Sciatica Stretches: Effective Way for Relieving Sciatica

Sciatica stretches will be good solution for you who have a problem with sciatica. It is important to know what actually the sciatica is. Sciatica is a symptom, such as pain that is commonly caused by irritation or compression of one of spinal nerve roots or also sciatic nerves. It is also commonly caused by herniated disc, lumbar spinal stenosis, and also piriformis syndrome. To help you relieve sciatica, many kinds of sciatica treatment are offered. You can consider sciatica stretches as your good option to relieve your sciatica.

There are many benefits you can get from sciatica stretches. One of the benefits is to help increase the flexibility of your muscles that are tightened or constricted. Stretching is also an effective way to reduce pressure on the nerve. It can alleviate the pain and discomfort. It does not only help you relieve your sciatica, but it is also good for keeping you stay healthy. It is important to do stretching regularly for improving your sciatic condition. Before getting started with sciatica stretches, it is recommended for you to consult with your physiotherapist first to know which the best type of sciatica stretching is good for you.

To help relieve your sciatica problem, you will find various types of low back stretches available. It is important for you to choose one that is suitable for your condition and will give much benefit for you. An example is lower back stretches. You just need to lie on your stomach towards the floor in which your hands are on the back. After doing this, raise your head and shoulders from the floor that has to be repeated about 5 to 10 times regularly.

Another example of stretches to relieve sciatica is piriformis stretch. The first thing you have to do is to lie on the floor, and then cross over your one leg over the other. You hold the knee and ankle with your hand. Then, pull one of your knees toward your chest. Remember that you have to hold the stretch about 30 seconds. Repeat this action, but by using your opposite leg.

If you do not have any time to leave your home for getting sciatica treatment, you do not have to worry about it. You can do sciatica stretches at home. The lower back stretches and piriformis stretches that have been discussed above are two examples stretches to relieve sciatica that can be done at home. Another example is hamstring stretch. Lying on the floor is the first thing to do when you want to do this. Then, lift the right leg to the air with the position at 90 degree angle to the floor. After that, wrap around the back of ankle with a resistance bad, towel, or rope. The next thing to do is to stretch the right leg gently toward the body for 30 seconds. Repeat the same thing on your opposite leg.

There are many other types of sciatica stretches that can be done at home. Whatever type of stretches for relieving sciatica you are going to do, make sure that you have consulted with your doctor and you will get benefits from doing this one. Doing the right stretches will reduce the pain and help you relieve your sciatica well.

Aqua Therapy for Sciatica and Lower Back Pain

Aqua therapy or swimming exercises are some of the best long term treatment options available to sciatica sufferers. Moving through the water provides a gentle lift, reducing the weight your spine may be under as you walk. Yet the water provides natural resistance to your motions without requiring you to carry weights. Swimming and exercising in the pool will keep you moving, something you need to do to rebuild your endurance. Aqua therapy can help you build up your core muscles, a critical step in preventing future lower back pain. Pool exercises do not have to be done in a physical therapist office; your neighborhood pool or gym is probably available for aqua therapy. Nor will your limited mobility stand out, since pool exercises are common for arthritis sufferers as well.

Benefits of Pool Exercises

Aqua therapy provides moderate form of resistance even when walking through the water. If your back pain makes it hard to walk, the water will buoy you. The sides of the pool give you a flat surface to keep your back straight while stretching. With a floatation device, you can do abdominal exercises without putting as much stress on your spine as if you did it out of the water. Floating in a swimming pool is a low cost, natural and easy way to decompress your spine. Aqua therapy will not cause stressful, jarring motions that can worsen your sciatica like lifting weights or going running.

Considerations Before Engaging in Swimming Exercises

Only go swimming if you can safely get in and out of the pool. Do not start swimming freestyle until you’ve rebuild your core muscles. Do not go diving when you have sciatica. Be careful of treading water if you are in pain, since a flare up could leave you flailing and helpless in the water. Although the water reduces the weight your body must support, you should still not twist your spine or touch your toes in the water, since these motions will cause greater pressure on the sciatic nerve. If you have recently had back surgery to alleviate your lower back pain, talk to your doctor before starting any aqua therapy or exercise regimen. If your sciatica is due to neural tension, you should not go swimming in cold water, which may make it worse. If you have circulation problems, ask your doctor for referral to a warm water aqua therapy location, since cold water may worsen circulatory problems.

