Treat Sciatica

Sciatica is most commonly caused by a slipped disc in the lower back, some form of arthritis, or a pinched nerve. It begins with back pain, followed by calf or hamstring pain, and sometimes included numbness in the toes. Forms of sciatica, resulting from inflammation get better with time, healing themselves. However, bed rest is not the best way to treat sciatica. It is shown that remaining active and performing exercises that are not weight bearing can help. Given time, even herniated spinal discs can heal.

Treatment for sciatica is varied. It is only possible to find out what treatment is best for you by going to your doctor for an accurate diagnosis. Your doctor may order an MRI to conclude the exact cause of sciatic pain, although many physicians can determine the cause through physical examination alone.

Proper stretching and exercising, combined with over-the-counter pain medications can assist on the road to recovery. If your pain is not relieved by the milder pain medications, your doctor may prescribe a naroctic analgesic. However be advised that these medications can cause nausea, dizziness, and drowsiness, and may result in dependency if taken over long periods of time. In extreme cases, surgery may be required to remove fragment of the disc.

It is important to stay active. Do exercises that develop muscles in your back and stomach. This helps to stablilize your spine. It is also important to maintain a reasonable body weight. Ensure that you practice good posture, and sleep on a mattress that is neither too hard or too soft. You should always discuss health matters with your physician, especially if you suffer progressive weakness, as this may constitute a medical emergency. The problem thought to be something easily treated may be a serious condition caused by the compression of the nerve roots in the lower end ofthe spinal canal, which requires immediate medical attention.

Amanda Baker

Amanda Baker writes for http://tobeinformed.com

Sciatica tends to cause pain in the specific area of the back. That is, in the lower back and the hip area. It is due to Sciatica and Sacroiliac joint dysfunction. Pregnancy related back pain mostly occurs in the mid to lower back.

There is no cut and dry method to treat sciatica. You have to decide the line of treatment in consultation with your physician. Patience is the watch word, in deciding and following a particular course of treatment. Even in extreme cases of pain, over the counter medications for sciatica need to be avoided. When you are pregnant, this remedy could be worst than the disease.

Therapeutic bath is however good for curing sciatica pain. Fill the immersion bath tub with 135 liters of hot water at 400 C. Put 1 to 2 kilograms of Epsom salt in the hot water and it will dissolve within minutes. The patient is expected to drink a glass of cold water and have the head covered with a cold towel. Now, how to lie over the tub? This procedure is to be done under the supervision of a therapeutic bath specialist.

Apart from the sciatica pain, this bath is supposed to be a panacea, for rheumatism, neuritis, kidney disorders and other types of skin infections. About the precautions to be taken for this bath, avoid the bath one hour before the meal and three hours after the meal. The water to be used for the bath must be clean, and the water once used, should not be used again. Watch the temperature of the water and the duration of the bath carefully and do not go over the prescribed limits. During pregnancy this bath can be taken only till the third month.

For proper control of the sciatica pain during pregnancy, decide the days schedule by applying proper thought. Plan the way you will walk, you will sit, when to use the pillow, the type of bed, the schedule for taking food and all such things. Let there be total discipline in your life. Select and do some of the most friendly yoga exercises, But do it in consultation with your physiotherapist.

To read more articles on Backpain basics, backpain relief during pregnancy, Backpain Treatment and Backpain Symptoms visit http://www.backpaindetails.com/pain/

Javier Fuller

The author writes articles on different topics. To get more Sciatica & pregnancy articles visit http://www.backpaindetails.com/pain/

Learn To Recognize Sciatica Symptoms. You may be one of the estimated 30% of the

population that suffers from sciatica? Learning how to recognize the sciatica symptoms is the first step in understanding this troubling disease and knowing how to

treat it.

Most of us have a vague idea of what sciatica is. If you know anything, it may be that sciatica is some sort of pinched nerve and lower back problem that afflicts the over-40 crowd.

But there is more to sciatica than that, and some of it might surprise you.

