Sciatic nerve pain
One common type of pain that many people have experienced is sciatic nerve pain. This type of pain is actually termed as sciatica. It refers to the pain the is initiated in the sciatic nerve. The pain is felt on both sides of the lower back and down the back part of the legs, and even into the foot. Many times, the actual cause of sciatica is not terribly concerning and there are things that can be done by the person suffering from sciatica to help relieve the pain quite quickly.
If a person happens to be a victim of sciatic nerve pain and he or she knows that it is not resulting from a damaged disc, then exercise may be a very effective method of relief. However, if the person is not sure of what is causing the pain, then it is very important to see a medical doctor for a diagnosis.
Gentle stretching can be utilized to increase flexibility in the discs of the back, as well as the muscles, tendons and ligaments. Stretching other areas of the body is also advised by many medical professionals. In addition, stretching should become part of person's regular routine in order to keep the back flexible. This means that it should be done everyday, at least once, and maybe even twice.
Strengthening the core muscles through specific exercises can also be very helpful. Exercises such as the McKenzie Method or Dynamic Lumbar Stabilization are helpful in relieving sciatic nerve pain. However, these methods would be best implemented with the assistance of a trained physical therapist.
Walking is actually a wonderful method of achieving strength in the lower back. Three miles per day at a brisk pace is a good goal to work up to, if walking is one of the forms of exercise that is chosen by the person suffering from the pain.
Unless there is a severe injury to the back, sciatic nerve pain can generally be relieved by a routine of gentle, low impact strengthening and stretching exercises. However, for the positive effects to take place, a person must commit himself to the routine.