What Swimming Exercises Are Recommended to Sciatica Sufferers?

Walking laps in the pool is safe for someone with sciatica, whether you are having a flare up or building up endurance and strength after a sciatica episode. You can do leg raises and arm exercises in the water. If you have a spotter, you can do quadruped exercises while floating on your back. If you are having trouble with your balance or are in the water alone, use a flotation device while doing quadruped exercises. When your sciatica flare up is over, you can swim for cardiovascular exercise. Gentle stretches that do not bend or twist the spine are fine to do while in the water.

Sciatica Treatment and Exercises For Pain Relief

How to cure sciatica nerve pain?
Many people experience some pain in their lower backs at some point. When this happens, it is vital to always try to make sure that you actually need sciatica treatment. This is because the wrong diagnosis could lead to further problems. In fact, a good percentage of people with this pain end up not having the problem at all.

In order to find out whether or not you have the problem, you might need to visit a doctor to verify the situation. It is however important to note that at times, there might be no time to do this considering the time of day or night as well as your location. When this pain strikes when you are in an out of way place, you could be compelled to look for other remedies to ease it off.

What kind of sciatica treatment you can do at home?
Of course the first thing that comes to mind for almost everyone is to look for the nearest over the counter pain killers. Well this has worked in many cases. It is however advisable not to get used to simply taking as many pain killing tablets as you possibly can buy whenever you are in pain. This is because your body could easily become immune to the tablets you frequently take. If this happens, sooner you may not feel the effect of any pain killers.

Because the pain can strike when you are least prepared for it, there is always a way through which you could try to contain it before you can be able to seek professional help from any facility. Assuming you are in a home environment, you should always try to look for something very cold to place on the painful spot. This cold item could be in the form of a bag of cold ice, or even cold vegetables in a polythene bag from the freezer.

The cold will kill the pain within a period of at least ten minutes. It is however important to watch out so that you do not over do the thing. Staying with the cold bag on your back for so many minutes or even hours could lead to other problems. It is therefore important to observe the time to make sure you do not let it stay on your back for so many minutes.

Natural treatment sciatica nerve pain
Assuming you have tried the above remedies without much success, you should not give up. There is the other option of lying in an easing position. You need to find enough room on the floor or bed to sleep in the most comforting position you can find. A number of people find it soothing to lie on their faces with a pillow around the waist. It often eases the pressure on the lower spine thus driving the pain away.

In case you are not comfortable lying on your stomach with pillows around your tummy, you could also try lying on your back. Before you lie on your back however, you need to get pillows to prop up your body at the head as well as getting another raised object to place your feet. This position should give your feet the highest reach while the back and shoulders remain on the same level.

Sciatica Treatment Exercises
The above back position has been known to take away a lot of pressure off the back leaving the victim feeling lighter and at ease. You are also advised to keep your hands straight on the floor besides your body. You should not strain to keep them in place. Just lie back and relax for as long as it takes. In this posture, you should be able to feel the difference. If the pain persists even after doing this, you should seek help since you could be suffering from other problems as well.

The position of your pelvis has a direct influence on the pain you feel on your back. For this reason, you should try to make sure you have a good balance on your pelvis and if necessary have someone check the status of your pelvis while still lying down on your back. If you do this right, you should be able to feel almost instant ease in the pain you were feeling initially.

Lack of balance in the pelvis is a common cause of the lower back pain. There are tips on finding out whether your pelvis is well balanced or not. In most cases, the most obvious method of finding this out is to feel the pressure. If you notice there is slightly more pressure coming from one end as compared to the other, you can be sure there is a problem with the balance and you need to seek sciatica treatment. Last but not least I think you should consider doing some sciatica stretching exercises which you can do at home.

Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

Sacroiliac joint which is commonly abbreviated as (SI) refer to the joint that links the pelvis and the spine. Sacroiliac joint dysfunction therefore refer to improper functioning of this joint due to inflammation leading to imbalance between the pelvis and the base of the spine causing pain at the lower back and the legs.