What is Sciatica? In clinical terms, sciatica is pain resulting from irritation of the sciatic nerve . It is usually caused by one of three things: piriformis syndrome, irritation of the sacroiliac, or herniated disc.

Piriformis syndrome occurs when the piriformis (or large muscle inside your butt) gets irritated, swells and squeezes your sciatic nerve. Piriformis syndrome is literally a ‘pain in the butt’.

Irritation of the sacrum ligaments (called sacro-iliac) - The sacrum is a bony wedge that sits at the base of your spine and keeps your pelvis in place. Whats strange about it is that there are no muscles to hold it in place–only ligaments–which means that your sacrum depends on body balance and alignment to stay in place. Its easy to see then, that if your hips or pelvis get nudged out of alignment, those ligaments will twist and turn, causing sharp, excruciating pain in the pelvis, hip and numbness down the leg.

A herniated disc happens when the outer wall of a disc in your back ruptures and allows the pulp of the disc to squeeze out and rake against the largest nerve in your body (the sciatic nerve). Ouch! Lots of things can cause the disc to erupt, but for the most part, the disc starts with a tiny, insignificant tear that left alone would heal. But under pressure that outer wall (called the ‘annulus fibrosis’) gets squeezed and pinched, until it cannot hold any longer. The wall ruptures!

How Sciatica Happens at Any Age There is a long list of scenarios and lifestyles that can create the kind of torque needed to twist your sacroiliac, irritate your piriformis and burst the wall of a disc. But chief among them are: leaning to one side, sitting on uneven surfaces, straining with one leg over and over again, and recovering from knee surgery. A 45-year-old man driving an 18-wheeler 10 to 12 hours a day, day after day. A thirty-something woman standing in front of a class of fifth graders while leaning on one leg, year after year.

Whats interesting is that, with all we know today about ergonomics and back strain, youre probably not surprised that truck drivers and teachers get sciatica at a pretty steady clip. But what about the hip hop crowd? Those 16-year-old boys with their oversized pants slung low and cool with deep pockets. Those pants have created a whole generation of young men who sit tipped sideways atop their wallets. Day after day, hour after hour, they are tipping their backs out of alignment, and putting their sciatic nerve under intense pressure.

Treating the Symptoms or the Root Cause? You have a lot of choices when it comes to treating sciatica, and each depends on where the symptoms originate. Some choose surgery to fix a herniated disc, some choose steroid shots poked directly into their hip to get at the piriformis. Others choose anti-inflammatories to reduce swelling around their sacroiliac ligaments. But none of those treatments gets to the ROOT of the problem.

As mentioned above, all sciatic nerve problems have similar symptoms: pain in the lower back or pelvic area and numbness down one leg. But the ROOT of all of them is EXACLTY the same — a body out of alignment. And for that, Structural Integration is the only answer. Structural Integration (SI) is designed to relieve pain AND to get inside and fix the root cause of the problem. I approach clients in a 10-session methodology to systematically relax and loosen muscle, ligaments, tendons, etc. layer-by-layer. With each session and each layer, I move closer to the CAUSE of your pain until I am able to gently reach in and untwist myofascial adhesios and fibrotic ligaments. This approach also soothes muscles in spasm and takes pressure off discs. Then I will realign your pelvis, back, hips, knees, feet and more, until they settle into perfect alignment. Your back, leg, and pelvis will balance, and you wont live in fear of the next time your sciatica will flare up - because it wont.

_____________________________________________________________________ 1. MedicineNet.com; What is Sciatica? - http://www.medicinenet.

Joe Ackerman, Rolf Practitioner
Im Joe Ackerman a Rolf Structural Integrator trained through the CORE Institute and owner of Core Structural Therapy. I am a professional member of the International Association Of Structural Integrators, and certified by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage. and Bodywork Professionals. I have obtained several advanced certifications in Orthopedic Massage and Rolf Structural Integration.

