Sciatica is a medical term used to describe the pain that radiates through the sciatic nerve path. It goes along your lower back all the way through the hips and down towards both legs. In most cases, sciatica affects only one side of the body. Pain experienced along the spine’s path, lower back, hips, calf, and thigh is generally referred to as sciatic leg pain.
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How Can You Relieve Sciatic Leg Pain?
Sciatic leg pain is quite excruciating and frustrating as it can stop you from carrying out your daily activities. This type of pain in the leg can sometimes be caused by maintaining poor posture, muscle strain due to intense physical activity, or fatigue. While it may seem like the pain is too much to bear and won’t go away, there are some ways through which you can ease sciatic leg pain and prevent it from happening in the long term. Some of the methods have been listed below:
Improve Your Diet
A diet that comprises healthy food such as whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, fatty fish (salmon), soluble and insoluble fiber can help reduce inflammation and maintain a healthy diet. Other food sources such as black tea, green tea, ginger tea, or turmeric tea can also significantly help combat sciatic leg pain, build immunity, and improve overall health.
A rich diet consisting of healthy food can build anti-inflammatory elements in your body and reduce the chances of sciatic pain occurring in the future.
Note
Changing your diet means that you will also have to start implementing a few lifestyle changes as well. For example, if you have a habit of smoking, the diet will not do anything. You should also avoid foods that cause inflammation, such as processed sugar, carbohydrates, and trans fat.
It is advised that you consult your doctor before starting any diet for sciatic leg pain relief to avoid any complications.
Get Supplements
It’s impossible to get all your essential vitamins and minerals through natural food source alone; therefore, you will have to take supplements. Some of the important nutrients have been listed below:
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- Magnesium
- Zinc
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E
- Selenium
- Omega 3
These nutrients also act as antioxidants in the body and help combat inflammation and improve your overall health. The chances of sciatic pain are reduced when these nutrients are consumed regularly.
Don’t Rely on Pain Killers
You don’t need to rely on pain killers to relieve sciatic pain (provided that it is not too severe). You could schedule a regular massage therapist, either once or twice a week, depending on your condition. A massage will help to ease the muscle pain and release endorphins, which make you feel relaxed. You can take a warm shower following the massage, which will further loosen up the muscles and relieve the pain. There are many types of massages that can help combat leg sciatic pain, for instance:
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- A deep massage of the leg tissues can reduce pain and improve mobility as well as flexibility.
- A medical massage for sciatica can help open up knots, trigger points, and release tension in the leg muscle.
Exercise Regularly
There is nothing better than to exercise during sciatic pain. Don’t worry; you don’t need to try any rigorous workouts. All you have to do is stick to a regular simple workout routine that will ease your pain. Some of the examples are listed below:
Yoga
Yoga not only helps to sharpen your mind, but it also relieves you from physical as well as mental pain. You will feel much better after yoga as it will relax your muscles and give you more control over the pain. Yoga includes relaxing stretches, breathing exercises, meditation, and cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Stretches
There are a few simple and easy stretches and poses that you can try to relieve your leg muscle pain. Some of the most effective stretches are the pigeon pose, knee to the opposite shoulder, sitting spinal stretch, and the hamstring stretch.
Walking
Taking a walk is also a great way to reduce leg pain. If you regularly walk for at least 30 minutes, you will notice your health improving day by day. You can take a brisk walk for a while, helping you maintain a healthy body weight.
Try Swimming
Swimming is also a great form of exercise. However, it’s not just swimming. Even walking from one end of the pool to the other can greatly help the pain you’re feeling. The natural pressure you will feel in your leg, and lower back will help you exercise without experiencing pain. The sciatic leg pain will also be reduced as you gradually walk from one end of the pool to the other.
Get Enough Sleep
The quality and quantity of sleep you get matters a lot. If your body lacks the basic amount of good sleep, you will start experiencing pain because your body will be exhausted. When you are sleeping, the body naturally releases certain anti-inflammatory substances into your bloodstream, which help with the pain. But if you don’t get enough sleep or proper sleep, these substances don’t get into the body, which means you have to deal with the pain for the next day.
An Important Note to Remember
If you notice that your sciatic leg pain is getting worse and the above techniques fail to work, you should immediately see your doctor. The doctor will evaluate your condition and may prescribe other pain relief treatments to combat the pain.
