By Dr Ryan French
Yesterday a new patient presented to our office having been given the diagnosis of "SCIATICA" (pronounced sigh - attic - ah) by their family physician.
The sciatic nerve runs from the lower back, through the gluteal region and down the leg, right into the toes. It has many branches to it, is one of the longest nerves in the body, and pressure on it is downright painful. In fact, it can be completely debilitating.
"Sciatica" is the name used to simply describe inflammation or irritation of this nerve. But, a diagnosis of simply 'sciatica' is the same as saying a diagnosis of headache, or back pain... all of which are descriptions of a type of pain, but do not clearly identity the cause of the symptom.
This is why a simple diagnosis of "sciatica" is incomplete at best as it does not differentiate sciatic pain caused by vertebral subluxation, piriformis spasm, the presence of disc or bone pathology, a degenerative process, weakness in surrounding musculature, etc.
In order to properly correct a problem, I believe you need to understand the cause of it first.
In some circumstances (about 15% of the time), the main muscle involved is the piriformis muscle.
It is a small muscle that extends from the bottom of the sacro-iliac joint to the top part of the femur bone. The job of the piriformis is to rotate the hip outwards, or to lift the leg outwards from the body when the hip is bent or knee is raised.
Tightness in this muscle is related to sacro-iliac pain and some types of sciatica. It is most often involved when someone feels a sharp pain in the buttocks, sometimes with pain radiating down the back of the leg.
To stretch the piriformis muscle, lie on your back and cross the involved leg (the sore side) over the other, placing the outside of the ankle on the front of the opposite thigh. For example, if your right lower back is sore, lay on your back, bend your knees, and then cross your right leg over your left, ensuring that your right outside ankle is placed on the left thigh, just above the knee.
Then, with both knees now bent, clasp your hands together behind the knee of the lower leg, and gently pull the lower leg toward your chest. In the example above, you would be holding your left leg in your hands, in order to stretch the right piriformis. Pull until you feel a stretch in the gluteal region.
Depending on the shape of your hips, you may need to pull towards one shoulder or the other to feel the stretch more intensely.
Hold for 30 seconds, then rest 30 seconds. Repeat 1-3 times. Feel free to stretch both sides for symmetry and balance in the pelvis.
If you are experiencing a re-occurring problem with this muscle, you'll need to have someone diagnose WHY this muscle is in spasm. Many times, simply stretching it or massaging it to loosen it up still does not address why the muscle is in spasm in the first place.
A standard chiropractic evaluation that includes assessing your posture, range of motion, palpation, nerve scan and x-ray will easily identify the cause of the problem. Once a proper, more detailed diagnosis is made, treatment protocol can be more customized/specific to your individual needs.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Sciatic-Pain-and-the-Piriformis-Muscle&id=9199676
Saturday 24 October 2015
Saturday 17 October 2015
Sciatica Surgery - What You Need to Know
By Choll Kim
Thousands of patients undergo sciatica surgery each and every year around the world. There are times when this surgery should be considered. The first time you and your surgeon may decide it's time to consider this surgery is when you have been in constant paid for more than four to six weeks.
Before you consider sciatica surgery, it is important that you note that this is entirely your decision. Your surgeon, doctor and family cannot make the decision on your behalf, this is down to you, how much pain you are in and whether you can manage with the pain moving forward.
Your doctor is likely to recommend you consider sciatic surgery in the event your pain is unbearable and has been constant for four to six weeks. They may also advise you consider this surgery when the pain medications have been useless and you are still in ongoing pain.
Leg weakness often results in urgent surgery and the surgeon may not give you the option to go ahead or not as this can result in problems moving forward. There are two options that you need to know about when it comes to sciatica surgery; there is open surgery and then there is endoscopic surgery, both of which an provide you with improved results and ensure that you reduce the pain and give you your life back.
During open surgery a piece of disc is removed. The piece removed is the portion that is irritating the nerve, leaving the rest of the disc to reduce ongoing and further damage. Open surgery comes with a number of risks that you do need to be aware of, such as muscle damage, irritating muscles surrounding the area. Of course the benefit to the open sciatica surgery is that up to ninety five percent of patients experience relief after surgery.
