Sciatica flare-ups are among the most dreaded events for anybody who has experienced back and leg pain in the past. They can be caused by a variety of reasons and can start suddenly or slowly, bringing you substantial misery. If you have been facing recurrent sciatica flare-ups, you should see a Titusville, FL, chiropractic physician for medical assistance. Also, read below to know about the possible causes of such flare-ups.

Flare-ups define a condition with very acute or severe sciatica symptoms. Many people who suffer from chronic back and leg conditions are highly prone to sciatica flare-ups. That can bring havoc to your emotional state because you can’t rest easy fearing the next agonizing attack. When a sciatica flare-up occurs, it is important to remain calm and try to manage the pain. As a quick solution, you can take a hot bath or apply heating pads to the affected area to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Along with that, you can also take chiropractic treatment for sciatica, which could help you manage your pain more effectively.

What Can Cause Sciatica Flare-Ups

Causes of sciatica flare-ups vary from one person to the next. Knowing the trigger of flare-ups is critical because it can help you to prevent and manage them effectively. The following are some of the factors that can cause sciatica to flare-up:

• Stress, Depression and Negative Thoughts: Sciatica can be aggravated by emotional stress or anxiety. In a stressful situation, you may experience sciatic nerve pain, because the brain is depriving the nerves of oxygen. Repressed emotions may also lead to bodily pain. It might be a positive step forward to speak with a therapist about your stress so you can try and calm down this response in your body.
• Improper Body Posture: Poor posture exerts additional pressure on the back and sciatic nerve. If the nerve is irritated, you start to experience symptoms of sciatica.
• Tight-Fitting Clothes: A couple of sciatica sufferers report that tight garments, like jeans and underwear with ill-fitting elastic bands may cause sciatica flare-ups. That sort of clothing places extra stress on the sciatic nerve and can cause a flare-up event.
• Sitting for too long with a back pocket full of hard objects: If you sit for a long amount of time with hard objects, such as a cell phone or keys, in your back pocket, a flare-up can happen. The items can exacerbate the piriformis muscle, which is above the sciatic nerve, resulting in impingement and pain.
• High-heeled and Poorly Cushioned Footwear: High-heeled shoes shift your weight and center of gravity, causing you to hunch towards the front at the hip region. In addition, shoes that lack a cushioned insole transfer the impact of walking to your hips or back. Such occurrences can cause the hamstring muscles (hip and knee muscles) to stretch together with the sciatic nerve, leading to irritation.
• A Sedentary Lifestyle: People who lead a sedentary lifestyle, which involves sitting for long periods are at a higher risk of developing sciatica flare-ups than active people. Sitting for too long can damage the intervertebral disc, contributing to nerve irritation.
• Being Overweight: Scientific research shows a link between excessive body weight and back pain. Being overweight can put extra stress on the sciatic nerve, but the issue can resolve with proper weight management.
• Bending Over to Lift Heavy Objects: When you bend over to lift heavy things, you overwork your lumbar discs. The overworked lumbar discs can result in herniated discs, and compress the sciatic nerve.
• Pregnancy: Sciatica can arise in pregnancy following piriformis syndrome. The condition starts when the piriformis muscles on the buttocks region spasm and constrict the sciatic nerve.

There are several treatments for sciatica pain, such as physical therapy, surgery, corticosteroid injections, etc. Cannabis strains like AC/DC, Bubba Kush, etc (look for a similar weed strain for sciatica pain here) can also be helpful in relieving sciatica pain due to their anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. It’s however recommended to consult with a medical marijuana doctor to determine the best strain and dosage for your specific needs.

With the right treatment plan, sciatica can be treated. Doctors can help you establish the cause of your problem and look into a variety of treatment programs.