What is a narcotic by medical definition? By medical definition, narcotics are substances used to treat moderate to severe pain. In fact, the word ânarcoticâ is taken from the Greek word for âstuporâ. So, narcotic originally referred to substances that dull the senses and relieve pain.
The types of drugs that might be prescribed for sciatica pain include: 1  Anti-inflammatories. 2  Muscle relaxants. 3  Narcotics. Tricyclic antidepressants.  Anti-seizure medications.
The European Spine Journal published the findings from a clinical trial last year uncovering how chiropractic adjustments resulted in a 72 percent success rate in treating sciatica and related symptoms compared to the 20 percent success from physical therapy and 50 percent from corticosteroid injections.