Pain relief for sciatica pain is a necessity, as the pain from the irritated or injured spinal column nerve can be so powerful it is totally debilitating. The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the human body, running from the lumbar (lowest) region of the spine in the lower back into the buttocks and down the legs. Sciatica is a condition caused by irritation or pressure on that nerve that travels down its length, and in addition to pain, it may manifest itself as a tingling, a weakness, or a numbness in the affected areas.
What is the Spine?
The spine is a load-bearing structure made up of twenty-four building blocks, known as vertebrae. Each vertebra is only a few inches wide and almost circular in appearance. It also has a round hole near the back, and the holes from all the vertebrae line up perfectly to form the spinal column. Nerves from the brain run through the spinal column and down to the rest of the body.
In between the vertebrae are twenty-three discs, each about one quarter of an inch thick. They serve as shock absorbers and cushion the bones' slight movement when the body itself moves. The discs, unlike the vertebrae, are not composed of bone; rather they're a material much like the cartilage that forms your nose. Sciatica is the condition that occurs when the Lumbar 4-5 disc (the disc between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae) irritates or puts pressure on the sciatic nerve coming out from the spinal column.
How is Sciatica Pain Treated?
Sciatica pain can be treated using a number of different traditional and/or alternative modalities, such as those below.
Medication
Most cases of sciatica are treated with pain killers. In very mild cases, the first choice is over-the-counter remedies, such as aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen. These can help reduce the pain and start to repair tissue at the same time. They are all generally considered to be safe for temporary use in healthy adults, but you should not take them for more than two weeks at a time. You should also not take any other medications containing the same active ingredients, as you may injure your liver or other organs. If the pain warrants a stronger medication, your doctor may prescribe muscle relaxants, such as Flexeril
