How to get rid of severe sciatica pain

Regardless of the cause, about 90% of people with sciatica will get better without surgery—most of them in just a few weeks. You can start treating your sciatica at home. In fact, home treatment may be all you need, especially if you know that your sciatica is caused by an injury or pregnancy.

Even if you don't know what's causing your sciatica, you can take steps to relieve your pain at home. Call your doctor if the pain isn't manageable or under certain other circumstances.

Cold and heat

Both ice packs and heat can be used to ease the pain of sciatica and help you function better.

For the first seven days, use ice. Place ice packs on your lower back to reduce inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Be careful not to give yourself frostbite. Icepacks shouldn't directly touch the skin; wrap them in a cloth or towel. Leave them in place for no more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time, with at least a 15- to 20-minute break in between. Try a cycle of on-off-on-off-on (this will take between 75 and 100 minutes). Then take a break to see how you feel.

Another way to apply cold to a painful area is an ice massage. Freeze water in a paper cup and then tear away the top half of the cup. Using a circular motion, massage the lower back with the ice. Cover an area about six inches in diameter, and keep the cup moving to prevent frostbite. Avoid the bony part of the spine. Massage for no more than 10 minutes and wait at least an hour between massages.

It's okay to try some gentle stretches between ice applications, though better to wait about half an hour for the area to warm. Three to five applications per day may help relieve some of the pain.

Heat can be used after the first week, when some healing has taken place and the pain is subsiding. (If the pain has not subsided at all after a week, visit the doctor.) Heat treatments will increase the flow of blood to the area, which can speed healing. Heat also will relax the muscles to allow for gentle stretching that can help to relieve the pain.

You can use a hot water bottle or heating pad wrapped in a towel, or soak in a warm bath. If you use a water bottle or heating pad, apply it to your lower back. Improperly applied heat treatment can cause burns, so follow a few rules:

• Place a cloth barrier between the heat source and your body (if using a hot water bottle or heating pad).
• Make sure that the treatment feels warm, not hot; if it is uncomfortably warm, it's too warm.
• Apply heat for at least 15 minutes, but no longer than two hours. The duration depends on your pain level.
• If using a heating pad, take care not to fall asleep while applying it.

Movement

Moving is probably the most important thing you can do to help your pain.

Many people with sciatica put themselves on bed rest, or lean back in an easy chair, thinking that this will help them to heal. It doesn't!

It's okay to rest for the first couple of days after sciatica pain starts; after that, staying in bed usually makes things worse, not better. Moving helps your pain in several ways:

• It strengthens your muscles, which helps to support your spine.
• It can improve flexibility and range of motion.
• It boosts blood flow to all areas of the body, including injured areas, which speeds healing.
• It reduces the perception of pain.

If you have sciatica, move as much as you can as soon as you can. If moving seems to make the pain worse, it's best to see a doctor and talk through what's going on.

Once your sciatica is under control, keep moving to decrease the likelihood that it will return. Sitting for long periods of time isn't good for anyone. Extended sitting can increase your risk of sciatica and also can make sciatica worse once you have it.

To learn more about ways to ease your sciatica pain, purchase Finding Relief for Sciatica from Harvard Health Publishing.

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The constant soreness or intermittent discomfort of sciatica can range from a warm, wet feeling in your thigh to shooting and searing pain along your leg. The symptoms may strike anytime, so it is a smart idea to have a treatment plan in place.

Sciatica symptoms arise when the sciatic nerve is pinched or compressed.
Watch: Sciatica Causes and Symptoms Video

Read on to learn about 4 commonly overlooked and easy remedies that may help you find quick relief.

Watch Video: What Is Your Sciatic Nerve and Why Does It Hurt So Much?

1. Apply continuous, low-level heat

A commercial adhesive heat wrap can provide tolerable, low-level heat for up to 8 hours. Heat therapy can help alleviate pain in your lower back and legs caused by sciatica.

Watch Video: How to Make a Homemade Heat Pack

Be sure to follow the package directions to avoid skin and tissue damage. The heat wrap can be worn under your clothing and typically adheres directly to your skin. You can use this treatment conveniently at home or at work during a sciatica flare-up.

See How to Apply Heat Therapy

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2. Stretch and build muscles to relieve physical stresses

Exercises that include stretching and strengthening can help relieve stress in your lower back. Exercise also promotes healing of soft tissues, improves the functioning of the nervous system, and may decrease your sensitivity to pain.1 Sciatica exercises include techniques that help relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve roots and build strength in the lower spine, abdomen, and legs.

See Sciatica Exercises for Sciatica Pain Relief

Using infrared or heat therapy before an exercise helps warm up and loosen stiffness in the tissues. You can use an ice pack after the exercise to treat any pain or soreness. Simple stretches can be done at home or at your office when you have recurrent or flaring sciatica symptoms. Always exercise within tolerable limits and start with 2 to 3 repetitions, slowly moving up to 5.

See Slideshow: 9 Exercises for Sciatica Pain Relief

In This Blog Series:

3. Apply a topical pain medication

Topical gels, creams, or patches that contain pain-relieving and/or numbing medication can provide fast and effective pain relief.2 These medications penetrate into your tissues and act locally. They have a lower chance of producing side effects, preventing long-term problems.

Topical medication can be purchased over the counter and commonly include preparations of2:

• Methyl salicylate
• Menthol
• Trolamine salicylate
• Capsaicin
• Camphor

In some preparations, more than one drug may be combined together. While using topical medication, avoid using a heat patch3 or ice pack over the area at the same time. Combining both therapies may reduce and/or alter the effects of topical pain medications.3

See Sciatica First Aid

4. Wear a lumbar or hip brace with groin support

Braces worn over your lower back intermittently and for short durations can help stabilize and support the lumbar tissues. Lumbar braces limit excessive spinal movement and can relieve pain from nerve roots.4 Certain types of braces also provide additional support to the groin area and may help relieve radiating pain in this region.

See Using a Back Brace for Lower Back Pain Relief

Lumbar braces or belts can be purchased online or at drug stores and worn under your clothing. A belt should be adjustable, fit correctly, be made of breathable material, and have an anti-slip design for proper support.

See Types of Back Braces Used for Lower Back Pain Relief

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Try one or more of these overlooked tips to control your sciatica pain. A combination of treatments, such as stretching after the use of infrared radiation or topical medication can help reduce pain and stimulate tissue healing. Paying attention to your daily postures, staying active, and preventing a sedentary lifestyle can also help improve your symptoms and provide long-term relief.

Learn more:

Myths About Sciatica Treatment Options

When Sciatica Pain Is a Medical Emergency

What can you do for unbearable sciatica?

How do I get my sciatic nerve to quit hurting?

Can severe sciatica be cured?

How long does it take for sciatic nerve pain to go away?