Analyzing
[name], here is your personal Sciatica Assessment Profile Hi [name], here is some information about your sciatica to help you become aware of some of the issues you may face and the directions you need to follow to return to total fitness and health. When you're finished with these, scroll down and click the link to go to the next page...
Is your Sciatica Serious? As your pain is still mainly centered around your spine and only slightly migrated away, you need not worry. In over 97% of these cases sciatica is nothing serious. It is a combination of a few muscles and joints becoming tight. One of the main culprits is your Piriformis muscle. The Piriformis is a muscle deep in the buttock that helps you to walk. It tightens and as the sciatic nerve runs either through it or next to it, the nerve become irritated and sciatica occurs. Having pain more local means this has occurred at a lesser level and you also will have a few joints in your lower spine not moving correctly. Although nothing serious you should still aim to rectify this before sciatica limits the activities you like doing at work or home. Is your Sciatica Serious? Having pain that is both in your lower back and into your thigh may seem serious but it isn't. Each spinal joint relates to different areas in your leg. In most cases all you have is a couple of lower spinal joints being tight, some of the buttock muscles too tense and your pelvis out of balance. Although sometimes this may be due to low level disc irritation, your sciatica should heal quickly. Is your Sciatica Serious? Probably one of your greatest fears at the moment is that you are stuck with this type of pain. That it may lead to some type of disability or that you may end up needing surgery. The facts actually show a different scenario - in almost 90% of this type of sciatica, the pain is due to some tightness in the base of your spine. These joints refer pain to your lower leg and feet. It may appear serious or severe, but most times it is the lower spine that is irritated.
To return to total health and to become free of pain, you need to target these areas as well as correct the various structures around the pelvis that will also be out of balance. Will you end up with this pain forever? Your sciatica is still classified as being acute. Although your pain may be feeling serious, in fact you have the best opportunity now to remove your sciatica. You are best to use ice on your lower back and buttock area, holding it there for 10 minutes on and then 10 minutes off. Repeat this 3 times now and then often over the next 48 hours and pain should ease. You still need to address why this has occurred even if your sciatica ease quickly. After all I'm sure you want to stay pain free and be able to do all the activities you wish. One of the biggest fears I'm sure you're aware of is sciatica returning and getting worse. So please deal with it now while it is acute only. Will you end up with this pain forever?
Although your sciatica is not chronic and still in acute phase. Now is the time to target the areas quickly so it doesn't become long standing and chronic. By now you may have noticed that your mobility and flexibility have decreased. This is due to the muscles and joints in your lower back and pelvis becoming tight. The tighter they become the more ingrained your sciatica becomes. I know freedom from pain may seem a distant desire, but removing the cause and symptoms is straight forward. You have formed a habitual pattern which means you need to use some daily techniques to change the bad habits to good habits. You will then find flexibility and mobility will increase quickly and your sciatica will disappear. Your sciatica can still disappear over the next week or few if you change those bad habits your body has formed now. Will you end up with this pain forever?
Your sciatica is classed as chronic, however it is still easy to fix. You need to rebalance the muscles and joints as they have become habitually tight. It is the tightness in your lower back and pelvis that has created your sciatica. As the habits have formed your body has become accustomed to your sciatica. You may have periods of time when you feel good and other where you have almost continuous pain. Just because your sciatica is chronic, it does not mean you are doomed to a life of pain or will need surgery in the future. All that is happened is a few joints and muscles have become out of balance and stayed that way. All you need to do is train them to relax, to improve their mobility and flexibility and soon you can be back to the activities you enjoy - at home and work. Don't worry, the longer you have had your sciatica does not mean it will take just as long for it to disappear. It can actually ease and you can be free form pain in just a few weeks.
