Sciatica

Home » Sciatica » Treatment

Treatment

The goals of sciatica treatment are to relieve pain and increase mobility. In most cases, sciatica resolves over time with rest. Treatment for the condition depends on the underlying cause and may include the following:

• Exercise (e.g., walking, swimming)
• Heating pads or ice packs (to reduce pain and inflammation)
• Medication (e.g., nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDS; Advil®, Motrin®, Aleve®], muscle relaxants [Flexeril®, Amrix®])
• Physical therapy
• Steroid injection (e.g., cortisone; may help reduce inflammation and improve mobility)
• Surgery

In severe cases, a few days of bed rest, followed by a gradual return to light activity, such as walking, may be recommended. Once acute symptoms have improved, physical therapy (including stretching and strengthening exercises) often is helpful.

If sciatica does not respond to therapy, continues to worsen in spite of treatment, or results in severe, disabling pain, surgery may be necessary. Surgical procedures that may be used to treat sciatica include microdiscectomy and laminectomy.

Microdiscectomy involves removing the damaged intervertebral disc and replacing it with a piece of bone or another material. In laminectomy, the portion of a vertebra that curves around the spinal cord (called the lamina) is removed to relieve compression of the nerve root.

© 1998-2009 Healthcommunities.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Sciatica Resources

Pain Management Information for Patients (Free Handout)
	Join Our Sciatica Forum Do you have a question, want to share medical advice, or just need to discuss your situation with someone else having a similar experience? The healthchannels forum is a resource for everyone to share and discuss their health and medical needs with others.	Advertising Disclaimer
	Living with...Share your story Do you have a personal health story that you would like to share with others? As a source of free patient education, our goal is to provide our users with trustworthy information and support from others. That's why we've started our "Living with..." sections.
	Our "Living With..." support pages are a place to share experiences about living with a certain condition, disease, disorder, or illness and for loved ones of those dealing with health-related issues. Many people, especially when newly diagnosed, find comfort in knowing that others are having a similar experience. Help others by sharing your story. View stories already submitted.
	Stay Updated Sign up for our newsletter and receive important updates on the medical conditions that are most important to you.
To quickly access health information from your website's browser, download Healthcommunities.com's healthchannels toolbar. Advertising Disclaimer