One of the main reasons why your sciatic nerve compression can be more symptomatic in the morning is because a poor sleeping position can actually be stressful on the nerve or the structures that are irritating the nerve.
Turns out, our bodies seem to suppress inflammation when we sleep, leading to worse pain when we wake up and the inflammation is, so to speak, turned back “on,” according to a new University of Manchester study published in the journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.
On the back – Research shows that many people find relief from pain when sleeping on their back. This can relieve pressure on the low back and sciatic nerve. For best results, elevate the knees by placing one or more pillows beneath them. Make sure the neck is also supported with a pillow.
Sciatic Pain Is Worse in the Morning
A common issue that promotes sciatica at night is sleeping in a fetal or curled position, as this causes the vertebrae in the lower back to continue pinching the nerve, causing shooting pain in the lower back or down the buttocks/legs the next morning.
Elevate your knees: when laying with your knees slightly raised, you will minimize the pressure in your lower back, which can alleviate some of the impingement to the sciatic nerve. You can maintain this position without effort by employing a pillow that will remain under your knees the whole night.
Alternating heat and ice therapy can provide immediate relief of sciatic nerve pain. Ice can help reduce inflammation, while heat encourages blood flow to the painful area (which speeds healing). Heat and ice may also help ease painful muscle spasms that often accompany sciatica.
In cases of nerve damage, massage therapy can be useful to relieve symptoms and improve the overall health of a patient. If you are experiencing a tingling sensation, numbness, or pain in some areas of your body, massage therapy may be able to alleviate these symptoms.
Nerves recover slowly, and maximal recovery may take many months or several years. You'll need regular checkups to make sure your recovery stays on track. If your injury is caused by a medical condition, your doctor will treat the underlying condition.
Heat can help to increase blood flow around the area of discomfort causing the muscles to loosen, therefore relieving the pressure on the sciatic nerve. A hot bath may provide temporary relief as it relaxes your muscles. Ice helps to temporarily turn off nerve receptors which can help with pain and discomfort.
Similar to sleeping, lying down can increase pressure on the nerves. When you are upright, your body's weight is evenly distributed. However, when you are lying down, most of your weight is pressing down on one area. This can increase pressure on the nerves and cause pain.
Nerve Pain Progression
Left untreated, nerve damage may worsen over time. It can sometimes start in the nerves farthest from the brain and spinal cord -- like those in the feet and hands. Then it may move up into the legs and arms.
How do I know the nerve is recovering? As your nerve recovers, the area the nerve supplies may feel quite unpleasant and tingly. This may be accompanied by an electric shock sensation at the level of the growing nerve fibres; the location of this sensation should move as the nerve heals and grows.
The signs of nerve damage
Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet. Feeling like you're wearing a tight glove or sock. Muscle weakness, especially in your arms or legs. Regularly dropping objects that you're holding.
How Long Have You Had the Pain? If you experience pain or discomfort from a pinched nerve for more than three days and you're not finding any relief from over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or other treatments, this is a red flag.
Injections, such as peripheral nerve injections and epidurals may be recommended. We also offer spinal cord stimulation, an implanted device, which sends electrical pulses to the spinal cord to mask the pain. In some cases, surgery will be necessary.
In most cases, symptoms will settle in 6-12 weeks as the area heals and the nerve irritation settles down. You may be advised to see a physiotherapist who can perform an assessment, discuss the causes with you and give you exercises that are tailored to your needs.
Nerve Pain
It's best to use cold when the pain is still sharp and move on to heat once that sharpness has subsided. The heat will increase blood flow and help tissues heal faster.
The more you exercise on a consistent basis, the better your chances are at reducing your nerve pain. Now, it may not be simple at first for some and in fact, may hurt a little. Please don't get discouraged, but rather keep moving forward one small step at a time.
The Best Sciatica Exercises
The safest way to work out with sciatica is to look for low-impact (usually cardio) exercises. The most common options are: Riding a stationary bike. Walking.
However, a possible complication of sciatica is chronic (long-term) pain. If there's serious damage to an affected nerve, chronic muscle weakness, such as a “drop foot,” might happen. That's when nerve damage causes numbness in your foot, which makes normal walking difficult or even impossible.