Is Hot Tub Good For Sciatica Pain

Is Hot Tub Good For Sciatica Pain

Is Hot Tub Good For Sciatica Pain

Stretching Your Lower Back

After a Swim then Hot Tub for my Sciatic Nerve Pain

Many think their tight back is causing their Sciatica or Back Pain, and take steps to become more flexible in that area. In reality your tight back is often a symptom not the cause of your pain. Stiffness in the hamstrings, back and butt muscles are often because of an irritated disc and/or Sciatic nerve. You are not going to stretch the pain away.; Think of your lower back more like the foundation of your house. You want it to be strong, stable and secure! When you start adopting this mindset, and learn the proper way to move and exercise you will finally get the relief you have been looking for.

Words of Wisdom: Certain stretches can actually be beneficial for back pain, but the focus is more on adopting positions that help reduce a disc bulge or take pressure off the Sciatic nerve. For instance, we will often prescribe simply lying flat or propped up on your forearms while on your stomach.

Rounding your back while stretching might bring some temporary relief because of a stretch reflex, but the increased pressure placed on the disc and nerve actually cause more harm than good.

Sciatica Pain Vanishes After The Sufferer Takes Rest For A Stipulated Time Period However You Can Try Some Simple Home Remedies To Get Rid Of The Pain In No Time

1. Epsom salt

Healthy nerve function requires magnesium and one of the best ways to get access to it safely is with the help of Epsom salt. A combination of magnesium and sulphate, Epsom salt is easily absorbed by the skin pores. All you need to do is take a warm, soothing bath. Soak yourself in a bath tub, hot water with 2 cups of Epsom salt added to it. Keep your legs and lower back submerged in water for 20 minutes. Repeat this three times a week to see the difference.;

2. Hot and cold compresses

Hot and cold compresses are a great way to get relief from pain and inflammation caused by this condition. Heat will help by relaxing the tight muscles pushing the sciatic nerve. Cold compress, on the other hand, will help in reducing the swelling and numbing the affected area to reduce pain. You could use any one technique or alternate between the two to get relief.

3. Ginger

The perfect way of adding flavor to food and getting relief from pain is ginger. This home remedy is one of the most powerful natural nerve pain relievers. Ginger is one home remedy that works wonders for all sciatica sufferers. It is a great way of adding potassium to your diet . You can have ginger tea, ginger juice or simply chew a few slices of ginger daily to get rid of sciatica pain.;

4. Turmeric

5. Fenugreek seeds

What Can I Do

The next several sections go over some of the treatment options for sciatica. In summary, most people should avoid surgery, as it simply does not provide that much benefit. However, it may be a worthwhile option for very painful cases of sciatica. For everyone else, the best therapy is to try to act normal as much as possible reduce fear and anxiety, move as much as reasonably possible, stretch and wiggle, keep the surrounding muscles happy with heat, and so on.

Don’t Miss: What Causes Lower Left Stomach Pain

Warnings And Precautions While Using Heat Therapy

When using heat therapy, the heat source should be warm, as tolerated, and not hot. As a general rule, heat therapy can be used for 15 to 20 minutes, with breaks in between to avoid skin damage. Overuse of heat therapy may cause burns, scalding, or ulcers. It is a smart idea to place a cloth barrier between your skin and the heat source . It is also advisable to avoid laying directly on the heat source to prevent trapping of additional heat and potentially causing skin damage or permanent changes in skin color.

If you have specific medical conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, poor circulation, spinal cord injuries, diabetes mellitus, and/or rheumatoid arthritis, it is advised to avoid heat therapy. Heat in these conditions may cause excessive burns, skin ulceration, and/or increased inflammation.3

Disc Herniations Are Less Of A Problem Than Most People Fear

The intervertebral discs are little pucks of tough, fibrous material between vertebrae. Disc herniations often misleadingly called slipped discs are strongly associated with sciatica. When a disc herniates enough, it may irritate nerve roots emerging from the spine, and be the main cause of sciatica.

