Yoga for Sciatica

Introduction: The sciatic nerve starts in the lower back and runs deep through the buttocks, thighs, and along the sides of the leg. Overused or injured muscles can also be the reason for sciatica. Sciatic pain occurs in the leg and is characterized as sharp and throbbing, with a burning sensation. It usually occurs only on the single side of the body, and it causes a feeling of numbness, tingling, or inflammation.

What Are the Symptoms of Sciatica?

Sciatica pain aggravates with bending over, running, sitting, and many activities that are done in our daily life. The symptoms of sciatica are:

• Pain everywhere along the path of the sciatica nerve, namely, the lower back, buttock, back of the knee, or the calf.

• It causes fatigue, numbness, and a loss of sensation in the legs or feet.

• It causes paresthesia, an eclectic, tingling, burning, and pinching feeling.

• Buckling of the knee while standing due to weakness.

• Sciatica leads to foot drop, which does not allow the ankles to flex enough to walk on the heel.

• It causes a reduction in the reflex of the knee and tendon.

What Are the Causes of Sciatica?

A herniated disc at the lumbar spine region compresses against the sciatica nerve, causing pain. It is essential to check the disc if the person experiences pain, numbness, or a tingling radiating down the sciatica nerve, a burning sensation, and weakness down the leg or foot.

Some sciatic pain is caused by the piriformis muscle deep within the hip. Piriformis muscles are small, deep rotators that enable the thigh to rotate outward. It helps extend the hip and abducts the thigh when the hip is flexed. The sciatica nerve is a sandwich between the piriformis nerve and a tendon. Piriformis syndrome is when the tight piriformis muscle exerts pressure on the sciatic nerve, causing severe pain.

Spinal stenosis is a condition caused by the narrowing of the spinal cord. Due to this condition, pressure is exerted on the spinal cord and other nerve branches from the spinal cord, which leads to back pain and sciatica.

Spondylolisthesis is a condition where one vertebra extends by slipping over the other. It pinches the nerves and causes sciatica pain.

What Is the Indication of Pain That Originates From the Piriformis?

• Pain in the calf to the web spaces from the little to the fourth toe.

• Difficulty walking on the heels and toe.

• It causes stiffness in the legs and a burning sensation in the thighs and calf muscles.

• Pain occurs while sitting, which can be reduced by standing, with a persistent numbing along the legs even while standing.

How Is Sciatica Pain Diagnosed?

Medical history of radiating pain in the lower back region for a prolonged time helps doctors to diagnose sciatica pain. An initial physical examination helps to confirm the condition. Further, the doctor may advise a CT scan (computerized tomography), MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), or X-ray to confirm the diagnosis and the cause.

How Is Sciatica Pain Treated?

Sciatica pain subsides in two to twelve weeks, except for a few, where it may prolong. Therefore, rest is advised only in the initial stages. After that, sciatica pain is treated with medications and physiotherapy. In case of severe pain, surgery is recommended.

Physiotherapy is essential for the treatment of sciatica pain. It includes massage and physical exercises, which helps in the alignment of the spine and strengthens the muscles, as well as releases the excess tension in the piriformis muscle. Regular physical exercise is advised, failing which may cause a recurrence of the condition. However, overdoing physical exercise may cause more harm than good.

How Does Yoga Help With Sciatica Pain?

Yoga on regular practice can cure chronic diseases and chronic pain and improve a person's physical and mental state. For example, practicing yoga reduces the intake of pain medications in case of sciatic pain. In addition, it helps reduce lower back pain caused by the sciatic nerve.

There are a few yoga postures to be followed by the person with sciatica pain. These are:

• Balasana - Balasana is also known as the child's pose. It helps relax the whole body by stretching and promoting hip, thighs and lower back flexibility.

• Downward-Facing Dog - Downward-facing dog posture help the body with the imbalance and promotes strength by aligning and relieving pain and tightness.

• Ardha Chandrasana - The half-moon pose strengthens, stabilizes, and balances the body. It also enhances flexibility, reduces tension, and stretches the spine and thighs.

• Bhujangasana - Known as the cobra pose, it is a soothing posture. It helps stretch the spine, promoting flexibility and increasing blood circulation.

• Salabhasana - It is also called the locust pose, which strengthens the spine, glutes, and thighs. It enhances circulation and flexibility of the hips and stabilizes the core and lower back.

• Pawanmuktasana - It is also known as the knees-to-chest pose or wind relieving pose, which helps to reduce the tightness in the lower back and thighs.

• Supta Kapotasana - Reclined pigeon pose supports the lower back, puts less pressure on the hips, and helps stretch the hips, thighs, and piriformis muscles.

• Setu Bandha Sarvangasana - It is a bridge pose that relieves tension and pain by stretching the spine. It stimulates circulation and works on the legs, glutes, and core muscles.

• Viparita Karani - This posture helps relax, rest and recover the whole body.

What Are the Yoga Poses That People With Sciatica Should Not Perform?

Specific postures should be avoided in sciatic pain, as heavy or rigid postures may worsen the pain. In addition, seated and standing forward bends are to be avoided as they may cause more harm than good. It may cause further strain on the pelvis and lower back. Instead, a forward bend in a faceup position reduces the strain on the pelvis as the hip and lower back are supported. If sciatica is caused due to pregnancy, then yoga poses that compress or cause strain to the stomach should be avoided. Postures can be modified using props to make them more comfortable.

Conclusion:

Sciatica is a painful condition that is caused by the sciatica nerve. It causes severe, throbbing, and sharp pain in the lower back along the side of the calf muscle. It is usually caused by a herniated disc or piriformis muscle which causes pain due to pressure on the nerve. Medications and physiotherapy are the first mode of treatment rather than surgical procedures. Physical exercise should be continued for an extended period as there are chances of recurrence of the pain. Exercises that are difficult to perform should not be done as they can worsen the sciatic pain rather than cure it, and regular long-term yoga can control sciatic pain.