Sciatica Treatment: Home Remedies for Sciatica Relief

Sciatica Causes
It is essential to understand that sciatica itself is not the name of a disease but rather it is condition caused by a set of other conditions. Sciatica is generally caused by these primary conditions:

Firstly we have Herniated Discs which is sciatica caused by the pressure from a herniated or protruding disc on the sciatic nerve. A herniated disc is simply a disc that has been displaced due to external pressure from an accident or by constant pressure due to muscle imbalance. This can be the cause for sciatic pain but it is equally important to note that many people with herniated discs may not experience any pain at all.

Then sciatica can be caused by Piriformis Syndrome. The piriformis muscle exerts pressure on the sciatic nerve when muscle imbalances cause the joints in the pelvic areas to be pulled out of place and thus changing the seat of the piriformis muscle, which in turn puts pressure on the sciatic nerve.

Spinal Stenosis is the narrowing or constriction of the space in the spinal canal causing muscle imbalances that tug at your hip and spine and cause them to become positioned awkwardly causing an irritation due to constant contact and pressuring the sciatic nerve.

Isthmic Spondylolisthesis
This is when a vertebra is dislocated from its normal position and can start to pinch the sciatic nerve.

If you have noticed all these conditions have a common denominator: muscle strain or muscle imbalance. A muscle injury can occur anywhere and it means that your muscle flexibility is reduced and there is pain in most cases followed by various other sciatica symptoms like numbness, muscular irritation, tingling sensation etc.

These may be a result of a more serious internal condition and it is imperative to consult a doctor immediately to be able to diagnose the correct reason for this condition. In rare cases, a surgery might be necessary too but in most cases the diagnosis consists of pain alleviating medication, analgesics and specially designed exercises that must be practiced with regularity in order to obtain sciatica relief.

Sciatica Treatment
Though exercises and medication is a must but they must only be taken after advice from a doctor. But there have been some time tested natural cures for healing sciatica.

Sciatica cures assume various forms and these home remedies have been found to be very helpful if incorporated into daily life along with the proper exercise routines.

Home remedies for sciatica relief
Juices like the juice of potatoes and celery leaves. These juices in combination are said to provide sciatica relief when drunk in a minimum quantity of 10 ounces daily. The addition of carrots and beetroots to this mixture is said to fortify the strength and taste. If you can’t drink the juice drinking celery tea throughout the day is also beneficial.

Elderberry juice and/or elderberry tea is a known muscle relaxant and stimulant and is said to treat sciatica symptoms.

Consuming raw garlic or taking garlic supplements with along with additional supplements of vitamin B1 and B-complex gives relief from aches and pains, aids circulation, is an anti-oxidant and also provides the body with warmth and energy.

The common natural sources of B1 or Thiamine are Green peas, Spinach, Liver, Beef, and Pork, Navy beans, Nuts, Pinto beans, Bananas, Soybeans, Whole-grain Cereals, Breads, unpolished rice and Legumes. Thus maintaining a healthy balanced diet containing these and salads containing watercress and parsley apart from green leafy vegetables and fresh red vegetables is very important for good health.

Some claim that garlic milk also can be an excellent sciatica home treatment. Just mince two cloves of garlic in about ½ a cup of milk and drink this concoction twice daily and the results can be seen in just a week’s time.

Germans have been eating raw sauerkraut since ages to relieve muscular pain.

However, care must be taken to avoid garlic if you are taking any other medication like anticoagulants, if you have any bleeding disorders or ulcers and take the advice of your doctor before taking garlic supplements.

Another magical home remedy to treat sciatica is fresh minced horseradish poultice, which when applied to the painful areas and kept for at least an hour at a time stimulates the sciatica nerve and give tremendous relief from sciatica pain.

Water is one of the best natural treatment options for sciatica pain relief. Water can help to bring down pain by improving circulation. Taking long hot bath or a shower and following it up with a short cold shower is said to boost the body’s circulation and reduce pain. Taking hot and cold compresses too is equally beneficial.

Treatments for sciatica must include a good diet, exercise and the patient must aim at improving overall health. Also to avoid such problems in the long run, sleeping on a firm mattress, sitting and standing in a good posture, avoiding lifting heavy loads should be a part of everyday care that must be taken. It is these small things that cause sciatica over a period of time.