Sciatic Nerve Treatments: Working With Hip and Leg Pain

spinal stenosis

Second only to the severe back ache associated with sciatica is the hip and leg pain that usually is a second symptom. Sciatic Nerve Treatments that don't include therapy for your hips and legs are not likely to succeed and that's a sure thing.

It's good to remember that treatment for sciatic nerve pain is not a quick-fix. There are no miracles connected with this kind of therapy. When the back ache extends into the hips and legs the agony can be so great that all you really want is to get rid of your symptoms now and not think much of a long-term cure. In short, a lot of people look at the now and never the future. Clearly, however, the very best therapies are oriented toward relieving the reason for the anguish not just relieving the pain for the short-term.

Often, when pains in the hips and legs begin when there is no back ache associated with that pain, a lot of people think is it temporary or, worse, they don't really take into account the proven fact that there can be a serious reason for this pain. A visit to the pharmacy, some over-the-counter pain medication, for instance, Tylenol or naproxen, and the pain seems to vanish for a while. Apply a bit of heat or some ice to the affected spot and pain of the past, until, that is, it returns with a vengeance.

As there are more than one reason behind hip and leg pain, it is best to seek your doctor's advice early and not try to self-medicate. You could have a serious issue associated with arthritis, or you will have a torn ligament or torn cartilage. In unusual cases your pain could be triggered by bone tumors. Or you pain may belong to the broad concept of sciatica, abnormal pressure about the sciatic nerve inducing the sensation of sharp, possibly knife-like pain shooting out of your hip to your toes. In short, it is advisable to discover the reason for your hip and leg pain before you self-medicate simply because, usually, there is a specific therapy or group of options that are shown to work with each reason for pain.

Assuming, for the moment, your hip and leg pain is triggered by abnormal pressure about the sciatic nerve. Is that pressure the effect of a herniated or bulging disc? The consequence of spinal stenosis? Or is the anguish caused by an inflammatory reaction of the Piriformis muscle? Knowing the main cause indicates the kind of therapy which will work most effectively for you personally.

When the reason behind your sciatic hip and leg pain is because of a structural defect like a herniated disc, stenosis or perhaps a tumor, surgical intervention is nearly always the correct choice. Today, many procedures can be obtained which are only modestly invasive and some even enable you to walk out of of the hospital the very day of surgery. Your doctor can advise you on the best surgical option.

Many triggers for sciatic nerve pain aren't, however, structural, rather those are the result of a personal injury or even the inflammation of one or even more muscles in the hips and legs. There are many treatments available to you for coping with the anguish and bringing about a long-term remedy for your pain.

I am in support of choosing the least invasive therapy first and of course, if that does not seem to work, turn to the more radical approaches. Personally, the place to start is with physical therapy. Learning a fundamental set of stretching and strengthening methods for the core muscles of the back and stomach is often all that is required to create an entire cure and avoid any recurrence of the pain. Accompanied by acupuncture, meditation and, even, Yoga, a combination of stretching and meditation, being active is the simplest approach to the situation.

Your doctor may choose to add a muscle relaxant and maybe a pain medication prescription but most will only do if you are actively involved in physical therapy. Prescription pain medication like Ultram and muscle relaxants are for short-term use while learning to stretch your muscles by yourself. When strengthening and stretching your core takes over, the inflammation that was causing your sciatica goes away, there is no longer pressure on the nerve and, as long as you continue the exercise, it really is unlikely to recur.

There are also some herbal therapies that behave as muscle relaxants along with natural ointments that help relax your muscles too.

My point is simple. Get an analysis from your doctor before deciding which of the many sciatic nerve treatments meets your needs. Once you have a diagnosis, work with your doctor to find a treatment or set of treatment plans that you as well as your doctor are comfortable with. Then go out and carry out these therapies. If they're not working, reassess, and try a rather more radical approach. Reassess and repeat until you find the right strategy to you. Each step of the way is a step toward an answer.