Learn To Recognize Sciatica Symptoms. You may be one of the estimated 30% of the

population that suffers from sciatica? Learning how to recognize the sciatica symptoms is the first step in understanding this troubling disease and knowing how to

treat it.

Sciatica exercises focus on strengthening the abdominal and back muscles. These exercises include stretching, which helps in improving the flexibility of the back muscles, resulting in reduced pain. Doctors recommend different exercises for sciatica patients, depending on the cause of sciatica, which can also occur due to serious medical conditions such as an infection or tumor. One has to do these exercises regularly and in a proper manner in order to derive maximum benefit in back pain.

Exercising regularly not only helps in the treatment of sciatica-related pain, but also helps in the prevention of any such problems in the future. The most common sciatica exercises that are recommended for the treatment of sciatica-related pain are the Hamstring stretching exercises. The hamstrings are the muscles located in the back of the thigh and help in bending the knee. You must also perform exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles in order to get relief from the sciatica pain.

For more information on Back Pain please click http://www.backpain-resources-online.com

Saurabh Jain
Saurabh Jain is the Executive Editor of Online Back Pain Resource. He has developed this site to provide valuable information to people suffering from back pain. This site enumerates different causes and factors related to back pain. For more information please visit http://www.backpain-resources-online.com

If you suffer from sciatica, you are all too aware of the symptoms.

You are in pain and experience the sharp, severe pain deep in your lower back. It will often extend through your buttock, and shooting down into your leg. If you are like most sciatica sufferers, the pain may often be intermittent and related to your activities and your physical activity. Possibly when you lie down and get some rest, and the symptoms improve for a while.

Sometomes lying down is not an option. Sometimes it is imperative that you remain active and simply suffer what may come from your sciatica condition. There nmay be some good news though. Certain forms of exercise can actually be helpful in managing the painful symptoms of sciatica. 

Which Exercises for Sciatica

First, exercise in general will help with sciatica and back pain. The longer you stay immobile, the more your muscles will contract and deteriorate. It is important to keep moving as much as you can, even when you are suffering from the pain of sciatica.

In addition, there are specific exercises for sciatica that can be helpful in preventing or at least managing the condition. Exercises for sciatica can be done during a presacribed course of physical therapy, but exercises for sciatica are usually done by the patient solitarily, in the comfort and privacy of the patient’s home.

The best exercises for sciatica are the ones that stretch and strengthen the areas affected by the disease. One or more of the following mild exercises for sciatica may prove effective in managing your sciatica pain.

Heel slides are exercises performed while lying on your back. Slide your heel toward your buttocks, slowly bending and straightening the knee. Do approximately 8 repetitions on each side.

Abdominal Contractions are also performed while lying on your back with your knees bent. Move as if you are holding a sponge between your belly button and your spine. Contract your abdominal muscles, as if you are squeezing the water out of your imaginary sponge. Hold the squeeze for five seconds and then relax. Do  about 8 repetitions for this one also.

Straight Leg Raise are performed while lying on your back with one knee bent, the other leg straight. Tighten your abdominal muscles to support your lower back, and lift the straight leg straight up. Maintain it six to twelve inches off the ground for one to five seconds. Slowly lower your leg to the ground. Repeat 8 times on each side.

After finding it relatively comfortable to perform these exercises for sciatica, you may move on to an intermediate exercise.

The hamstring stretch is performed while on your back with knees bent. Grasp one thigh behind the knee. Supporting the leg, slowly straighten the knee until you feel the muscles stretch down the back of your thigh. Hold the stretch for 15 to 20 seconds. Again, perform approximately 8 repetitions on each side.

The jury is out and many sciatica sufferers are waiting for the verdict. They simply want to know definitively if glucosamine supplementation will help treat the condition of sciatica. What has sparked all the debate and interest in the issue. There have been several recent claims heralding the benefits of using glucosamine sulphate.

It is being reported that it is a very effective joint lubricant that will resolve a number of health conditions and specific claims that it will facilitate treatment of the sciatica condition . In an effort to answer the big question, does glucosamine help sciatica, we need to know more about glucosamine and what it application can be best applied to our system.

