Pain Management and Pain Relief Information

Archive for the ‘Sciatica’ Category

Among the most common and painful disorders known to man is Sciatica. It brings quite a number of symptoms that include pain and a tingling sensation, starting from the lower back, down to the buttocks and often extends down to the legs. For most people, sciatica pain lasts only a couple of weeks. There are some, however, who suffer sciatica pain for months, that will often require major treatments.

Sciatica pain is so powerful that it does not allow a person to perform the usual routines due to the intense back pain. And since the sciatic nerves are found in various muscles of the body particularly from the back down to the legs, the pain radiates from these areas, hampering crucial body movements.

The pain that runs to one side of the buttock or leg radiates even more when in a sitting position. The sciatic nerves are connected from the tail bone to the legs. This means not both sides of our body may be affected with sciatica pain though others report a burning sensation on both sides.

Other symptoms of sciatica include weakness and numbness of the foot or leg and difficulty in walking or standing up.

Sciatica, however, is not a medical condition, rather a symptom of another lower back problem. The pain may be caused by spinal stenosis or herniated disc that causes the nerve root irritation. Dealing with sciatica pain is easier when the underlying problem is given attention. This is possible through some surgical and non-surgical intervention.

People aged thirty to fifty are more inclined to suffer from sciatica. As people get older, the pain caused by sciatica nerve compression, gradually develops over time, due to the degeneration of the lower spine.

Symptoms of sciatica can be treated gradually by doing some muscle stretching or exercise. This enables the leg and back muscles to develop strength. Walking exercise is also a good way to strengthen leg muscles. Start with shorter distance walks growing to a steady daily three-mile brisk walk. Walking provides flexibility and strength to the lower back and legs, thus relieving sciatica pain.

Sciatica pain can be treated by taking anti-inflammatory capsules and pain killers. It is better, however, to consult with a health professional about this, since not all treatments work for everyone.

Treatments for sciatica differ based on the condition and severity of the underlying condition that is causing the pain. Thus, it is not advisable to take medications without a prescription or doctor’s advice to avoid more serious complications in the end.

Sciatic pain can occur at anytime and often without an obvious reason. For people who suffer from this sometimes chronic condition, routine life can be quickly disrupted. The sciatic nerve is so large, running from the back of the buttocks all the way down to the toes; that flare-ups can make it feel almost impossible to move. While your first reaction to the pain may be to get some bed rest, most physicians agree that this is one of the worst things that you can do.

Sciatic pain is described as a gnawing, aching, or burning pain that normally starts in the back and radiates down one leg. When the sciatic nerve is compressed at any location, the entire nerve tends to swell and sends a pain response throughout much of the body. For this reason, many people have a difficult time knowing where the pain originates from or what they have done to aggravate the condition. The truth is that sciatica can flare-up due to over use of the muscles, an injury, from sleeping wrong or even wearing shoes that don’t fit properly.

At Home Remedy for Sciatica:

— In the beginning, one of the best solutions to the pain is to apply ice packs to the areas that are the most tender or painful. Make sure that you wrap the ice in a towel, or use ice packs that have a covering so you don’t over freeze the skin. Ice is good for reducing inflammation and swelling. Even though you may not be able to visibly see inflammation, chances are the nerve is swollen. The tenderest spots on your back, legs, or calf are likely the place where the nerve is being compressed or is injured. Apply ice for 20 minutes on and off as many times as possible during the day.

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— Heat is also a great solution for sciatic pain. You should take caution NOT to use heat in the very beginning of the flare-up. Heat generally increases blood flow in the area, which can actually make sciatic pain more painful if the swelling of the nerve hasn’t been dealt with. Remember, utilize ice for the first 1-3 days, and then begin applying heat, which will encourage healing. It is also a good idea to alternate ice and heat in 20 minutes increments.

Likely, you feel like you can barely move – or when you do, the pain gets worse. But sitting still or even lying down for extended periods of time is actually one of the worst things you can do. Instead, try stretching. Stretching helps to alleviate nerve compression. Look for stretching exercise that focuses on your lower back and legs. When you find a stretch that feels particularly good – try to hold it for half a minute or more. Stretching every day is also a preventative remedy sciatica sufferers should implement as part of their daily routine. If the pain seems to be centered in the lower back, buttocks or hips – don’t forget to extend and stretch your feet as well because the sciatic nerve travels all the way into the toes.