Looks like youre on the couch tonight

Mr. Lumbar: When the leg pain gets really bad it makes driving unsafe.

Dr. Grumpy: Why? Does the leg get weak?

Mr. Lumbar: No, because then my wife has to take the wheel, and shes dangerous.

source: Dr.;Grumpy

But do not fear disc herniations! No matter how bad it looks on a CT scan or MRI, it is not necessarily the cause of the problem. Herniations correlate rather loosely with actual pain. They may be a distracting sideshow that unnecessarily worries people.

As mentioned above, just impinging a nerve is not, in itself, enough to cause sciatica the real issue may be the nerve roots vulnerability to getting inflamed by the physical irritation , which is affected by many other variables. This is a common theme in musculoskeletal medicine: loading or trauma that cause a lot of trouble for one person may have little or no effect on another.8 The good news is that, in principle, this means that theres genuine potential for improvement regardless of the state of the disc herniation.

And of course a disc does necessarily not have to fully de-herniate to resolve sciatica.

You May Like: Does Alcohol Poisoning Cause Stomach Pain

Waiting To See A Specialist

Severe sciatica symptoms can develop gradually or overnight. Instead of seeking attention right away, many patients choose to wait until the pain is too intense. At that point, treatment may be less effective and take longer to work, so its important to consult with a professional as soon as you start feeling pain or numbness.

Sciatica And Hot Tubs

• ;#1;03-06-2009 03:10 PM by jav622Husband finally going tomorrow for an MRI for what everyone has felt was sciatica. Also, does anyone with sciatica get leg pain after using a hot tub. Thanks
• ;#2;03-06-2009 09:42 PM by halfpint830Re: Sciatica and Hot Tubshi yes i was in a hot tub and the next day i could barley walk…i was told by my physical therapyst not to sit in them or let anyone massage my back..it feels good for the moment but the after effects are terrible…hope this helps god bless
• ;#3;03-06-2009 10:49 PM by megssRe: Sciatica and Hot TubsI have been told that heat is not good for inflammation, so yes, a hot tub could make sciatic pain worse.
• ;#4;03-07-2009 05:37 AM by lynn1961Re: Sciatica and Hot TubsCold packs are good for imflammation. When I suffered with S1 radiculopathy, which is a severe nerve irritation, I used ice packs…..

You May Like: What Can Cause Sciatic Nerve Pain

A Young Woman With Sciatica

I worked with a young woman who had sciatica. Allegedly, her sciatic nerve was pinched by her piriformis muscle a reasonably common scenario and sending hot zaps of pain down her leg. She came to me with this diagnosis already in place. She also had some tingling in her feet. The description of her symptoms did, indeed, sound a lot like a nerve impingement problem. On the face of it, it did seem likely that her sciatic nerve was being pinched.

However, a couple things didnt add up. For instance, she had no numbness at all no dead patches of skin, which are highly characteristic of true nerve impingement. Instead, she had a lot of dead heaviness in the leg, a different kind of numb feeling that is much more closely associated with muscle knots than nerve pinches and a lot more common.

I quizzed her carefully about the quality of her pain. She assured me it was zappy and electrical just as you would expect of nerve pain. Yet something didnt seem quite right. I couldnt shake the impression that she was interpreting an intense non-neurological pain as a zappy pain simply due to her strong belief that she had a nerve problem. When you think a pain is nervy, youre going to interpret, feel and describe it in nervy terms.

So I did some experimenting, and clinched the case:

This largely eliminates a diagnosis of sciatic nerve impingement.

Best Pain Relief For Sciatica

Relieve Chronic Lower Back Pain and Joint Pain with a Hot Tub

Sciatica is something that affects millions of men and women worldwide. Though it is obviously not life-threatening, it can often be one of the most painful conditions ever when left untreated, and sufferers are notoriously dissatisfied with how it is handled medically. Due to the nature of the condition, it is something that often worsens dramatically when left untreated and can be gut-wrenching to deal with especially when mishandled. Sciatica not only puts a strain on the person suffering from the illness, but on the whole family as it forces loved ones to care for the sufferer, making it one of the worst physical conditions to deal with.