With the closed or lumber laminectomy surgery, a small incision is made with a piece of bone or disc material is removed which is pinching the nerve. With this surgery the risk may be reduced when it comes to muscle damage and up to eighty percent of patients experience relief after this sciatica surgery.
Remember that having sciatica surgery is completely your decision and there are a number of important factors to take into consideration to ensure that you make the best decision to meet your particular needs and ongoing requirements. If you are in constant pain and you are living on pain killers, then having the surgery can eliminate all of this, enabling you to live a normal life completely pain free.
In addition to this, it is important that you discuss the options with your surgeon to identify which of the sciatica surgery options is the right choice for you. Discuss the outcomes and speak with your surgeon to see which of these two surgeries they feel is going to benefit you the most now and in the future.
Don't be shy to ask your surgeon questions about your sciatica surgery. Take someone to your appointment with you so that they can take notes, if there is anything you have forgotten later, then ensure that they have the answers for you. Questions such as how long you will have to remain in hospital, how long recovery takes and when you can return to work should be the most important questions to ask.
You may also want to ask about success rates and recovery rates, ensuring that if you elect to go ahead with the sciatica surgery, you can have peace of mind that your chances of a speedy and full recovery are high.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Sciatica-Surgery---What-You-Need-to-Know&id=9195134
Thousands of patients undergo sciatica surgery each and every year around the world. There are times when this surgery should be considered. The first time you and your surgeon may decide it's time to consider this surgery is when you have been in constant paid for more than four to six weeks.
Before you consider sciatica surgery, it is important that you note that this is entirely your decision. Your surgeon, doctor and family cannot make the decision on your behalf, this is down to you, how much pain you are in and whether you can manage with the pain moving forward.
Your doctor is likely to recommend you consider sciatic surgery in the event your pain is unbearable and has been constant for four to six weeks. They may also advise you consider this surgery when the pain medications have been useless and you are still in ongoing pain.
Leg weakness often results in urgent surgery and the surgeon may not give you the option to go ahead or not as this can result in problems moving forward. There are two options that you need to know about when it comes to sciatica surgery; there is open surgery and then there is endoscopic surgery, both of which an provide you with improved results and ensure that you reduce the pain and give you your life back.
During open surgery a piece of disc is removed. The piece removed is the portion that is irritating the nerve, leaving the rest of the disc to reduce ongoing and further damage. Open surgery comes with a number of risks that you do need to be aware of, such as muscle damage, irritating muscles surrounding the area. Of course the benefit to the open sciatica surgery is that up to ninety five percent of patients experience relief after surgery.
With the closed or lumber laminectomy surgery, a small incision is made with a piece of bone or disc material is removed which is pinching the nerve. With this surgery the risk may be reduced when it comes to muscle damage and up to eighty percent of patients experience relief after this sciatica surgery.
Remember that having sciatica surgery is completely your decision and there are a number of important factors to take into consideration to ensure that you make the best decision to meet your particular needs and ongoing requirements. If you are in constant pain and you are living on pain killers, then having the surgery can eliminate all of this, enabling you to live a normal life completely pain free.
In addition to this, it is important that you discuss the options with your surgeon to identify which of the sciatica surgery options is the right choice for you. Discuss the outcomes and speak with your surgeon to see which of these two surgeries they feel is going to benefit you the most now and in the future.
Don't be shy to ask your surgeon questions about your sciatica surgery. Take someone to your appointment with you so that they can take notes, if there is anything you have forgotten later, then ensure that they have the answers for you. Questions such as how long you will have to remain in hospital, how long recovery takes and when you can return to work should be the most important questions to ask.
You may also want to ask about success rates and recovery rates, ensuring that if you elect to go ahead with the sciatica surgery, you can have peace of mind that your chances of a speedy and full recovery are high.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Sciatica-Surgery---What-You-Need-to-Know&id=9195134
Thursday 8 October 2015
Topical Remedies: The Right Way to Let You Avoid Surgical Procedures for the Knee
By Harshad J
http://ezinearticles.com/?Topical-Remedies:-The-Right-Way-to-Let-You-Avoid-Surgical-Procedures-for-the-Knee&id=9184052
One of the best and most effective ways to overcome knee joint pain is by use of topical medications. Topical treatments are applied externally on the affected area, which ensures that they act locally and have an analgesic effect at the point where one may be suffering from pain.
