Standard medical treatments are not the only method for pain relief when it comes to sciatica. A patient who doesn’t necessarily want to use drugs or even surgery may choose a different course of action.
Here are some of the most effective alternative methods for treating sciatica.
What Is Sciatica?
Sciatica is named after the largest nerve in the body, the sciatic nerve. At its widest, it is about the width of a man’s thumb. This nerve begins as several nerve roots that emanate from the spine in the lower back and come together while passing through the pelvis, along the buttocks and down the back of the leg.
At the knee, the nerve branches off to provide sensation to the lower leg and the foot. An impingement of any of the nerve roots that make up the sciatic nerve can lead to sciatica.
Treating Sciatica the Alternative Way
If drugs are not your thing, there are other ways to try for pain relief. If your pain is constant, anti-inflammatory drugs may not be the best choice as they can lead to digestive issues from chronic use. Here are a few of your choices for alternative therapies.
* Acupuncture – This Eastern practice has been around for thousands of years. It revolves around the idea that the body is full of “chi,” a life-force energy that runs throughout the body in lines called “meridians.” Interruption of the chi energy can lead to imbalances in the body and illnesses.
With acupuncture, thin, very fine needles are inserted painlessly into the skin at precise points on the body that coincide with these meridian lines. Placement is based on your pain symptoms. It is meant to unblock chi lines and restore health.
* Chiropractic manipulation – Trained clinicians make adjustments to the spine to promote better column alignment. The type of manipulations performed is based on your symptoms and areas of pain. Each person is different so the treatment is tailored to you. More than one session may be needed for complete pain relief.
* Acupressure and Reflexology – This therapy is related to acupuncture but pressure by the hands is used instead of needles. The same maps of points that are used in acupuncture are used in acupressure.
* Biofeedback – This is a method that promotes healing through the mind-body connection. It is most often used for stress management. The idea is to learn to control your incidence of pain. This method has not been researched thoroughly as to its validity for pain relief, but patients have been helped.
* Tennis ball therapy – A tennis ball is used to treat sciatic pain by placing it under the buttock where the piriformis muscle is located. The idea is to provide gentle pressure by rolling back and forth to increase blood circulation to the area and stretch the muscle to reduce irritation of the nerves.
* Herbal therapy – Supporting the health and functioning of the sciatic nerve is an important factor in moving around comfortably, whether it’s during a workout or while simply completing everyday tasks. SciatiGon supports the well-being of the sciatic nerve, so you can maintain comfort throughout the day. Available in convenient tincture form, it’s safe and easy to use, without the risk of side effects.
SciatiGon is a 100% safe, non-addictive, natural herbal remedy specifically formulated to promote sciatic nerve comfort and health. SciatiGon is also a great complementary remedy to homeopathic InflammaGo.
* Additional Natural Treatments – Additional natural treatments for sciatic pain can be found in this article.
Alternative therapy is an option for those who want to minimize medication use for sciatica.