Sciatica Relief: 6 Treatments and Lifestyle Changes That Help

Sciatica causes shooting pain, burning, or tingling down the back of the leg. Many people describe it as an electric shock sensation. With around 40% of people in the United States experiencing it at some point in their lives, sciatica is more common than you might think.

Stephanie Clop, MD, Alexander Behnaz, MD, and our team at Integrated Spine and Pain Services specialize in helping you manage sciatica with lifestyle changes and minimally invasive treatment. 

At our offices in Falls Church and Alexandria, Virginia, we evaluate spinal conditions that can compress the sciatic nerve and cause sciatica, including herniated discs and osteoarthritis. 

If you have sciatica that doesn’t go away on its own, we may recommend any of the following strategies to manage it.

More movement

Increasing physical activity can help alleviate current sciatica symptoms and reduce the risk of future sciatica. Simple exercises like a brisk walk, yoga, or weightlifting can strengthen the muscles in your back and increase blood flow throughout your body, which helps reduce pain. 

Avoiding long periods of sitting

If you work at a desk, incorporate more movement into your day by getting up and stretching or walking around the room periodically. Prolonged sitting is a major risk factor for sciatica because it adds pressure to the spinal discs in your lower back. 

Core strengthening

When you work out, include exercises that strengthen your core. Your abdominal muscles help support your spine and keep it stable.  

Physical therapy

If you have sciatica, physical therapy can teach you specific movements and exercises to reduce pressure on the sciatic nerve. 

Smoking cessation

A smoking habit can contribute to sciatica pain. When you smoke, your tissues get less oxygen and heal more slowly. We might advise you to stop smoking as you allow your spinal condition to heal, which might reduce sciatica symptoms. 

Improving your sleep

People with sciatica should be mindful of the position they lie in while they sleep. It’s important to get a good night’s sleep every night, but you should lie in a position that puts as little pressure as possible on the sciatic nerve. 

Reduce sciatica symptoms by: 

• Using extra pillows under your lower back and knees if you sleep on your back
• Placing a pillow between your knees if you sleep on your side
• Avoiding sleeping on your stomach
• Choosing a mattress that feels comfortable and isn’t too soft or firm

Get 7-9 hours of sleep every night to allow your spine to rest and recover. 

Selective nerve root block

At Integrated Spine and Pain Services, we specialize in treating sciatica with selective nerve root blocks. A selective nerve root block targets the sciatic nerve at the root where it branches out of your spine. 

Nerve root blocks use a long-lasting steroid to reduce the inflammation in the area that puts pressure on the sciatic nerve root. Less pressure means less sciatica pain and other symptoms from the nerve compression. 

Epidural steroid injections

Epidural steroid injections work in a similar way. They involve injecting a steroid into the epidural space of your spine, which surrounds the spinal cord. Like nerve root blocks, their goal is to reduce inflammation in the area and take some pressure off compressed nerves. 

Epidural steroid injections also contain some local anesthesia to immediately numb pain in the targeted area. This gives immediate relief while the steroid provides improvement over the next few days. 

Spinal cord stimulator trial

If other strategies haven’t improved your sciatica and the condition becomes chronic, our team at Integrated Spine and Pain Services might recommend spinal cord stimulation. This treatment begins with a trial period to see if it works well for you. 

A spinal cord stimulator is an implanted device that blocks pain signals from a compressed nerve before they reach your brain. It uses a mild electrical current to stop these signals, but you shouldn’t feel more than a tingling sensation from it. 

For the trial period, we use an X-ray to guide electrodes into your spine. They’re attached to a battery you wear around your waist during the trial period. 

If the trial reduces your pain by 50% or more, it’s considered successful. You can then decide if you want a permanent spinal cord stimulator, which we surgically implant. 

Call our office in Falls Church or Alexandria, Virginia, today to schedule an appointment for sciatica treatment.