Causes, symptoms and help and experiences of users of Smrekovit products who have sciatica
Sciatica is a common term for pain in the leg caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve (nervus ischiadicus) . It is not a disease, but a symptom that points to a problem in the lower spine. The sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in the human body , originates in the lumbar and sacral roots of the spinal cord and extends through the buttocks down the entire length of the leg . Irritation occurs when the intervertebral opening (foramen intervertebrale) through which the nerve root exits the spinal cord becomes narrowed.
I have been using Smrekovit products since your beginnings in 1990. I use them for everything I can. Colds, burns, cuts, sinus infections - I put it on my nostrils and forehead. I also use it for occasional haemorrhoid problems. Currently I use for lower back and leg pain - sciatica and a sore heel - a heel spur. I can already feel an improvement.
Sonja, Makole
[68] handwritten feedback, received 4.2.2016, stored in the Smrekovit archive
Electrical installations and sciatica
It is easiest to imagine the brain and spinal cord as a power source, and the nerve that branches out from the spinal cord as a cablesupplying electricity to a device — in this case, the leg muscles. If the device requires a certain level of current to function and we insert a resistor into the wire, the current decreases and the device will not work properly.
The same happens in the body: when the sciatic nerve is pinched at the exit of one of its roots in the spinal cord, the muscles in the leg no longer receive proper nerve impulses. This causes inflammation along the nerve and pain in the muscles it supplies — what we call sciatica.
Did you know that
- the sciatic nerve, at its thickest point, is about as wide as an adult’s thumb?
- It is actually formed from five separate nerves— the fourth and fifth lumbar and the first three sacral nerves — which merge into one large sciatic nerve.
- Without it, your legs would be like two useless strands of spaghetti?
No wonder sciatica can really get on your nerves.
I use Smrekovit twice a day to relieve back and hip pain. I make sure I use it before every job - gardening. When my daughter suffered from sciatica, she applied the ointment, and after three days her condition improved and the pain did not return.
Franja Šara, Ptuj
[31] handwritten feedback received on an unknown date, kept in the Smrekovit archive
I started using Smrekovit in 1992. I used it because of hip pain. With regular lubrication, my condition improved a lot, so I just kept on lubricating for a while. After four months, my hip stopped hurting until now. My experience with Smrekovit is also that it helped my sister because she had a lot of pain in her elbow. As she lives in Germany, I sent the ointment up and she also got better. And I still use the ointment now because I have tingling sensations in my feet. The situation there is also improving...
The user wished to remain anonymous
[95] handwritten feedback received 19.11.2016, stored in the Smrekovit archive
Signs of sciatica
Pain
A constant burning pain or a sensation like an electric shockthat begins in the lower back and radiates through the buttocks and thigh down to the calf and foot.
One leg
Sciatica is usually more pronounced in one leg, rarely in both.
Tingling
Tingling or numbness in the leg muscles. Sometimes there may also be momentary muscle weakness and cramping.
Situation
Typically, sciatica worsens during certain movements— for example, when coughing, being in cold water, or staying in a cool environment while wearing damp clothing. People with sciatica usually feel relief when they take light walks or gently warm up the spine and the affected leg.
I started using Smrekovit in 2017. I applied it three times a day to my thigh (for sciatica) and along the spine. After about two weeks, my condition began to improve. I’m now on my second tube and hope to recover completely.
Albin, Vransko
[100] handwritten feedback, received 14.2.2017, stored in the Smrekovit archive
I've been using Smrekovit since the beginning, because I had sciatica problems. I was younger at the time and it helped more quickly. Now, when my lower back hurts and so does my leg, I anoint myself and it always helps quite quickly (of course, I should also rest, but I don't).
Fani, Zalog
[99] handwritten feedback, received 26.2.2018, stored in the Smrekovit archive
The most common causes of sciatica
In about 90% of cases , sciatica is caused by a herniated intervertebral disc. The spine consists of:
- vertebrae (the individual bones that protect the spinal cord and nerves)
- the spinal cord itself,
- and intervertebral discs.