Also Check: Can Neck Pain Be A Sign Of Something Serious

Use It Or Lose It: Mobilizations Are The Simplest Form Of Structured Therapeutic Exercise

Mobilizations are basically active or dynamic stretches and rhythmical movements that massage your muscles and joints with movement wiggle therapy. It involves a lot of moving a joint through its full range, without resistance an easy exercise. What makes it a therapeutic is a little bit of method: systematically and repetitively exploring range of motion.

For sciatica, just move your hips and low back in as many ways as you can think of: toe touches, swinging your hips in circles, lunges, etc. Figure how far you can comfortable move your low back, pelvis, and hip joints and then go up to the edge again and again. A mobilizations regimen for chronic sciatica might involve a 10 minute ritual a couple times per day of batches of hip circles, toe touches, and lunges.

Read more about mobilizations.

Soothe Your Sciatic Pain

If you suffer from sciatic pain, you’ve probably heard that chiropractic care can help provide relief. Unlike surgery or medication, chiropractic treatments effectively help sciatic symptoms without uncomfortable or risky side effects. When seeking chiropractic for sciatic pain relief, remember that when doing something, you might as well do it right, and that usually takes some time. Repair, relief, and healing don’t happen in an instant. Regular chiropractic visits can help provide long-term pain relief, but what if you need relief right now?

As you continue with your regular chiropractic adjustments, there are some additional steps you can take to help you find the relief you are seeking. Remember that everyone’s body is different, and what works for you might not work for someone else. Sciatic pain can be incredibly frustrating, and if you keep an open mind, you might be surprised by the therapies that can help you!

You May Like: Does Ice Help Nerve Pain From Shingles

How To Benefit From Your Hot Tub Session

Whether you use your own hot tub or one that belongs to a gym or community, check to make sure the tub is clean and properly maintained. The water should be cleaned and tested regularly. A poorly maintained hot tub can lead to a skin infection called hot tub folliculitis.

Movies, television, and even social media often depict people lounging in a hot tub for hours on end with a cocktail in their hand. This isnt ideal or safe. Heres how to go about your hot tub soak to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks:

• Avoid very hot water. Make sure the water isnt too hot, with an absolute maximum of 104°F .
• Stay hydrated. Hot tubs make you sweat and leave you dehydrated. Drink water plenty of water, but avoid alcohol before or during your soak.
• Limit your time in the tub. Dont stay in too long, especially if youre not used to it. At the maximum temperature, set your limit at 10 to 15 minutes. You can stay in for longer at a lower temperature if youre used to it. Signs that you need to get out right away include:
• lightheadedness, dizziness

• skin redness
• shortness of breath

• Wash afterward. When finished, remove your bathing suit and wash with soap and lukewarm water. Dont go immediately from the hot tub to icy cold water, as this could spike your blood pressure.

• Hydrotherapy For Sciatica Modalities

  

  The following methods of care can be used to impart the healing ability of water to patients with lower back and leg pain. While these therapies are all symptomatic, most are well known to provide numerous beneficial effects, without any risks whatsoever:

  Hot tubs and cool tubs can provide soothing relaxation of soft tissues and might be particularly effective for treating muscular forms of pseudo-sciatica, such as piriformis syndrome.

  Ice baths can have virtually immediate anti-inflammatory effects. Ice might also help to provide analgesia for patients with all manner of sciatic nerve pain problems.

  Pressurized water sources, such as Jacuzzi tubs, can be used to provide soothing or invigorating massage. Best of all, the patient can apply the jet to whatever part of their anatomy that they choose for maximum enjoyment.

  Swimming for sciatica is a great form of exercise that can provide many tangible health effects besides enacting marked pain relief. Swimming is one of the best all-around forms of physical activity for the entire body.

  Aquatherapy consists of physical therapy activities that are performed in or under the water in heated pools. The use of water makes PT possible for many patients who would otherwise be contraindicated, due to the pain elicited by strenuous exertion. In the water, gravity and impact are minimized, helping patients to move freely and fearlessly for optimal benefit.

