Sciatica isn’t always painful, but it can be debilitating. It may prevent you from standing or sitting for long periods and make it difficult to perform everyday tasks.
Fortunately, many effective treatments are available for you, and the best part is that you can opt for non-surgical treatment if your sciatica pain is mild.
Let’s talk about the non-surgical options available for this typical condition, how they work, and where you can go in Rochester Hills, MI to relieve sciatica pain.
Medication
If you have minor pain and inflammation, your back/spine doctor may recommend the most common medications, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) and naproxen (Aleve). However, if you have chronic health conditions like heart or kidney disease, talk to your doctor before taking any medications.
Physical Therapy
Seeing a physical therapist can help improve your flexibility and range of motion. Physical therapy can also help you strengthen the muscles around your spine, which can help stabilize it and alleviate pain.
If your doctor thinks physical therapy may be helpful, they will likely refer you to a physical therapist. Your therapist may recommend an exercise regimen to help improve your symptoms. They may also use modalities like heat or cold therapy to help reduce pain and inflammation.
Exercise
Exercise is an essential part of treatment for sciatica. It can help improve your flexibility and range of motion and strengthen the muscles around your spine. A moderate exercise program that includes aerobics, stretching, and strengthening exercises is beneficial.
Warm up before you exercise to help prevent injuries. Start with 5-10 minutes of light cardio, like walking or riding a stationary bike. Then, do some stretching exercises.
After your warm-up, you can start your workout. If you’re new to exercise, start with low-intensity activities and gradually increase the intensity as you become more fit. You should also cool down after your workout.
Sciatica Stretches
Stretching can be helpful for sciatica. It can improve your flexibility and range of motion and may also help relieve pain.
Be careful not to overdo it when stretching, as this can make your pain worse. You should also warm up before your stretch to prevent injury.
Massage Therapy
Massage therapy can help relieve muscle tension and spasms, leading to sciatica pain. It can also help increase blood flow to the affected area to promote healing.
Steroid Injection
If your pain is severe, your doctor may recommend steroid injections to reduce inflammation and pain in the affected area. They will administer the injection into the spine, but they can also give it to the surrounding muscles.
Most people experience relief from pain within a few days of receiving the injection. However, the pain may return after a few months.
If you’re interested in a steroid injection, talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits.
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractors use various techniques to treat sciatica, including spinal manipulation, massage, and exercises.
Sciatica Pain Treatment in Rochester Hills, MI
You can trust Ahlgren Spine if you need sciatica pain treatment in Rochester Hills. Dr. Bradley Ahlgren is board-certified, fellowship-trained, and dedicated to giving you the best care possible. You may contact us at (248) 215-8080 to learn about our services. You may also book an appointment for sciatica treatment using our online request form.
We also have satellite offices in Bad Axe and Lapeer. We look forward to serving you