A lot of people turn to medications for sciatica. Over the counter pain, relievers such as ibuprofen or aspirin are designed to deal with pain and inflammation. For the most part, these are simply a ‘band-aid’ cure. Be careful that you aren’t simply masking the pain by taking pain relievers and make sure to continue to stretch, exercise, and apply hot and cold compresses.

In the long term, stretching and exercise are your best defenders against sciatica. If you seem to have continual bouts of sciatic pain, you should partake in stretching exercises every day BEFORE you work out. Additionally, take notice of your exercise program to ensure that you are not exercises improperly, which could be leading to the pain and discomfort that you feel.

Sciatica refers to a pain that radiates from your back, through your buttocks and down your leg. It is due to pressure on the largest nerve in your body, your sciatic nerve. It can result from a herniated disk in your spinal column (disks are pads of cartilage that separate the vertebrae, or bones, of your spine) or from a muscle called the piriformis that starts at the lower end of your spinal column and is connected to your thigh bone. It can also be caused by a slipped disk or an injury.

More than half the population of the US suffers from sciatica at one time or another throughout their lives, and many people get it several times. In mild cases it goes away after a few weeks; in some cases, however, particularly those associated with disk problems, it can linger for many months.

The first thing you should do is try to find out what is causing the problem: an injured disk or pressure from the piriformis muscle. And fortunately there is a test that can tell you which of these is likely to be your problem.

In this article I’ll outline ten things that I found particularly helpful in dealing with sciatica. The first one is related to the test I mentioned above.

1. For the test, begin by lying on your back and lifting your affected leg straight up. Does it cause pain? Now, pull your leg into your chest with the knee bent. Again, note if there is pain. If the piriformis muscle is at fault, pain will occur in both cases – when the leg is straight and when it is bent. If it is a disk problem, on the other hand, the pain will only occur when the leg is straight. (If you’re sure you have a disk problem, you should see your doctor as soon as possible.)

2. The rest of the suggestions are best for people with a squeezed piriformis muscle, but they are also helpful for disk problems. First of all, some rest is usually needed, but limit it to a day or so. During this time apply cold packs to the affected area; they will help reduce the inflammation. Later you can alternate with hot packs.

3. Stretching exercises are particularly good. I will describe five that are very effective.

a) Lie on your back. Pull your legs into your chest one at a time and hold for 30 seconds. Release and relax for a few seconds. Do this about 10 times for each leg.

b) Remaining on your back, pull your leg up towards your chest, but this time also pull it across your body. Again hold it for 30 seconds. Also, do it for each leg about 10 times.
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c) Again, on your back, lift your leg straight up, pull on it with your hands locked behind it. Hold it for 30 seconds. Do 10 for each side.

d) Now, raise your knees up, move them to one side and hold them for 30 seconds, then do the same on the other side. Again, do 10 on each side

e) Finally, bend your unaffected leg so your knee is in the air. Pass your affected leg across and behind it and lock it in position, then reach through and grab your unaffected knee with your hands and pull it. Hold it for 30 seconds. Again, so this several times.

4. Aerobic Exercises are also particularly good. I found that bicycling was one of the best exercises of this type because it doesn’t stress the affected area. Try to go at least 20 minutes on a stationary bike if you have access to one. (I love the treadmill, but I found that it aggravated my injury if I did it for long.)

5. Many medications or drug such as aspirin, ibuprofen and Tylenol are helpful in alleviating the pain, but I’ll leave them to you and your doctor. Several were helpful to me, but nothing seemed to completely relieve the pain.

6. Another things that was very helpful to me was TENS (Transcutaneous electrical Nerve Stimulation) and EMS (Electrical Muscle Stimulation). They work by sending electrical pulses through the skin to stimulate the nerves. They are administered by chiropractors and physical therapist. Although they help relieve the pain they do nothing to cure the condition.

7. Another thing I found very helpful when the affected area was aching a lot was to stretch out on my back on a bed for about a half an hour and completely relax. I found it to be particularly helpful.

8. Massage by a professional masseur can also be helpful. Massage relaxes your muscles and can release some of the pressure from the piriformis muscle.

9. One of the most serious problems for me was an inability to sleep at night because of the persistent pain. I found that applying a heating pad to the affected area was very helpful.

10. Finally, if you’re sure the problem is due to one or more of your disks, or if it continues for several weeks, make sure you see a doctor. Chiropractors and physical therapists.

