Back Pain during pregnancy is a common complaint. It is only natural that carrying extra weight puts extra pressure on your spine to perform. Weight gain during pregnancy happens relatively rapidly, leaving your body with little time to adjust to its new load.

Your body is changing

Being pregnant throws off the body’s natural sense of balance, leaving the spine and back to compensate for your new center of gravity.

It’s important to remember that your baby’s healthy weight gain means that he or she is growing normally, although this may cause temporary discomfort to you in the form of pressure on the pelvis, lower back and corresponding blood vessels and nerves.

Hormonal changes are also a common cause of back pain during pregnancy. Special hormones are released to allow for softening of the pelvic ligaments and joints, which is the body’s way of preparing for the birthing process. It may in turn cause a decrease in the amount of support your back normally enjoys.

Adjusting to your new weight can lead to bad posture and habits such as slouching, which contributes to back pain during pregnancy. Sitting and standing for extended periods of time can also lead to discomfort, as can bending over.

Stress is another causal factor of back pain during pregnancy. It generally seeks out weak places in the body and with the changes pregnancy brings, can easily settle in the pelvic and lower and upper back areas.

Avoid the pain

If you are experiencing mild to moderate back pain while expecting, there are several gentle ways to diminish pain and manage discomfort.

Strengthen your back muscles and spine by participating in pregnancy-safe exercises. Generally safe forms of exercise during pregnancy include swimming, walking and stationary cycling. You should, however, consult with your doctor before beginning any exercise regimen, and of course take care not to overexert yourself.

Pay close attention to your footwear and make sure to accommodate your growing figure in comfortable, low-heeled shoes with proper arch support. Maternity jeans or trousers with a supportive waistband can also help take the pressure off your back, as can a special maternity belt.

Maintain proper posture while sitting, standing and sleeping. A pillow placed on your lower back while sitting can make a world of difference. Many women report that sleeping on their sides with a pillow placed between the knees greatly relieves back pain, and before lying down you can rest your spine by reclining and raising your feet on a stool, ottoman or even a stack of books.

If you feel that your spine is significantly misaligned, you may want to consider a chiropractic treatment, which is considered safe during pregnancy. Some chiropractors even have a special interest in treatment of pregnant patients and provide adjustable tables in addition to advising on exercises and stretches to relieve back pain.

Another truly indulgent and healing form of relief is prenatal massage. When researching a Spa for this treatment, check to see if they ask how many weeks into your pregnancy you are. Massage is not recommended for women who are less than 12 weeks pregnant or over 32 weeks pregnant.

No stress

Overall reduction of stress is always a good idea for reducing back pain and enjoying this special time of life. Try to evaluate the stressful influences in your life and determine if there is a way to reduce them. Frequent breaks from work, making time to relax and spending quality time with family and friends can have a great effect on your stress levels, reducing back pain and allowing you to make the most of your status as mother-to-be.

Author’s bio:

Sonia Bieber is a mother of two and sufferer of pregnancy-related back pain. She is also a writer for Crave Maternity, the UK’s Leading Maternity Clothes Designer & Maternity Wear Retailer.

Because sleeping consumes roughly 1/3 of our day, most back problems (save those that result from injury or structural defects) can be attributed to a bad mattress. When we are in a lying position, the weight of the body is entirely on the shoulders, hips and back and without a supportive surface, body pain results.

Doctors and chiropractors explain that the older we get, the more we need to invest in a good mattress. The progressive loss of elasticity and flexibility in the joints and tissues means that more is being demanded out of our bed when providing support. Younger individuals can easily reposition their spines to compensate for sagging or faulty beds, but older people (or those who are overweight/ obese) cannot adjust that well.

Mattresses suffer from wear and tear, even if it does not show

The best time to shop for a new mattress is about 5 to 7 years after your last purchase. Although there are some who would content those mattresses can be used up to 10 years, normal wear and tear can compromise your sleeping experience significantly. This is especially true for mattresses which are used every night, and regularly slept on by two people or more. Even a bed used by an average-sized adult sleeper could be too worn out in spots, because we tend to lie in the same position or the same place every time. Flipping and turning does prolong a mattress’ life by evenly distributing wear but it can only help by so much.

