Sciatica Treatment: Does a Back Brace Help Sciatica?

Do you have pain that radiates from your back into your legs? It could be sciatica. It’s a relatively common condition. Apart from pain, sciatica can also cause weakness. If it’s affecting your life, seeking relief is important. With a good back support belt, you can ease your symptoms. This article explores whether a back brace help sciatica.

Overview of Sciatica

Numerous conditions can have an impact on your back. Sciatica is such that the sciatic nerve is under pressure.^[1] It can sometimes be brought on by sciatic nerve damage. The nerve starts in your spine. It extends to your pelvis. Then, it runs down toward your butt and legs. Typically, sciatica only affects one side of the body. The side that is afflicted or damaged depends on the sciatic nerve.

If you have sciatica, you’ll notice a radiating pain. It radiates from your lower back down toward your legs. Some people also describe burning sensations and tingling. There are cases where sciatica causes numbness and weakness, too. You’ll usually feel better in 4 to 6 weeks.^[2] Sometimes, though, it goes on for longer. There are people who have had the symptoms for years. Your doctor can prescribe medication as treatment. These painkillers target nerves or muscles. At-home remedies like an ice pack help as well.

Does a Back Brace Help Sciatica?

There are many ways to treat sciatica. In fact, you’ll do these at home. Support is something that’s really important. And this is where a back brace comes in. These braces help you manage your symptoms. They don’t just offer support. You’ll find many models on the market. They can reduce your pain. Reinforcement in some braces even helps your spine alignment.

They are easy to wear and won’t affect your daily routine. Many people wear these back braces underneath their work clothes. However, it depends on the design. Some are meant to provide heat therapy and massage. These can be great to wear when you get home from work.

Mechanisms of Sciatica Relief Through Back Braces

We talked about the role of a back brace in sciatica treatment. However, let’s get more details about the specific mechanisms. This is going to help you understand exactly does a back brace help sciatica.

1. Spinal Alignment and Support

Pressure on the sciatic nerve is a common cause of sciatica. The pressure gets worse if your spine isn’t properly aligned. There’s an interesting paper on BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. Researchers wanted to see if a back brace is a good idea. They looked at data from 1967 up until 2018.^[3] Misalignments in your spine can also further contribute to lower back pain. A spinal brace was considered very good for improving spinal alignment.

2. Reducing Pressure on the Sciatic Nerve

As we’ve said, a back brace essentially helps to reduce pressure on your sciatic nerve. Apart from spinal alignment, you should understand that there are other things that can put pressure on the nerve as well. Pelvic injuries, poor posture, and more can make sciatica worse. A back brace provides stabilization and reinforcement. This ensures the pressure on the nerve can be relieved.

How to Use a Sciatic Nerve Brace Correctly

Now you know the answer about does a back brace help sciatica. If you decide to try a back brace, you should know how to use it. Here are the main steps that you should take to use a back brace:

• Put it on: You first need to wrap it around your back. Look at any instructions that came with the brace. Does the brace have heating pads? In this case, align them properly.
• Adjust the waistband: Now, you want to make changes to how the brace fits. The waistband usually has a mechanism that makes adjustments easy. You want a good fit. At the same time, it shouldn’t add pressure to your back. Instead, adjust it so that it feels supportive.
• Attach the straps: You’ve got the right fit. That’s great. But, now you have to make sure to properly attach the straps. This is a step that depends on the model you have. Not every brace will have straps. So, look at any manuals that you have with it. This should clear up whether you have to connect any straps as part of the fitting.
• Final adjustments: After the first three steps, stand up straight and see how the brace feels. You may also want to see how it fits when you sit down. If you find that there’s any discomfort, make some final adjustments.

When it comes to asking does a back brace help sciatica, it’s important to notice all the functions. Some braces will come with heating pads, for example. This technology warms up your lower back. It can help with pain symptoms. The heat also improves blood circulation in the area. A massage function can send vibrations into the tissues in your lower back. This type of technology further helps to reduce your symptoms and give you relief.

Back Brace for Sciatica

Now you know why a back brace is important for sciatica. However, you still need to find one that’s suitable for you. Fivali has a large collection of braces that can help. When it comes to sciatica, there are three popular options from us.

1. Fivali Lower Back Brace with Infrared Heating Provides Back Pain Relief

The Fivali Lower Back Brace comes with two heating pads at the back. The brace makes it a great choice for a diverse selection of people. There’s a digital control panel at the front of the brace. It’s quick and easy to adjust the heat settings with this panel. A lock button helps to add safety to the brace. There’s also a red light built into the back brace, along with a vibrating function for added support and relief.

2. Fivali Lower Back Brace with Compression Strap for Back Pain Relief

The elastic fabric that Fivali uses in its Lower Back Brace with Compression Strap gives you a personalized fit. The brace uses a super thin material. This adds breathability and a lightweight feel to the device. The brace uses dual compression technology. It’s effective for relieving back pain. You’ll also find that it provides support throughout the day.

3. Fivali Heat Lower Back Support FBH01

For a more advanced level of support, the Fivali FBH01 comes with a C-curved steel plate on the sides. There’s also a bionic steel plate at the center of the brace. The combination of these plates adds reinforcement to the structure. These back braces come in four different sizes, ranging from medium to XXL. A built-in heating function helps to relieve pain and inflammation in the back. It targets deeper tissues compared to a brace without heating options.

Back braces can be an excellent addition to a sciatica treatment program. However, picking the right brand and brace is important. At Fivali, specialized designs give you a customizable fit. The brand uses only the best materials that are lightweight, supportive, and strong. Fivali also focuses on providing a versatile selection of braces to perfectly fit your needs.

References

1. Available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507908/
2. Sciatica. Available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sciatica/
3. A systematic literature review of spinal brace/orthosis treatment for adults with scoliosis between 1967 and 2018: clinical outcomes and harms data. Available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7007692