Treating Sciatica is possible, without the help of a doctor. However, it’s important to know why you are having the symptoms you are having. Some people may refer to Sciatica as a disease, when actually this is not true. Instead, it’s merely a set of symptoms that can come along with an issue such as a back or neck injury. It can be very painful if you have issues with your Sciatica, but not everyone has the leisure of visiting a chiropractor in New Jersey either because their lifestyle is too hectic or because they don’t have a chiropractor or they just want to relieve the pain now, rather than later. One of the biggest reasons for your Sciatica to be bothering you is because of a herniated disc – essentially compression to a nerve in your spine. This type of an issue can cause symptoms such as a shooting pain up your lower back, a shooting pain down your legs and even causes a cool feeling in your spine – some people say it feels like someone is dripping ice water down their back. It’s uncomfortable to say the least. When a lot of people have Sciatica issues, they tend to brace themselves every time they move, get up, sit down, take a shower, etc. Because of this, your muscles can then become stiff and tight which leads to even more problems! If you want to do a few home remedies, continue to read below for more information and tips.
If you don’t have the luxury of owning a heating pad and you don’t want to go out and buy one, you can make one at home. Heat is a great way to stimulate the area where the pain is. Ultimately heat can create blood flow which can also help relax spasms and soothe your muscles. You can use a clean pair of socks or a towel, 1 1/2 cups of rice and some aromatherapy if you wish to. You need to pour the rice into the sock or into the towel, spray the rice with your aromatherapy. Pull the towel together and tie it or if you are using a sock, tie a knot at the top of the opening. If using the sock option, place the tied sock inside the other sock, knot down, and knot the top of the new sock again at the top. Place your heating pad into the microwave for about 3 minutes – until warm. Take the heating pad out of the microwave and place it on the section of your back that is bothering you.
If you don’t have a cooling or ice pack and you don’t want to ruin a brand new bag of peas, you can make your own ice pack right at home and chances are you already have all of the components you need right in your bathroom. An ice pack is a great way to calm down inflamed tissue. Inflammation can cause a lot of issues such as swelling, aching, pain or even redness and itchiness. Cold therapy is a proven way to relieve all of these symptoms and making your own ice pack is super easy to do. Take about 2 cups of water, 1 cup of rubbing alcohol, and 2 medium sized zip lock bags. You need to add your water and the alcohol into a bowl – stir until it’s mixed together. Next, pout that mixture into one of the bags and zip it closed securely. Place that full bag into the second empty bag and zip lock that one as well. Place the entire thing in the freezer for about 15 minutes (minimum) on up to a few hours. Remove the pack, sit down on a comfortable chair or lie down on your stomach and place the bag on the area where you are having issues. Remember to relax your body, don’t jerk when you place the bag on your body – this will only make things worse!
In some situations, painful Sciatica is not a mere minor injury. Instead, it could be a red flag for something else going on in your back or spine. If you try the above mentioned options but you are still having pain more than a week later, maybe it’s time to visit a chiropractor in New Jersey to really find out why you are having this pain and to make sure it’s not something more serious. In some very rare cases if a Chiropractor does not help and the cold or hot therapy does not help, you may have a serious injury that may require a surgery. But, don’t stress out just yet. That is a last resort type of thing. First try the 2 options mentioned above, then a Chiropractor.