Low back pain and sciatica is often difficult to live with. There is no quick fix or magic pill. Simply knowing the right thing to do can minimise days of suffering. 

Back pain is a problem many people the world over often come to endure to some degree. For some it is a source of constant pain and agony, while for others it is a problem which comes and goes without too much suffering.  

One of the biggest problems is trying to convince your doctor just how much pain you are in, and if you have a prolapsed disc impinging on your sciatic nerve it could take weeks or months before it is correctly diagnosed. All this of course could depend on where you live, how sympathetic your doctor is, or how much you can afford to spend on health care. 

The saddest fact of all is, for the many back pain sufferers, especially those with low back or sciatic nerve pain, there is much that can be done to help ease that pain and get back some form of mobility. Even knowing the right questions to ask your doctor can often help. 

Perhaps the most important way all back pain sufferers can help their self is by doing gentle stretching and exercise. This could well be the last thing many sufferers would wish to contemplate when sometimes it is even painful just to move. Sometimes the best way to get started is to do some gentle stretches before you get out of bed. Ask your heath care provider what ones are suitable for you. 

Always seek medical help. Do some research on the Web before visiting your health care practitioner and make a list of questions to ask. It is also important, if your back problem persists, to make arrangements to have a MRI scan. This is usually definitive in identifying the problem area and it is particularly useful in determining the source of sciatic nerve pain. 

Once you know what is wrong you can focus all your energy on rehabilitation. Usually there are many avenues to explore including surgery, passive manipulation, Chiropractor, Osteopath, Physical Therapy, Yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates, Alexander Technique, Chi Kung, Magnetic therapy, TENs machines, and so the list goes on. What works well for some may not work at all for others so it is important to explore as many avenues as possible and try to keep positive.  

Article Tags: Back Pain, Sciatic Nerve