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When people are in pain, especially when suffering back pain, the first instinct is to stop moving. I have had severe back pain off and on for years, and of course the pain lessens when I stay put. But, with some back problems, especially sciatica, keeping still can aggravate symptoms and make them worse. Although it might be necessary to let up on daily activities, it is important not to curb them all together. Keeping moving is key to controlling symptoms.

Sciatica, as painful as it is, is actually one of the more common back ailments and one of the easier ones to treat if done as soon as symptoms occur. It is also a problem that can be treated easily with self-care remedies, which will save the sufferer both aggravation and money. Let's face it; back pain is hard enough to deal with, so better if the remedies do not cause a pain in the wallet.

Cold and hot packs can be an effective treatment for sciatica. The doctor may first start the patient off with cold packs to be applied to the afflicted areas to reduce inflammation. Cold packs can be made by using things right out of the freezer such as vegetable packs of frozen peas or corn. If preferred, an ice pack can be purchased inexpensively from any drug store. Cold should be applied four times daily for about 15-20 minutes.

After about 48 hours, apply heat to the area by using a heating pad or a warm pack. Some packs can be heated by placing them in a microwave for a minute or less. Often alternating cold and heat will help as well.

Exercise is key to relieving sciatica symptoms as well as any chronic pain. No one wants to think about walking on the treadmill or doing crunches when they're in pain, but the truth is, back pain can be caused by weak muscles or even some degeneration due to age and regular exercise can often repair that damage. If regular exercise seems too daunting, try water aerobics or swimming, which will put less pressure on the back muscles. Also, any exercise is better than none. If you can only do 15 minutes a day, that's better than no minutes per day.

Unfortunately, self care may not always do the trick, and then more aggressive treatment might be necessary. Your doctor will determine this based on your symptoms and length of time you've had them. Some aggressive treatments for sciatica are; physical therapy, epidural steroid injections, and surgery as a last resort.

Many people of all ages suffer from sciatica and other chronic back problems. Getting symptoms checked out immediately is crucial to maintaining back health. If you see your doctor as soon as symptoms occur, there is a strong likelihood that you can avoid the more aggressive treatments. I would much rather have a pack of frozen peas lying on my back than an epidural injection in my spine. What about you?

Information retrieved from the mayoclinic.com website.

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