Take These Steps Between Chiropractic Sessions To Help With Your Sciatica Pain
Sciatica pain can be highly disruptive to your day. This sharp pain, which is related to the inflammation of your sciatic nerve that runs from your back through your hips and down your legs, can hurt when you're sitting or standing and may even make it difficult to sleep. An effective way to treat this issue is to seek care from a chiropractor; a series of adjustments to your spine can alleviate the pressure on this nerve with the goal of reducing or eliminating your discomfort. It's important for you to take an active role in your recovery. Your chiropractor will make suggestions of things for you to do between treatments. In general, you should plan to take these steps.
Reduce The Amount That You Sit
Sitting too much can often flare up your sciatica, so it's ideal to limit the amount that you sit. There's little point in having your chiropractor working on correcting the issue, only for you to sit for hours a day in a slouched manner. If you have a job that involves lots of sitting, talk to your manager to see if it's possible to slightly rework your job description. Otherwise, standing up when you're on a phone call, for example, can help. You may also wish to think about getting a standing desk, as this will minimize the amount of time that you spend seated.
Exercise Regularly
In cooperation with chiropractic care, regular exercise can be helpful in your effort to reduce your sciatica pain. There are a number of exercises that are beneficial, but those that strengthen your abdominal region are ideal because they give stability to your back. When your abs are strong, your back will be less apt to slouch and potentially exacerbate your discomfort. Exercises such as crunches and planks are valuable for strengthening your abdominal area.
Apply Cold To The Area
If your sciatica pain is intense at any point, the application of cold can help. An ice pack held against the affected area — generally, you'll feel the pain on the outer part of your hip — can reduce the inflammation and decrease your discomfort. You should never hold an ice pack directly against your skin; instead, wrap it in a towel or a T-shirt to minimize the chill. If your skin begins to feel irritated, discontinue this practice.
Your chiropractor will be able to recommend other specific steps to take based on the pain's severity.
