Tip! As a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist, I take a different approach to the treatment and prevention of sciatica. After a thorough neurological exam, I determine which part of the nervous system is not functioning properly.
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The Sciatic Nerve
The Sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the human body,
and is about the diameter of your little finger. The nerve runs from the base of
your spine, through the buttock into the back of your leg, to the side of the
calf muscle, through your ankle into the top of your foot and ends at your big
toe.
Sciatica Symptoms
Sciatica pain usually starts in the lower back, but you
will experience most of the pain in your legs and buttocks, in the hip, and
anywhere along the path of the nerve.
The pain is usually on one side, but it is possible to have
pain on both sides (Bi-lateral Sciatica) but this is rare. Classic symptoms of
Sciatica are pins and needles, tingling or crawling sensations which can be felt
anywhere along the path of the nerve, you may also get cramping pains in your
lower back, buttocks or legs as the muscles contract and become imbalanced.
Tip! To complicate matters, although sciatica pain is usually in the back of the legs or thighs, some people may feel pain in the front or side of the legs or even in the hips.
You may find standing or sitting painful or difficult, and
also find that your body is tilted towards the side of the pain. Coughing and
sneezing can also aggravate the situation.
Sciatica is caused when the sciatic nerve becomes inflamed
or irritated. This can happen for one or all of the following reasons -:
1) A Vertebrae in your lower back is not moving properly,
or is out of position. The joint becomes inflamed and irritates the Sciatic
nerve.
2) If one of your discs is bulging (Herniated or Slipped
Disc) this can put pressure on the sciatic nerve, which again can become
inflamed.
3) If a muscle in your lower back tightens this can put
pressure on the Sciatic Nerve
Tip! For sciatica sufferers, a good night’s sleep may be a thing of the past. Simple things like walking, sitting, or standing up can be difficult or impossible.
If your Sciatica is in the acute stages (first 6 days) a cold pack will help to reduce the inflammation. You should also use a good
anti-inflammatory. This will quickly reduce the inflammation, considerably
reduce your pain level, and make you feel altogether better.
It is also important for you to keep active, if anybody has
told you to take to your bed - Don’t listen!. It has been proven time and time
again that bed rest is not a remedy for Sciatica, and will make your situation
worse.
The very best way to treat Sciatica is through a
combination of non impact aerobic exercises, and exercises that will strengthen
your lower back and stomach muscles.
These specialist exercises will address the muscle
imbalance, reduce your pain and prevent future reoccurrences.
Although you are probably not feeling up to it, just 20
minutes on a stationery bicycle or elliptical trainer will make feel a lot
better.
The muscles in your lower back will have been gently
stretched, and the natural endorphins that are released into your body after
exercise act as natural pain killer.
Tip! The most common cause of sciatica is a prolapsed (slipped) disc, pinched nerves or some form of arthritis. It usually starts with back pain which sometimes improves only to be followed by hamstring or calf pain.
Another benefit to sciatica and sciatic pain is stretching.
As we age our bodies and lower back become less flexible. By introducing a
weekly stretching routine, your body will becomes more flexible and the risk of
any injury is greatly reduced.
Tip! There are six typical causes of Sciatica.
For more information on the effective treatment of Sciatica
and other back pain complaints visit our website at
http://www.lowerbackpainrelief.org
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Paul Osborne is webmaster of http://www.lowerbackpainrelief.org. A site dedicated to rapid, effective and natural treatment for lower back pain |