Will you end up with this pain forever? Having had sciatica for years you may be fearful that you will end up needing surgery at some stage. You are probably completely frustrated that you can't do the activities you once could, both at work and at home. Don't worry. The longer you have had your sciatica does not mean it is impossible to cure. The causes are still the same and they can be easily fixed. You just need to change the habitual nature of your sciatica and train your spine and pelvis to work better. Habits take only minimal time to start and only a few weeks to reinforce, your sciatica can then ease and disappear and freedom from pain becomes your reality not a want or desire. Finding the Cause (and Cure) is Simple
Having a burning or tingling pain means the outer fibers of the nerve have become irritated. The good news is that this is only a minor irritation and nothing to be concerned about. Your sciatica shouldn't become worse than it is now, but you should still aim to correct all the issues causing it. To remove the minor pressure from the nerve you need to stretch your lower back muscles and your Piriformis muscle. Your abdominal muscles are likely not supporting your lower back so you will need to target these with some reflex points to improve their nerve and blood supply. This you can do at home in just a few minutes each day. Finding the Cause (and Cure) is Simple
Pain usually means there is more irritation to the nerve, but it may feel severe but it usually isn't. You need to relieve pressure off the nerve as well as eliminate any inflammation in the area. Inflammation occurs to protect the joints in the area, so getting your joints moving will normally remove the inflammation. As the nerve is being irritated, you need to release pressure from the joints and also balance the pelvis. It may sound like you need to seek help from a practitioner, but in fact you can do this at home safely and effectively.
Finding the Cause (and Cure) is Simple
There is a difference between "true" numbness and a feeling of numbness. To test this, pinch your skin. If you feel the pinch then you have paraesthesia which is actually the lesser form of nerve irritation, this will settle quickly by removing pressure off the nerve. If you don't feel the pinch, then you have "true" numbness and you should seek help as the irritation to the nerve may actually cause bowel or bladder control problems. Although it may sound serious most of these conditions heal with conservative treatment approaches. Should you be Active or Not?
Having your sciatica get worse if you do activity, this simply means the joints in your pelvis and lower back are tight. The muscles surrounding them are also overly tight so that when you do any activity they protest more and increase your sciatica and back pain. This does not mean you should stop. You still want to keep moving or the joints will tighten even more. Go for a gentle walk rather than a brisk walk. Swimming may make it feel easier. Please do not over do it or push your self to move if the pain is too severe. You need to target your lower back joints especially to ease your sciatica though as these appear to be the main cause of your pain. As these joints ease you will be able to return to all the activities you wish to do.
Should you be Active or Not?
Having sciatica become better with movement is a good thing. It means your Sacro-Iliac joints are tight, as with movement these ease up and will improve your sciatica. It also means the other joints in the area and the muscles are not too tight or irritated. Walking is the best activity to do as it doesn't place too much stress on the joints involved. It is probably best not to run or even cycle a these can irritate the area. Swimming is probably the best activity as it does remove all the pressure from the area. But even though activity makes your sciatica feel better - do not over do it until all your pain has gone. Do You Need Help?
Having your sciatica build up over a period of time usually means it is nothing serious. Disc irritations for example commonly occur from falls or injuries. Saying that your discs may still be involved, just at a minor level. What is occurring is your muscles have weakened over time, as muscles tire they also become tight. This then leads to joints becoming tight and eventually your pelvis distorts and sciatica arrives. Seeing a practitioner may speed up the healing process. You can help your self heal though by using some stretches and joint techniques. This can save you both time and money - let alone pain. Do You Need Help?
As your pain has suddenly arrived, you need to be aware that you may have a few issues that are now moderate to severe. This does not mean you have to worry or be overly concerned, but it means you have a few joints in your lower spine that have become involved. You may have been lifting objects, over doing work or just been under some stress of late. These can trigger the muscles and joints in your lower back to suddenly tighten up. Your sciatica may feel severe, but it also should settle quickly. Using a few simple techniques to remove the joint and muscle tightness should ease your sciatica quickly. If you find you are not making good progress quickly by doing techniques at home, then you should seek help from a practitioner. But still keep doing things your self to speed your recovery. Do You Need Help?
Having had trauma that has started your sciatica means you need to cautious and conservative in your approach. Discs may have become involved or it may just mean a few joints have become inflamed. With any significant fall or injury you need to seek a professional for help. Many people have had similar occurrences and not sort help only to find out they have injured discs and joints. Early intervention is the key for any traumatic sciatica conditions. Don't worry though; in almost 90% of these circumstances you have done nothing serious. But it does pay to be safe not sorry. Is there hope...
Having sciatica you'll agree is not fun. You are unable to do all the activities you use to do at home and at work. You may struggle to tie your shoe laces and feel your mobility is deteriorating fast. Although it may feel as if your sciatica will never go away and that there is no cure, rest assured there is hope. Returning to total fitness and health, being free of sciatica pain is achievable. Your desire to be completely healed, to do anything you like is a matter of releasing the tension in your lower back and pelvis. Before now this was the domain of practitioners, but through the miracle of the internet you can now learn to help ease your sciatica and become pain free. And it only takes just a few minutes of time... |