Sciatic nerve pain originates from the lower back and extends to the lower legs through the hip. The pain may persist throughout the day, having a significant adverse impact on the quality of lives of the patients.
In this article, we discuss in detail sciatica and the effectiveness of CBD medications in handling its typical symptoms.
What Is Sciatica?
Sciatica is a painful condition associated with the sciatic nerve that starts from the lower back and extends to the legs through the hips and buttocks. This pain is caused when the sciatic nerve is under pressure. The severity of the pain can vary from person to person. Some experience mild pain while some suffer extreme pain.
What Are The Causes Of Sciatic Pain?
Several sources could cause sciatic pain by either putting pressure on the nerve or creating irritation by rubbing on it. Some of the common causes include spinal stenosis, herniated disc, pelvic injury, or nerve damage caused by something like diabetes. It is also common for sciatic nerve pain to occur without any significant cause and can resolve itself in time.
A herniated disc is the most reported cause of sciatic nerve pain. People of the 30-50 age group may have issues where the outer portion of the disc tears due to an injury or regular use. This could lead to the nearby nerves including the sciatic nerve getting irritated.
Spinal stenosis is one of the most common causes of sciatic nerve pain in old people. It refers to the narrowing of the spinal canal. This narrowing will compress the nerves and the pressure on the sciatic nerve then causes sciatica that could even become chronic.
Other causes of sciatica are less common and it is also common for sciatica to have no identified cause. The pain may last about 4-8 weeks and go away and then reappear.
What Are The Risk Factors Of Sciatica?
The risk factors of sciatica include:
Age: The damage of the disc increases over time, and bone spurs may also develop, which could lead to irritation of the sciatic nerve.
Obesity: Excess weight increases the pressure on your spinal column and causes spinal changes that could act as sciatica triggers.
Occupation: A job that involves a lot of physical activity including lifting heavy loads can put extra stress on your spine and increases the risk of sciatica.
Diabetes: Diabetes may lead to nerve damage and cause sciatica.
Lack of movement: When we sit for long periods, the spine will be put under pressure for a longer period without relief. This can increase sciatica risk.
An analysis of the sciatica risk factors suggests the possibility of having multiple risk factors.
Lifestyle Treatments For Reducing Sciatica Symptoms
Adopting suitable lifestyle changes can be quite helpful in handling the symptoms of sciatica.
Movement And Exercise
It would seem like the toughest thing to do when you are suffering from sciatic pain but it is an important part of the treatment of sciatica. Moderate exercise will help alleviate some stress on the spine and offer relief from the pain. Back stretching is also part of the treatment. However, when you do that, do not try to push your body too hard but make use of your muscles to stretch your back.
Massages
A deep massage can trigger the release of endorphins that can help ease the tension in the muscles. It can also promote better blood circulation and check inflammation.
Over-The-Counter Medication
CBD is very useful in keeping the symptoms of sciatica under control but you may also have to try some over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen or naproxen.
How Is CBD Useful In Sciatica Treatment?
Sciatic nerve pain is caused by multiple factors but the symptoms are consistent; inflammation and pain. CBD has the ability to handle both these symptoms with appreciable efficiency.
There are two methods of using CBD to reduce sciatica symptoms that can be used individually or in combination. The first method is to apply a CBD topical on the affected area to get short term relief from the pain. The second method is to take an ingestible form of CBD so that it reaches the bloodstream and provide longer-lasting relief from the pain. CBD has to be used in conjunction with other sciatica treatments and lifestyle changes recommended by your physician to get permanent relief.
In a study that was conducted in 2019, researchers tested the effects that CBD had on the injured sciatic nerves of mice. The results suggested that CBD is useful in reducing sciatic nerve pain.
When using CBD products for handling sciatica symptoms, make sure you get high-quality products, as there are many low quality products available in the market. Using high-quality products can only offer the best results.