These cartilage-based discs act as cushions that absorb shocks between the vertebrae and allow the spine to remain flexible. Each disc has a tougher outer layer (annulus) and gel-like center (nucleus).
Because our spine endures constant strain and carries the weight of our body for decades, it’s understandable that the most stressed lower section — usually between the last two lumbar or first two sacral vertebrae — begins to degenerate. Over time, the outer wall of the disc may weaken, the inner gel may protrude, the space between the vertebrae narrows, and pressure builds up on the nerve root, which manifests as sciatica. This process usually develops slowly over many years, from early disc degeneration to herniation and eventually to the onset of sciatic pain.
Much less frequently , sciatica can occur due to:
- Lumbar spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal)
- Spondylolisthesis (forward slippage of the vertebra)
- Tumours of the spine
- Other reasons such as spinal injuries, infections, etc.
I use Smrekovit for my joints, back, and legs. I had severe sciatica and applied it three times a day — it helped tremendously. I also use capsules. My digestion has settled down perfectly and I no longer have to take stomach medication.
Ida, Zasip
[97] handwritten feedback received on an unknown date, kept in the Smrekovit archive
I find Smrekovit very soothing. I often apply it when I have lower back or leg pain (sciatica). I only use your products. In a word: I am very satisfied. (96)
Vida, Ljubno ob Savinji
[96] handwritten feedback, received 4.2.2016, stored in the Smrekovit archive
Risk factors for sciatica
- Age and associated degenerative changes in the spine, such as intervertebral disc herniation, are the most common causes of sciatica.
- Excessive body weight puts strain on the spine, which can cause degenerative changes that manifest as sciatica
- Professional workloads such as office work and long periods of driving vehicles that require forced sitting posture or heavy lifting can also contribute to the development of sciatica.
- Smoking can cause a deficiency of certain substances in the cartilage of the intervertebral disc, causing it to become brittle
I have sciatica for more than twenty years in the left leg and lower spine. Surgery is not possible. Weather changes are very painful. Then I massage all the parts with Smrekovit and wrap them warmly and the pain subsides. I am happy with the products because they ease my pain.
Silvana, Branik
[102] handwritten feedback received on 7.5.2018, stored in the Smrekovit archive
I found out about the ointment from a former colleague in Hrastnik, who regularly used Smrekovit for sciatica. After three years, I no longer need it. I tried it myself for a sprain in my wrist and the wrap solved the problem. It helps with airway congestion, eliminates muscle pain after heavy work. It helps my husband relieve pain after shoulder surgery. It has permanently eliminated herpes zoster, which recurred with every decrease in immunity. It also helps with back pain and arthritis.
Marija, Kranj
[103] handwritten feedback received on 15.10.2018, stored in the Smrekovit archive
Why is it worse when lying down and how to help?
People who have sciatica often complain of a sharp pain in the leg that is stronger in some positions. One such position is lying down. Often, this makes it difficult for people to sleep, or causes a person to wake up in the middle of the night with a nagging pain in their leg.
Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve root in the lumbar or sacral spine is pinched, irritated or inflamed.
Lying on your stomach
When you lie on your stomach, the spine bends unnaturally, narrowing the intervertebral spaces, pinching the nerve roots, and intensifying the pain caused by sciatica. Therefore, lying on your stomach is not recommended for people suffering from sciatica.
Lying on your side
Lying on your side can accentuate sciatica for two reasons:
- Direct pressure on the nerve root by lying on the side of the affected leg
- Curvature of the spine due to the tilt of the hip: people who sleep on their side usually put their upper leg over their lower leg, so that the upper leg rests on the mattress with the knee. This causes the hip to bulge towards the ceiling, which causes the spine to curve, the intervertebral spaces to narrow and the pinched nerve root to manifest as sciatica.
How to help yourself?
Most people prefer to lie on the unaffected leg, but for others it can be the other way around. However, it is advisable to place a cushion between the legsto keep the hips aligned.
Lying on your back
When lying on your back, the natural lumbar curvature of the spine (lumbar lordosis) is more pronounced than when sitting or leaning back. However, when the vertebrae are in this position, the openings between the vertebrae (intervertebral foramina), through which nerve roots, including the root of the sciatic nerve, exit the spinal cord, are reduced. If there is also a herniated intervertebral disc, these spaces are reduced to the point where the nerve root becomes entrapped (lumbar spinal stenosis) and the nerve is irritated, causing sciatica-like pain in the leg.