A Naturally Produced Amino Acid

It is well known that glucosamine is an amino sugar that is produced naturally and which is also found in small quantities in foods. The significance of glucosamine to us is the fact that it helps in maintaining the gel like state of cartilage that connects bone segments and lines our joints.

To date, there is no definitive data available that confirms the effectiveness of using glucosamine specifically in treatment of sciatica. current research data does not answer the question - “does glucosamine help sciatica?” However there is an ever growing contingent of sciatica sufferers that on using the supplement, declare firmly that it is and effective treatment for the condition.

Some suggest that perhaps the effectiveness of glucosamine is enhanced when taken in combination with a variety of other supplements that promote healthy bones and joints. In any case, the general feeling with regard to that question, “does glucosamine help sciatica?” is “yes it is indeed beneficial in treatment of the condition.”

A number of studies conducted on the subject in various countries of the world point to the fact that glucosamine does in fact provide benefits. This in fact has even led to a few countries in the world to sanction using glucosamine for treating ailments such as osteoarthritis.

Are there other factors to consider when making trying to answer the question “does glucosamine help sciatica?” Well it may or may not be beneficial  but is clearly evident that there are no serious side effects associated with taking glucosamine, when consumed in quantities suggested as  supplemental.

It has been suggested that if you are a diabetic that is suffering from sciatic pain, you need to closely monitor any effect that glucosamine may have related to your blood sugar levels.

To date, the primary use of glucosamine is in treating of arthritis. The US FDA has initiated studies with the intention of clearly determining whether taking glucosamine is in fact useful when treating arthritis. A number of claims made by users of glucosamine proclaim there are notable benefits in the treatment of osteoarthritis observing that it helps control pain in the back, and suggesting that it would also be quite beneficial in treating sciatic pain.

In looking for a general observation, it would be safe to say that though there is no hard and fast answer to that question “does glucosamine helps sciatica?”, there are nevertheless benefits to be had by taking glucosamine for treating your sciatic problem.

Sufferers of sciatica surely pray daily for a cure to relieve the constant pain and misery caused by this common condition. Any cure is specific to determination of the cause. In the case of sciatica the causes appear to be numerous. Unfortunately today many people are suffering from sciatica pain and there are a number of treatments available that provide relief from the condition. The effectiveness varies and relates directly to the causes. All too often relief is only short term and the misery returns. 

Not A Permanent Cure

It remains quite frustrating that most so called cures are not cures at all. It can best be described as interim relief. Choosing inappropriately labelled cures for sciatica may well actually result in being cured permanently. Many of the so called cures that available are no more than temporary relief of pain and symptoms that result from the true cause of the condition that remains untreated. As you may well imagine, people constantly experiencing pain, immobility and the inability to perform normal daily functions, are quite eager to grasp at any potential solution that could relieve those symptoms. They may achieve an acceptable degree of pain relief but do nothing to treat the cause of that pain.

There is however a contingent of the population that believes one of the cures for sciatica is engaging in a routine of exercises that treat the mind and body. Among the most popular of such techniques you may recognize the practices of Yoga and Pilates. These are said to be beneficial not only to the ill but also the healthy among us.

In addition, you will find offered self-mobilization classes in which you will be taught to eliminate stress and pain by developing mind control of the body. Another suggested cure for sciatica is routinely performing natural exercises which have been designed to not only relieves the pain from your sciatica problem, but will also make you a fitter person. It is a popular belief that you should routinely stretch and exercise your muscles. It has been said that muscles that have been allowed to deteriorate through inactivity, damage the sciatica and thus cause you more unwanted sciatica pain.