Find Relief from Sciatica Pain

If you’re currently living with the symptoms of sciatica, you are well aware of how painful and frustrating this condition can be, but you may be surprised to learn that chiropractic care is typically the most effective treatment for this type of affliction. To illustrate this, here we will discuss the condition known as sciatica in a bit more detail, including a list of some of the more common symptoms and potential causes, followed by a brief glimpse at the various chiropractic treatment strategies that have consistently proven effective in alleviating sciatica pain.

Sciatica Symptoms

The sciatic nerve is both the largest and the longest nerve in the human body. Beginning at the base of the spinal column near the pelvis, the sciatic nerve runs down each leg, withsciatic nerve Sciatica occurs when any part of this nerve system becomes compressed, irritated or inflamed, and is characterized most frequently by pain, numbness and muscle weakness in the hip, buttock, leg, calf and foot.

Although for most patients the pain, numbness and muscle weakness associated with sciatica will ultimately localize in the hip, buttocks and thigh, it is usually preceded by a few weeks of constant or intermittent pain in the lower back. Over time, however, most people report that leg pain from their sciatica is more intense than the back pain, presenting as either a dull, consistent ache, or a sharp shooting pain that may travel all the way down to the feet and toes. Sciatica pain can last for several days, weeks, or even years if left untreated. In some of the more prolonged and serious cases, sciatica can cause damage to nerves and reflexes, bring about parasthesia (a tingling, pricking sensation), weaken bladder function and even cause muscle deterioration in the legs.

Sciatica Causes

The most common cause of sciatica is a lower spine that is subluxated (misaligned). This slight subluxation causes the root of the sciatic nerve to become pinched, damaged and irritated which puts a great deal of pressure on the nerve and causes pain.

Sciatica can also be caused by a flawed pelvic alignment, causing the sciatic nerve to become pinched as it passes through the buttocks, or from a bulged or herniated spinal disc caused by some type of trauma (a fall, accident, etc.). Other potential, yet slightly less common causes for sciatica include:

• Arthritis
• Tumors
• Diabetes
• Vitamin deficiencies
• Degenerative spinal conditions that cause long-term stress on the lower back

Sciatica and Chiropractic Care

The intensity of symptoms from sciatica can range from problematic, with pain that causes a minor disruption in one’s life, to downright debilitating in some of the more serious cases. And unfortunately, many who suffer from sciatica will wait until the pain is unbearable before they seek treatment. This is a big mistake, as waiting too long could result in long-term or even permanent damage. Seeking chiropractic care at the first sign of sciatica pain is always your best course of action.

Chiropractic treatment begins with a medical history to discuss the nature and severity of your symptoms, their onset, and any potential causes. You will then undergo a thorough physical and chiropractic exam; which will typically include x-rays, orthopedic and neurological test, followed by a recommendation on the best course of treatment.

As mentioned above, the two most common causes of sciatica are a misalignment of either the spine or the pelvis, which causes pressure or a blockage on the sciatic nerve. By pinpointing the problem site, your chiropractor can perform manual adjustments that will both free the nerve and correct your spinal alignment. Collectively, these adjustments are designed to correct any misalignments that are pinching the sciatic nerve, and in turn, causing you pain, numbness and weakness in the affected area.

In addition to these manual spinal adjustments-chiropractors will also employ techniques such as massage therapy, designed to reduce the intensity of muscle spasms in the affected area, as well as traction and ice to help alleviate lingering sciatica symptoms.

Using the services of a chiropractor is perhaps the fastest method available for relieving sciatica pain and restoring functionality. Instead of traditional treatments that usually involve expensive and often addictive pain medications-medications that can be extremely harmful when used long-term-chiropractic care offers a more proactive approach that is not only safer and more effective, but more affordable as well.

The sciatic nerve is almost 3 feet long and it goes from the bottom of your spine down the back of your leg, right down to the tips of your toes. It is the biggest nerve in your body. Sciatica pain is most often caused by a bulging disk.

As the disk bulges it can cause irritation of the sciatic nerve, which causes the pain. People can actually have bulging disks and not experience any pain, but when there is pain, it can be quite extreme. The pain runs through your buttocks and down the back of your thigh. The pain only occurs on one side of your body.

People are frequently misdiagnosed and back pain is often labeled as sciatica. In reality, there are many other conditions that can cause back and leg pain. It is only sciatica if the sciatic nerve is actually irritated. If the nerve is not irritated it is some other condition.

Your doctor can perform tests to determine if your pain is actually sciatica or something else. It is important to get the problem accurately diagnosed quickly in order to provide the proper treatment.