You may look at your mattress and think that it does not look that worn out but after five years, the springs and other support features inside the core are no longer as good as they were when you first purchased your bed. Generally, the area right across the middle of the bed is the first to give way since that is where the majority of the body weight falls. Incidentally, it also coincides with the region at the base of the spine—which explains the direct relationship between poor mattress support and back pain.

Mattress Recommendations for Back Pain

Recent research findings now debunk the idea that firm mattresses are the best for back support. Actually, they can contribute to back issues just as much as a too-soft bed does. According to chiropractors, the best mattress that you can buy for your back is a medium-firm mattress because it can accommodate the natural curvature of the spine.

Browse through any basic anatomy book and look for an illustration of the spine. If you look at it from the side, you will immediately observe that the small bones of the spine are actually curved in three places: the in area of the chest, the area of the abdomen, and the area of the pelvis. A mattress that is too firm does not permit the convexities to sink in properly, so you end up uncomfortable. Meanwhile, because a sagging mattress makes you sink in too much, it won’t be able to adequately push back against your weight.

Memory foam mattresses are probably one of the best kinds of mattresses that you can buy to help with your back problems. It reacts to your body’s temperature and gives optimum weight distribution, thus avoiding pressure points to develop. There are many clinical studies which also show how memory foam offers better performance for existing musculoskeletal conditions like arthritis. It also optimized blood circulation throughout the entire body.

For this reason, memory foam mattresses come highly recommended by doctors for patients who need exceptional back support and comfort.

Author Bio: Patric seeley loves to sleep and works at Mattressnextday.co.uk  who make adjustable double mattress, memory foam mattress & hospital beds which cannot only improve your quality of sleeping, but also your quality of life.

When you feel pain in your back, it’s logical to think that it is originating from that area, but that’s not always the case. Health conditions that have nothing to do with the back can lead to back pain, due to nerves and muscles that connect other body parts to the back. Several foot disorders have the adverse side effect of creating back pain, so if your lower back is feeling the hurt, you may want to look to your feet.

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis stems from the plantar fascia ligament in the foot. You’ll feel plantar fasciitis pain mainly in the heel. The ligament can tear due to injury or overuse, which causes the area to become inflamed. The condition commonly affects athletes who do an extensive amount of running or jumping, according to Plantar-fasciitis.org, but it can also affect anyone who does a lot of heavy lifting or is severely overweight.

To avoid the pain in the heel that comes with plantar fasciitis, people often change their walk, sometimes unconsciously, so that their heel doesn’t touch the ground. While this can help offset pain in the heel, this unnatural gait puts pressure on the rest of the body, especially the lower back, which leads to lower back pain.

Surgery is not generally recommended for plantar fasciitis. Simple treatments include a reduction in activity and the use of compression stockings to reduce blood flow to the area and relieve pain.

Metatarsalgia

 What plantar fasciitis is to the heel of the foot, metatarsalgia is to the ball of the foot. Pain in the front of the foot, right behind the toes, is caused due to inflammation of the metatarsal bones. Like with plantar fasciitis, this inflammation may occur due to injury or pressure on the foot. People who walk improperly (toe-to-heel), wear heels, or stand on their feet all day are especially prone to metatarsalgia.

If metatarsalgia sufferers wear heels, the solution is simply to switch to flats. Other individuals suffering the pain of metatarsalgia, though, may need to get custom orthotics that can reverse pressure toward the heel to take weight off of the ball of the foot.

Fallen Arches

 More commonly known as flat feet, fallen arches don’t necessarily come from injury. Individuals with flat feet are often born with them, though they may not notice until adulthood. Fallen arches can also be caused, though. Obesity and pregnancy are two common causes.

