How to Treat a Pinched Sciatic Nerve
- 1). Visit your family doctor or orthopedic surgeon.
- 2). Take aspirin or ibuprofen to relieve discomfort. Taking two aspirin every day, even when you aren't suffering with sciatic pain, can help prevent pain from recurring.
- 3). Place at least one pillow under your knees when you lie down. This helps relieve pressure that the disk is putting on your sciatic nerve.
- 4). Rest on a firm mattress or on the floor when sciatic pain is severe. Stay in bed, getting up only when absolutely necessary, for 3 days.
- 5). Ask for help to get out of bed or into the bath or shower so you don't strain your back while getting up and down.
- 6). Apply hot or cold packs to your back and upper legs. Sometimes ice will work better than heat; at other times, a heating pad will do a better job of relieving pain. Try both to see which one is more effective for you.
- 7). Don't lift anything.
- 8). Don't bend or sit in soft chairs.
- 9). Ask your doctor for prescription pain relievers if severe sciatic pain continues.
- 10
Eat a diet rich in fiber, fruits and vegetables to prevent constipation. Straining to defecate irritates the sciatic nerve.
