February 16, 2012 
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June 24, 2011 0 Comments
Sciatica Treatment
Sciatica is one of the most difficult conditions for medical practitioners, even those experienced in treating back pain and sciatica patients, to identify and treat. Sciatica often presents itself as a tingling and/or numbness, not unlike the feeling one may experience with a pulled hamstring muscle, the biceps femoris at the back of the leg. The sensation may be dull, almost an ache, with periods of tingling and/or numbness occurring during certain activities.
Many causes of sciatica exist. Instances of trauma to the sciatica nerve have been reported from accidents injuring the pelvic region, diseases such as diabetes damaging the sciatica nerve, osteoarthritis induced bone spurs narrowing the spinal canal and tumors placing pressure on the nerve. More commonly, however, the cause of sciatica can be found in a herniated lumbar disc.
When a person has to deal with sciatica for quite some time the best thing to learn about are all the different causes of sciatica. In fact, many people are rather surprised when they find out some of the different things that cause sciatica. Even though it depends on what type of professional you speak with about sciatica, there are really many different ways to get sciatica.
Treatment of sciatica is usually associated with treating a bulging disc. The first line of treatment is usually an attempt to reduce inflammation to reduce pressure on the nerve by means of oral medications. For more powerful anti-inflammatory effects, spinal injections with steroids like cortisone may be used.
This exercise program is primarily geared to stretch and strengthen the muscles of the lower back and the legs, reducing back pain and sciatica. The following are stretches that will assist in pain reduction and relief by removing much of the stress from the lower back, pelvis (hips) and lower extremities.
Natural remedies are growing in acceptance and are usually gentler and safer to use and focuses on other mean to achieve pain relief and help with a healthier back. While drugs are appropriate for immediate pain relief, reduction of inflammation and relaxation of muscles, it may be better to avoid them on an ongoing basis and to look for a holistic approach to treating the problem.
Sciatica Symptom:
In the previous two articles in this series we’ve discussed some of the reasons why we experience sciatic nerve pain or sciatica. In this article I would like to jump back just a bit and discuss the symptoms associated with sciatica, explain just why we experience this type of pain, and some of the other basic issues often faced when we experience it.
You cannot begin to consider cures for sciatica without first understanding exactly what sciatica is. That said, allow me to reiterate that cures for sciatica exist and are available, accessible, and effective as you will see in this article and on the next page.
Sciatica Treatment
Chiropractors, through the use of manually induced spinal adjustments, can often help the symptoms of sciatica. The adjustments, usually quick and painless, can align the spine and reduce the pressure on the sciatic nerve. A sciatica treatment usually begins with some type of heat therapy to loosen up the muscles surrounding the affected area.
Sciatica Causes
Many different sciatica causes exist. Sciatica, a symptom of a diagnosed condition, can stem from a number of ailments. Though sciatica leg pain is the most common complaint, not all individuals will experience it. For example, in piriformis syndrome, discomfort and pain are most often felt in the buttocks and hip area.
Sciatica exercise can greatly enhance a sciatica sufferer’s quality of life, easing pain and creating a stronger, more limber body. Many health practitioners agree that the key to preventing repeat episodes of sciatica is practicing sciatica exercise on a daily basis.
Some typical symptoms which you should consider when trying to decide whether you may be suffering from piriformis syndrome are pain in the buttock, the discomfort in the back of the leg described before, and a painful muscle spasm or tenderness in the buttock evident when pressure is applied to it.
Releasing muscle tension is simple enough if you know how to stretch, what to stretch and when to stretch… the 3 essential ingredients for any stretching routine. Building muscle strength also is simple. You don’t need to spend hours in a gym, all you need to know is how to stimulate the nerve and blood supply to your muscles which gives them the strength they need to support your joints. Exercise just means you can lift more heavy objects.
The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body. Its nerve roots run from the lumbar spinal cord located at the lower back extending through the buttocks, hips and lower limb. When this nerve becomes inflamed or irritated it produces pain that resembles like a leg cramp.
Read About Pregnancy Week and also read about Inverted Nipples and Breast Milk Production
What causes sciatica? www.sciaticaselfcare.com presents an explanation of the most common causes of sciatica.
