Back pain is incredibly common, especially in people over 40 years of age. How do you know when you’ve simply “tweaked” your back, and when there’s cause for real concern over your back pain?
Around two out of five people will get sciatica at some point in their lives. If you’re between the ages of 30 and 50, you’re more likely to be at risk. However, if you understand what causes sciatica to occur and to worsen, you can make lifestyle changes that will cut down on flare-ups and reduce pain overall.
At Cell Bionics Institute, with locations in Utica, New York and the metropolitan Washington, DC area, Dr. Nameer Haider can help identify and heal the underlying causes of your sciatica so you can live a life without pain.
The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body. It exits the spinal cord in your lower back and then splits to continue down each leg. If your sciatic nerve gets pinched or compressed, you’ll feel pain (possibly accompanied by tingling or numbness) on the affected side. Sciatic pain isn’t a condition; it’s a symptom of spinal compression or nerve damage.
While the root of sciatic pain is compression and damage to the nerves, there are other factors that can make your pain worse.
Being overweight can cause compression of the sciatic nerve. This can mean increased pain in your back and legs. In many cases, if you can lose some weight, you can significantly change pressure on your sciatic nerve to achieve pain relief.
Choose exercises that stretch muscles and tissues surrounding the sciatic nerve. Try using a foam roller for stretches that target the lower back and hips. Arm and leg movement and rotation from a lying down position can help relieve compression in the spine and take pressure off the nerves.
Your body’s physical reactions, such as stiffening up or clenching in response to pain, can make you feel even worse. Deep breathing and meditation helps some people work through pain spasms by teaching muscles to relax instead of contract when pain signals reach your brain.
If you have other conditions that can cause nerve damage, like diabetes, you may also have sciatica symptoms. Controlling your blood sugar can help slow the progression of nerve damage.
Which doctor you choose can also affect your sciatica. If your doctor addresses pain symptoms without tackling the root cause, the problem will be chronic. Dr. Haider looks to see where compression causes nerve damage and pain, and he treats the cause of your sciatica using regenerative medicine options like:
Are you ready to say goodbye to sciatic pain? Contact Cell Bionics by calling the location nearest you or by making an appointment online today.
You Might Also Enjoy...
Back pain is incredibly common, especially in people over 40 years of age. How do you know when you’ve simply “tweaked” your back, and when there’s cause for real concern over your back pain?
Do you struggle with chronic pain, but feel that painkilling drugs are doing more harm than good? You can get away from pill-based pain management by turning to treatments that target the source of your pain.
Like many other conditions, arthritis is shrouded in myths and misconceptions. Let’s dig into this condition and uncover the truth about arthritis and what can be done to help you become more mobile.
Do you have a degenerative back condition that causes constant pain? You could be a candidate for an exciting new procedure that uses regenerative medicine to help repair spine damage.
Lower back pain can affect your ability to stand, walk, sit, and even sleep comfortably. Here are some simple exercises you can do easily at home to help alleviate your lower back pain and restore your mobility.
Is neck pain degrading your quality of life? Your screen time could be to blame. Find out how unnatural head and neck positions at home or work contribute to “tech neck” and why this condition can be dangerous.