Anyone who has ever suffered from sciatica knows how excruciating this pain can be. If you have sciatica the only thing on your mind is to find a way to relieve sciatic nerve pain.

Prescription drugs to relieve pain are expensive, can have potentially dangerous side effects, and may even be addictive. And if you don’t relieve the underlying problem you will suffer from continual pain and discomfort. You won’t be able to stay on the pills forever… And then what?

It is always better to get the proper diagnosis and treatment for your pain, by addressing the cause and not just relieving the symptoms. It is better to fix the problem than to simply alleviate the pain with dangerous medication.

Many people would rather find natural forms of pain relief and prevention instead of using drugs that just mask the pain but don’t do anything to cure the problem.

Keeping your muscles flexible and strong with exercise can help prevent and alleviate sciatica. Also any low impact activities such as walking and swimming can help by increasing blood circulation. Riding a bike will increase circulation too, but you must be careful that the seated position does not irritate the sciatic nerve.

A better option for many sciatica sufferers is to use various physical therapy exercises to help reduce or prevent pain. Many people have had great success in keeping sciatica pain to a minimum by performing stretching, yoga, pilates, or a combination of all three into their daily routine.

The stretching exercises will help keep your muscles loose and increase the amount of space in between each vertebra. Stretching back, buttock, and leg muscles can relieve sciatica. Stretching the psoas muscle is very important too.

Many health care professionals also recommend exercises to strengthen the lower back muscles. The idea is to form a ‘muscular girdle’ that will help keep your discs in proper alignment. And the exercise will provide the added benefit of improving your overall health.

Please remember that there are many different ways to relieve sciatic nerve pain. Find one or more, methods that work for you. Your body and mind will thank you!

Sciatic nerve pain is not considered as a disease. In fact, the term is used to describe a given to a set of symptoms, thereby referred to as sciatica symptoms. Not all people who are suffering from the sciatica symptoms are the same and they are not triggered by the same causes. Numerous sciatica treatment and sciatica exercises are available nowadays are these remedies would therefore depend on the sufferer’s case. The first step in learning ways to overcome and treat the pain caused by sciatica would be to figure out what forms of exercise improves the pain for you.

Diagnosis

Many sufferers say that the pain occurs when they are either sitting or standing in the same position for long hours. Most of these people have a job that requires sitting and standing for a long period of time. For some sufferers, the pain may start when they simply bend or lift heavy objects. Sciatica may also happen in the form of a weakness, numbness, tingling or burning sensation in the muscles in a person’s legs. According to experts, in most cases, the sciatic nerve pain is felt only on one side.

An accurate diagnosis of the cause of this condition is necessary to identify the specific affected area and get the appropriate treatment. Usually these movements during your ordinary day can trigger your sciatica. You need to figure out what usually causes the pain and you should avoid them as much as possible. The causes may include simple bending or picking up something. It is important that you should avoid lifting heavy objects and walking in rough strides.

At present, there are simple steps to treat the condition and sufferers can be able to get sciatic nerve pain relief. If you experience the lower back pain frequently, it is very important that you should know the movements that cause the condition. The goal of exercises for sciatic nerve is to determine the root cause of the condition. These exercises are created depending on the spinal condition that may have caused the pain. A sufferer cannot start with the exercises unless they have acquired an accurate diagnostic that confirms the cause of the pain. Having a regular exercise can significantly improve the back muscle and helps to reduce swelling on the affected nerve root. However, there are different other forms of sciatica exercises that can prevent future occurrence of the condition.

Second only to the severe back ache associated with sciatica is the hip and leg pain that usually is a second symptom. Sciatic Nerve Treatments that don’t include therapy for your hips and legs are not likely to succeed and that’s a sure thing.

It’s good to remember that treatment for sciatic nerve pain is not a quick-fix. There are no miracles connected with this kind of therapy. When the back ache extends into the hips and legs the agony can be so great that all you really want is to get rid of your symptoms now and not think much of a long-term cure. In short, a lot of people look at the now and never the future. Clearly, however, the very best therapies are oriented toward relieving the reason for the anguish not just relieving the pain for the short-term.

Often, when pains in the hips and legs begin when there is no back ache associated with that pain, a lot of people think is it temporary or, worse, they don’t really take into account the proven fact that there can be a serious reason for this pain. A visit to the pharmacy, some over-the-counter pain medication, for instance, Tylenol or naproxen, and the pain seems to vanish for a while. Apply a bit of heat or some ice to the affected spot and pain of the past, until, that is, it returns with a vengeance.

