Posts Tagged ‘sciatic nerve’
Friday, March 16th, 2012
Sciatica, which is the condition caused by sciatic nerve damage, is characterized mainly by a sharp, shooting pain from the hip or buttocks area down to the toes. This pain is usually worsened by moving the leg, bending over at the waist or sitting down. The pain is similar to a pinched nerve.
If the sciatica is caused by pressure on the nerve, such as from a slipped disc, numbness in the leg may occur. While this numbness isn’t necessarily a problem, it can cause other problems. These include imbalance, which can lead to falls. Numbness in the leg can also cause that leg to be weaker than the other leg, which makes lifting even light objects difficult.
A dull lower backache is a less common symptom of sciatic nerve damage. This pain is either a result of the sciatic nerve being compressed or by other conditions, such as a herniated disc, that is often found in conjunction with sciatica. This backache may come and go; however, it is more common at night after a full day of activity. This is usually because the sciatic nerve is swollen. Many doctors prescribe an NSAID or recommend taking ibuprofen or aspirin to reduce the swelling.
Because the sciatic nerve affects the foot and toes, foot drop and toe drop are common symptoms. Toe drop occurs when the big toe on the affected side becomes so weak that it is difficult to extend or contract it. Foot drop occurs when the ankle is weak and the foot ‘flops’ sometimes. This symptom is serious, as falls can occur as a result.
All of the symptoms of sciatica are unilateral, meaning they only occur on one side of the body. However, in some instances, such as pregnancy, symptoms can occur on both sides. In that case, one side usually experiences more pronounced symptoms than the other side.
Tags: back pain, back pain prevention, nerve damage, sciatic nerve, sciatica, sciatica nerve, sciatica pain remedies, sciatica symptoms, sciatica tips, sciatica treatments, symptoms of sciatica
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Friday, March 9th, 2012
In terms of going through sciatica pain some people are extremely sick and tired dealing with the constant pain. Sciatica pain may make people feel like they can no longer do the things they enjoyed doing. Fortunately, there are many distinctive methods for a sciatica pain solution.
The sciatic nerve runs from the brain through the spine and hips, where it splits in to two branches and continues along each leg. If the sciatic nerve is pressurized or irritated, this may bring about pain in the lower back or in both lower limbs.
The sciatic nerve is undoubtedly the longest nerve in our body that starts within the lumbar area and extends down to the rear foot area. Compression from the nerve frequently produces an obvious, crisp discomfort that radiates around this entire area, which is known as sciatica pain. The phrase sciatica is normally used indiscriminately to reference any distress that radiates inside the legs, whether or not it is activated from a pinched sciatica nerve.
Sciatica can be diagnosed by a bodily examination, patient history, and neurological test. Experts suggest it is better to be aware of your symptoms of sciatica when they are occurring. If you are aware of your symptoms it will be easier for your doctor to give you the appropriate medical help.
If you find that one activity causes sciatica pain more than others, avoid doing that activity as best as you can. Some sciatica sufferers find relief by getting a massage or going to see a physiotherapist or chiropractor; however, this rarely provides a permanent solution. Patients are constantly returning for further treatment. You may also find other types of treatment for sciatica pain, which can be implemented to reduce the soreness triggered by discomfort from the sciatic nerve. When dealing with sciatica pain, it is important to focus on the fundamental triggers.
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Wednesday, March 7th, 2012
Before going into the “secrets” of sciatica healing, you should understand the meaning of the term. Sciatica is a type of low back pain, which is caused by the irritation of the sciatic nerve because of overuse and injuries to your back. The sciatica nerve runs from the spine to the foot and is the largest nerve in the body. The portion between the lower back to the posterior buttocks, thighs, calf and foot are affected by sciatica. Below I will discuss some of the things you can do for sciatica healing.
The initial symptoms of sciatica are tingling in the leg, pain and numbness. Irritation of the sciatic nerve happens because of back sprains, muscle tears or tension problems in the joints, torn ligaments, etc. The main symptom is that the pain originates at the lower end of the spine and shoots down to one of both the legs, leading to numbness and weakness.
Herniated disc, which is a common name of slipped disc, is the most common cause of sciatica. Protruding of a disc from its normal position into the column of the vertebrae puts pressure on the lower back nerve roots, which are also known as radicular nerves. It is because of this that the diagnosis of sciatica is also referred to radiculopathy. Due to the improper functioning of the disc, the sciatic nerves can get compressed, leading to a pain and a tingling sensation. When bending forward the pain may get less intense as it takes the pressure off the nerve root by creating space between the vertebrae.
