Is there any nonsurgical treatment for sciatica?
The treatment would depend on the duration of your problem, presence of similar episode in the past, neurological function, response to previous nonoperative treatment and lastly, the subjective severity of your pain. Various nonoperative means of treatment include bed rest, painkillers, muscle relaxants, various modalities such as heat and electrical stimulation, activity restrictions, etc. During the acute period of sciatica, complete bed rest is helpful. If you sprain one ankle, you can hop on the other one and still continue to walk. But you have only one spine!! So, the only way to give rest to it is to go to bed! Among all the positions; sleeping, sitting, standing and walking, the load on the spine is least in the sleeping position. How should you sleep? You should sleep on your side, either right or left, whichever is comfortable, with a pillow in between your legs. What kind of bed should you sleep on? A cotton mattress is ideal! No need to sleep on hard beds, nor do you need
