you haven't urinated in several hours, you could be dehydrated.

STEP 4 - ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP?

Sleep is when our bodies heal from the stresses of the day. Restorative sleep allows our body to decompress and replenish. Sciatica and other musculoskeletal conditions are more likely to occur when we are not properly rested. Lack of sleep can wreak havoc on your health. Not getting enough sleep can be the brick wall that keeps you from feeling healthy and whole.Sleep 7-9 hours to give your body time to repair and heal.

Avoid caffeine - try a nighttime tea. Chamomile tea is a sleep inducer and promotes relaxation (get my favorite here).

Avoid alcohol - It may seem to promote sleep initially, but it ultimately robs you of deep sleep

and changes your sleep quality.

Eliminate light exposure from phones, laptops, tablets, and TV several hours before bedtime.

It disrupts melatonin levels and keeps your mind too busy! Pick up a book! I have found that essential oils are the best, most effective, natural remedy to assist with sleep. I put lavender on the bottoms of my feet or diffuse it in my bedroom.

STEP 5 - ESSENTIAL OILS

Essential oils are natural, plant based therapy that have been used throughout history in many

cultures for their medicinal and therapeutic benefits.

If you would like more information on the brand essential oils that I personally use and recommend, email me here... angelawalkdc@gmail.com

Sciatica can also be caused by a herniated disc and other more concerning spinal conditions. If your condition does not improve with these methods, please seek advice from your chiropractor.