At this time all the answers are not on the table. Some turn to natural cures for sciatica that may prove only temporary relief for the sciatica nerve condition. Some people seek the help of a doctor and follow his recommendations to achieve relief from the symptoms of sciatica. You may wish to conduct your own personal research utilizing a variety of the methods mentioned above to determine which method will provide the most effective relief from the pain you are suffering. In the end a true cure must treat the cause of the pain. The pain is merely a symptom. Although many causes have been identified, efforts will continue to establish better treatments that provide permanent relief and long term elimination of the cause.

Several conditions can cause irritation of the sciatica resulting any one of these conditions can create extreme pain for the person suffering them. The sciatic nerve travels from the base of your spine in your lower back, down through the pelvic area, continuing down through your leg and into to your foot. Any trauma or aggravation that affects the sciatic nerve at any point will create pain down your leg and sometimes that pain can impair function. The causes of sciatica usually relate directly to the bone formations and associated muscles located in your lower back or your pelvis. Any actions that cause these bone structures to move out of alignment will place pressure or strain on the large sciatic nerve resulting in considerable pain and misery. One very common cause of sciatica pain is the compression of the spine in the lower back near the L4 and the L5 vertebra region. Usually this is the result of some sort of trauma or strain to that area that causes a disc hernia. The tissue in the disc will bulge out and press up against the nerve causing considerable pain or possibly the nerve simply becomes pinched by the herniated disc causing pain as well. It is not always spinal trauma that is the primary cause of sciatica. In some cases there is severe deterioration of the disc that eventually causes the nerve to be exposed to unprotected bone surfaces and unrestricted bone movement causes the nerve to be pinched in between the two bones. These conditions of the spine are the more common causes of sciatica and they are treated in a variety of ways ranging from therapy to surgery. In less common cases the sciatic nerve becomes pinched regions of the back and also in the pelvic area. Although this cause is generally not as common, as with all conditions causing sciatic pain, it can be extremely painful and require immediate attention to correct the cause and bring about pain relief. In more unusual circumstances, the cause of sciatica may be from the sciatic nerve twisting around muscle groups within the pelvis or lower back area. On movement of these muscles they can stimulate severe pain to the entire sciatic nerve. This form of sciatica can be one of the most difficult conditions to treat. A doctor may prescribe medications that can help reduce the inflammation to areas surrounding the nerve and putting pressure onto the sciatica nerve. A combination of rest and anti-inflammatory medications may be all that is needed to treat the problem, but in some instances surgery or therapy may be required. Most patients prefer the more conservative treatments for sciatica that include anti-inflammatory medications, limiting physical activity that may aggravate the condition, and resting to promote the healing process.

Sciatica pain may be experienced anywhere from the lower back to the calves, creating constant, nagging pain. The sciatic nerve, the longest in the body, originates in the lower back and runs downward in the back of each leg continuing to the toes of each foot. If this nerve has become aggravated due to injury or illness, the pain can radiate into wider areas of the body. Sufferers of this condition may not always realize that calf soreness and sciatica pain are a common issue.

Many Types of Sciatica Pain

Due to the fact that the sciatic nerve ranges over a large portion of the body, and will be found in such a variety of body masses, it is not surprising that the pain of sciatica irritation may be described quite differently from person to person. Many people suffering the condition complain of a sharp pain that originates in the lower back and travels downward into the leg, often through to the toes. Numbness and tingling of the feet is commonly reported in the cases. 

There are many occurrences where calf soreness is experienced but is not immediately attributed to sciatica. This sometimes delays correct treatment that targets the true source of the pain. Sometimes people associate calf soreness to unusual physical activity or improper footwear, but sciatica should be considered a possible cause of any extended period of discomfort.

Methods to Relieve Calf Soreness

When it has been determined that the soreness in your calves is caused by sciatica aggravation, there are several treatments that will provide relief. For immediate pain relief, common pain relief medications such as ibuprofen or aspirin can help. Long term treatment may require that persons suffering calf soreness and sciatica pain seek a more permanent solution.

Yoga exercises have been shown to strengthen muscles in the affected regions and may the key to long term relief from sciatica pain. The success of yoga has been directly proportionate to the severity of the sciatica condition. It has also be suggested that Yoga must be practiced regularly for an extended period of time to be of significant benefit. 

