What is the Sciatic Nerve?

• The sciatic nerve is one of the main nerves in your back and is part of your spinal cord. The pain is caused by pressure on the nerve, which usually results in pain in the lower back or the legs.
  
  

Treatment

• According to HealthScout.com, the primary treatment for sciatic pain is rest. For patients with chronic pain, doctors usually recommend physical therapy. If the pain does not subside with rest, there are surgical options. Surgery would alleviate the pressure or help align spinal discs so they were off of the sciatic nerve.
  
  

Recovery Time

• Patients put on bed rest usually have their pain decrease or disappear within two to four weeks. If your back issue requires surgery, the recovery time could be anywhere from three to eight weeks. Recovery time for any health issue depends on the severity.
  
  

Setbacks in Recovery

• Some patients find it hard to stay on bed rest, and their back will suffer. By getting up and moving around, you can continually aggravate the sciatic nerve. Pay attention to a doctor's instructions because it may increase your recovery time if you don't.
  
  

Prevention

• Back pain in general can be prevented by sleeping on a firm mattress or sitting in a supported chair. Keeping active is important because sitting for a long period of time can aggravate the sciatic nerve. After recovery, it is important to stretch and exercise the lower back to prevent it from happening again. Talk to your doctor about getting physical therapy once a week.