How to avoid sciatica?

Sciatica is one of the common diseases that many ask about, and many question marks revolve around its cause, how to prevent it, and other questions that we have clarified in the following article.

How to avoid sciatica?

Sciatica is one of the diseases related to the nerves, and it results from the presence of inflammation in the sciatic nerve that extends from the lower part of the spinal cord to the leg. Sciatica usually occurs as a result of health problems or injuries in the spine, and sometimes it occurs due to prolonged sitting or pressure on the sciatic nerve.

Of course, prevention is better than cure, so it is important to know some ways to avoid exposure to sciatica, and you can follow the following tips:

• Follow a healthy diet

Maintaining an appropriate weight by following a balanced diet and supplying the body with nutrients that help in dealing with diseases and also getting rid of obesity contributes to relieving pressure on the vertebrae and thus does not lead to inflammation of the nerve.

• Do appropriate exercise

Exercising is one of the most important tips that anyone who wants to avoid sciatica should start with, because it increases the flexibility of the body and strengthens the muscles that reduce the load placed on the nerve, and thus the chances of sciatica are less.

• Quit Smoking

Smoking causes more than one health problem for the human body, including the lack of complete blood flow to the cells properly, especially bone cells, which affects their formation and hardness, and also increases the chances of neuritis.

• Pay attention to sitting properly

Sitting incorrectly affects exposure to sciatica and inflammation of the sciatic nerve, and the person needs to maintain a selection of comfortable seats for sitting so that the pressure of the vertebrae does not increase on the nerves of the spinal cord, including the sciatic nerve, and among the tips that doctors have warned about is to stay away from sitting for long periods.

• Do back support activities

There are some activities and certain types of sports that can provide support for the back vertebrae and do not cause pressure on them, but rather increase their strength and ability to withstand shocks, including yoga, walking, and swimming as well.

Sciatica risks

Sciatica is one of the nerves diseases as it is caused by inflammation of the sciatic nerve, and this inflammation occurs for many reasons, including sitting for a long time, exposure to accidents and back injuries, or the presence of a tumor in the spine and other causes of pressure on the sciatic nerve, which leads to inflammation.

Early treatment of sciatica certainly has an effective role in the person’s response to drugs and non-surgical treatments and increases the chances of recovery, but sciatica has effects and complications that affect the spine and the affected leg, including the following:

• Feeling severe pain in the affected leg.
• Weakness in the affected leg muscles.
• Nerve damage and difficulty moving the leg.
• Lack of control of the bladder.
• Loss of bowel function.
• Loss of control of the injured leg.

Does cold affect sciatica?

Colds or influenza are related to sciatica, and some research has revealed that sciatica pain appears at times of low temperature more than at other times, and among the scientific evidence that has appeared recently is that cold weather causes muscle tension, which causes pressure on the nerves and back vertebrae, thus causing inflammation of the nerve or sciatica.

It was also revealed that low temperatures reduce immunity, and thus the chances of infection become greater, and the cold can cause a disturbance in blood circulation and the supply of food to cells, so a person can be exposed to inflammation and disease faster.

What does a sciatica patient eat?

A sciatica patient, like other patients, is important to take care of the diet that he follows because it contributes greatly to maintaining an appropriate weight and also does not reduce pressure on the nerve and thus relieves the pain caused by sciatica a lot.

There are some foods recommended by doctors for sciatica patients, including:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables.
• seafood.
• Poultry and lean meat.
• Nuts.
• Milk products.
• Legumes.

As for foods that are prohibited for sciatica patients, they are as follows:

• sweets.
• Foods with a lot of salt.
• Food containing preservatives.
• Soft drinks and alcohol.
• Hot spicy foods.
• Types of dried or dry food.

It is important for a person to maintain organization and variety in the meals he eats and to increase the amount of water he drinks throughout the day in order to help the digestive system work regularly because sciatica causes health problems in the intestines and bladder and therefore they should not be overworked.

Does irritable bowel syndrome cause sciatica?

The relationship between sciatica and Irritable Bowel Syndrome has not been proven, but in one way or another, Irritable Bowel Syndrome causes back pain and pressures on nerves, especially those in the spinal cord, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome also causes disorder in the entire intestine and digestive system, so sciatica symptoms can appear, but they disappear once the pain caused by Irritable Bowel Syndrome is gone.