Posts Tagged ‘sciaitca treatments’

Treatment for Sciatica: Heading to the Chiropractor

Friday, February 24th, 2012

There are numerous types of treatment for sciatica if you suffer from the condition. Some treatment for sciatica can be natural, while others may be medicinal. One natural and often very helpful treatment for sciatica is going to the chiropractor.

If you prefer drug-free, non-invasive treatment, seeing a chiropractor may be the option for you. Back surgery is not easy to recover from, so before you head right for surgery, you may want to look into going to see a chiropractor. For many years, chiropractic care has been very successful when it comes to treating back problems.

Chiropractors usually deal with tendon ailments, ligaments, muscles, and pinched nerves. For some, their sciatica occurs because of herniated disc, spinal stenosis, facet joint problems, nerve entrapment, metabolic complications, and tumors. If your sciatica stems from any of those conditions it may be best to see a chiropractor. Before he or she touches your back, they will evaluate your symptoms so they can provide you with the best treatment for sciatica.

If you have a ruptured or herniated disc, the treatment program will be suited for a disc injury. Spinal stenosis occurs when the spinal column narrows, causing inflammation. If this is what is causing your sciatica, the proper treatment will be designed for you.

Entrapment occurs when the spine has mechanical imbalance, which may cause you to experience restrictions in the movement of the facet joint. As the muscles tighten, nerve entrapment may occur. Chiropractic therapies will target the piriformis muscles in order to restore balance. The pressure is released and the sciatica nerve may be relieved.

The therapies or treatment for sciatica programs done by the chiropractor will be based on his or her diagnosis. If you decide that chiropractic care is ideal for you, you should look for a professional in your area. Be sure that you are going to see a license chiropractor with adequate experience in the field. The main goal of this type of treatment for sciatica is to restore the normal functions of the back and legs.

 

OTC Back Pain Treatments: NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs)

Wednesday, September 14th, 2011

OTC back pain treatments

Which NSAID is right for you?

Sciatica pain medications such as over-the-counter medications include a group of drugs called NSAIDs. The term NSAIDs stands for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.  NSAIDs are a group of drugs that work similarly to one another to relieve pain and reduce inflammation.

There is no one “right” NSAID for back pain — you may need to try a few before you can identify the best choice.In addition to aspirin, there are currently several types of over the counter NSAIDs used to treat sciatica and lower back pain:

The three types of NSAIDs most commonly used to treat back pain include:

  • Ibuprofen (brand names: Advil, Motrin, Nuprin)
  • Naproxen (brand names: Aleve, Naprosyn)
  • Aspirin (brand names: Anacin, Ascriptin, Bayer, Bufferin, Ecotrin, Excedrin)

Because most episodes of back pain have inflammation as a contributing factor, anti-inflammatory medication such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is often an effective pain medication treatment option. Some doctors say that it is better to use NSAIDs continuously to build up an anti-inflammatory blood level, and the efficacy is markedly lower if taken only when experiencing pain. Taking the drug regularly in the prescribed/recommended dose may let the drug build up over time in order to have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Ibuprofen (Brand Names: Advil, Motrin, Nuprin)

Ibuprofen was one of the original non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and is available without a prescription. For patients with back problems, ibuprofen is most commonly recommended to relieve mild or moderate back pain, tenderness, inflammation, and stiffness.

Naproxen (Brand Names: Aleve, Naprosyn, Anaprox, Naprelan)
Naproxen is available in both non-prescription strength (brand name: Aleve) and prescription strength (brand name: Naprosyn). For patients with back pain, it works by reducing proteins that cause inflammation and pain in the body and is commonly recommended for treatment of back pain.

Aspirin (Brand Names: Bufferin, Bayer, and Excedrin)
Aspirin is used to treat mild to moderate pain, and also to reduce fever or inflammation. It is sometimes used to treat or prevent heart attacks, strokes, and angina. Aspirin is sometimes used to treat or prevent heart attacks, strokes, and chest pain (angina). *Aspirin should be used for cardiovascular conditions only under the supervision of a doctor.