This is because the imbalance affects the normal functioning of the nerves which are found within these joints thus causing pain radiating from the buttocks (lower back) to the legs.

There are various ways in which sacroiliac joint dysfunction may take place leading to imbalance of the pelvis and the spine leading to the unbearable pain at the buttocks running all the way to the legs.

These may include:

Hyper-mobility
Motion must be supported by various components that are found in the joints such as the ligaments, discs among others. When the joints become loose and hyper-mobile, there are chances that they may not support normal motion or movement because if done there will be discomfort resulting from lower back pain or the buttocks. Hyper-mobility will most definitely cause wearing and tearing of these regions of the pelvis and the spine hence dysfunctional of the joints thus affecting the nerves. This will be due to irritations and pushing of the nerves that are found within these joints. Those involved in exercises, cardiovascular activities, aerobics may be susceptible to this kind of injury leading to pain and weaknesses at the back through to the legs. At the initial stages, the discomfort resulting from the injury may not cause a lot of pain which may be overlooked leading to worsening of the condition unlike if the condition was tackled earlier.

Traumas and injuries
This is another common cause of sacroiliac joint dysfunction. Various traumas may take place on the joints between the spine and the pelvis. This will alter the normal functioning of these joints as this will cause a lot of irritations and pressure to the nerves. This will directly influence the functioning of these nerves and this will eventually be experienced as pain at the lower back. The pain is usually mild initially and as time goes by the pain will get worse leading to other complications such as arthritis. This may also cause the weakening of the lower back and the legs in general which may call for medical attention to avert the condition.

Hypo-mobility
This is too little movement. Generally, in this the joints will lock themselves due to wearing and tearing. The wearing of the joints may be occasioned by degenerative diseases such as arthritis and also old age. For old people, there will be wearing and tearing of the joints which will cause tilting or bending thus affecting balance that exist between the pelvis and the spine. The nerves that exist within the spine and the pelvis will also be affected by the tilting. This will cause irritations to the nerves and cause sciatica and pain at the lower back. This pain may radiate throughout the lower parts of the body and more especially the legs. The earlier this is diagnosed the better as it may reach a point where it causes a lot of pain and discomfort which may be unbearable.

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

Lumbar spinal stenosis is a process whereby the spinal canal located at the lower back of the lumbar vertebrae narrows or becomes smaller in radius. This can be as a result of injuries for example those that are traumatic in nature and degenerative illnesses such as disc degenerative conditions for example arthritis. Within the lumbar, there is an important nerve that is found in it and when there is any abnormally within this region, then there is a problem at the lower back running through to the legs. This is a result of narrowing of the spinal canal which then causes compression of the nerves within the lumbar leading to sciatica. Other conditions can also cause narrowing of the spinal space (lumbar spinal stenosis) leading to irritations and pushing of the nerves that are within the lumbar vertebrae leading to sciatica.
This may include the following:

Tumors

Tumors refer to the increase in the size of various structures or tissues with the spine. Increased size of the structures within the spine will most definitely utilize most of the space if not all that is found in the lumbar vertebrae. Because of this therefore, there will be a lot of pressure exerted on the nerves that are present within this vertebrae and this will finally cause sciatica. It is worth to note that to some people the pain that is experienced in the lower back through the legs may go unnoticed for along period of time hence worsening the condition. This is because initially they are misconstrued with numbness which is experienced in the morning and maybe after walking or exercising for along period of time. As lumbar spinal stenosis progresses, the patient will start developing sharp/burning and painful pain at the lower back (buttocks) hence sciatica.

Infections

Some infections and diseases may invade the spinal region. These infections may be accompanied with some rashes, inflammations among others. These will most definitely change the diameter of the spinal code which will have an effect on the nerves that are present within the lumbar region. Once the nerves are pressed and irritated because of these infections, there will be pain experienced at the lower back and more often the pain will run through the legs. This may also be exhibited in form of weakness on the lower region of the back and the knees.

