Undergoing some physical therapies, using heating pads and ice packs, doing some stretches, swimming and increasing the magnesium intake are some of the effective home remedies for Sciatica during pregnancy.

The sciatic nerve is the longest and the widest nerve in the human body. It runs from the lower back, through the buttocks, and down the legs, ending just below the knee. This nerve controls several muscles in the lower legs and supplies sensation to the skin of the foot and the majority of the lower leg. Sciatica is not a condition, but rather a symptom of another problem involving the sciatic nerve. Most of the people will experience sciatica at least once in their life, according to research.

Most cases of sciatica happen when inflammation or pressure from your back makes your sciatic nerve painful. It’s usually caused by a slipped or injured disc in your spine. Sometimes, the way the nerve works can be affected, giving you weakness or pins and needles in your leg. You can have sciatica with or without backache and it can send pain down one of your legs.

Pregnancy doesn’t necessarily cause sciatica, but inactiveness during pregnancy can lead to this. It is necessary to remain active even during pregnancy, albeit in moderation. But even then, if you do end up getting sciatica, you need not worry too much about it. It is curable.

Sciatica During Pregnancy: 11 Effective Home Remedies

In this article, we will talk about 11 effective, completely harmless and natural home remedies for this condition-

Physical therapy

Under physical therapy, you can have different forms of therapy like massage, osteopathy, physiotherapy, and chiropractic. A professional therapist can do wonders, and if you suspect of having sciatic nerve pain, you must first prefer the service of a physiotherapist. The therapist can take care of the spinal misalignments, workout on the sciatic nerve pressure and muscle tension.

Herbs

Some herbs are effective in treating the sciatica nerve pain. However, care should be taken while using herbs. Use only those herbs which are safe and commonly used. Gotu Kola, an Indian herb is using effectively for treating nerve pain, so you can consider this option.

Don’t sit for too long

People suffering from sciatic nerve pain should not sit for long hours as part of their job requirements or watching TV as a leisure activity. It can aggravate the back pain. Isometric exercises are good to relieve tensed muscle and loosen the inflamed areas. It can improve the condition and contribute more power to your legs. You can do this exercise at home without any instructor supervision.

Heating pads

Placing heating pads set with low temperature on the bottom back side for 15- 20 minutes are very effective. It would be easy to at home, and you can repeat as many times as possible, preferably after every three hours. Hot water can loosen tight muscles and increase blood circulation. When you apply hot water on the inflamed area, the accumulated fluid start moving away and thus provide relief to the affected area.

Ice-pack

Ice pack treatment works well with some people. You can try keeping ice pack at the back for 10-15 minutes ever alternative 3 hours and check if it works.

Application of heat and cold

It is a preferable option to using mild heat or cold on the infected area. You can also try using acetaminophen as a topical application, which is a good pain reliever and thus might prove to be useful.

Stretching

Muscular compressions are the main reason for sciatic nerve pain. Therefore, doing stretches and yoga can produce incredible relief to pregnant women suffering from sciatic nerve pain. Stretching will help to reduce compressed muscles. However, you must be careful in doing stretch, as it may sometimes aggravate the issue. People who have a history of spinal problems will have issues if they continue doing stretches or yoga exercises. So as a safety precaution, it would be better to take stretch and yoga session under a qualified professional. It has observed that people can get significant relief from sciatic nerve pain after 4 weeks of regular stretch and yoga session. Some of the comfortable stretch exercises you can do at home are Seated piriformis stretch, Table stretch, Pigeon pose, Hip flexor stretch, and Glute and hamstring foam rolling.

Lie on your side

It is one of the easiest methods to tackle sciatic never pain during pregnancy. You can lie on opposite side of the body, which causes the pain. Do not stand for an extended period. Sleeping on opposite side can relax the compression on the sciatic nerve and help to relieve the pain. Do not engage into heavy lifting.

Swimming

Make it a practice to swim regularly, which can reduce the condition. The pressure from the water will help to reduce weight pressure of your baby.

Foot elevation

When you find difficulty in standing and feel a lot of pressure, you can lift one leg and allow it to rest somewhere. This might help immensely.

Magnesium intake

Magnesium is a mineral that plays a role in over 300 different reactions in your body. It’s a major component in correct nerve function. Though magnesium is found in many foods, many of us are deficient in it. One study suggests that magnesium supplementation may improve sciatic nerve regeneration and decrease inflammatory response in mice. Taking magnesium orally as a supplement or massaging it into your legs in oil or lotion can reduce discomfort from sciatica.

These are simple home remedies that might prove to be useful for this condition. However, in case you still suffer from sciatica pain, it is always advisable to consult a doctor.