  Also Check: How To Relief From Wrist Joint Pain

  Do The Little Things To Improve Your Sciatica

  You likely cant completely rid yourself of sciatica with little techniques, but you can make the process a whole lot easier. With back pain, you can go down two completely different paths. With one path you follow the right steps and do the things youre supposed to do to get better, and by doing so you will gradually improve your condition and make living with sciatica less difficult. Then, you have the path of ignoring advice and doing all the wrong things. Following this path will only lead to worsening of your sciatica and will ultimately put you in an immense amount of pain. Wrong posture, exercises, and habits can all make for a terrible experience and truly aggravate your back pain.

  Short Term Vs Long Term Solutions With Sciatica

  Unfortunately, most advice and medication offered for sciatica only produces short term results which is better than no results, but is still not the ideal solution. It is a known fact that sciatica tends to worsen over time, thus making any short term pain relief a burden over the long stretch. To truly escape the wrath of sciatica, one must permanently rid themselves of it and the pain that comes with it. To do so, one must make an impactful change or have a medical procedure done.

  The reason you want to avoid short-term solution is because it tricks your brain into thinking you are making physical progress when in fact you are not. Believing you are making progress when the opposite is true is very dangerous and can have enormous consequences. It is always best to attack the problem at its root and make sure that you are actually treating the sciatica and not just numbing the pain for a couple of hours.

  Recommended Reading: How To Relieve Shoulder Pain From Sleeping On Side

  How Can I Tell What Flavour Of Sciatica I Have

  You probably cant. The symptoms just have too many possible causes. Even when the symptoms seem obviously neurological, they routinely arent. Its just not possible to identify nerve trouble by the symptoms.

  Radiculopathy vs. radicular The term radiculopathy refers to a spinal nerve root in trouble and all of its symptoms: pain, stiffness, weakness, numbness, tingling, and other weird sensations. Radicular pain refers only to the pain .

  Patient descriptions like pain below the knee, radiating pain in the legs, pain running down the leg, have always been considered good indicators of a nerve root in trouble . But do they really indicate that reliably? They do not! In a 2012 study of more than 500 patients with pain radiating to the legs, no single symptom, or cluster of symptoms, was clearly linked to actual nerve root pathology.10 Careful histories and exams were done on all of these people to find the true radiculopathy cases, and they just didnt line up with the symptoms. The closest match was just:

  • pain below the knee

  But even that was still misleading: not every patient with sciatica has that symptom, and some with that symptom did not have radiculopathy. A cluster of descriptions also correctly identified quite a few cases, but still misclassified too many. This was the best batch:

  • pain below the knee
  • leg pain worse than back pain
  • numbness or pins and needles in the leg

  Some kinds of symptoms do suggest neuropathy more strongly:

  A disk herniation

  Use Epsom Saltsor Not

  Should I use Ice, Heat or Both for Sciatica Pain? | Hot vs Cold Therapy for Sciatica Pain

  Although Dr. Corenman thinks that Epsom salts or any kind of minerals that dissolve in water can be helpful, he also believes you can take a bath for back pain without Epsom salts.

  Epsom salts are optional when you’re taking a bath for back pain.

  Most of those are great skin relaxants, he says. But honestly, if you have a hot bath with or without , other than the aroma and feel of the water, its not really going to make a big difference. Its the heat and the floatation that create the benefits for baths.

  You May Like: What Kind Of Doctor Do You See For Sciatica Pain

  
  https://www.knowmypain.com/wp-content/uploads/bullfrog-spas-of-course-it-isnatmt-necessary-to-entertain.jpeg
  https://www.knowmypain.com/is-hot-tub-good-for-sciatica-pain/

https://www.knowmypain.com/wp-content/uploads/bullfrog-spas-of-course-it-isnatmt-necessary-to-entertain.jpeg
https://knowmypain.weebly.com/know-my-pain/is-hot-tub-good-for-sciatica-pain