Whenever most of us have a migraine, stomach upset, or some pain in the back, you rush to the internet to find out what could be the problem.
Bloggers have made it so easy for us. For back pain, for instance, you could check out various spine blogs, and they could direct you to hospitals where you could seek further assistance.
Sciatica is the geek’s term for leg pain.
The pain is usually traced to the path along the sciatic nerve that branches from the lower back through the hips and buttocks to the leg.
It usually occurs on one side of the body.
Doctors have explained that it mostly happens when the herniated disk, spinal stenosis compresses part of the nerve. This could be the cause of numbness to the affected pain.
Symptoms
Pain that radiates from the lower back to your buttockand the down back of your leg. The pain causes a lot of discomforts.
It usually affects one side of your body.
The pain varies from mild to severe; it could even feel like an electric shock.
It could feel like a numb feeling on one part of the leg and pain on the other part.
If the pain comes right after a major injury, you should seek immediate medical help.
If the pain affects your bladder, you should also seek immediate assistance.
There are several risk factors associated with sciatica.
Changes in the spine that are age-related.
Weight and diet could cause obesity that could cause strain on the spine.
Some jobs could be tiresome and may affect your back as well.
Diabetes-levels of blood sugar increases the risks of nerve damage.
In most situations, prevention is better than cure. This sciatica issue can be avoided once you:
Become active-Keep your body strong, and tone your core by various exercises. This trains the posture and alignment of the body.
Maintain a good sitting posture; don’t hunch your back towards the computer screen; get a seat that supports your lower back.
Body mechanics- whenever you are standing for long hours, place one foot on a slightly raised position. Only bend your body at the knees.
Whenever you have pain along the sciatic nerve, it could be caused by tightness in the lower back; some of these stretches could be of great assistance:
Scissor hamstring stretch
Cross your right foot over your left foot while standing.
Face hips and shoulders forward, ensuring the right and left foot are in line.
Place your hands on your hips; you can balance with a chair or a table.
Keeping your back straight and ensuring most of the weight is over your front leg, bend forward at the waist.
Hold on to the position for 5-10 seconds and do the same with the other leg.
Do 3-5repetitions for each leg.
Sciatic nerve glide exercise
You need a chair for this one.
Sit upright and straighten one knee and keep the other flat on the floor.
Bend your ankle and point the toes towards you then away from you.
Flex with this movement for a number of times on each leg.
Ensure your chin is bent forward towards your face.
Dr.Nordt, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in knee, medical and sports injuries, has proven that most patients have healed from the sciatic nerve pain, and you should try it out.
