One of the first treatments you can use to ease your sciatica pain is to use heat and / or ice for immediate relief. Almost anyone can tell you this. The question is do you use heat, cold, or both? Well this actually depends on your particular symptoms. Some doctors will tell you to use alternate heat and cold therapy. Some will tell you to use hot and others will tell you to use cold. You really need to know what your problem is first before you know which therapy to use. There are some general rules to follow once you know what you have.

Is your pain sharp and almost unbearable? This usually indicates that you have inflammation or swelling in the damaged area. If this is the case, you will want to apply a cold pack or ice to that region. On the other hand, if you are experiencing some stiffness and pain that indicates you have little or no swelling at the time, the best treatment for these symptoms is a warm compress. Regardless of the symptoms you have, remember to apply your hot / cold compress for no more than 20 minutes.

It is a good idea to know when the stiffness or pain occurred. Ideally, avoid applying hot compresses right away. Generally, you must wait forty-eight hours. The reason for this is to make sure you don’t have inflammation. Initially, the heat may make you feel better, but what it’s really doing right now is dampening your nerves. In fact, heat can cause more inflammation and make pain worse. The general rule of thumb is that if you are not sure where you are, try to avoid applying hot compresses until you know exactly what you have.

Doctors will recommend applying ice packs or other cold compresses when there is inflammation. Cold treatments are good anti-inflammatory therapies, even if they don’t feel right at first. The long-term effect will outweigh the short-term discomfort.

Regardless of the therapy you are using, be sure not to put a hot or cold compress directly on your back. It is best to protect your skin from extreme temperatures by placing a towel between your pack and your skin. Also, it is not a good idea to apply a hot / cold compress to an area where topical creams or gels have previously been applied. These topical medications include Ben Gay or heated sheets that you can buy at the grocery store or drug store. Applying hot / cold compresses after these topical medications can cause discomfort or damage your skin.

One of the simplest self-help sciatica therapies you can do is apply hot / cold compresses. Knowing which one to do depends on whether or not you have inflammation. Remember, apply cold with inflammation and that should work. When in doubt, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. They will clarify for you.