Blog Archives -

Blog Archives - page contents

http:www.123back.infoindex.html

Sciatica: A few helpful tips 06/10/2010

I found the information below on Sciatica written by the Mayo Staff. I must say, this has got to be the laziest, most uninformative description of sciatica I've ever seen!
Having been a sufferer of this condition in the past, I've learned what it is all about and how to take active measures to keep the symptoms to a minimum. With proper education, improvements in public health & lifestyle choices and making bi-annual hygienic chiropractic visits, this condition can be prevented for the majority of our poulation. Lets start with the Mayo information:DefinitionBy Mayo Clinic staff Sciatic nerveSciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve and its branches — from your back down your buttock and leg. The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body. It runs from your spinal cord to your buttock and hip area and down the back of each leg.

Sciatica is a symptom, not a disorder. The radiating pain of sciatica signals another problem involving the nerve, such as a herniated disk. Depending on the cause, the pain of acute sciatica — which may be quite uncomfortable — usually goes away on its own within a couple of months.

In the meantime, self-care measures may help you ease sciatica. Sometimes, your doctor will suggest other treatment.

By definition, the Mayo staff does not infor from which part of the back, the sciatic nerve derives. I mean, hell, some people point between their shoulder balades and tell me their back is hurting.

So First, understand the sciatic nerve consists of several branches of the lower nerves deriving from the 4th through the upper sacral nerves that form into the greater sciatic nerve. The nerve itself passes through an opening between the tail bone and the ischium (lower pelvis) sometime reffered to as "the sitting bones" in yoga class. This greater nerve heads down the back side of the leg then splits into the peroneal branch and the tibial branch. Each of these branches continue down the outer leg and foot or the anterior (front) of the leg and foot, respectively.

Second, Mayo suggest a disc problem right away as a source of the problem. Uh??? Hardly! Most sciatica in my experience is from poor decision-making regarding health.

Sciatica is preventable in most cases!

7 out of 10 people walk around with disc bulges, never knowing that they are "clinically at risk" of further herniation.

Disc herniation is a severe symptom that can lead to specific neuropathic results that may or may not be associated with sciatica. A herniation may lead to peripheral pain, numbness, tingling, or other sensations related to spinal cord interpretation of nerve signals.

Motor (muscle loss) or weakness may result.

So lets not rush to put sciatica and clinical symptoms of sciatica lumped into the same basket right away.

Next, lets look at the information that sciatica goes away in a few months. This is a very lazy way to suggest that inactivity will lead to a successful outcome to this symptom.

Again, years of clinical experience in a chiropractic setting will lead any chiropractic physician to know that sciatica is generally a "sleeping giant". This symptom represents an underlying clinical condition that may be related to anatomical somatic segmental dysfunction or soft-tissue change.

In fact, I would suggest that the decisions people make to be sedentary and/or poor in flexibility, lead to soft-tissue distortion and associated vertebral subluxation of the lower spine and sacrum. It is this imbalance of posture, symmetrical weight distribution and flexibility of this region that contributes to sciatica.

A doctor of chiropractic is trained to evaluate your sciatic complaints and provide solutions to manage this condition. Unless the underlying anatomical elements of this condition are addressed as well as diet, and lifestyle choices, then it is likely to return. A chiropractor is trained to manage the whole person, not just zip out of the exam room leaving you with a prescription and wondering when the next time will be for you to get... another presciption.

Here are some tips for your sciatica that don't involve drugs:

1. Lose weight

2. Chiropractic care

3. Yoga

4. Smart lifting Strategies

5. Change diet

6. Change occupation

7. Hot/cold packs

8. Get MRI

9. Learn body-mind strategies

10. Clinical Massage Therapy

Here's the worst thing you can do:

Wait for it to go away and pretend it won't show up again

Thanks for reading.

Yours in Health,

Steve Schultz, DC, RYT

Add Comment

Steve M. Schultz, DC, RYT

Yoga, Chiropractic & Massage are the
Three Ingredients to a Long-lasting, Healthy Spine or to Get
"1-2-3-Back" to Health.

Steven M. Schultz, DC, RYT

Dr. Steve Schultz has been practicing as a wellness physician for ten years in Charleston; and is the founder of 123back.info. He began his search for holistic knowledge while working as a medical scientist at the U.S.F. College of Medicine in Tampa, Florida. It was there, a debilitating back injury led to a different path of healthcare after modern medicine couldn't help. His enthusiastic curiosity from a healthy recovery guided him with honors through professional school. Steve was trained in Pilates by Larry Nachman: Author of, "21st Century Health", and former student of Romana Kryzanowska, successor to Joseph Pilates, 8th St. Studio, N.Y.C. He later became a regular student at Holy Cow Yoga in 2008 and then completed the 200-Hour Teacher Training in May, 2009. He began teaching community yoga at Holy Cow in 2010. His professional opinion is that, "yoga is the best activity to improve spinal strength and flexibility." Steve enjoys Tai Chi, indoor bouldering and guitar, when he is not on the mat at Holy Cow.

Steven M. Schultz, DC, RYT

Archives

Categories