Sciatica occurs due to the compression at the base of the spine. This compression leads to pain in the lower back and gluetal region of the body. This pain travels to ankle, calf, thighs and knee. Real Sciatica happens when the pain reaches the knees and the ankles. Sciatica actually is the pain that moves through the sciatic nerve - the longest nerve in your body. This nerve starts from your spinal cord to your hips and down to the leg. The pain therefore moves along this nerve and the parts of body it connects. Sciatica actually may not be problem in itself. It may have other inherent causes which are connected to the sciatic nerve like herniated disk.

Sciatica can reduce your mobility and normal daily activities considerably. The duration of the pain varies according to the inherent cause and may subside in 4-8 weeks time. However, there is no need to loose hope. There are many sciatica treatments both clinical and home based which can help cure and manage sciatica and reduce pain.

Common Sciatica Treatments

Bed Rest

The most common sciatica treatment suggested by doctors is bed rest. It helps in relieving pain. However, only taking bed rest is not going to solve the problem fully. You should combine rest with physical activity that is enough to keep you active without aggravating the pain.

Exercise

After the reduction in pain, doctors suggest exercises and physiotherapy to avoid the recurrence of the problem. These exercises are mainly aimed at improving your mobility, rectifying your posture and in making the muscles around your lower back strong.

Medicines

The pain can be treated with anti inflammatory non steroidal dugs combined with drugs that relax muscles. Anticonvulsant drugs and Tricyclic antidepressants are also prescribed to reduce pain. These drugs work in two ways – by blocking the sensations in reaching your brain – and by producing endorphins that naturally help reduce pain.

Steroid Based Treatments

Sometimes, the doctors also prescribe epidural or corticosteroid steroid injections to help reduce inflammation in the effected areas.

Surgery

Surgery also brings relief to patients. Surgery is performed when the pain does not subside even after rest, medications or other forms of treatment and the nerve compression leads to other problems like extreme weakness and bladder incontinence etc

Alternative Sciatica Treatment

Many alternative sciatica treatments like yoga, acupuncture, acu-pressure and biofeedback therapy also exist. These alternative treatments are very effective in curing your sciatica problem.

Sciatica Treatment At Home

There are many home based sciatica treatment too. Some of them are very effective in curing your sciatica pain quickly. For example ice treatment is very effective in controlling sciatica pain if it is used with in 48 hours of the onset of pain. Movement is also a good option in reducing pain. Doing exercises that stretch piriformis muscles are helpful in controlling sciatica pain. Balancing your pelvis region properly also helps in controlling pain. You can do this by lying down on the bed to check whether the balance is properly distributed on both sides.

These sciatica treatments can help in curing and reducing your sciatica pain.