Can Losing Weight Stop My Sciatic Nerve Pain?

Sciatic nerve pain is extremely common. In fact, at some point in their lives, around 40% of Americans will deal with sciatica, a nerve issue that causes discomfort in the lower back and shooting pain down one or both legs.

Fortunately, lifestyle changes can often help. At Vascular & Interventional Associates in Crestview Hills, Kentucky, our team of sciatica experts works with you to tailor a plan that makes a difference in your specific body. We have extensive experience helping people throughout northern Kentucky and the Cincinnati, Ohio, area find relief from their sciatic nerve pain. 

In many cases, reaching a healthy weight can go a long way toward relieving sciatica. Here, we explain how being overweight affects this condition and how losing weight can help.

Why weight matters for sciatica

Your spine has a lot of work to do. It supports you as you move, keeping you upright but allowing you to twist and bend as you please. The more you weigh, though, the more work your spine has to do. Several studies have linked excess weight and back problems. 

Sciatica is no exception. Obesity plays a role in the development of this condition, so much so that experts regularly recommend losing weight as a primary treatment for sciatica.  

As you drop pounds, the pressure on your spine and lower back lessen. This can have a direct impact on how much pain you experience from sciatica. 

Why? Because your two sciatic nerves — which are actually bundles of nerves — run from your lower back down each of your legs. Back strain often translates into stress on these nerve bundles. That’s what causes the pain, tingling, numbness, and other unwelcome symptoms in your lower back and down one or both legs. 

When you reach and maintain a healthy weight, it alleviates pressure on your sciatic nerves, consequently easing those uncomfortable symptoms. 

Creating the right sciatica plan for you

At Vascular & Interventional Associates, our team tailors your sciatica care plan to your body, your symptoms, and other factors that are unique to you. In other words, you’re not going to have someone from our team tell you to lose weight and then send you on your way.

Instead, we come alongside you to provide customized care that brings you the relief you need. If we do recommend lifestyle changes like weight loss or posture improvement, we work with you to implement them. 

At the same time, we can offer treatment to help with your discomfort. If your sciatica keeps you from walking, for example, we explore medication and injection-based treatment. Easing your immediate pain makes it easier for you to get moving, which can help with your weight loss goals. 

If you’re living with low back pain that radiates down one or both legs, talk with our team to get a personalized sciatica care plan in place. Call our office staff at Vascular & Interventional Associates or request an appointment online today.