If you are suffering from one of the two main causes of sciatica then here are several options they you may want to try. Whether its piriformis syndrome where the piriformis muscle in the hips compresses the sciatic nerve or it\’s a herniated or bulging disc in the lower back that doing the pinching of the nerve, treatment needs to be found.

For some immediate short term relief you can go the route of the anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs to relieve some of the swelling and hence the pressure on the nerve and the pain. These include but are not limited to Motrin, ibuprofen and COX-2 inhibitors. To deliver the medication faster into your system there are corticosteroid injections and muscle relaxers.

Epidural steroid injections of cortisone can be delivered right to the affected area and they usually bring quick relief. Your doctor will inject a needle into the epidural space along the spine and inject the steroid. This treatment can bring relief for several weeks to up to several months.

The problem with steroid injections along with being addictive is that they should not be used if you are suffering from any kind of infection, have diabetes, heart problems, or kidney problems. If you don\’t want to go with drugs, alternating heat and cold packs will also work, but will only last for a short duration, a few hours at most. Taking B-complex vitamins may also give some pain relief. Be sure to drink enough water to help circulate the nutients to the muscles.

Another non-drug and non-surgical approach is therapeutic massage. By using a stroking motion along the lower back and upper buttocks region, always in the direction of blood flow to the heart, the muscles that are tense and causing the pressure on the sciatic nerve can be made to relax. Another massage technique called nerve compression actually works along the sciatic nerve helping to increase blood flow, oxygenate, and lessen the tightness of the muscles in the lumbar and gluteus region.

Part of the problem with pain from the sciatica can be due to muscle spasms. While massage therapy is an excellent way to relieve the tension and tightness in the muscles, you need to get to the root cause of the problem. Why are the muscles going into spasms? One answer may be a deficiency of potassium. If this is the case it can easily be remedied by additions to the diet. You could go the way of supplements, but foods will do the job just as well without any side effects or overdosing and tastes a lot better. Foods rich in potassium include but are not limited to bananas, oranges, apricots and kiwis.

Magnesium is another mineral our bodies need for optimum muscle functioning. It helps to stop the muscle spasms. Peanuts are a great way to add magnesium, especially eating the raw peanuts. but peanut butter which is in a more concentrated form will do just as well.

A few drops of geranium oil massaged into the skin where the pain is located will bring down inflammation and ease the sciatica nerve pain. Another oil you can massage into the skin that will help to relieve inflammation is chamomile oil. Drinking elderberry juice also can be an effective pain reducer

If you do decide to go for the surgery, two types are commonly used for sciatica. They both involve working on or around the very delicate and sensitive nerves of the spinal cord. There is Intradiscal Electrothermoplasty where a needle injected into the disc burns away the offending nerves, thus bringing relief. The other surgical procedure called Radiofrequency Discal Nucleoplasty breaks up the cushion disc with high frequency radio waves so part of it can be removed, thus again relieving the pain. While many surgeries have been performed with varying success, there is the risk of doing some collateral damage to the surrounding area, making your problems even worse.

Alex Ralbeck is a sciatica relief expert. For great information on treatment for sciatica . Visit my website at http://www.stretchingforsciaticatips.com for helpful tips and information on relieving your back and leg pain.

Alex Ralbeck is a sciatica relief expert. For great information on treatment for sciatica. Visit my website at http://www.stretchingforsciaticatips.com

Author Bio: Alex Ralbeck is a sciatica relief expert. For great information on treatment for sciatica . Visit my website at http://www.stretchingforsciaticatips.com for helpful tips and information on relieving your back and leg pain.

Category: Medicines and Remedies
Keywords: treatment for sciatica,help for sciatica,nerve sciatica treatment