Have you heard about sciatica? Well, apart from the people who suffer from this nerve-wracking pain, others might not be aware of it. And, it is becoming ubiquitous amongst the present generation who like to sit behind their laptops and enjoy a sedentary lifestyle. Besides, there is a cure for sciatica but many people doubt about it due to the myths that surround the same, and it is practicing yoga for sciatica.
Yes! You heard it right, but still, is the question of its credibility haunting you? If so then read ahead as we tell you how the different causes of sciatica have different yoga postures. Get a relief as there are yoga exercises for sciatica that arise out of piriformis which makes for approximately 70% of the possible causes of this condition. Many people believe that yoga is not for piriformis sciatica but they are wrong and this article is a perfect answer to all such queries and myths, hence scroll down and learn for yourself.
The sciatic nerve consists of five individual nerve roots that originate (from the lumbar spine L4 to S3) in the sacral plexus of the lower back. These roots then merge and travel down towards the foot through the thigh and form the sciatic nerve. Sciatica is the condition of the human body when the sciatic nerve is affected negatively by compression and irritation of the nerve in the constricted space.
The common causes of sciatica(1) are vertebral issues like excessive movement, fractures, collapses and narrowing. A balanced yoga manipulates the spine into its natural movements that articulate and undulates the spine. This aids the discs by strengthening the muscles, ligaments, and tendons of the vertebral column. Yoga also helps in making sure that the discs get their necessary nutrients and the debris is removed constantly.
[Also Read Home Remedies to Treat Sciatica]
In sciatica, the pain can be of two types based on the origin
Treating sciatica through yoga also depends on its origin. For sciatica caused due to a herniated disc, basic and gentle poses that are mostly the fundamentals of yoga are used. It includes standing poses and a downward-facing dog that reduces the problems caused by herniation and sometimes herniation itself. For yoga caused by the pressure on the sciatic nerve, because of the piriformis(2), asanas that strengthen the muscle are used where the approach is gentle and progressive.
The main challenge in treating sciatica through yoga is to find out what had caused sciatica in the first place and treating it according to the cause. DKS Iyengar in his book, The Path to Holistic Health, has also emphasized the same about sciatica, where you treat it based on whether you are experiencing it right now or not.
If you experience sciatica because of piriformis and try poses such as up cat/down cat, neck flexions, the pain aggravates. However the same helps in treating sciatica caused due to a herniated disc. Similarly, if the cause of sciatica is discogenic and you are practicing poses like perfect pigeon, the leg pain increases.
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Here are some yoga poses for sciatic pain that helps to treat sciatica caused by both piriformis muscle tightening as well as the herniated disc.
Reclined Pigeon pose: It helps in stretching the piriformis. Here the femur is rotated in 90 degrees outward so that the piriformis doesn’t work anymore. In Sanskrit, it is called Supta Kapotasana. Here is a step by step procedure to perform this asana
This pose helps in relieving sciatica by strengthening the core. Here is a step by step procedure to perform this asana
This pose helps in strengthening the lower spine and glutes. It also helps in lengthening the lower spine. In Sanskrit, it is called Bhujangasana.
This pose strengthens and decompresses the lower back by focusing on tucking the tail bone down. In Sanskrit, it is called Ardha Salabhasana. Here is a step by step procedure to perform this asana.
Eagle pose helps in curing sciatica by rotating thigh bones internally. In Sanskrit, it is called Garudasana.
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Here are some of the precautions to be undertaken while practicing yoga for lower back pain and sciatica
Yoga, with its simple and easy poses, does clearly help in curing sciatica and preventing its occurrence for a long period of time. When practiced regularly and accurately, yoga for sciatic nerve pain may help in avoiding any surgeries suggested by the doctor. People also practice yoga as a precautionary method that avoids sciatica in the future.
When compared to the conventional methods, yoga for sciatica pain is listed as an easy cure. To avoid the condition of sciatica, practice yoga on a daily basis but do not forget to keep in mind the precautions required.