Natural Treatment for Sciatic Nerve Problems
- To relieve the pain from sciatica (symptoms resulting from an irritated sciatic nerve) naturally, take long, slow breaths. Try to relax your muscles as you breathe deeply. Listen to soothing music or a guided relaxation meditation CD.
- Often a tight piriformis (deep buttocks) muscle can aggravate the sciatic nerve. Do seated or supine (lying on back) stretches to loosen this muscle. One is to sit in a chair and cross the ankle of one leg across the thigh of another and lean forward. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds.
- Apply heat or ice for 15 to 20 minutes to the low back to address sciatic nerve issues. Cold will reduce inflammation naturally while heat can relieve pain and tight muscles. Experiment with both to see what works for you.
- When muscles of the low back and buttocks are tight, they can put pressure on the sciatic nerve. Massage can relieve tight muscles and promote general relaxation. Get a massage from a therapist that has worked with sciatic nerve pain before.
- Inversion means being upside down. The best method is with an inversion table so the spine does not twist according to Dr. Rob Gottesman, a Colorado chiropractor. Being inverted can increase space between vertebrae and ease nerve pressure. There are some contraindications to this treatment. See your doctor first.
