Category: sciatica

sciatica

Why there is a burning sensation on the leg when you have sciatica? How to stop this sensation?

S Bara

The burning sensation occurs when the direct pressure on the spinal cord compresses the sciatic nerve, as well as tight muscles from the buttocks and upper thigh. Typically, pain can be worse in the leg than in the back. Symptoms vary depending on how severe the pressure is, but the pain can be described as sharp, shooting, and even burning pain.

How to stop the sciatica nerve pain from burning and when to see the doctor?

Alternating heat and ice therapy can provide immediate relief of sciatic nerve pain. Ice can help reduce inflammation, while heat encourages blood flow to the painful area (which speeds healing). Heat and ice may also help ease painful muscle spasms that often accompany sciatica.

Over-the-counter (OTC) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may help ease sciatica symptoms. NSAIDs bear the health risk, make sure to discuss their safety with your doctor first.

Whether you are working at your desk or relaxing at home, if you stay in the same position for too long, you might find that your sciatica pain spikes. Varying your posture every 20 minutes can help take pressure off your spine and reduce your sciatica symptoms.

Incorporate gentle stretching into your daily routine. Stretching is an excellent way to improve your spinal flexibility and range of motion while also building core and spinal strength. Plus, most stretches are simple enough to be done while watching the news.

If at-home therapies don’t help you, it may be time to see your personal doctor. If you experience any of the following, please see your doctor as soon as possible:

  • You have loss of bowel and/or bladder control
  • Your pain gets worse, even when using at-home therapies
  • You have severe pain in your low back and legs
  • Your pain doesn’t improve after 2 weeks
  • You experience nerve-related symptoms, such as weakness, numbness, tingling, or electric shock-like pain

Whatever the reason, some sciatica symptoms truly warrant medical attention. In rare cases, delaying medical care could lead to or cause permanent nerve damage. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sciatica/

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Benefit of massage for sciatica, sciatica

SCIATICA & BENEFIT OF MASSAGE FOR SCIATICA

S Bara

Sciatica is the term used to refer to pain along the sciatic nerve, which extends from lower back, through hips and buttocks, and down each leg.

Sciatica can range in severity from mild to severe. It is often accompanied by other symptoms, including numbness, tingling, or weakness in the affected leg and foot.

BENEFITS OF MASSAGE FOR SCIATICA

Massage’s main benefit is soothing tense muscles. When your muscles are tense, they can put more pressure on your nerves, including your sciatic nerve. Massaging these tense muscles may help to reduce pressure on your sciatic nerve.

Soft tissue massage may also help to increase your pain threshold by stimulating the release of endorphins. Endorphins boost pleasure and relieve pain, causing an increased feeling of well-being. They are also released during exercise.

TYPE OF MASSAGE FOR SCIATICA

There are several types of massage therapy. There isn’t much evidence that one type is more beneficial for sciatica pain than another, so choosing one comes down to personal preference. Here’s a look at some of the most common types.

  • Deep tissue massage

A deep tissue massage is an aggressive form of massage that uses slow strokes and deep finger pressure to release tension from your muscles and connective tissues. A 2014 clinical study https://www.hindawi.com/journals/tswj/2014/287597/ found that a 30-minute session of deep tissue massage five days a week over two weeks was found to effectively treat low back pain, including sciatica.

  • Swedish massage

Swedish massage doesn’t use as much pressure as deep tissue massage. Instead, flowing, kneading movements are used to stimulate nerve endings in your connective tissue and increase blood flow. It also helps to release general tension and promote relaxation.

  • Neuromuscular massage

Neuromuscular massage uses advanced massage techniques that combine deep tissue pressure and friction to release contracted muscles and relieve tension.

  • Myofascial release

Myofascial release is a technique used to relieve pain that stems from your myofascial tissues — the tough membrane that surrounds and supports your muscles. Focused pressure and stretching on the trigger points help to reduce pain and stiffness.

  • Hot stone massage

The hot stone massage is used to promote relaxation and ease tense muscles. Heated stones are placed on specific parts of your body and may be held by the massage therapist while they use Swedish massage techniques. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sciatica/

Piriformis syndrome, sciatica

PAIN THAT RUNS OUTSIDE THE HIP AND GETS WORSE WHEN RUNNING OR WALKING UP THE STAIRS. CAN IT BE SCIATICA AND PIRIFORMIS SYNDROME?

S Bara

It could be related to sciatica or it could be piriformis syndrome. Sciatica nerve roots come out of the spinal column low in the back and then pass behind the hip joint. Piriformis syndrome: The piriformis muscle typically runs on top of the sciatic nerve in the buttocks and can compress the sciatic nerve if the muscle becomes too tight. The symptoms may get worse after sitting for a long time, walking upstairs, walking, or running. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sciatica/

sciatica

How to cope with sciatica pain while driving?

