Sciatica is a common type of pain radiating along the sciatic nerve, which is a large nerve extending from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down each leg. Usually, sciatica only affects one side of your body. The pain extends from your lower back and to your thighs and legs. In some cases, depending on where the sciatic nerve is affected, you may even feel the pain down to your foot or toes.

If you are dealing with this pain, one important thing you must know is that sciatica triggers are different for each person. Some people may also experience this pain due to multiple causes.

Knowing what is causing your flare-ups helps you manage them and seek the right medical care, such as dry needle treatment in Jacksonville, FL. To help you out, here are five of the various sciatica triggers you must watch out for:

1. Stress or Anxiety

Sciatica can be worsened by stress or emotional anxiety, as stated by the Institute for Chronic Pain.

When you are most stressed or worried, the nerves in your body become deprived of oxygen. Naturally, this includes the sciatic nerve. The lack of adequate oxygen in your lower back results in sciatic nerve pain, weakness, and even an electrical sensation.

Having negative emotions and even dealing with depression may also be contributing to your bodily pain.

2. Poor Posture

The way you sit or stand can also contribute to sciatica and require you to seek dry needle treatment. If you are not maintaining proper posture and body alignment, you’re most likely putting added stress and strain on your lower back. This can easily irritate the nerve in your lower back, hence the appearance of sciatica symptoms.

3. Sedentary Lifestyle

Sitting for a prolonged time can also be flaring up your sciatica symptoms. According to Mayo Clinic, those with a sedentary lifestyle are more prone to lower back pains than those who regularly exercised.

This is because sitting uninterrupted for a long time can cause significant damage to your intervertebral disc. Consequently, this triggers nerve compression and irritation.

4. Obesity or Excessive Weight

Various studies show the relationship between excessive weight and back pain: your weight is actually adding pressure on your sciatic nerve. The heavier you weigh, the more likely it is for your lower back to bear extra pressure.

Considering this, keeping your weight under control can significantly decrease this pressure and relieve you of your sciatic nerve pain before you need to seek needle treatment.

5. Wearing High-Heeled Shoes

While there’s nothing wrong with wearing high heels now and then, you must be careful in selecting the shoes you are wearing. Wearing footwear without cushioned insoles may be the reason why you have been experiencing sciatica.

This is because your body’s center of gravity is shifted when wearing elevated shoes. Those without cushioned insoles transfer the impact of your steps to your hips or back. As a result, your hamstring muscles alongside the sciatic nerve can become stretched, compressing and irritating it.

Seek Dry Needle Treatment for Sciatica

Aside from taking note of your sciatica triggers, there are other steps you can take to relieve the back pain you are feeling. For example, you may consult needling experts and seek dry needle treatment.

Dry needling works on the areas that may be causing your pain and targets them directly by inserting needles in that area. It is a new yet effective method to address the bodily pain you are suffering from quickly and effectively.

Dry Needling Experts in Jacksonville, FL

Dry Needle Pain Relief is the premier center for dry needle treatment in Jacksonville, FL. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort in the head, neck, shoulders, hip, and feet, we have various treatments to relieve your pain and help you get back to enjoying your life. Let us assist you—schedule an appointment today!