The Shock Of Your Back: Sciatica

By Gordon Kuang

Sciatica is a complicated word that can send shivers down your spine if a doctor diagnoses you of having it. But the direct opposite is true; it's a complex word to describe a rather mild condition. Sciatica is pain in the lower back that travels straight down to the lower limbs. But this is only in general terms, there is far much more to sciatic pain than this.

The word sciatica stems from the sciatic nerve which is by far the longest nerve in the human body. And as nerves are the strands of flesh that transmit impulses of pain and pleasure it is understandable that sciatic nerve pain has certain distinct features. When someone experiences sciatic pain they experience numbness in the lower back to lower limbs; a weakening of the limbs and a tingling sensation in the same areas.

There are a few known causes of sciatic pain. But the basic understanding of the causes is derived from the fact that when pressure is applied against the sciatic nerve it gets inflamed. So the moment the sciatic nerve is swollen only one thing can happen, the alteration of sensations. This would normally occur if you were sitting in an improper fashion for too long.

But sitting in awkward positions isn't the only cause of pain. If the vertebrae in the spinal column fall out of position during an accident the vertebrae end up applying the same said pressure against the sciatic nerve. And like I mentioned earlier a distortion of sensations will yet again persist.

Having sciatica is not the end of the world, maybe the beginning. There are so many remedies that have been developed as treatment for sciatic pain. One such treatment is the ice pack. Take a packet of ice cubes from the fridge or buy one from a garage. Proceed to rub the entire pack in areas of your back and limbs where you feel the most pain. Do this for a good 10-15 minutes and wait for a while to observe the marked change; you'll be feeling a whole lot better if you do this three times a day.

If extreme cold against your spine is unbearable there is an option you can pursue. You can try out the heat-pack and get the same positive results. Take the usual bed warmer tube and fill it up with hot water. And just like the ice-pack rub it around the areas where you feel the most pain. Pain relief will follow a few hours afterwards depending on your condition.

If both of the listed treatments have not worked for you your best bet is a massage carried out by a professional. A massage balances out tension and distributes it even around the back resulting in mild ain relief. What's more is that a massage results in the release of feel good hormones that will completely wash away the pain. Acupuncture works in a similar way, only difference is tiny hair like needles are pressed into painful areas. - 30453

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