Sciatica is quite literally a “pain in the back!” Affecting four out of 10 people at some point in their life, sciatica happens when the big nerve from either side of the lower back/spine travels through the pelvis and buttocks and passes the back of each leg. The result is shooting pain from the back all the way down the leg. Anything that puts pressure can irritate the nerve further. If you know, you know …
Even with extreme pain, about 90 percent of people will get better without surgery or the need for heavy medication. In fact, natural treatments for sciatica have been proven to be effective and are worth a shot.
Cold
Ice it! Applying cold can reduce pain by slowing nerves from conducting pain signals, and by decreasing inflammation overall. You can do this at home by adding an ice pack to the lower back. When the tissue temperature falls, there is a natural numbing due to constriction of blood vessels and less blood flow. All these things can ease, at least temporarily, painful muscle spasms associated with sciatica.