There are some very basic advantages of going for a topical medication.
- These medications are mainly preferred because they relieve discomfort without affecting the rest of our body.
- These treatments have a minimum chance of side effects, as they are not consumed orally and work by bypassing the digestive track altogether.
- Topical medications are absorbed by the skin, and render a soothing effect to our knees by penetrating through to the bones and muscles.
There are multiple mechanisms by which topical medications work, and effectively so. For healing ailing joints, inducing heat in the applied part of the body (mainly joints), to ensure a higher supply of synovial fluid is an important mechanism by which topical medications work.
What is Synovial fluid?
Synovial fluid and its proper regeneration is a must for proper functioning of joints. It is a viscous fluid which nourishes the articular cartilage.
In our bodies, the bones are cushioned at the ends by cartilage cushions called articular cartilage, a gelatinous substance that covers up the bones. If the cartilage is healthy, it would have a slick surface that prevents friction between bones and enables smooth motion.
As the degree of impact sustained by articular cartilage is high, there are no blood vessels present here. And in absence of blood vessels, the cartilage is nurtured by a fluid present around the joints, which is called the synovial fluid.
The synovial fluid is produced by synovial membranes. It fills up the microcavities and articular cartilage, and prevents friction by acting like a wet sponge.
What causes knee joint pain?
In most medical conditions, knee joint pain is triggered when there is an inadequate amount of synovial fluid in microcavities or articular cartilage. Topically applied medications that are especially meant for joint pain often work by increasing the circulation of blood around the joints. This stimulates synovial membranes to produce synovial fluid, which ensures smooth movement of joints. Using topical medications can thus be very helpful for rendering relief in all types of joint pains, including discomfort arising from everyday fatigue, to conditions like osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Regular use of topical medications for discomfort in joints not just helps us overcome pain, but also makes the joints stronger over time. These medications are also useful for repairing the damaged parts of joints.
Sandhi Sudha Plus: The miracle of Ayurveda
If you have been diagnosed with any of the medical conditions like sciatica, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, or have been afflicted by joint pain in any form, Sandhi Sudha Plus is the right remedy to go for.
Sandhi Sudha Plus is a 100% herbal remedy that has proved to be highly effective for healing all strains of joint pain, and has enable people to lead a normal life, all over again.
Sandhi Sudha Plus: Letting you avoid surgery for ailing joints
If you have been recommended to go for an operation or any of the surgical procedures for ailing joints, you must try out Sandhi Sudha Plus first. This would make sure that you are able to recover from the condition and return back to normalcy without having to go for surgery.
There are some very basic advantages of going for a topical medication.
- These medications are mainly preferred because they relieve discomfort without affecting the rest of our body.
- These treatments have a minimum chance of side effects, as they are not consumed orally and work by bypassing the digestive track altogether.
- Topical medications are absorbed by the skin, and render a soothing effect to our knees by penetrating through to the bones and muscles.
There are multiple mechanisms by which topical medications work, and effectively so. For healing ailing joints, inducing heat in the applied part of the body (mainly joints), to ensure a higher supply of synovial fluid is an important mechanism by which topical medications work.
What is Synovial fluid?
Synovial fluid and its proper regeneration is a must for proper functioning of joints. It is a viscous fluid which nourishes the articular cartilage.
In our bodies, the bones are cushioned at the ends by cartilage cushions called articular cartilage, a gelatinous substance that covers up the bones. If the cartilage is healthy, it would have a slick surface that prevents friction between bones and enables smooth motion.
As the degree of impact sustained by articular cartilage is high, there are no blood vessels present here. And in absence of blood vessels, the cartilage is nurtured by a fluid present around the joints, which is called the synovial fluid.
The synovial fluid is produced by synovial membranes. It fills up the microcavities and articular cartilage, and prevents friction by acting like a wet sponge.