S Bara
  • Get some extra support. Utilising lumbar support will be key in helping those suffering from sciatica pain.
  • Don’t hunch forward when driving.
  • Check your driving positions.
  • Be careful how you get in and out of the car.
  • Drive for short periods.
  • Take frequent breaks and get out of the car during break time.
  • Do your stretches.
  • Choose the right car.
  • Utilise heat pads. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sciatica/
sciatica

WHY SCIATICA PAIN IS WORSE AT NIGHT & HOW TO SLEEP BETTER AT NIGHT WHEN YOU HAVE SCIATICA?

S Bara

Below are some of the possible causes of sciatica pain at night:

Attention and Distraction

You may simply be more aware of your pain at night when there is less to distract you from it. This doesn’t mean the pain isn’t real — it is — only that you may be noticing it more at night than you do when you have other things to occupy your mind.

Body Position

When you lay down, the weight of your body may put pressure on your nerves in ways that it doesn’t when you’re upright. This is particularly common with sciatica and other chronic pain caused by pinched or compressed nerves.

Temperature

Cooler temperatures help many people sleep better. However, cold can also make sciatica pain worse.

Medication Timing and Dosage

The medications that control your pain well during the day may be wearing off too soon at night. You may then need a different dose at night.

HOW TO SLEEP BETTER WITH SCIATICA PAIN?

Try Sleeping in Different Positions

If your sciatica pain is caused by pinched or compressed nerves, adjusting your sleep position may relieve some of the pressure. For example, people with sciatica who prefer to sleep on their side often find it helpful to sleep with their affected leg on top. People with hip or knee pain may find relief by sleeping with a pillow between their legs.

Adjust the Temperature

Experiment with different room temperatures when you sleep. It may take some time to find the best temperature for you: cool enough to help you sleep, not cold enough to make your pain worse.

Get Appropriate Exercise During the Day

Exercise during the day can help reduce some kinds of chronic pain, and it may help you rest better too.

Practice Good Sleep Habits

While the day’s stimulations may distract you from your pain, they won’t help you sleep. Develop a sleep routine that helps prepare your body for rest. This might include turning off the TV and other screens 1-2 hours before bedtime, reading a book, or taking a warm bath.

Prepare Your Mind for Rest

The stress of chronic pain can make it even harder to rest. Try meditation or deep breathing exercises to lower your stress and help reduce your perception of pain. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sciatica/

How Doctors diagnose sciatica?, sciatica

FIRST VISIT TO A DOCTOR WHEN YOU SUFFER WITH SCIATICA, WHAT QUESTIONS ARE LIKELY TO BE ASKED BY YOUR DOCTOR IN THIS FIRST VISIT? HOW DOCTORS DIAGNOSE SCIATICA?

S Bara

The first thing your doctor probably will do during the first visit is asking questions about your back pain. Your doctor will ask questions like:

  • Do you have numbness or weakness in your legs?
  • Do certain positions help your discomfort? 
  • Has the pain kept you from doing any activities?
  • Have any home remedies eased your pain at all?

Your doctor may also want to know about your lifestyle and may ask these questions:

  • Do you do a lot of physical work, like heavy lifting?
  • Do you sit on a chair or hard surface for long periods?
  • How often do you exercise?

Your doctor may want to give you a physical exam to try to figure out which nerve is causing your problem. They may have you do some exercises to see if the exercise make your pain worse, such as rising from a squat, walking on your toes and heels, and raising one leg while lying on your back.

If your pain is ongoing (chronic) or severe, your doctor might also get some imaging tests done. X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs can look for herniated disks or bone spurs that clearly would be causes of sciatica.

If your doctor diagnoses you with sciatica, it is important to remember that in most cases sciatica clears up in a few weeks without surgery. If over-the-counter drugs haven’t made a dent in your pain, your doctor probably will prescribe anti-inflammatories or muscle relaxants. You might also need to do physical therapy or get steroid injections to help relieve your discomfort. Acupuncture and treatment by a chiropractor are alternative treatments that also may be helpful. The conversation about surgery will start only after you’ve first tried non-surgical treatments. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sciatica/

First visit to a doctor for sciatica pain, sciatica

FIRST VISIT TO A DOCTOR FOR YOUR SCIATICA PAIN, WHAT TO ASK A DOCTOR IN THIS FIRST VISIT?

S Bara

The first visit to your doctor when you have sciatica pain may be very stressful because you don’t know if indeed what you are experiencing is sciatica pain or you have a sprain or you accidentally pulled a muscle. Below are some of the questions to ask your doctor in this first visit:

  • Is my activity level or lack of it attributed to this pain?
  • Is this pain permanent? 
  • What is sciatica and how to differentiate it from a sprain or pulled muscle?
  • How to diagnose sciatica and how to diagnose a sprain on the back?
  • Will I need surgery?
  • If I have sciatica, will it clear up after a few weeks with medication?
  • Will physical therapy or acupuncture help my pain? When do I start physical therapy or acupuncture?
  • Will I be able to do things I could do before the pain started?
  • Is this condition hereditary? https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sciatica/