If You Feel This in Your Thighs, Get Your Spine Checked

From bestlifeonline.com

YOUR LEGS COULD BE TRYING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR BACK

Sometimes muscular pain is just that—a strain or injury in the muscle at the site of your discomfort. But experts warn that certain sensations can actually transfer from one part of your body to another. In these cases, the pain you feel in one body part is actually trying to alert you to a problem elsewhere. Experts say this phenomenon often manifests in your thighs. If you notice an uncomfortable feeling there, it may be due to a subtle spinal injury traveling through the nerve network to your legs. Read on to find out which symptoms to watch for, and what to do if it happens to you.

If you feel pain or weakness in your thighs, get your spine checked

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If you experience pain, weakness, tingling, or numbness in your thighs, experts say it could actually be coming from a herniated disk—also called a slipped or ruptured disk—in your lower back. Leg pain originating from this region of the back, known as the lumbar spine, is commonly referred to as sciatica. That's because the sensation travels from the back to the extremities via the sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in the human body.

You can have a herniated disk at any age, but most cases occur in people between the ages of 30 and 50. This means that if you experience thigh pain when you enter middle age, there's an increased likelihood that your back is actually to blame.

Herniated disks are more likely to occur in middle age

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A herniated disk is a problem that can develop in the space between the spinal vertebrae. "It occurs when the jelly-like filling in a spinal disk —one of the pads between your vertebrae, or spinal bones—breaks through the disk's outer shell, called the annulus, and bulges through the tear," explains Harvard Health Publishing. "When this happens, the material may press on nearby nerves, which can cause a host of symptoms including inflammation, pain, and numbness." Though symptoms can occur in both sides of the body, they will more often occur in just one.

The Mayo Clinic notes that disk herniation is most frequently the result of disk degeneration—a normal and gradual result of getting older. "As people age, the disks become less flexible and more prone to tearing or rupturing with even a minor strain or twist."

Acute injuries can also cause a disk to become herniated, resulting in sudden pain. "Most people can't pinpoint the cause of their herniated disk. Sometimes, using the back muscles instead of the leg and thigh muscles to lift heavy objects can lead to a herniated disk, as can twisting and turning while lifting. Rarely, a traumatic event such as a fall or a blow to the back is the cause," the Mayo Clinic says.

Where you feel the pain can tell you which part of the spine is affected

Pain from a herniated disk is not necessarily limited to the thighs. Some people will experience pain or related symptoms in the arms, buttocks, calves, or even in the feet.

However, the Mayo Clinic points out that "a herniated disk, which can occur in any part of the spine, most often occurs in the lower back." This is significant because the location of your herniated disk can determine where you feel pain and weakness. "Where in your body you experience these symptoms depends on the location of the herniated disk," says Harvard Health. "For example, if the disk is in your neck, you may feel pain down your shoulder and into your arm. If the disk is lower in your back, it may irritate your sciatic nerve, which can cause pain that radiates through your buttock and down your leg."

Since herniation in the lower back is common, it makes sense that thigh pain frequently signifies a herniated disk.

Very often, the pain will resolve on its own

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Thankfully, there's some good news if you notice signs of sciatic pain or a herniated disk. According to Harvard Health, roughly 90 percent of pain with this underlying cause will resolve without treatment within six months. In the meantime, your doctor may recommend over-the-counter pain medication to lessen your discomfort. They may also suggest limiting physical activities that seem to aggravate the injury.

If your pain does not notably improve within that time frame, your doctor may also recommend physical therapy. In rare cases, your doctor may discuss surgery, though this is "typically not recommended unless the problem does not respond to therapy, if you are having an increasingly hard time moving, or if your doctor believes the spinal cord is being compressed," says Harvard Health.

If you notice signs of a herniated disk, speak with your doctor to discuss the full range of treatment options available to you.

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What Does It Mean When You Pinch A Nerve?

From thelist.com

Localised pain, numbness, muscle weakness, and other common health complaints are not always a sign of disease. Sometimes, these symptoms may indicate a pinched nerve, explains the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Depending on the severity of your injury, you may also experience a feeling of pins and needles, neck or back pain, or loss of feeling in the affected area. The pain is usually due to inflammation or excessive pressure on the nerve root.

This type of injury occurs when a muscle, tendon, ligament, or other tissue is compressing a nerve. For example, herniated discs and bone spurs may compress the sciatic nerve, causing severe pain in the lower back and down the leg, notes the Mayo Clinic. This condition is called sciatica and tends to affect one side of the body. Similarly, it's possible to have a pinched nerve in your cervical or thoracic area, which can cause pain in the arm, shoulder, chest, or buttocks, according to the experts at Preferred SurgiCenter. Most people recover from this condition, but some may experience permanent damage to the nerve(s), warns NINDS.

What causes a pinched nerve and why is it so painful?

The nerves on your body can be compressed by the surrounding tissues. You then may feel a sharp pain that radiates to nearby muscles, causing weakness, numbness, and tingling. The pain and discomfort often worsen at night, says the Mayo Clinic. As the researchers note, this condition is more common in people who play sports or perform repetitive tasks, such as typing or painting.