Most of the people who experience such kind of pain recover within a few weeks through non-invasive sciatica healing treatments such as exercises, proper diets, etc. Exercises for sciatica include aerobic exercises, yoga, and free-style exercises, dancing practice of even simple brisk walking. All of these activities provide strength and flexibility to the lower back muscles and are good for general body fitness too. A small percentage of people develop serious back pain leading to the inability to perform their daily activities. If this is the case, they may have to resort to surgeries for the treatment of sciatica.
Sciatica pain normally occurs among the people of the middle age group (30-50). Due to increase in age and general wear and tear of the lower spine structure, the development of the sciatica pain develops gradually. Sciatica healing treatment of such kind of problem may not yield effective results, as the symptoms need to be effectively diagnosed. Earlier symptoms of sciatica such as pain and numbness in the leg are often ignored by people or treated with painkillers. Even though the pain may seem to subside initially, it may just be for a temporary period. The second phase of the pain is more severe, which requires correct diagnosis and adequate treatment for sciatica healing which involves exercises, medication, change of diet, and lifestyle with the aid of a medical expert.
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Monday, March 5th, 2012
Piriformis syndrome is characterized by lower back pain, pelvic pain, pain in the buttocks or hips, and/or sciatica. The main player is a muscle called the piriformis, which is seated in the buttocks region and attaches from the tailbone to the bone thighbone. Like any muscle, it can get short and tight, but its distinction is that it sits on top of the sciatica nerve. Being the longest and thickest nerve in the body, the sciatica nerve is easily pinched by a short, tight piriformis muscle. I have provided some more information about piriformis syndrome below!
Any nerve pain is intense, but what you get with sciatica is a burning, electrical pain down your leg. It’s usually enough pain to cause your leg to be limp. Sciatica caused by piriformis syndrome may irritate just about everything; walking, sitting, lying down. Unfortunately, painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs don’t relieve the pain caused by piriformis syndrome. Not all cases of piriformis syndrome cause sciatica, some cause buttock and hip pain only, while others include low back pain.
Another distinguishing characteristic of the syndrome is that it is almost always worse with sitting. This is because when we sit we do so right on top of the piriformis muscle.
As mentioned above, a short, tight piriformis muscle may cause piriformis syndrome. So why does the piriformis muscle get short and tight? Lets find out! Short, tight muscles can come about from a few different situations, lack of stretching, weak synergistic or antagonistic muscles, chronic subluxation, and foot dysfunction. Every one of these scenarios is reversible; there, piriformis syndrome may be a correctable disorder.
Below is a list of causes of piriformis syndrome:
- Inflexibility: We need to stretch to maintain a functional muscle length. Short, tight muscles can cause a number of problems including joint dysfunction, circulation problems, poor posture, and as in the case of piriformis syndrome, nerve entrapment.
- Weak Muscles: With this syndrome, the weak muscles are typically the gluteal muscles. The gluteus maximus is the main muscles of walking, and it extends the hip. It can become lazy and some individuals, when it does other muscles have to compensate for its weakness. The piriformis is a compensatory muscle.
- Chronic Subluxation: This is a constant join pain with neurological implications. Subluxations hamper free movement and can cause nerve pain and/or dysfunction.
- Foot Dysfunction: This is one of the most common causes of piriformis syndrome. It can be caused by an excessive rolling-in of the feet as a result of dropped arches. In this case, the piriformis works overtime to counter the inward movement of the leg.
If you are suffering from piriformis syndrome or experiencing symptoms of the syndrome, you should contact your doctor immediately. Piriformis syndrome can be a real pain in the butt! Remember piriformis syndrome is treatable, so get treatment before it gets worse!
Tags: cause of sciatica, causes for pain in back, causes of sciatica, Piriformis Syndrome, sciatic nerve, sciatica, sciatica cause, sciatica causes, sciatica pain, sciatica symptoms, sciatica tips
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Wednesday, February 29th, 2012
Sciatica pain is the characteristic of pain radiating together your sciatic nerve, generally from your lower back to lower leg. Sciatica pain indicates the existence of primary problems for the backbone or neural, such as a herniated drive, trauma, or even tight muscle tissue. So how does Pilates affect sciatica pain? Lets find out!
Frederick Pilates is a designed workout routines on pads and other machines. Pilates workouts retrain your body to move in the core along with focused interest and cautious alignment. The actual sciatica nerve provides sensation to your feet and upper tights and regulates many of the muscle tissue in your calves. A compacted nerve can cause soreness along the sciatic nerve route. You might really feel a sharp discomfort or a moderate ache. Pins and needles or lack of bladder or even bowel manage can be the signs of sciatica and could indicate that you ought to seek treatment. A herniated disc or even tumor is a cause of sciatica pain.
