OTC sciatica medicine allows patients to treat their own pain at home, without paying for or exposing themselves to the risks of expensive and dangerous prescription drugs. While over the counter remedies are incredibly popular, cost effective and generally safe when used as directed, many of these products still demonstrate health risks and most are simply not strong enough to really diminish the worst types of sciatica pain.
There are also topical medications that can be purchased over the counter and these are usually much safer, since they are not ingested internally. Many patients find topical relief products to be just as effective or even more effectual than oral pharmacological substances, so these are certainly worth investigating, as well. Finally, there are always natural remedies to consider, including herbal supplements.
This dialog focuses on oral, topical and nonpharmaceutical OTC remedies that can be purchased over the counter without a prescription and used to treat sciatica at home.
Oral Pharmaceutical OTC Sciatica Medicine
The most common types of OTC medications used to treat sciatica are orally ingested pain pills. The most popular include aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen and naproxen sodium. These drugs are taken for a wide range of pain conditions in the body and are used casually by people all over the world. After all, if these are available without a prescription, they must be safe, right?
Actually all of these drugs are incredibly dangerous, especially when used over extended timeframes, when consumed in quantities above the recommended dose or when combined with other drugs, specific herbal substances or alcohol. Common complications of using these OTC drugs include toxicity, organ damage, ulcer formation and other serious consequences.
Health risks aside, none of these drugs do anything to act on the underlying cause of the sciatica suffering, qualifying all of these drugs as purely symptomatic care. We have taught for many years that symptom-based care is always inferior to curative care, so this is an important point to consider when relying on OTC oral remedies that might accumulate and poison the body over time.
Topical Pharmaceutical OTC Medication
Topical remedies for sciatica are almost all sold without a prescription and often contain ingredients such as camphor, menthol, capsaicin and various other soothing substances. Topical remedies spare the user the hazards of internally ingesting toxic drugs, instead allowing the active ingredients to work locally when applied to the painful region of the body. Topical sciatica remedies are most effective when used in combination with massage to really work them deeply into the affected tissue.
Topical products are available in cream, oil, balm, ointment, salve and patch forms. Most are harmless and can be used as often as required for continuing symptomatic care without risk. However, some topical products might interact with other drugs, so it is always recommended to read the instructions and indications thoroughly before use.
Treatment statistics clearly demonstrate that sciatica patients enjoy the pain relieving benefits of topical medicines and find them useful. Since results are temporary, but favorable and virtually risk-free, we tend to recommend that patients try these care practices instead of any type of orally ingested drugs for sciatica.
Natural OTC Sciatica Medicine
Although not actually medications, there are many herbal and natural remedies that can be purchased over the counter and used for home treatment of sciatic nerve pain. These products can be taken internally as nutritional supplements or can be used topically to relieve pain.
Natural pain management products are usually safer than pharmaceutical products, but this is not always a rule. Some products do demonstrate risks and the possibility for interactions with other substances, so it is always advised to read the label carefully and consult your doctor before application or ingestion.
The usual warning that we always caution patients to observe is the risk of financial loss from investing in a product that will do nothing to help relieve pain. This is usually more common with ingestible “miracle pills” sold to desperate people who will try anything to find some solace from their suffering. If a product worked as good as it claimed, everyone would know about it and everyone would use it. It would certainly not be some “secret treatment”. Please people, use common sense.
In summation, OTC sciatica medicine products offer alternatives to the generally far more hazardous prescription counterpart drugs that are still the mainstay of sciatica treatment. Although OTC products are less regulated, they are still not completely risk-free and some might even demonstrate specific risks that rival or excel even powerful prescription pain medications.