What causes knee joint pain?
In most medical conditions, knee joint pain is triggered when there is an inadequate amount of synovial fluid in microcavities or articular cartilage. Topically applied medications that are especially meant for joint pain often work by increasing the circulation of blood around the joints. This stimulates synovial membranes to produce synovial fluid, which ensures smooth movement of joints. Using topical medications can thus be very helpful for rendering relief in all types of joint pains, including discomfort arising from everyday fatigue, to conditions like osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Regular use of topical medications for discomfort in joints not just helps us overcome pain, but also makes the joints stronger over time. These medications are also useful for repairing the damaged parts of joints.
Sandhi Sudha Plus: The miracle of Ayurveda
If you have been diagnosed with any of the medical conditions like sciatica, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, or have been afflicted by joint pain in any form, Sandhi Sudha Plus is the right remedy to go for.
Sandhi Sudha Plus is a 100% herbal remedy that has proved to be highly effective for healing all strains of joint pain, and has enable people to lead a normal life, all over again.
Sandhi Sudha Plus: Letting you avoid surgery for ailing joints
If you have been recommended to go for an operation or any of the surgical procedures for ailing joints, you must try out Sandhi Sudha Plus first. This would make sure that you are able to recover from the condition and return back to normalcy without having to go for surgery.
Go for Sandhi Sudha Plus, if you have been suffering from knee joint pain or have a loved one who has been suffering from any of the joint pains, including shoulder pain, back pain or hip joint pain.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Topical-Remedies:-The-Right-Way-to-Let-You-Avoid-Surgical-Procedures-for-the-Knee&id=9184052
Saturday 3 October 2015
Discectomy Spine Surgery: Will It Cure Your Chronic Sciatic Nerve Pain?
By Choll Kim
Suffering from sciatica is no joke and leaves thousands of people in pain each year. When a patient seeks out medical intervention for sciatic nerve pain, they are typically referred to a physical therapist before any surgical or invasive procedures are performed. Sometime, anti-inflammatory and pain medications will also be prescribed.
If the aforementioned treatments do not produce a significant decrease in pain, a surgical procedure called a discectomy might be in order. This is something a patient and their surgeon will discuss together and weigh the risks versus the benefits.
Most people are more than happy to go under the knife when they have sciatica. Sciatic nerve pain extends from the lower back and shoots down the back of the legs. This pain can be severe and produces sensations of numbness, weakness, tingling, and other undesirable symptoms.
When a patient has a ruptured or herniated disc, a discectomy is typically the main course of action. These problems affect the lumbar spine and when patients have not responded to medication, physical therapy, traction, spinal decompression, or epidural steroid injections, surgery becomes almost inevitable.
When a disc becomes herniated, the exterior of the disc becomes compromised, weakened, and can sometimes tear. When this happens, jelly-like fluid leaks out of the disc and puts pressure on the surrounding sciatic nerve tissue. This is why sufferers feels pain and other symptoms in their lower backs and legs.
Traditionally, an open discectomy is performed, which involves an incision being made in the patient's back over the herniated disc. During the procedure, muscle tissue is cut away from the herniated disc and removed. In some cases, a retractor might be utilized in order to keep the muscle tissue and flesh pulled back so they surgeon has an easier way of performing the surgery.
In extreme cases, the surgical team will take away some of the vertebrae bone, which is referred to as the lamina. When this happens, the procedure is called a laminectomy. Once all bone fragments have been removed, the surrounding tissue is repaired and put back into place and the surgeon closes the incision up with stiches.
A less invasive procedure that only the most equipped surgeons are using is called a micro-discectomy. This surgery is far less invasive than the traditional discectomy. The procedure only requires a small incision to be made on the patient's back as a small instrument called an endoscope is inserted into the area.
An endoscope is a very small tube that has an even smaller camera attached to the end of it. The tube is inserted into the incision and allows the doctor to see inside of the spinal cavity via TV screen that the scope is attached to. Sometimes, other small instruments are also attached to the endoscope that the surgeon utilizes.