June 24, 2011 5 Comments
Identifying symptoms and offering solutions to a painful condition, this book describes how to use more than 15 effective complementary medicine approaches including acupressure, Alexander technique, Feldenkrais method, foot reflexology, hatha yoga, osteopathy, qigong, and rolfing.
Related Sciatica Products
November 5, 2010 0 Comments
Posture Slouching is when you drop your shoulder forward and your head downward. The tendency is for your back to work extra just to maintain your balance. As a result, it puts pressure on your vertebrae, which will likely cause your back to ache. Stop slouching and start to stand and seat straight. This will not only make your look good, it will also make you feel good.
Massage Therapy Massage helps relieve back pain, shin splints, frozen shoulder, carpal tunnel type symptoms, neck stiffness, sciatica, bursitis, headaches, tennis elbow, and low back stiffness by treating trigger points. Trigger points are accretions of waste products in the region of a nerve receptor which manifest themselves in the forms of dull ache, hot or cold, harp pain, pins and needles, and tingling among others.
Exercise Your bones should carry your weight. But if your weight exceeds the carrying capacity, then you should be feeling pain right now. There are certain exercises that strengthen the bones. Meanwhile, loosing weight is another way to relieve the stress on your bone. People who are either obese or overweight and experiencing pain might not realize that the main contributor to the pain they feel is their weight.
Balneotherapy – “balneo” (from balneum) is a Latin word meaning bath. Balneotherapy is a kind of hydrotherapy that involves bathing in warm water or mineral water. Researches found that balneotherapy possesses significant beneficial effects for people experiencing body pain. Balneotherapy meanwhile should not be applied to people with heart condition unless supervised with primary care provider.
Sleeping position the best way to sleep is on your side with your knees bend with a pillow between your legs. For pregnant women who experience back pain, sleeping on the side would be the best remedy for it. Place a pillow under your abdomen to support its weight.
Vitamin D pain can be a manifestation of Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D can be found in fortified milk and cereals, soya milk, margarine, fish, and sunlight.
Hot and cold back pain can be alleviated by applying cold pack at their back. Other people find heat to be a source of relief. A combination of either hot or cold and massage would also work for other people. Trying out any of these would not do you harm so feel free to explore the possibilities of finding relief to either of them.
Rest at the office, an all day’s work would mean seating for long hours. This is okay if you are maintaining a good posture all throughout the day. However, the temptation to slouch is great that you completely forget you are slouching. After that, you complain about the pain at your back. Surprisingly, a few minutes of rest is all you need help remove the pain.
September 9, 2010 0 Comments
The next time you have a bout of back ache after a long day on the desktop, spare a thought for the treatment method that you are using. On more occasions than not, you will simply pop a pain killer pill and get relief within an hour. But the pain will return the next day or week. This is because pain killers only reduce the amount of prostaglandins at the site of pain.
The moment the effect of these medicines start fading the production of prostaglandins goes back to normal levels bringing the pain back. Not to forget the fact that they are harmful to the liver. You might just want to choose an alternative treatment method for pain relief management.
There are many alternative methods like acupuncture, manipulation, Nerve stimulation etc which are quite effective in curing even the most stubborn chronic pain conditions.
Hire a professional
The effectiveness of these treatment methods combined with the popularity has now shifted on to the internet. Today, all that you need is an internet connection and you can have a pain relief management professional at your doorstep within minutes.
They can provide you with quality treatment options for conditions like Tennis Elbow, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Bursitis, Sciatica, Backache, Migraine and Repetitive Strain. You can choose from medications or injection based treatments or completely alternative methods like Trigger Point Acupuncture or homeopathy. In the end you will not only find complete relief from the pain, but you will be free of the pain in a much safer way.
Hire quality professionals only
However, just like any other professional service, there are a few who are out to make some quick money. Hence you need to be careful while choosing a professional. The best way to ensure that you choose a quality professional is to look for references. A friend or relative of yours might have used a similar service.
For more information on pain relief management visit:
http://www.1800painfree.com
August 30, 2010 0 Comments
You don’t need to be a scientist to know that chronic back pain can have a negative impact on your life, often bringing with it anxiety and depression. It can affect your ability to work, sleep, and perform other daily activities.
Until recently, it has been assumed that whatever changes occurred in the brain as a result of chronic back pain were only temporary and that the brain would revert to a normal state once the pain stopped.
