Are You at Risk for Sciatica Pain?

If you’ve ever had sciatica, you know that the shooting pain up and down your leg is nothing to laugh about. It really hurts! Let’s talk about how you can avoid it from happening – whether for the first time or how to keep it from coming back.

About 40% of people in the United States experience sciatica at some point in their lifetime. Some risk factors for sciatica can’t be avoided such as your age, being pregnant, or developing arthritis in the spine. For many people, sciatica is caused by some other condition that needs to be treated. Let’s talk about what you can do to reduce your likelihood of experiencing sciatic nerve pain.

What is Sciatic Nerve Pain?

The sciatic nerve is located in the lower back and runs down along both legs. When pressure is placed against the nerve it can cause pain to run up and down the legs and lower back. Certain conditions such as a herniated disc or spinal stenosis can cause compression of the nerve as well as extra weight. This includes extra weight gained while pregnant.

Common Risk Factors for Developing Sciatica

Factors such as age, lifestyle, pregnancy, and disease can increase your risk for sciatica pain.

Spinal Conditions Related to Aging

Age-related changes to the spine can cause back pain as well as sciatica. The spinal discs which act as cushions between the vertebrae in your back generally become compressed and weaker with age. This makes it easier to herniate or rupture a disc, especially with a fall, a sports injury, or even sudden movements like starting the lawnmower.

Inactive Lifestyle

A sedentary lifestyle can lead to sciatica pain from sitting for prolonged periods of time. Sitting in a chair or couch for too long causes pressure on the sciatic nerve, leading to pain. People with an inactive lifestyle are also more prone to being overweight. Extra weight on your bones can put pressure on the sciatic nerve, causing pain.

Manual Labor

Heavy lifting that strains the back can also lead to sciatica pain. Some people injure their backs by doing manual labor at work. If you have a job that involves lifting large or heavy objects regularly, you may be at a higher risk of developing sciatica pain. Practice proper body mechanics when lifting heavy loads by using your legs and asking for assistance when necessary.

Osteoarthritis of the Spine

If you have been told you have osteoarthritis in your back, this can cause your spine to put pressure against your sciatic nerve. While you can’t reverse arthritis, talk to the chiropractor about how you can help reduce the pain it causes.

Overuse of Your Muscles

People who run and walk regularly are prone to overuse injuries that can lead to sciatica pain. Long-distance runners may experience muscle inflammation in the lower back region from the repetitive nature of running for hours at a tie. This can irritate the sciatic nerve. If you run or walk frequently, practice proper recovery with stretching and ice to keep muscle irritation and sciatica at bay.

Pregnancy

Lower back pain is incredibly common during pregnancy. Sciatica can occur as a result of hormonal changes that loosen the pelvic area as you prepare for labor. As the ligaments and joints of the pelvis stretch and shift, pressure can increase on sciatica which causes pain.

Smoking

As odd as it may sound, smoking has a direct impact on your body's ability to maintain the cushion in your spinal discs. This leads to lower back pain and other conditions that put pressure on the sciatic nerve. It’s a good idea to try to quit smoking to not only reduce lower back pain but to decrease the risk of other diseases.

Tips for Preventing Sciatica Pain

You’ll thank yourself later for taking steps to prevent sciatica pain. Try some of the following steps to help keep the pressure off so you can be pain-free:

Stand up regularly if your job involves sitting a lot.
Start an exercise routine to help prevent living a sedentary lifestyle. If you find that you develop pain from overuse, talk to the chiropractor about a plan that can help you feel your best.
Eat a healthy, balanced diet and get proper nutrients such as calcium so that your bones and joints stay healthy until age.
Stretch often and practice good posture. The child’s pose and cat stretch are good ways to stretch out your back.
Get regular chiropractic adjustments to help maintain proper spinal alignment, even if you’re not feeling pain.
If you are an avid runner or walker, recover well and stretch a lot between workouts. Listen to your body and skip a workout if you feel too sore. The chiropractor can help with keeping your body feeling good while training.
If you have diabetes, you should always manage your blood sugars well and reach out to your doctor if you have difficulty figuring out how to keep your blood sugar levels low.

How is Sciatica Pain Treated?

Preventing sciatica is ideal but if you are experiencing it, rest assured that there are plenty of ways to manage your pain. Supportive care such as using an ice pack or cold pack can be effective when you’re having a flare-up of sciatic nerve pain. Schedule an appointment with the chiropractor if it doesn’t go away on its own in a few days so that you can find the root cause of the pressure on the sciatic nerve.

Chiropractors in The Woodlands

Chiropractic adjustments are a super-effective way to prevent sciatic nerve pain. If you’re experiencing sciatica, schedule an appointment so we can take a look at your lifestyle and any conditions you currently have or had in the past such as previous injuries. This will give us clues as to what’s causing your pain so it can be treated. Request an appointment today at our office in Alden Bridge in The Woodlands.