Sciatica is one of the most common body pains among the population. The pain starts from the back body and reaches down the buttocks towards the legs. It can start as a small infrequent pain and then evolve into a frequent lingering problem in your life. It is essential to know how sciatica is diagnosed.
However, surgery is not the first option for many. As the first difference experts suggest self-care options pain reliever for back pain. Applying pain patches is one of those effective self-help procedures. So what is a pain patch? Where do you put the pain patch for sciatica? In this article, I will give you a complete description of it.
What is Pain Patch?
A pain patch; also known as a pain relief patch is a piece of medical equipment to help relieve minor to severe muscle pain. So basically pain patches contain different medications in them. When you apply the patch the skin absorbs those medicines. And the best part is, it only works on the areas that you put the patch so you won’t cause irritations on other areas.
For example, when you take any pills, those pills get digested and then get absorbed in the blood. The area that needs the medication only gets a few amounts of medicine. That is why you have to take pills for a long time for them to take effect. The process actually affects the whole body system. We recommend that you talk to your doctor before putting on the patch as different patches come with different medications.
Best Place to put the pain patch for sciatica?
Almost about 40 percent of people experience it at last once in their life. The sting hampers their day to day life. And severe pain causes people to only think about a pain-relieving solution. And using a pain patch is that instant solution.
Lower Back: Your pain starts from there and gradually spreads to your entire leg. The sciatic nerve starts from there too. So applying the pain relief patch on your lower back, just above the buttocks is the most convenient option.
Peel off a section of the film. Then put it in the painful area. Carefully peel the rest of the film. Now press the patch thoroughly to place it firmly.
Calf: Thighs can be another good place. That is if the pain is too severe there. Not many people do that but you can do it if the pain is too much to bear there for you to walk.
To do that, take out the patch from the packet. Open the film backing to expose the adhesive patch surface. Apply exposed adhesive strips on the area. Now take off the backing area so that the patch sticks to your skin. Pat the patch so that it stays there.
Knee: Knees are another place that can hamper your movement in severe pain. So as an instant solution you can put a pain relief patch there. So first take out the patch from the packet. Put on the patch like before.
How to use the pain patch for sciatica?
Putting it on isn’t very hard. If you are an adult then you can do it on your own. In the case of children, they need help from their parents.
There are two-step for this procedure:
- Preparation
- Execution
Preparation
- The instructions will tell you how to put on the patch, where to put it on, and what medications are used on it.
- Before applying it, you have to properly clean your hands. Use soap and water to clean them and if they are not available then you can even use sanitizer.
- If you already have one on you then you have to remove it. To remove the patch first pull off a tiny corner of the patch and then pull the rest of it gently.
- Throw away the used one after folding it.
- Before applying the patch you have to thoroughly clean the place where you are going to apply it. Clean all the dirt, pollution, lotion, powder, or oil from the place. You can use warm water alone. You can use soap if you want. If you previously had another patch on there then clean the place with an alcohol solution. Don’t apply the pain relief patch until the skin is dry.
Execution
To properly execute the whole process you have to follow these steps:
- First carefully tear open the package and take out the patch. If somehow there is any damage, don’t use that patch.
- After taking out the patch from the package, peel of the film or protector as is instructed in the packaging. And if the protector has two parts then take out one part, stick it on the skin then take out the rest to apply it on the skin.
- With your fingers press all sides of the patch so that it sticks firmly on the skin.
- Clean your hands afterward.
Conclusion
After reading till now, you definitely have the idea where do you put the pain patch for sciatica. Pain patches are a great option if you have sudden pain, or don’t have or like medication, or don’t have any severe pain. Most sciatica pain goes away after 7 to 8 weeks after the medication and patch process.
But if it doesn’t then consult your doctor. Remember before starting any sort of medicine or changing it up you should follow through with your doctor. And using a pain patch is no different in that matter.