Recent findings by researchers from Northwestern University have turned this assumption on its head. What they found was that chronic back paindefined as pain lasting six months or longercan cause significant and long-lasting damage to the brain, aging it up to 20 times faster than normal.
Shades of gray
In fact, chronic back pain actually shrinks the gray matter of the brainthe part responsible for memory and information processingby as much as 11 percent each year. In contrast, normal aging of the brain results in just a 0.5 percent loss of gray matter a year.
Scientists compared 26 healthy volunteers with 26 patients who had been suffering with chronic lower back pain (some with sciatica) for more than a year. Those with chronic back pain with sciatica had the largest decrease in gray matter. Another significant finding: The longer a subject had had chronic back pain, the more brain loss he suffered.
One theory on why there is such a large decrease in gray matter is that chronic pain forces nerve cells to work overtime. Even more troubling is the possibility that if chronic back pain is allowed to continue, it may become harder to reverse and less responsive to treatment due to these changes in the brain. Experts say the findings should sound a warning to patients with back pain to seek care as soon as possible.
Driven to distraction
The Northwestern study is consistent with other research on chronic pain and cognitive ability. Scientists at the University of Alberta have confirmed that chronic pain can impair your memory and concentration.
In testing done by Drs. Bruce D. Dick and Saifudin Rashiq at the university’s Multidisciplinary Pain Centre in Edmonton, Canada, two-thirds of participants who suffered with chronic pain had a difficult time paying attention and remembering simple facts.
Participants in the studyall of whom had pain lasting six months or longerwere given computerized memory tests, along with a neuropsychological test of attention on what were identified as “pain” and “less pain” days.
On a “less pain” day, participants were tested after they received a pain-reducing procedure as part of their ongoing treatment at the Centre. On a “pain” day, participants were tested without getting any pain-reducing procedure. Sixteen of the 24 participants67 per centshowed signs of cognitive impairment on their pain-testing day. Although the sample of participants was small, the findings were statistically significant, according to the lead researchers.
You must remember this
Further evidence of a link between chronic pain and brain function comes from a study done at Keele University in the United Kingdom. Scientists compared the “prospective” memorysuch as remembering to pick up groceries or keep a doctor’s appointmentof 50 subjects with chronic back pain to the memory of 50 subjects who were pain-free.
Investigators used something called the Prospective Memory Questionnaire, a self-rating scale that requires users to record the number of times their prospective memory fails in a given period of time. The scale measures three types of prospective memory: long-term habitual, short-term episodic, and internally cued.
Those with chronic pain had significantly impaired short-term memory compared with subjects who were pain-free. No differences were observed in the other types of prospective memory.
“One explanation for the observation of short-term prospective memory deficits may be related to the link between pain and stress and the impact of this relationship on cognitive function,” Ling’s team reported.
The ideas is that when pain kicks in, it triggers a region of the brain known as the lateral occipital complex (LOC). When this happens, it overrides a person’s ability to concentrate and accurately recognize images.
Strategies to improve memory
The investigators said they hope that these findings will help guide the care of patients with chronic pain and encourage the development of skills to offset memory problems.
Here are a few quick tips to improve your memory:
Read out loud
If you want to remember something, saying the words out loud will help burn the information into your brain. If you can turn it into a rhyme, even better.
Write things down
Mental clutter makes it hard to recall data. Use address books, datebooks, and calendars. Jot down notes on more complicated material and reorganize your notes as soon as possible. The physical act of rewriting can help imprint facts into your memory.
Rehearse and review
Go over what you’ve learned the day you learn it, and review it periodically. Researchers call this “spaced rehearsal,” which has proven to be more effective than cramming.
Get your vitamins
Nutrients such as vitamins B, C, and E can nurture brain function. Dietary sources of B include spinach and other dark leafy greens, strawberries, melons, and black beans. Vitamins C and E improve the flow of oxygen through the brain. Good natural sources are berries, sweet potatoes, red tomatoes, green tea, nuts, citrus fruits, and liver. Omega-3 fatty acidsfound in cold-water fish such as salmon and tunaare also associated with improved cognitive function.