Relaxing the actual muscles around the sitz bones will help you relieve stress on the sciatic nerve. Although a lot of Pilates workouts require the complete strength from the gluteal muscles, a few need only mild contraction. At the beginning of each physical exercise, imagine your own sitz bones tragedy down toward your pad or extending. Make sure that when you’re doing Pilates, do not let your toes get to be more than a fist’s thickness apart. Unnecessary stress on the sciatica nerve may increase your sciatica pain.
Also, workouts in which you collapse forward in the hip may exacerbate sciatica pain, especially when your main body weight sits on your back. Hamstring muscle stretches may also pull in the lower back area. Wait until your own sciatica offers subsided prior to doing these workouts.
Physical exercise can help relieve sciatica pain as well as help prevent outbreaks. The release associated with endorphins through gentle, continual exertion might help reduce discomfort. Strength-training, stretching out and primary stabilization facets of Pilates may help reduce age-related back pain problems. With more physique awareness, you are able to recognize actions and positions in everyday life induced injuries. If done correctly, Pilates is a great way to alleviate sciatica pain.
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Monday, February 27th, 2012
You will more than likely experience sciatica when the sciatic nerve becomes aggravated, reddened, or pinched. Sciatica is a very uncomfortable situation in which Western medicine has little to offer other than pain medicine. There are a few ways to maintain natural, therapeutic treatments of the sciatic nerve. This includes nurturing the sciatic nerve, strengthening the surrounding area, and removing any basis of inflammation.
Potassium rich foods, such as bananas, are very helpful to avoid, prevent, and treat sciatica. Eating more of these types of foods may facilitate the healing of your sciatica nerve. Potassium helps out the functioning of the neuromuscular, as well as helping us steer clear of hypertension. Some of the many good sources of potassium are cantaloupes, apricots, fish, bananas, carrots, prunes, nectarines, chicken, turkey, raisins, potatoes, and tomatoes. It is better to choose fresh products in order to avoid consuming additional sodium.
If you are alarmed that you are not consuming a sufficient amount of potassium, you should think about the possibility of taking a potassium supplement. However, you should keep in mind not to exceed the suggested dosage. Take supplemental potassium in more than one form. Make sure that you consult your doctor before taking these supplements if you are on any prescription medications.
Acupressure is also a solution to avoid and treat sciatica. Acupressure can assist in relieving the pain caused by the sciatic nerve. It is advised that you choose a well-trained practitioner. In order to get the best treatment and avoid damage to the sensitive nerves of the back, you must have an expert in the field.
The suggestions above are great solutions for healing the sciatic nerve. Sciatic nerve damage can be uncomfortable and extremely painful. If you think you are experiencing sciatica nerve issues, consult your doctor immediately.
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Friday, February 10th, 2012
There are many sciatica remedies; however, they are a little different when a woman is pregnant. It is very common for women to complain about sciatica pain during pregnancy. It is most likely to develop during the second or third trimester, when the baby is comparatively larger and may cause compression on the sciatic nerve. Below is some information on sciatica and pregnancy along with sciatica remedies for pregnant women.
The compression on the sciatic nerve during pregnancy may result in a shooting pain that starts from the lower back and travels all the way down the leg via the back of the knee. The pain can be experienced in various areas. It can be a shooting back in the lower back, buttocks, or the lower leg region. It may cause discomfort or temporary numbness in the affected region as well. The pain may leave a pregnant woman immobile until the pain subsides.
Unfortunately, as the pain arises due to the baby’s position in the womb, not much can be done until the baby is born besides simple sciatica remedies to reduce the agony. The first thing a pregnant woman can do to prevent sciatica, is to avoid overeating that may lead to unnecessary weight gain. Excess weight ruins the body’s natural balance and may add to the pain. If you are in good shape and exercise daily, your muscles are toned, making them less rigid and less susceptible to getting sciatica. A strong body structure provides a better balance to the spinal cord rather than tilting excess weight on one side, which is the primary reason for sciatica pain.
You can try some exercises that help make you more flexible and provide relief from pain. Squats work wonderfully for strengthening and stretching the hip muscles. Be careful to do these exercises slowly and carefully, preferably with the help of a support nearby as the weight of your belly may make you imbalanced. Below are some sciatica remedies and exercises to help relieve sciatica pain during pregnancy.
- Pelvic tilt stretch: This works great for relieving sciatica pain and prepares you for childbirth. Lie down on the floor; bend your knees while keeping your feet flat on the floor. Try to exert pressure on the spine by bringing it closer to the floor. Inhale and relax. Repeat as many times as you want, but stop as soon as you get uncomfortable.
- Sciatica Stretch: Lie down on the floor. Bend one knee and bring the ankle of the opposite foot near your bent knee. Life the bent knee and stretch the opposite knee in and away from the ankle still resting. Repeat by switching positions.
