| A trip to the Doctor's Office | | | | sciatica treatment. Heat compresses often are used |
| Doctors approach sciatica treatment by performing | | | | at the beginning of a session to loosen tight muscles |
| physical and neurological examinations in order to | | | | before further treatment. Depending on the severity of |
| determine the cause of sciatica. If needed, they may | | | | the pain, the therapist may use traction which |
| request more involved tests such as a MRI scan to | | | | decompresses the spine or apply gentle electrical |
| further investigate the cause. Once diagnosed, an | | | | currents via electrodes to help alleviate pain. Therapists |
| effect sciatica treatment can be implemented. This will | | | | often can show a patient how to sit properly, rise to a |
| usually involve the use of different types of drugs such | | | | standing position with minimal discomfort and find |
| as NSAID's (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents), | | | | comfortable positions for sleeping, making daily life |
| steroids and possibly opiate derived pain relievers. In | | | | much more manageable. A person in physical therapy |
| rare cases, surgery may be suggested for sciatica | | | | will learn stretching and strengthening exercises they |
| treatment. | | | | can perform at home to minimize and prevent sciatica |
| Chiropractic Sciatica Treatment | | | | episodes. |
| Chiropractors, through the use of manually induced | | | | Home treatment |
| spinal adjustments, can often help the symptoms of | | | | Home remedies for sciatica usually involve the use of |
| sciatica. The adjustments, usually quick and painless, | | | | heat and ice to bring about relief from sciatica pain. A |
| can align the spine and reduce the pressure on the | | | | heating pad, hot water bottle or warm baths can |
| sciatic nerve. A sciatica treatment usually begins with | | | | benefit the sufferer by loosening up tight muscles and |
| some type of heat therapy to loosen up the muscles | | | | easing pain. Applying heat before doing gentle |
| surrounding the affected area. The chiropractor then | | | | stretches or exercises can allow more range of |
| performs the adjustments and ice packs may then be | | | | motion, making the movements more effective. Ice |
| used to reduce inflammation. One treatment, however, | | | | can be applied afterwards to decrease inflammation |
| is usually not enough to permanently adjust the spine | | | | and to help numb pain created by increased circulation. |
| so multiple adjustments are often recommended. | | | | Holistic Remedies for Sciatica |
| Massage Therapy | | | | Various herbal remedies have been used by different |
| When muscle spasms cause sciatica, massage | | | | cultures to reduce inflammation. Ginger and turmeric, |
| therapy can relieve some of the discomfort and pain. | | | | two common spices, have been studied for years for |
| As with all remedies for sciatica, treatment will vary by | | | | their anti-inflammatory properties and found to be |
| the individual. Some require deep kneading movements | | | | effective. Acupuncture, a Chinese based sciatica |
| to relax stiff muscles while others see the most | | | | treatment involving needles to stimulate healing, has |
| improvement from vibrating movements. Massage | | | | been known to relieve many types of pain. |
| also releases endorphins which aid in pain relief. Clients | | | | Acupressure, a related therapy using pressure from |
| also benefit from increased circulation and | | | | the hands, palms and elbows along the same |
| oxygenation, improving the health of the spine. | | | | meridians or acupuncture points, can be just as |
| Massage also can relieve the stress brought on by | | | | effective. Diet is becoming more popular in sciatica |
| episodes of sciatica, making it an excellent sciatica | | | | treatment. Several well known nutrition experts have |
| treatment. | | | | written about anti-inflammatory diets and how they |
| How Physical Therapy Works | | | | can affect conditions such as arthritis, sciatica and |
| Physical therapists employ many different tools for | | | | other inflammation caused illnesses. |