Surprise your brain
Another way to help your brain perform better is to stimulate it through novelty. For example, brushing your teeth with your left hand (if you’re right-handed) will fire up seldom-used connections on the nondominant side of your brain. Or try “neurobic” exercise, which forces you to use your faculties in unusual wayssay, getting dressed with your eyes closed, taking a course in a subject you know nothing about, or cooking a recipe in an unfamiliar cuisine.
The brain maybe affected by pain but you should never let pain control how or what you think about. If pain relief is what you are after you must hold a firm belief that you can achieve your goals and if believe heart and soul and keep you’re your thoughts concentrated and coordinated there is no way that you can not achieve what you are after.
July 24, 2010 0 Comments
Boomers, who account for a quarter of the U.S. population, tend to have more active lifestyles than previous generations. They are as active now as they were when they were younger. But now Boomers are living with chronic low back pain, herniated discs or osteoarthritis. Back pain is a common complaint among middle-aged Americans as they deal with hectic daily schedules, increasingly demanding jobs, and caring for children, grandchildren and aging parents.
Low back pain will affect four out of five adults during their lifetime. Heres How:
The most common symptom of a herniated disc is sciatica. Sciatica is best described as a sharp, often shooting pain that begins in the buttocks and goes down the back of one leg. This is most often caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve that exits the spinal cord. Other symptoms include:
- Weakness in one leg or both legs
- Numbness and tingling in one leg (pins & needles)
- A burning pain centered in the low back
- Loss of bladder or bowel control (seek medical attention immediately)
- Back pain with gradually increasing leg pain. (If you have weakness in both legs. Seek immediate attention.)
Why did my discs herniate?
The normal changes associated with aging are not helpful to the back. As we grow older, (after the age of 30), the back and abdominal muscles weaken and become less stretchable. Also degenerative changes begin to take place in the structure of the discs. They become softer and thinner, which decreases their shockabsorbing quality.
While aging, excess weight, improper lifting and the decrease in water in the discs all contribute to the breaking down of discs, the primary cause of a herniated disc or bulge is uneven compression and torsion thats placed on your lower back.
This uneven pressure is caused by imbalances in muscles that pull the spine out of its normal position. Your body is forced to function in what I call a physical dysfunction. Every human being develops these dysfunctions over time and eventually they cause enough damage to create unbearable pain.
Your Doctors Traditional Treatment Options May Not be the Best Treatment for Your Herniated Discs & Low Back Pain
When it comes to treating herniated discs, there are traditional treatments such as ice/heat, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, cortisone injections, anti-inflammatory medications and even surgery. While these may deliver some relief, it will usually be temporary.
The major problem with these traditional treatments is that they only address the symptoms of a herniated disc. They do not address the actual cause of the problem. For example, even if you were to have invasive surgery and get some pain relief, the fact is the root cause that caused the disc to become herniated in the first place is still there.
Why?
Because, our bodies adapt and change to our environment. This adaptation over time will cause muscle Imbalances. Those imbalances will cause postural dysfunctions. If the dysfunctions are not addressed, they will continue to place uneven pressure and strain on the discs. Sooner or later you will likely have another problem with that disc, or others.
To reduce low back pain and herniated discs, you must identify the underlying cause of your problem. Unfortunately, most doctors, chiropractors and physical therapists dont spend time or focus on identifying the hidden causes or physical dysfunctions that are responsible for the condition. So most Boomers jump from one useless traditional treatment to the next and suffer with continuous herniated disc flare-ups for months or years unnecessarily.
Here are My Top 3 Treatment Options to Help You Reduce Back Pain Virtually Overnight:
1. Know your Habits, Patterns, Postures and Positions: Understanding the many different causes of muscle imbalances is the first step to a pain free back. It begins with not what we are doing today but what we have done in the past 40 years. What did you do for work? Did you sit? Stand in one place? Were you lifting, bending or otherwise putting your body through hell every day?
2. Review Your Photo History: Simply knowing what you have done to develop your imbalances is only step one. Now you have to prove it to your self that those changes did take place over time. Open your family photo albums and find photos that have you in it from the front and from the side. Then take some of your own right now from the front, from the back and from the side and compare. Now it is natural to see changes but to see the changes and not take action to correct or control the physical changes will not help you.
3. Get the RIGHT Help: Find a qualified Manual Physical Therapist, that is trained to assess postural dysfunction and demand that they create both a short term and a long term plan of recovery for you.
