Who hasn't suffered from that twinge of pain that feels like an electric shock emanating from the hip and sometimes extending all the way down to the foot? Sciatic nerve pain gives a pinching sensation and can totally disable a person, reducing their movements and forcing them to cut back on their lifestyle. The culprit is none other than this nerve, which runs down the back of the thigh to the knee and sometimes even to the sole of the foot.

In the most common case, this nerve is simply irritated by the accumulation of toxins in the area where it is located. This is known as sciatic neuralgia. But the pain can also be caused by a hernia between two vertebrae, a tumour, rheumatism, etc., in which case we are very often dealing with a pinched nerve. Unlike sciatic neuritis, which takes less time to heal, sciatica caused by a spinal problem takes longer, and the attacks are more intense. Patients often dread and fear the arrival of a new attack, which can sometimes be unbearable.

Natural methods to relieve sciatic nerve pain

Fortunately, surgery is not necessary in all cases, and NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are not necessarily indispensable. Natural methods can relieve these moments of intense pain:

• If the nerve is trapped, the best thing to do is to loosen it and put it back in place, using gentle gymnastics supervised by a specialized therapist. Gentle stretching or yoga are very useful, but beware: there are all kinds of exercises available on the Internet, so be careful, as mistakes can be fatal in some cases. Don't attempt any manipulations on your own.
• For local pain relief, the use of plants or essential oils of the terpene aldehyde biochemical type is appreciated. They are calming and anti-inflammatory in both general and local terms. Given their spasmolytic properties, they relax the entire muscular system. Take lemon basil or lemon litsea, for example. Beware, however, of their irritating power on the skin and mucous membranes, and it is advisable to dilute them to at least 10% in a vegetable oil before any local application.
• In my opinion, rest is the best remedy, because the leg in pain needs to be put into a state of wakefulness. Learning to relax is also part of the game of life, and perhaps your sciatica is simply a sign that it's time to relax, to rest? Is it not simply a call from the body?
  Relieving the pain isn't enough: you need to go deeper and deal with the root causes of the pain: toxins. In addition to the detox cure that can be effective in a naturopathic follow-up, here are two tips that can support the patient who wants to get away from it all:
• Modify your eating habits by switching to a hypo-toxic diet, which will limit the risk of poisoning your body.
• Cold sitz baths - using the France Guillain method - will help ease pain and eliminate toxins from the body more easily.
  In his book "La méthode Harmoniste", Raymond Dextrait invites us to use the following methods:
• Rub the painful area with camphorated oil and garlic.
• Application of warm poultices with ivy leaves.
• Fomentations - very hot compresses - with a decoction of oregano leaves.
• Local steam baths with a mixture of thyme, mint, verbena and sweet woodruff (50Gr of each for 2 liters of water).

Pregnant women are often incapacitated by this pain, which takes them by surprise throughout their pregnancies, but to reassure you ladies, sciatica in pregnant women disappears completely after childbirth.
A word of warning, however, about pain duration. If you've been suffering for more than 3 months, it's a good idea to consult a doctor or physiotherapist, who can point you in the direction of a different solution, as surgery is sometimes unavoidable.