In addition to the above sciatica remedies, walking and swimming are also excellent ways to keep the muscles elastic and prevent sciatica pain. Sciatica remedies are important during pregnancy. With a big belly, the last thing you want is sciatica pain! If you have other sciatica remedies, please share them with us on Facebook or Twitter!
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Monday, January 30th, 2012
The sciatic nerve is the human body’s lengthiest nerve, which starts at the spinal cord extending to the back of the legs. A simple nuisance on the sciatic nerve brings sharp pain that spreads out through this region. Treating the sciatic nerve depends on the root cause of the condition.
It is important that a patient is correctly diagnosed before undergoing any kind of treatment or procedure. Diagnosis will include physical examinations, CT scan, x-ray, electromyogram and MRI. These exams will aid the expert in knowing the cause of the pain and help determine the type of treatment the patient should receive.
Sciatica treatments are categorized into two types of remedies: surgical and non-surgical. Doctors typically advise a complete bed rest as an initial remedy for the pain, since it has been found that the pain will eventually be gone after a couple of weeks of being well-rested. However, the condition must be carefully looking upon because inability to pinpoint the root cause of sciatica can only result in recurrences. Diagnosis and testing is crucial before starting any treatment. Simple remedies such as rest and alternatively applying cold and hot compress to the area affected can work wonders in reducing the swelling. Remedies that provide long-term effects include massages and stretch exercises, which lessen the probability of muscle strains and trauma.
Regular stretch workouts and keeping engaged in physical activities can also help in keeping your muscles in good condition and preventing it from being strained. Simple stretch and back exercises can help develop muscle endurance. Aerobic exercise such as swimming can also promote endorphin secretion, which can be a natural painkiller.
Below are some exercises for sciatica nerve treatment:
- Hamstring stretch: People with sciatica can do this simple exercise to alleviate pain. First thing to do is to lie on the floor, grab your thigh, supporting it, as you lift your knee toward you. Extend your leg upward with the sole of the foot facing the ceiling. Hold this pose for 10-15 seconds then repeat with the other leg.
- Piriformis stretch: This works if you have sciatic leg pain. First thing to do is to bend your left leg. Next, cross the right leg on the left knee then carefully pull it towards the chest. Hold this position for 5 seconds and do the exact same thing with the other leg. Repeat for the other leg.
- Knees to chest stretch: Lie down with your back and bend both of your knees and slowly bring your knees toward your chest. Try hard to get your knees in contact with your chest. Do this for 15 minutes daily for best results.
Sciatic nerve pain can be brought about by stern medical conditions such as a herniated disc, where mere stretches and oral medications will not work. The only remedy for this kind of sciatic nerve pain after 6 to 12 weeks of proper and continuous treatment. Keep in mind that the right treatment for sciatica really depends on the root cause as well as on its severity; therefore, the diagnosis stage is really crucial.
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Monday, January 16th, 2012
Sciatica is when the sciatic nerve is inflamed. The largest of all peripheral nerves is the sciatic nerve and because of this, the pain is hard to ignore. This particular sciatic nerve is the one that sends information to and from the brain about the movement and sensations.
The sciatic nerve is at the spinal cord’s lower segment. It exits at the lumbosacral region. The lower back pain can be intense because the nerve passes through the hip joint and thighs. The functions of the sciatic nerve are just like other nerves in the body. Signals from the brain are sent to the muscles through the nerve, and it also collects sensory information from your legs and is sent to the brain. When you’re suffering from sciatica, these functions are affected.
Patients suffering from sciatica will experience weakness in the thighs and legs. It is vital that the root cause is determined. When there is rupture of the spine’s cushion, the nerve is compressed. With the increased pressure in the area, a person will experience pain, numbness, and weakness. The nerve can be irritated or inflamed due to herniated discs or spinal stenosis.
Symptoms of sciatica:
- Burning sensation
- Sensations of pins or needles, tingling feeling
- Shooting pains
- Cramping sensations
The symptoms of sciatica can be due to an underlying condition. For accurate diagnosis, the doctor will perform several tests, physical exams and consider the patient’s medial history. Before treatment options are given, the root cause of symptoms is considered. Some patients also undergo MRI and x-rays.
Once you are diagnosed with sciatica, the doctor will offer the various treatment options that will suit your present condition. Medical professionals usually recommend muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatory medicines, and rest. For patients suffering from severe symptoms, oral steroids are given, but because of the side effects, patients tend not to prefer this treatment.
Tags: back pain tips, causes for back pain, causes of back pain, causes of pain in back, pain in lower back, sciatic nerve, sciatic pain, sciatica causes, sciatica facts, sciatica pain, sciatica tips, what is sciatica
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