Discover the Top 10 Questions about Sciatica Pain. You can either watch the video above or read it below.
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- What is sciatica? 0:19
- What triggers sciatica? 0:44
- What can make sciatica worse? 1:45
- How long does sciatica last? 2:31
- How long will sciatica take to heal? 3:02
- What is the most effective pain relief for sciatica? 4:26
- What causes sciatica buttock pain? 5:03
- Why is sciatica worse in the morning? 5:57
- What happens if sciatica is left untreated? 7:12
- How can I treat sciatica at home? 8:42
What is sciatica?
Sciatica is a type of pain that radiates from the low back into the glutes, thigh, and down the leg. This is the same path the sciatic nerve runs through, which is how you get the name sciatica.
What triggers sciatica? :44
This is an interesting question because it could be almost anything from a herniated disk to simply tight muscles. One thing is for sure, Sciatica is a type of pain caused by compression and according to the pain cycle, before compression is muscle imbalance. This means that a tight muscle, weak muscle, altered joint, or combination of all 3 is what will create sciatica pain. (A herniated disk is created by the joints being out of place, aka altered joints.)
What can make sciatica worse? 1:45
Anything that will irritate the sciatic nerve can cause you pain. This can be things like the sciatic nerve getting compressed by tight muscles to the nerve being stretched past its limit anytime you take a seat.
How long does sciatica last? 2:31
Sciatica pain can be classified as acute or chronic pain. If you experience an acute attack, you may feel pain for 1-2 weeks with it returning throughout the year. Chronic sciatica pain in when it lasts for longer than 6 months.
How long will sciatica take to heal? 3:02
I know this isn't the answer you want to hear but it depends on what is specifically causing your sciatic pain, how you live your life, and what you're doing to stop it right now. I was lucky enough to work with a man named Alex who had extreme back pain and sciatica to the point he wasn't able to move. We were able to get rid of his pain in about 6 weeks because we discovered where his pain from with our in home assessments, what his life was like and what small tweaks he can make to it, and he was given mini homework assignments to do with some exercise equipment. And because of all of that, he was able to relieve his pain in 6 weeks. Do you live in San Diego and want to a free pain and movement assessment? If so, click here.
What is the most effective pain relief for sciatica? 4:26
In my humble and biased opinion, I believe most of us can feel amazing results a matter of minimal time with a combination of massage, posture training, corrective exercises, and stretching. We offer all of this at Train and Massage San Diego.
What causes sciatica buttock pain? 5:03
Sciatica pain in the buttock will most likely be caused by a tight and overactive muscle called the piriformis. This muscle sits right behind your glutes, deep within the body. This muscle performs 2/3 of the same actions as the glutes. Meaning, you may think you're training glutes on glute day when in fact, you're really training your piriformis and making it even tighter, causing compression and then pain to your sciatic nerve.
Why is sciatica worse in the morning? 5:57
One of the big reasons sciatica is bad in the morning could be your sleeping position. Some sleeping positions, like stomach sleeping, puts extra pressure on your spine because of gravity and since we should be sleeping 6-8 hours a night. Well, I think you can understand having pressure on the spine like that for that long can have painful effects. What's the best sleeping position then for sciatica? I included some images below to help you out.
What happens if sciatica is left untreated? 7:12
If left untreated, sciatica can be the beginning of a very painful future. The muscles and systems in our body are all connected, and when you have pain in one spot, the rest of the body changes to compensate to help you avoid that pain. For example, if you had shoulder pain anytime you lifted it over your head in one shoulder, then you would then begin to use the other arm more often, resulting in a more rapid wear and tear on that other shoulders joints and muscles. When that shoulder gives out now, you have to use another muscle or angle to keep doing the same thing, which leads to pain somewhere else.
How can I treat sciatica at home? 8:42
One of the best ways to treat your own sciatica pain is by using a foam roller and some exercise equipment. The goal is to perform specific foam rolling techniques, stretching, and exercises to stop the pain. Luckily, you don't have to think about it because I created a short follow along video and Free guide to relieve the pain. Click on the button below to get your free home treatment.