How to help yourself?
If the legs are slightly elevated while lying on the back, the pressure on the lower spine is reduced and the intervertebral openings are enlarged. This reduces the pressure on the nerve root and the sciatica is less pronounced. Try to sleep with a cushion below the knees.
Self-stretching exercise
If your mobility allows, sit in the cross-legged (Turkish) position and slowly lower your upper body forward toward the floor. When you can’t go any further, hold the position for a few moments, then try to lower yourself a bit more . Repeat this as long as your flexibility allows. After staying in the reached position for a while, slowly return to an upright position.
If you cannot sit cross-legged, sit on a chair and slowly bend your upper body forward between your thighs toward the floor. When you reach your limit, hold the position for a few moments and try to go slightly further. Repeat this as long as your mobility allows. In the final position, hold for a few moments, then slowly return to an upright position.
This exercise stretches the spine in the lumbar and sacral areas. The intervertebral spaces expand slightly, which reduces pressure on the nerve.
More than a year ago, I hit my sternum, which hurt a lot. I went to the doctor, who gave me painkillers. As long as I was on the medication it didn't hurt, but then I had to stop because my stomach started to hurt. I went to a friend who gave me Smrekovit. I rubbed it on and it helped a lot. The pain subsided. In the autumn, when I was working too much, it started to hurt again. My friend gave me your address. Now that I have your product I put it on three to four times a day and the pain subsided.
I've had sciatica in my right leg for three weeks. It hurts so much that I cannot describe it. I have also started to rub my foot and I have to say that it helps a lot. At least I can walk normally now. The pain in my leg has subsided so that I can sleep.Ana, Dolenjske toplice
[106] handwritten feedback received on an unknown date, kept in the Smrekovit archive
Before deciding on surgery for severe spinal pain (stenosis) , I tried stretching therapy together with Smrekovit products. After therapy, the pain in my back decreased significantly and eventually disappeared after six months of continuous use of Smrekovit. The pain in my hips, which was caused by spinal misalignments or a change in posture, also disappeared. After this experience, I carry Smrekovit with me as a first aid kit. A thick application quickly eliminated the swelling after a sprain, and it has also proved to be very effective for various skin rashes.
Marija, Kamnik
[104] handwritten feedback received on 9.11.2018, stored in the Smrekovit archive
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Smrekovit 365 spruce resin cream
14,00 € -
Smrekovit 365 Ekstra – spruce cream with a cooling effect
14,00 € -
Smrekovit Klasik spruce resin ointment
Price range: 6,00 € through 35,00 € -
Smrekovit compress
3,00 € -
Smrekovit 365 Alter - cream with boswellia resin
Price range: 12,00 € through 14,00 €
Our experience
Ivo Konc hadsevere lower back pain and sciatica from the age of ten, after suffering from tick-borne meningitis. The problems worsened over the years and became so severe that by the end of his studies at the Faculty of Sport he was exempted from the practical part of his exams and, in 1974, from military service in the former Yugoslav army. A specialist advised surgery as the only way to prevent disability before the age of thirty, but he refused and began to look for natural methods of treatment. This is how he came across Mrs Prežla in Lesce, who gave him resin wraps which he used effectively to deal with his back pain.
When he dislocated his finger in 1989, Mrs Prežle's black and sticky plaster was not suitable for treatment, and so he made his first Spruce resin ointment. While his invention could not help with the dislocation itself, it was effective for many other problems. Within two years, spruce ointment had spread throughout the whole of Yugoslavia, through neighbours, friends and acquaintances who enthusiastically told of its effectiveness. In 1990, he opened his own business.
