WHAT CAN HELP MY SCIATICA?
It is important to understand what the sciatica is and what causes sciatica. The most common cause is herniated disc. The good news is that this usually gets better over time and with non-surgical treatments. The bad news is some patients state that “sciatica is worse than having a child-birth”. Tips that you can do to get some relief are:
- Avoid prolonged sitting: The disc pressure is highest with sitting
- Alternate your position frequently and do not stay in the same position
- Avoid strong sneezing and coughing as these can increase the disc pressure causing a herniated disc to get worse
- Avoid constipation. The reason is similar to the above mentioned
- Avoid heavy lifting
- Gently stretching your back, legs, and calves
- Short term rest. Long term bed rest is not helping and it can hurt you in the long run because, without any motion, the stabilizing muscle around your spine will get atrophy
- Take anti-inflammatory medications if you are not allergic to it. Follow the instructions
Watch for red flags symptoms that will tell you to seek medical attention sooner. These symptoms are severe debilitating pain, tingling, numbness, weakness, bowel/bladder symptoms, and fever
Please contact us to find out the best treatment for herniated disc and more importantly if you are a candidate for Microspine endoscopic discectomy if you need surgery.