Understanding back pain and taking action are two totally different animals. No one thinks that it will happen to him or her. And because it takes so long for our bodies to reach the point of pain, almost no one takes action to prevent back pain. So if back pain is an issue for you then educate your self and take action everyday. It is never to late to start a program of recovery on your own or with help from an expert.
July 4, 2010 0 Comments
Lower back pain relief can be achieved in a variety of ways, but firstly it is important to get an accurate diagnosis for your particular ailment, so that lower back pain relief can be correctly administered. A doctor will usually arrange for an MRI scan to detect the actual cause of your back pain.
In many cases lower back pain will be caused by a muscle spasm, this can be caused by many reasons such as- sitting at a desk for several hours every day, sleeping on an old or non supporting mattress. Even stress and tension can lead to problems. In cases such as these lower back pain relief can usually be obtained by over the counter medication that will reduce pain or swelling such as aspirin, Tylenol, naproxen, ketoprofen, and ibuprofen.
In more serious instances back pain can be due to an injury to the spine, usually caused by an accident, or perhaps by lifting and twisting at the same time. In many cases an injury to the spine will result in a herniated disc which in turn can lead to more serious lower back pain symptoms such as sciatica or spinal stenosis, however, although these conditions may cause considerable discomfort, lower back pain relief can again be obtained fairly easily.
If a lower back injury is recent, you may need a day or two of rest, however rest for lower back pain is now known not to be a cure, as rest can cause the muscles to become stiff, and will add to your recovery time. It is strongly advised to get up and walk, even if it’s for just a few minutes, at least once every hour. Although over the counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatory treatments help ease the pain, they should not be taken over a long period of time, as they can cause other health problems, such as stomach ulcers, and in certain medications, addiction.
A preferred option for lower lower back pain relief is exercise. Exercises are one of the most important self treatments for lower back pain relief. Exercises that are specific for your particular lower back pain symptom will usually give you fast relief as they strengthen the core muscles that support the spine, improve the flexibility in the spine and improve posture. Non impact aerobic exercise also have many benefits, but the focus should be on exercises that are safe, if you are unsure always consult a professional back pain adviser.
Stretching exercises will also help in your quest for lower back pain relief. Stretching should be carried out slowly, concentrating on the lower back, hips, quadriceps and hamstrings. Stretching exercises will naturally cause pain, but this should be pain from the muscle being stretched, if you feel pain in any other areas you should immediately stop, but if done correctly stretching should increase your flexibility in the region of 20% within the first month and reduce lower back pain considerably.
If you would like further detailed information on lower back pain relief, including causes, symptoms and effective treatments, please feel free to visit our website listed below.
June 27, 2010 0 Comments
What is a herniated disc?
Youve probably heard people say they have a “slipped” or “ruptured” disc in the back. Sometimes they complain that their back went out. What theyre most likely describing is a herniated disc. This condition is a common source of back and leg pain.
Discs are soft cushions found between the vertebrae that make up the spinal column (your backbone). In the middle of the spinal column is the spinal canal, a hollow space that contains the spinal cord. The nerves that supply the arms, leg, and torso come from the spinal cord. The nerves from the neck supply the arms and hands, and the nerves from the low back supply the butt and legs. The discs between the vertebrae allow the back to move freely and act like shock absorbers.
The disc is made up of two main sections. The outer part (the annulus) is made up of tough cartilage that is comprised of series of rings. The center of the disc is a jelly-like substance called the nucleus pulposus. A disc herniates or ruptures when part of the jelly center pushes through the outer wall of the disc into the spinal canal, and puts pressure on the nerves. A disc bulge is when the jelly substance pushes the outer wall but doesnt completely go through the wall.
What do you feel?
Low back pain will affect four out of five people during their lifetime. The most common symptom of a herniated disc is sciatica. Sciatica is best described as a sharp, often shooting pain that begins in the buttocks and goes down the back of one leg. This is most often caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve that exits the spinal cord. Other symptoms include:
Weakness in one leg or both legs
Numbness and tingling in one leg (pins & needles)
A burning pain centered in the low back
Loss of bladder or bowel control (seek medical attention immediately)
Back pain with gradually increasing leg pain.
