If you experience a burning sensation along the spine, its quite possible you are suffering from sciatica. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body, which runs from the spinal cord, through the buttocks and down the back of each leg.

Usually, sciatica is experienced by people with a prolapsed or slipped disc. A slipped disc is actually not a disc that has slipped, but has herniated allowing the softer internal material to come through to aggravate the roots of the sciatic nerve along the spinal cord. In some cases sciatica can be experienced by women during pregnancy or child-birth, and also through incorrect lifting of heavy objects, or through stress.

Sciatic symptoms can vary from mild to very painful, with a common description being that of experiencing shooting pains running down the spine, buttocks and legs. Some people also experience pins and needles, or numbness in their feet and legs, along with a general feeling of weakness.

In some cases, sciatica can be a temporary condition that eases with time, or in the case of pregnancy related sciatica, can disappear once the woman has given birth, and her body has returned to normal.

Some relief can be gained by laying on your back on the floor for 20 minutes, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, with your head propped up by a couple of pillows or a telephone directory.

Aromatherapy massage using lavender and chamomile essential oils can also help relieve the discomfort.

As with other back problems, a warm bath with lavender oil can be most beneficial to the sufferer, as can some old fashioned remedies such as rubbing half a lemon over the affected area, or drinking celery tea, or elderberry wine.

Keeping your bones and nerves healthy is very important if you want to prevent further bouts of sciatica. Fish bones are a great source of natural calcium. Try to choose fresh or tinned fish where you can eat up the bones too.

Magnesium may be beneficial in preventing the progression of bone loss. Try taking a supplement, adding brewers yeast, or eating foods rich in magnesium such as nuts and soyabeans.

Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, so you will be getting extra by eating oily fish such as mackerel, sardines and salmon, which you are eating to get the calcium from the bones as mentioned above. Vitamin D is not called the sunshine vitamin for nothing, and by far the best way of getting a dose is by taking a walk in the sunshine. Vitamin D is produced in the skin as a natural reaction to sunlight, and the body gets most of its Vitamin D in this way.

Increasing your intake of boron is beneficial. Boron is a trace mineral, which can be found in plants. Recent research has indicated that post-menopausal women who increase their intake of boron can prevent calcium loss in bones, so tucking into extra serving of organically grow fruit and root vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, beetroot, turnips and parsnips can help keep your bones healthy. (Good quality soil is rich in boron, so make sure you buy organic wherever possible).

If you find that your sciatica symptoms become worse, or don’t seem to ease over time, then visit your GP or physician to make sure there are no other underlying causes.