What is sciatica and why does it occur?
Sciatica is a condition that causes pain in the lower back, buttock, knee and foot. The pain can be mild or severe, and may be accompanied by tingling, numbness or muscle weakness. Sciatica is caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve, the largest and longest in the human body. This nerve arises from the fusion of several nerve roots that leave the spine, and branches throughout the lower limb, providing movement and sensation to the muscles and skin.
Irritation of the sciatic nerve can have a number of causes, including a herniated disc, narrowing of the spinal canal, muscle inflammation, injury, infection, or tumor. Any of these factors can compress the nerve and cause the inflammation and pain characteristic of sciatica. In some cases, sciatica can be very severe and affect the nerves that control the function of the bladder or bowels, causing urinary or fecal incontinence.
How to treat sciatica and improve the quality of life?
The good news is that sciatica is treatable and most people who suffer from it recover over time. According to experts at Harvard University, there are some steps you can take to ease the pain and prevent it from recurring. These are some of the recommendations they give:
Move in moderation
Although the pain may make the person want to sit still and rest the leg, movement is beneficial for sciatica. Physical activity helps to relax the muscles surrounding the nerve and improve blood circulation, which facilitates healing. It is not about doing intense exercises or that aggravate the pain, but about maintaining a moderate routine adapted to each person’s abilities. Walking, swimming, doing yoga or pilates are some of the options that can be practiced.
Adapt daily activities
To prevent sciatica pain from getting worse, it’s important to consider how you go about your daily activities. For example, when sitting, it is recommended to use a chair with lumbar support, or put a pillow on the back, and maintain a straight posture. When standing, it is advisable to distribute the weight between the two legs and not lean forward. When lifting a heavy object, it should be done with bent legs and not with the back. And when you sleep, it’s better to sleep on your side, with a pillow between your legs, or face up, with a pillow under your legs.
Do gentle stretches
Stretching is a good way to keep your muscles flexible and prevent them from contracting and putting pressure on the nerve. Stretches can be done for the lower back, buttock, rear thigh and foot, always carefully and without forcing. The stretches should be done with the body warm, after a little warm-up, and hold the position for a few seconds, without bouncing. They can be repeated several times a day, especially in the morning and before going to bed.
Apply cold and heat
Another resource that can help soothe the pain of sciatica is the application of cold and heat to the affected area. Cold has an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, while heat relaxes muscles and increases blood flow. You can alternate the use of cold and hot compresses, leaving them on for 15 or 20 minutes, and taking a break between each application. You can also use an electric blanket, a hot water bag, or a wet towel heated in the microwave.
Relax
Finally, relaxation is a key factor in dealing with sciatica and its pain. Pain can generate stress, anxiety or depression, which in turn can increase the perception of pain and make recovery more difficult. Therefore, it is important to find ways to reduce emotional distress and improve mood. Some techniques that can help are deep breathing, meditation, hypnosis, acupuncture, massage or music therapy.