Firstly, sciatica STINKS!!

Secondly, we are here for you 100% so here is what you can try at home.

Talk about a pain in the but, this is the worst.

Farmington Chiropractor Kenneth Wingrove explains that sciatica generally happens when deep hip muscles, like the piriformis muscle, spasm over the sciatic nerve.

The pain can be excruciating and will generally be felt deep in the glute muscle and down the back of the leg.

In severe cases, nerve pain will travel to the foot, but most times the pain will stop just above the knee if it's down the leg at all.

There are a couple of sciatic pain mimics to be aware of:

Spinal nerve pain will be just as intense or worse, but in most cases does not hurt in the buttock or thigh. However, it usually does hurts below the knee and in the foot.

Sacroiliitis can cause similar pain. This pain begins close to the spine at the level of your pants waist.

The pain will across the buttock and into the thigh but WILL NOT pass below your knee. This is purely joint pain.

Three go-to stretches for sciatic pain in Farmington

• The figure four.
• The splat.
• The hip flexors.

Stretch, and then do something like foam roller over the glute. You do not have to have a foam roller. A soccer or volleyball will work great too.

Yes, you can use a smaller tennis ball - just grit your teeth more while you're using it....

If a movement causes pinching pain, DON'T DO IT!

Here is a tricky bit:

Heat will help sciatica but WORSEN spinal nerve pain and sacroiliitis.

My advice, stick with ice or nothing.

Do all the thousands of muscle rubs, lotions, and potions help? Not much.

True sciatica should respond well to care at home however, certain job activities or a history of hip, knee, or foot pain can really give you heck.

Most sciatic is compensatory, meaning it happens because something else is wrong.

Check out our home care recommendations video here.