This procedure is typically performed under general anesthesia in a hospital or surgical suite. Having a minimally invasive micro-discectomy comes with fewer risks than a traditional procedure does and the recovery time is often weeks to months shorter. Most patients are able to leave the hospital the same day the surgery was performed or at least within a few days.
Determining whether a patient can have a micro-discectomy is dependent upon the type of problem being treated. Most people suffering from sciatica are prime candidates for the procedure but need to discuss the ins and outs of having the surgery before any decisions can be made. In most cases, a patient who opts for an endoscopic surgery achieves the results they are looking for.
In order to determine the severity of a patient's sciatica problem, a surgeon will most likely order an MRI to be performed or a CT scan. These procedures allow a surgeon to see inside of the patients back by using special imaging devices and will help the doctor make an informed decision.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Discectomy-Spine-Surgery:-Will-It-Cure-Your-Chronic-Sciatic-Nerve-Pain?&id=9168659
Suffering from sciatica is no joke and leaves thousands of people in pain each year. When a patient seeks out medical intervention for sciatic nerve pain, they are typically referred to a physical therapist before any surgical or invasive procedures are performed. Sometime, anti-inflammatory and pain medications will also be prescribed.
If the aforementioned treatments do not produce a significant decrease in pain, a surgical procedure called a discectomy might be in order. This is something a patient and their surgeon will discuss together and weigh the risks versus the benefits.
Most people are more than happy to go under the knife when they have sciatica. Sciatic nerve pain extends from the lower back and shoots down the back of the legs. This pain can be severe and produces sensations of numbness, weakness, tingling, and other undesirable symptoms.
When a patient has a ruptured or herniated disc, a discectomy is typically the main course of action. These problems affect the lumbar spine and when patients have not responded to medication, physical therapy, traction, spinal decompression, or epidural steroid injections, surgery becomes almost inevitable.
When a disc becomes herniated, the exterior of the disc becomes compromised, weakened, and can sometimes tear. When this happens, jelly-like fluid leaks out of the disc and puts pressure on the surrounding sciatic nerve tissue. This is why sufferers feels pain and other symptoms in their lower backs and legs.
Traditionally, an open discectomy is performed, which involves an incision being made in the patient's back over the herniated disc. During the procedure, muscle tissue is cut away from the herniated disc and removed. In some cases, a retractor might be utilized in order to keep the muscle tissue and flesh pulled back so they surgeon has an easier way of performing the surgery.
In extreme cases, the surgical team will take away some of the vertebrae bone, which is referred to as the lamina. When this happens, the procedure is called a laminectomy. Once all bone fragments have been removed, the surrounding tissue is repaired and put back into place and the surgeon closes the incision up with stiches.
A less invasive procedure that only the most equipped surgeons are using is called a micro-discectomy. This surgery is far less invasive than the traditional discectomy. The procedure only requires a small incision to be made on the patient's back as a small instrument called an endoscope is inserted into the area.
An endoscope is a very small tube that has an even smaller camera attached to the end of it. The tube is inserted into the incision and allows the doctor to see inside of the spinal cavity via TV screen that the scope is attached to. Sometimes, other small instruments are also attached to the endoscope that the surgeon utilizes.
This procedure is typically performed under general anesthesia in a hospital or surgical suite. Having a minimally invasive micro-discectomy comes with fewer risks than a traditional procedure does and the recovery time is often weeks to months shorter. Most patients are able to leave the hospital the same day the surgery was performed or at least within a few days.
Determining whether a patient can have a micro-discectomy is dependent upon the type of problem being treated. Most people suffering from sciatica are prime candidates for the procedure but need to discuss the ins and outs of having the surgery before any decisions can be made. In most cases, a patient who opts for an endoscopic surgery achieves the results they are looking for.
In order to determine the severity of a patient's sciatica problem, a surgeon will most likely order an MRI to be performed or a CT scan. These procedures allow a surgeon to see inside of the patients back by using special imaging devices and will help the doctor make an informed decision.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Discectomy-Spine-Surgery:-Will-It-Cure-Your-Chronic-Sciatic-Nerve-Pain?&id=9168659
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