According to Harvard Health, as many as 40% of people will develop sciatica during their lifetime, something that becomes more frequent if you age. Other factors that increase the risk include being sedentary, obese or a smoker. Of course, if you’re suffering from it, all you want to do is get some relief from the pain.

These tips can help make dealing with this condition much easier.

Head to the Pool

If you have access to a pool or other warm water for swimming, using slow movements in the water helps to relieve pain and nerve spasms while relaxing the muscles at the same time. The water helps to take the weight off the spine and muscles.

If you feel comfortable enough for some moderate activity, getting an aerobic workout in the pool also provides the benefit of triggering endorphins, so called “happy hormones” that are the body’s natural pain killers, helping to further reduce the pain of sciatica. In fact, physical therapy for sciatica often includes swimming, or pool therapy to help exchange of fluids and nutrients to help create a better environment for healing.

Get a Massage

By massaging the backs of the legs and the muscles of the buttocks where the sciatic nerve runs, it can help to reduce painful nerve inflammation while loosening muscle tension. That’s because it helps to promote better blood circulation, easing the tense muscles and sciatic nerve tenderness.

Apply Ice then Heat

By switching up heat and cold is can do wonders for sciatica pain. Begin by applying an ice pack to reduce sciatic nerve inflammation. Afterward, immediately apply a heating pad to encourage blood flow and ease muscle tension in the nerves and muscles in the buttocks and backs of the legs.

Acupuncture

Traditional Chinese acupuncture can be used to reduce inflammation and pain by employing little needles that are inserted into specific pressure points. This therapy has been found to decrease painful muscle spasms that result from sciatica, encouraging better circulation and blood flow in the lower back, buttocks and legs.

Walk

Don’t stay sedentary for too long or it will make your condition worst. Rest isn’t the best Rx for sciatica. While you might have to rest some at first if the pain is debilitating, limit it to one or two days and then get moving. Simply walking can help as it supports muscle strength to keep them healthy while nourishing the spine to avoid further problems.

Practice Yoga

In many cases, targeted yoga practice can help overcome the pain or sciatica as it encourages tight muscles to loosen up, promoting flexibility through stretching. It also helps to improve core strength while providing lower back support. Practicing poses that progress from gentle poses to basic foundation asanas such as downward-facing dog and standing poses helps to lengthen, align and straighten the lower back. However, yoga may not be an appropriate treatment for all causes of sciatica, which means it’s important to get a diagnosis from your healthcare provider before proceeding.

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