20 years ago, my lust for life and great adventure, on a rollerblade, led to a fall, which then led to an injury that caused sciatic nerve damage. I even had crutches and a handicap parking spot while attending university. That was hilarious, along with the cross looks I got from the elderly folks whenever they saw me pulling my car into “their” spot.
Characteristics of sciatica include numbness, tingling sensations and leg cramps, and they are no fun. When it flares up, you go down. Walking can be very painful and difficult. Luckily, I’ve had great treatments and management techniques to help me with my injury and the pain associated with it.
Here are 4 ways to naturally alleviate the discomfort and pain:
Capsaicin (Cayenne Pepper) Cream is awesome for neutralizing pain. It works great for me and my 11 year old who has juvenile, Rheumatoid Arthritis. Capasicin is an active compound found in chill peppers, and it prevents the nerves from releasing compounds that cause pain. Be mindful however, this should not be used by everyone. If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, have any type of allergic reactions, openings in the skin, etc., you should avoid using Capsaicin. As with all medication, check with your health care provider to make sure you’re a good candidate.
St. Johns Wort is another very potent tonic to calm the sciatic nerve. Rub it on 3 to 4 times per day, and it’s anti-inflammatory components will have you feeling better in no time.
See a Chiropractor. That were my first stop when I was seeking treatment, and the therapy worked wonderfully. I had significant pain relief, which lasted for about 10 years before I had to go back for a 2nd treatment. So basically, in the 20 years since I’ve suffered from sciatica, I’ve seen a chiropractor twice. All other flare ups have been minor and controlled by topical treatments.
Essential Oils are also very great for relieving pain. Sometimes touch therapy can be overwhelming, so using the oils via a diffuser or in a mixture of carrier oils will so the trick. Suggested essential oils include, Cypress oil, Eucalyptus and German Chamomile.
These are all great for relieving Sciatic pain. However, they can also be quite useful for other ailments like Arthritis.
Dixie Lincoln- Nichols is a biological science educator, health and wellbeing consultant and Qigong instructor. Her work has been featured in media outlets like, Oprah Mag, SELF, Yahoo and more. She is the founder of Inside Outer Beauty Market, a multi-cultutal retailer curating and creating products to support the body inside and out. Visit the site at www.iobeautymarket.com
