Keeping Sciatica at Bay

After suffering from a long-lasting sciatica flare-up, I think I finally know what I should do to keep it at bay.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve suffered on and off with sciatica. When it first happened, I didn’t know what it was and unfortunately, the chiropractor I regularly visited at the time was of little to no help. Once I was able to put a label on the increasingly intense pain, I implemented a host of strategies to combat the problem. The first strategy was changing chiropractors.

Things I Tried to Quiet My Sciatica

Over the past two years I’ve tried the following:

• Chiropractic adjustments
• Acupuncture
• Heat and electronic stimulation
• Physical therapy
• Vitamin C
• Magnesium
• Ibuprofen/White Willow Bark
• Increased water consumption
• Stretching
• Walking

There was a lot of trial and error, but I believe a majority of the credit for keeping my sciatica at bay goes to my current chiropractor. He spent quite a lot of time explaining how and why I was suffering. He also took his time to explain his approach and methods for treating my sciatic pain.

Between chiropractic adjustments, ultrasound heat, electronic stimulation and following my chiropractor’s exercise recommendations, I was we were able to release my tight piriformis muscle and eliminate sciatic pain.

Once the pain was gone, it was up to me to keep it gone.

How I Contributed to Sciatic Flare-Ups

To keep sciatica at bay I increased my daily water intake (several sources mentioned sciatica suffers are usually dehydrated), go for daily walks lasting between 30 and 60 minutes and take vitamin C and magnesium.

When I stop walking, stretching and drinking water, sciatica starts to clear its throat. Right after Christmas sciatica decided to make an appearance. Of course, it flared up because I stopped doing the things I should do to keep it at bay.

Before it got too bad I went for a chiropractic tune-up and returned to my anti-sciatica routine. A couple of days of walking, stretching and muscle-specific exercises were enough to reduce and eliminate my sciatic pain.

No matter how cold, wet or windy it gets, I make sure to get outside and go for a brisk walk. Walking seems to be my number one sciatica-prevention weapon. Two or more days without walking is a recipe for sciatic pain.

We’ve all heard that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. My new motto is “A walk a day keeps sciatic pain away.” An apple and a walk is a small price to pay for pain-free health.