Shortly after 1990, when he began producing Smrekovit Klasik (spruce ointment) , he developed his own Smrekovit Manipulative Therapy. With great skill and the help of Smrekovit products, he soon achieved remarkable results in treating sports injuries. Many people came to him, and with his therapy combined with Smrekovit products, they often recovered almost overnight from conditions that had troubled them for years — including sciatica, lower back pain, neck pain, limb pain, and headaches caused by spinal misalignment. In 2011, he stopped doing therapy or only did it as an amateur. His manipulative therapy is successfully continued by Roman Perko, former Junior Nordic Combined World Champion, and his son Matic Konc.
The method is entirely mechanical , based on stretching and realigning the movable parts of the skeleton that press on nerves and cause pain along their pathways. Such misalignments, usually minor vertebral shifts, can cause localized spinal pain or radiating discomfort if the affected nerve supplies multiple muscles. Mechanical adjustment using Smrekovit Manipulative Therapy has proven to be an excellent complement to the use of Smrekovit products.
Frequently asked questions
What is sciatica?
Sciatica is not a disease but a symptom. It is pain that spreads beyond the buttocks and hip into the muscles of the legs, which are animated by the Nervus Ischiadicus nerve. The root of this nerve is irritated at the exit of the spinal cord by pressure of the intervertebral disc on the nerve, most commonly between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae or the first and second sacral vertebrae. The most common cause (90%) of pressure is a herniated intervertebral disc. The pain then spreads along the nerve like electricity down the leg to the toes and this pain is called sciatica.
What to do when sciatica strikes and how to help yourself?
A sciatica problem needs to be addressed at the source - in the lumbar spine. A simple self-help exercise is to slowly bend over in a chair in a sitting position or on the floor in a Turkish sit-up. All movements should be slow. We recommend Smrekovit 365 Spread the spruce cream on the Smrekovit compress and place it on the lumbar region of the spine with the oiled side. If possible, keep the pack on day and night and massage it in the morning and evening. The pain in the spine usually increases in the beginning and starts to subside on the fourth or fifth day. Lubricate the foot with Smrekovit 365 spruce cream or Smrekovit 365 Extra spruce cooling cream on the area where it hurts, as the pain will migrate down the limb and only subside in a few weeks. Keep a wrap on your lumbar spine for as long as the leg pain lasts, even if your spine no longer hurts.
How long does sciatica last?
Sciatica can be a long-lasting condition without help. With proper use of Smrekovit products, the pain in the spine usually increases for a few days, then starts to decrease and disappears within 7-10 days. The pain in the leg, however, continues down the leg to the toes for several weeks before subsiding.
Why do you recommend the Smrekovit compress?
Let us first point out that Smrekovit compress not recommended in combination with Smrekovit Extra products. However, the use of the Smrekovit compress is strongly recommended when using the products Smrekovit 365 spruce cream and Smrekovit Klasik spruce ointment. The price of the Smrekovit compress is deliberately low because it only serves as an aid to the Smrekovit products. The use of the Smrekovit compress greatly enhances the performance of the products because it acts as a reservoir for the cream or ointment, so that the active substances in the spruce resin can be continuously absorbed into the tissue as far as it can take it. In places where the Smrekovit compress can be easily fixed and stays in place, we recommend using the compress all the time and lubricating it once a day (spreading the compress). On more mobile joints where the compress tends to wrinkle and move, use it at least overnight, and reapply several times during the day.
Why do you advise against ice or other cooling methods?
First, let's ask what causes ice? By cooling, we slow down the physiological process caused by tissue injury or inflammation. At the site of inflammation or injury, the permeability of the vascular walls is increased in order to allow the body to pass inflammatory cells (leukocytes and lymphocytes) and inflammatory proteins to the site of inflammation. The purpose of this process is to confront the defence mechanism with the inflammation so that the body can eliminate it itself. The visible consequence of this process is swelling, which is a perfectly normal phenomenon, because every cell and protein that passes to the site of inflammation is surrounded by a layer of water and, as inflammatory proteins and cells pass to the site of inflammation, water passes with them. Cooling causes the permeability of the vascular walls to decrease again, so the swelling also decreases, but as a consequence the healing time is also significantly prolonged.
Spruce resin has the opposite effect — it stimulates the body’s natural defence mechanisms and significantly shortens healing time. Clearly, cooling and the use of spruce resin products are two opposing approaches.