(If you have weakness in both legs. Seek immediate attention.)
How do you know you have a herniated disc?
Your medical history is key to a proper diagnosis. A physical examination can usually determine which nerve roots are affected (and how seriously). A simple x-ray may show evidence of disc or degenerative spine changes. An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is usually the best option (most expensive) to determine which disc has herniated.
Why do discs herniate?
Discs are primarily composed of water. As we become older (after the age of 30), the water content decreases, so the discs begin to shrink and lose their shape. When the disc becomes smaller the space between the vertebrae decreases and become narrower. Also, as the disc loses water content the disc itself becomes less flexible.
While aging, excess weight, improper lifting and the decrease in water in the discs all contribute to the breaking down of discs, the primary cause of a herniation or bluge is uneven compression and torsion thats placed on the discs.
This uneven pressure is caused by imbalances in muscles that pull the spine out of its normal position and then your body is forced to function in what I call a physical dysfunction. Every human being develops these dysfunctions over time and eventually they cause enough damage to create pain.
The best treatment options
When it comes to treating a herniated disc, there are traditional treatments such as ice/heat, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, cortisone injections, anti-inflammatory medications and even surgery. While these may deliver some relief, it will usually be temporary if at all.
But the major problem with these traditional treatments is that they cant fix or heal a herniated disc as they do not address the actual cause of the problem. For example, even if you were to have a surgery and get some pain relief, the fact is the dysfunctions that caused the disc to herniated in the first place are still there and if not addressed, they will continue to place uneven pressure and strain on the discs and sooner or later you will likely have another problem with that disc, or others.
Without identifying and addressing the underlying cause of the problem, which is the physical dysfunctions caused by imbalances in muscles, you will likely continue to suffer with this condition and the continuous flare ups for years.
Unfortunately, most doctors, chiropractors and physical therapists dont spend time or focus on identifying the physical dysfunctions that are responsible for the condition so most people end up jumping from one useless traditional treatment to the next and suffer for months or years unnecessarily.
If you have been diagnosed with a herniated disc, or are wondering if your back pain may be caused by a herniated disc, either way you must identify and address the physical dysfunctions that are causing your pain.
June 10, 2010 0 Comments
Most people can recall some experience with Back Pain or Sciatica during their lives, either as a sufferer themselves or through knowing someone who was. Searching for information you can uncover volumes of advice on lower back pain, upper back pain, sciatica, herniated discs, scoliosis, bulging discs, ruptured discs, fibromyalgia, nerve problems and degeneration, but very little practical advice on back pain treatments and relief from back pain.
The Book Where Does It Hurt? is a unique look at back pain and associated problems and whats more it is FREE!
When you get back pain you want to know how to deal with it fast to get relief and most importantly stop your back pain returning.
Back pain and sciatica seem to baffle the medical profession and subsequently they more often prescribe drugs and surgery or the suggestion that, in time, rest will make it magically disappear. In many cases back pain doesn’t go away with rest or even time. Cases of sciatica can hang around for months and people with common lower back pain or upper back pain have been known to suffer for years.
By reading Where Does It Hurt? you will learn why if you are going to make a significant change to your back pain or sciatica. You are going to need to work on your muscles, ligaments and tendons in a way that allows the vertebrae, discs and nerves to be correctly aligned and under no pressure.
The Book Where Does It Hurt? covers everything you need to know about the muscles, ligaments and nerves and how the body ends up with back pain or sciatic nerve problems.
If you found stretching and exercises haven’t helped your back pain or they irritated your sciatica then you are not alone. Getting effective back pain relief is possible but not the way many of the conventional therapists or doctors will advise.
If you focus on the specific area of your back pain when treating the problem you may achieve a temporary improvement, or you may irritate and inflame the area, but either way you will do nothing to deal with the cause of why the back pain is there in the first place.
This Book will explain why in simple easy to follow language that anyone can understand. It will provide you with more useful information covering lower back pain, upper back pain, sciatica, herniated discs, scoliosis, bulging discs, ruptured discs, fibromyalgia, nerve problems and degeneration, back pain treatments and back pain relief than you would normally pay hundreds of pounds for. It is FREE and you can download a copy here. “Where Does It Hurt?” From http://www.backtrouble.co.uk
