How Long Does Sciatica Leg Pain Usually Last?

How long does sciatica pain last? It could last just a moment or your whole life. The answer depends on how severe the condition is and what you do to relieve the pain. In this article I will explain what causes sciatica pain and what are some good stretches and exercises for sciatica pain.

What is Sciatica Pain?

Sciatica pain is often caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body, it starts on the lower back and moves through the back of each leg. Some people will feel the sciatica pain in the lower back and buttocks and others will feel it radiate down the leg and behind the knee. There are cases where the sciatica pain is felt throughout the whole back of the leg, even down to the ankle.

What Causes Sciatica Pain?

The most common causes for sciatica pain are irritation of the sciatic nerve in the lower back and lumbosacral spine. Doctors have found that the causes for these are usually, bulging disks, herniated disks, spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal), degenerative disc disease (spinal disc breakdown) and spondylosithesis (a vertebra slipping forward over the one bellow). Other causes include lower back muscle weakness during pregnancy, lack of exercise and being overweight.

How to Relieve Sciatica Pain?

To relieve sciatica pain you can choose several approaches. The best approach is through specific stretches and exercises for sciatica pain, diet and lifestyle changes are also contributing factors. There are also passive alternatives such as taking pills but these often tend to relieve pain while hiding the problem. The best doctors and chiropractors recommend targeting the pain at its roots by improving posture and movement patterns through stretches and exercises that can relieve the pain without detrimental side effects while also helping you improve other aspects of your health. The most effective stretches and exercises for sciatica pain usually involve stretching the piriformis muscle and strengthening the lower back muscles.

Stretches for Sciatica Pain

Some of the best stretches for sciatica pain are the piriformis stretch and the pigeon pose shown in the images bellow. These can be done whenever you feel the pain and/or regularly to avoid the pain from coming back.