As there are more than one reason behind hip and leg pain, it is best to seek your doctor’s advice early and not try to self-medicate. You could have a serious issue associated with arthritis, or you will have a torn ligament or torn cartilage. In unusual cases your pain could be triggered by bone tumors. Or you pain may belong to the broad concept of sciatica, abnormal pressure about the sciatic nerve inducing the sensation of sharp, possibly knife-like pain shooting out of your hip to your toes. In short, it is advisable to discover the reason for your hip and leg pain before you self-medicate simply because, usually, there is a specific therapy or group of options that are shown to work with each reason for pain.

Assuming, for the moment, your hip and leg pain is triggered by abnormal pressure about the sciatic nerve. Is that pressure the effect of a herniated or bulging disc? The consequence of spinal stenosis? Or is the anguish caused by an inflammatory reaction of the Piriformis muscle? Knowing the main cause indicates the kind of therapy which will work most effectively for you personally.

When the reason behind your sciatic hip and leg pain is because of a structural defect like a herniated disc, stenosis or perhaps a tumor, surgical intervention is nearly always the correct choice. Today, many procedures can be obtained which are only modestly invasive and some even enable you to walk out of of the hospital the very day of surgery. Your doctor can advise you on the best surgical option.

Many triggers for sciatic nerve pain aren’t, however, structural, rather those are the result of a personal injury or even the inflammation of one or even more muscles in the hips and legs. There are many treatments available to you for coping with the anguish and bringing about a long-term remedy for your pain.

I am in support of choosing the least invasive therapy first and of course, if that does not seem to work, turn to the more radical approaches. Personally, the place to start is with physical therapy. Learning a fundamental set of stretching and strengthening methods for the core muscles of the back and stomach is often all that is required to create an entire cure and avoid any recurrence of the pain. Accompanied by acupuncture, meditation and, even, Yoga, a combination of stretching and meditation, being active is the simplest approach to the situation.

Your doctor may choose to add a muscle relaxant and maybe a pain medication prescription but most will only do if you are actively involved in physical therapy. Prescription pain medication like Ultram and muscle relaxants are for short-term use while learning to stretch your muscles by yourself. When strengthening and stretching your core takes over, the inflammation that was causing your sciatica goes away, there is no longer pressure on the nerve and, as long as you continue the exercise, it really is unlikely to recur.

There are also some herbal therapies that behave as muscle relaxants along with natural ointments that help relax your muscles too.

My point is simple. Get an analysis from your doctor before deciding which of the many sciatic nerve treatments meets your needs. Once you have a diagnosis, work with your doctor to find a treatment or set of treatment plans that you as well as your doctor are comfortable with. Then go out and carry out these therapies. If they’re not working, reassess, and try a rather more radical approach. Reassess and repeat until you find the right strategy to you. Each step of the way is a step toward an answer.

There are a great variety of sciatica exercises for you to choose from, but if your sciatica pain is significant then you will want stick to simple exercises. It is better to stick to a couple of basic exercises than a series of complicated exercises.

To find out which exercises would work well for you. You want to find out if you have sciatica which has been caused by lumbar disc herniation or if you are suffering from pirformis syndrome which creates sciatica like symptoms but is caused by too much contraction by muscles in the buttocks.

The way to find out the difference is to do a few simple tests. While sitting try to straighten your knee on the painful side, until your leg is parallel to the ground. If this causes you to suffer pain, then probably you are suffering form sciatica which has been caused by a disc problem.

If you find you are suffering from real sciatica then you should find relief through the basic McKenzie extension exercise. This exercise is performed by lying face down on a firm surface and then propping yourself up on your elbows, creating an increase in the curve of the lower back. Getting into this position may be painful at first, but within about 30 seconds, most people will notice a decrease in the severity or the range of the sciatica, or both. When the pain is lessening away from the spine you are improving.

Remember the key to finding a remedy for sciatica pain is exercising regularly. Most people can find the motivation to start exercising. The pain itself is a great motivator! But what will make the real difference in your life is the ability to stick with the exercises day in day out forever. Once the pain is gone most people will give up exercising but this is only a temporary respite. The exercise has done its work and the pain has gone but it is only temporary. People who give up exercising at this point often discover the pain returns with a vengeance. The key to true pain relief is consistency.

Exercise is not only great at giving relief to the symptoms it also helps to address the root causes as well. By strengthening the back and abdominal muscles you are less likely to suffer further back pain. As well as this your susceptibility to future pain is markedly decreased.