Arthritis, obesity, and other disorders can lead to nerve compression, too. For example, excess weight can put pressure on the spine and nerves, which in turn may contribute to sciatica, per Spine Health. Nerve compression may also occur in people with diabetes. Clinical evidence suggests that about 25% of those suffering from this disorder have a pinched nerve in the wrist, per National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Thyroid disease, overuse injuries, and pregnancy can further increase the risk of nerve compression, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Your symptoms may subside without treatment, but there are cases where a pinched nerve can lead to chronic pain and other complications, explains the Cleveland Clinic. Treatment usually consists of hot and cold therapy, rest, light exercise, and pain killers. If the nerve compression is due to an injury, you may need to wear a cervical collar, wrist splints, or back braces. Surgery is only recommended in severe cases where everything else has failed but always consult a doctor before doing any of the above.

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Am I Having Sciatica And How Do I Get Relief?

By James Schofield

Several years ago, a patient in my chiropractic office told me she was having pain in her lower back which radiated down the side of her thigh, calf, and foot. She said the pain was excruciating and wondered if she had sciatica and how she might obtain pain relief. This article will discuss the condition known as sciatica and what can be done to obtain pain relief.

Let's begin with the basic anatomy of what is called the sciatic nerve. We all know spinal nerves exit between openings on both sides of the spinal bones. Spinal nerves are found from the area just below the base of the skull all the way down to the tail bone. The lowest five groups of nerves exiting the spine merge together at a point that is found roughly where the midpoint of the rear pocket of a pair of pants is located. That merge point is where the nerve begins. At that location, the nerve is roughly the size of a finger and is the largest nerve in the body. It sends fibres down to innervate various areas of our thigh, calf and foot.

There are various factors that cause irritation and pinching of the sciatic nerve. Some less frequent causes of this extremely painful condition are tumours, an arthritic bone spur, and direct trauma such as a fall directly on the back area or from an improperly positioned injection into the buttock. More commonly, sciatica occurs from a ruptured, herniated, bulging or protruded intervertebral disc of the lower back or from a mis-positioned forward slip of the spinal vertebra which is called spondylolisthesis.

When the sciatic nerve is irritated, we use the term sciatica or sciatic nerve pain. So, while the term sciatic nerve indicates a normal condition, sciatica or sciatic nerve pain indicates an abnormality. This condition is generally, very painful, and many who have experienced it will state that it is the worst pain they've ever experienced.

Fortunately, there is a safe, gentle and effective way to gain nerve pain relief without drugs or invasive surgery. For over 125 years chiropractors have been able to provide sciatic pain relief. Chiropractors use methods of traction, spinal vertebral realignment through gentle chiropractic adjustments and other therapies to help give patients pain relief from this extremely uncomfortable condition.

My patient who I mentioned earlier in the article, was definitely having sciatica. Although it took some weeks of gentle, safe chiropractic care, she did get complete relief of her nerve pain and has remained pain free since.

While this condition can be painful and debilitating, the majority of the time this condition be treated conservatively by a doctor of chiropractic so that patients can gain sciatic nerve pain relief.

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Sciatica Hurts. But Where Does It Come From and What Can You Do about It?

From belmarrahealth.com

Sciatica causes intense pain in the lower back that can shoot up and down. It can leave you fearful and wary of attempting your favourite activities, let alone your daily tasks.

There are several potential causes of sciatica, and it generally comes from a few particular roots, namely the L4, L5, or S1. Nerves can become compressed or irritated when discs, bones, or ligaments are rubbing against them.

Inflammation in the area can also lead to pain in the surrounding tissue and nerves.

A herniated disc is the most common cause of sciatica. It generally happens in the lower part of the spine and is often referred to as a “slipped disc,” even though no slippage has actually happened.

Your spinal discs are tucked between vertebrae, where they act as cushions to keep bones from touching. These discs absorb all the pressure in the spine from walking, running, sitting, twisting, lifting, and virtually every other activity. 

Herniated discs generally happen when the jelly-like filling in spinal discs breaks through the outer shell and pushes through the tear. It may put pressure on nerves that lead to pain.

Spinal stenosis is another common cause of sciatica.

Your spinal cord and the nerves that run along it are protected by something called the spinal canal. When the spinal canal shrinks and puts pressure on the nerves and spinal cord, it is called spinal stenosis.

Spinal stenosis is generally caused by disc degeneration, osteoarthritis, or thickened ligaments.

These are two of the most common causes of sciatica, but they are not the only ones. At-home treatments involve things like heat, cold, and stretching routines. Some use acupuncture or chiropractors to treat pain.

There are many medical options, as well, that should be discussed with your doctor.

Author Bio

About eight years ago, Mat Lecompte had an epiphany. He’d been ignoring his health and suddenly realized he needed to do something about it. Since then, through hard work, determination and plenty of education, he has transformed his life. He’s changed his body composition by learning the ins and outs of nutrition, exercise, and fitness and wants to share his knowledge with you. Starting as a journalist over 10 years ago, Mat has not only honed his belief system and approach with practical experience, but he has also worked closely with nutritionists, dieticians, athletes, and fitness professionals. He embraces natural healing methods and believes that diet, exercise and willpower are the foundation of a healthy, happy, and drug-free existence.

https://www.belmarrahealth.com/sciatica-hurts-but-where-does-it-come-from-and-what-can-you-do-about-it/