END thisTREND

Sciatic nerve pain: Four DIY treatments you can do anywhere

• By Mark McCluskey
• 24 September, 2013
• 6 Comments

According to the Mayo Clinic, Sciatica refers to a radiating pain, which traces a pattern along your sciatic nerve—your body’s thickest nerve—from your low-back and posterior thigh into your leg.

Sciatic Nerve & Piriformis Anatomy

Trigger points alter the tone of your piriformis muscle, which in turn affects your structures and tissues, including your sciatic nerve, that lie in proximity to your piriformis muscle.

Your sciatic nerve then becomes inflamed and you experience the classic sciatica symptom: radiating pain in your posterior thigh and lower leg. Sitting for prolonged periods is one of the more common causes of this condition.

Suggested Treatment:

 1. Yoga Pigeon Pose: When done properly and consistently, can:

• Stimulate the internal organs
• Stretch deep glutes
• Stretch groins and psoas (a long muscle on the side of your vertebral column and pelvis)
• Relieve impinged piriformis and alleviate sciatic pain
• Help with urinary disorders

2.  Lying Piriformis Stretch:

This is one of the easier glute complex (including piriformis) stretches to give relief with sciatic nerve issues as well as opening the hip complex.

3.  Piriformis Chair Stretch:

Another easy way to stretch the piriformis, especially if you have a desk job, is to cross one leg over the other with your ankle resting on the knee of the opposite leg. Gently press down on the inside of the knee and slowly lean forward until you feel a mild stretch in the hips & piriformis.

4. Tennis ball/Myofascial Release therapy

Tennis ball therapy uses the principles of acupressure and reflexology to relieve muscle soreness, tension.

While sitting on the floor, place a tennis ball under your gluteal muscles on the side of your body that you’re experiencing radiating pain.

Slowly shift your weight onto the ball and note any areas of increased tenderness; these are the locations of your trigger points.

Some patients describe the tenderness as a “hurt-so-good” type of discomfort. Use a moderate amount of force to compress each painful spot for 15 to 20 seconds before you move to the next.

Your total treatment time should be no more than 4 to 5 minutes per session.