Metabolic bone disorders

Some disorders may cause bones to grow abnormally more especially in the spinal region. Because of this growth, the space in this region will be decreased greatly thus making them narrow. The narrowing of the spinal area or region will have a direct effect on the nerves that are present in the lumbar region. This will ultimately have an effect on their function and this will start by experiencing some pain on the lower back. The pain and weaknesses at the back can also run through the legs hence causing discomfort. It is worth to note that some people may disregard the initial symptoms of this condition leading to complicated levels of the condition. Bone disorders that are known to cause lumbar spinal stenosis include Paget’s disease of the bone.

Causes Of Sciatica

Sciatica refers to symptoms which occur when there is damage or irritation to the sciatic nerves. In some cases pinching of the sciatic nerves can lead to the symptoms of sciatica. There are various causes of Sciatica which include the following:

Piriformis Syndrome

Piriformis refer to one of the muscles which is situated at the buttocks (lower back). In this muscle there is a nerve which runs through it and when the root of this important nerve is irritated or pinched, pain and some numbness is experienced at the back of the leg all the way into the foot. To some people the pain can be so severe until it affects motion or movement. This pain is sometimes referred to as sciatica pain.

Lumbar Herniated Disc

This is sometimes referred to as slipped disc. The human spine is made up of discs, nerves, vertebrae among other components which ease movement and communication. For the vertebrae to function properly, discs must be present. Discs are important as they help in cushioning and supporting the vertebrae. When there is rapture of the outer disc, the gel which is normally found within the disc will start bulging out in between the vertebrae. The swelling/bulging will finally cause a lot of pressure to the sciatic nerves. Exertion of pressure on these nerves will irritate or in some cases cause some pinching on them leading to sciatica. As one gets older the more he or she is at risk of developing herniated disc since the discs become tougher, brittle and harder hence subject to splitting and rupturing. In terms of gender, both men have almost equal chances of getting sciatica but women are more vulnerable as compared to men of the same age.

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

The nerves that run throughout the body including the back run through avenues or passages. In the event that the passages start narrowing, there is a danger of developing some discomfort which may be accompanied with other symptoms. The discs, ligaments or bones may abnormally put a lot of pressure to the nerves of the spine; this is likely to cause unwarranted pain at the legs and the lower back. This may result due to diseases of the bones for example Paget’s illness; when there are changes or alterations of the ligaments especially those of the spine and finally age. Lumbar spinal stenosis is common in those people who are in their middle ages and the elderly as compared to the young ones.

Sacroiliac joint dysfunction

This joint is found at the lower back of the body and it lies close to the bottom of the spine above the tail bone and below the lumbar spine. The joint is normally very strong, small, acts as a shock absorber and it is this joint that is responsible in transmitting the forces that are involved in the hips and the legs. When there is some form of malfunctioning of this important joint, there will be irritation of the nerves in these joints and this will finally lead to some form of pain which may run from the lower back unto the legs.

Piriformis Syndrome Stretching and Muscle Strengthening

 

Piriformis Syndrome can be both debilitating and painful for sufferers to deal with, causing them to be quiet incapable of the most simple of tasks like for example bending down or stretching upward.

If the Piriformis muscle becomes tense against the Sciatic nerve it can cause the leg to become difficult to move and the Sciatica attack setting in can leave someone quite immobilized for some time.There is no cure for Sciatica but there is a way of dealing with it to make the Piriformis muscle supple and strong so Sciatica attacks don’t happen as often.

The best way to deal with Sciatica is by doing Sciatica Stretching as a way of exercising and strengthening the back. These are not only perfect for Piriformis Syndrome avoidance but can also help with Piriformis syndrome strengthening.

Because Piriformis syndrome comes on because of repetitive motions such as sitting at a desk all day or lifting heavy boxes or even overdoing it during your normal workout or exercise routine, Piriformis syndrome stretching will not only benefit sufferers but also help with avoiding that Piriformis syndrome happens to you.

There are two very good Piriformis Syndrome Stretching exercises to be aware of in order to make the piriformis muscle stronger. The first requires you to lay on your back, a knee propped up and the legs crossed. Very slowly pull one knee closer to your chest which will allow you to feel the stretch in your back. Doing this for Thee minutes each side will dramatically help improve any pain.

The second is an exercise that is quite advanced for beginners and requires the leg to be propped up on a table and the back to stretch over the propped up leg. This exercise is mainly to be used by runners and other active Piriformis or Sciatica sufferers.