However with regular practice, yoga can reduce both the pain and the number of flare-ups. For calf soreness, a qualified yoga instructor can suggest specific postures and movements that will relieve sciatica pain and promote long term relief.

Typically this will be accomplished by addressing three key issues. Initially the cause for aggravation to the nerve must be addressed to eliminate the immediate cause and reduce the pain. This would typically be followed by proper muscle alignment and muscle conditioning exercises. Often a primary component of the long term treatment involves aligning the pelvis and spine which could require from six months up to a year.

That should be followed up by routine exercises to maintain proper tone and muscle conditioning.

Many persons find that practising yoga to ease sciatica pain and the soreness of calf muscles results in more than merely treating the pain. Additional benefits include improved overall mental and physical health that will benefit the entire body.

A highly recommended treatment for sciatica is acupuncture, a practice that comes from Chinese medicine.  In the early stages of the condition acupressure has been proven to be effective. The success is not quite so evident when observing patients that are experiencing more severe pain. At that stage sufferers may benefit more by undergoing the stronger stimulation of acupuncture for sciatica relief.

Sciatica pain is notably worse during cold or damp weather and as is the case with most forms of arthritis that cause this type of pain.  Acupuncture for Sciatica is definitely considered beneficial under these conditions although it sometimes produces better results when accompanied by additional forms of treatment. One of these treatments termed moxibustion requires the application of heat to the acupoints and internal applications utilizing herbal drinks. 

The Acupuncture Process

When undergoing the process of Acupuncture for Sciatica, fine needles are inserted along the pathway of pain to transfer the Qi energy locally.  The Qi is a fundamental concept of traditional Chinese culture. It is a presence within every living thing. These ancient practices believe this is the life force or the spiritual energy of each living being. Acupuncture stimulates an increased movement of the Qi energy in order to displace the pain.  Typically the urinary bladder area is used as the central point of application, although on occasion other points in the body are targeted as key points to apply treatment.

Electric Stimulation

Electric stimulation is a recent technique used in the application of Acupuncture for Sciatica.  This stimulation is applied to the needles and passed through the leg, so that the body experiences a greater amount of stimulation.  It is more often used in modern acupuncture clinics, but is not considered part of the traditional Chinese medicine. With the help of short bursts of electricity the local nerves are stimulated.  There is no pain and the electrical shock is is not experienced by the client. As a result of the over-stimulation of the sciatica, pain sensations that travels through those nerves are also diminished.

Ear Acupuncture

Ear Acupuncture for Sciatica has also become a more common practice.  When the needles are removed from the ears, so called seeds are then inserted so that the stimulation supply to those points will continue. Sometimes magnets are used instead of seeds. These magnets can be worn for several days at a time. It is important that good hygiene is practiced to avoid any infection caused by dirt or bacteria collecting at the ear seeds.  

Some people are prone to a condition where the muscles of the back are subject to frequent cramping. This has been labelled acute back spasm syndrome. For this condition, Acupuncture for Sciatica has often proved effective when applied quickly.  If the occurrences are more chronic, an ongoing acupuncture program may be required to achieve long term relief. This is commonly accompanied by Oriental medicine derived from different herbs. Once the sciatic pain has been reduced by acupuncture, exercises are often recommended to give strength to the back and abdominal muscles.

Acupuncture for Sciatica is often quite effective and is often the preferred option over surgery.  Although proven effective, steroids or even non steroidal drugs can have a wide range of side effects. Avoiding these drugs, pain relievers and surgery makes acupuncture an attractive option.

In order to apply the correct treatment utilizing Acupuncture for Sciatic pain, the sufferer requires a thorough examination to determine the exact imbalance the patient is experiencing. Careful examination and diagnosis is therefore necessary, before Acupuncture for Sciatica is considered.  Benefits of this form of treatment include less pain in the recovery process and potentially reduced costs.