As the name implies, a person with fallen arches doesn’t have an arch to their feet, which leads to an improper gait. This lack of arch causes sore and tired feet, but can also cause issues with the lower back.

While fallen arches are not usually “fixed,” the pain that comes from them can be eliminated by buying shoes with high arches, which can create a false arch to the foot that leads to proper walking. If you’re suffering from fallen arches, you should also avoid going barefoot, since without shoes you have no arch to support your foot and back.

Diabetes

 When it comes to foot disorders and back pain, individuals with diabetes have a lot of vulnerabilities. Diabetes can cause foot ulcers, bunions, blisters, and other largely harmless conditions that may cause a diabetic to change their gait to reduce pain. The disease also causes neuropathy, which reduces sensation in the foot, making it more difficult for a diabetic to walk properly. Like the previous conditions, an improper gait can cause chronic back pain.

The main defense against these conditions for diabetics is to maintain a healthy diet and keep insulin levels in check. The use of compression stockings to reduce blood flow to the feet, though, can also help prevent minor foot issues that can lead to major back pain.

When you have pain in your back, reaching for a heating pad and some aspirin might seem like the easy solution. If that back pain stems from your feet, though, you’ll need to take a few further steps to eliminate back pain, instead of just covering it up.

Author`s Bio:

Drew James produces content for Dr. Todd’s Relief-for-Feet Products. When he’s not writing, researching, or editing, you can find him running and biking on urban trails, or working in his garden. 

For preventing back pain, consider designing a fitness routine that includes weight lifting exercises for strengthening back muscles. Keeping muscles in the back strong decreases the likelihood of back pain. Along with cardiovascular and stretching exercises, weight lifting contributes to staying fit and pain-free.

Weightlifting Exercises to Prevent Back Pain

To improve the condition of back muscles, choose weight training exercises for targeting the back. Here are several weight training exercises to implement into a fitness routine:

Back extensions

Back extension machine

Barbell push press

Incline reverse dumbbell raise

Reverse fly

Deadlift

Deadlift machine

Romanian deadlift

Back row

Single arm barbell row

Barbell bent over row

Seated high back row

Seated row machine

A Balanced Fitness Program

A balanced fitness program includes stretching and cardiovascular exercises as well as strength training exercises. Each contributes to maintaining a fit and pain-free body and stretching and cardiovascular exercises enhance the benefits of weight training.

Stretching Exercises

Stretching routines keep the body limber and the joints in good condition. This supports the body during weight training sessions. Proper stretching maintains range of motion in all joints; it also keeps the joints healthy for supporting body weight and any weight lifted. This reduces the likelihood of injuries to the back during weightlifting sessions. Stretching exercises should be performed before and after weight training.

Cardiovascular Exercises

Cardiovascular exercises improve circulation in the body and increase oxygen to all body parts. These exercises also support strong muscles, healthy joints and proper functioning of all body systems. Walking, running, jogging or using cardiovascular equipment such as a step machine are appropriate choices as part of a fitness routine that includes weight lifting for preventing back pain. This type of exercise also assists in maintaining proper body weight and reducing fat while building muscles with weight training.

Strength Training Exercises

Strength training exercises strengthen the muscles in the body while improving muscle tone, strength and endurance. Weightlifting also protects the body from injuries and speeds up the body’s natural healing process.

Frequency of Exercise Sessions

Though many fitness experts recommend three weekly exercise sessions, A University of Alberta study shows that four or more weekly exercise sessions decrease back discomfort. So if a person is currently experiencing back pain, increasing the frequency of workout sessions, including weight training sessions, may relieve the discomfort.

Cautions and Tips

Individuals must use proper lifting techniques and body positioning for lifting machine or free weights. Incorrect techniques may cause a back problem or worsen back problems that already exist. To reduce the risk of injury to the lower back, begin a new routine with weight machine exercises since machines provide the most support for proper positioning and lifting.

Eating healthy in conjunction with following a fitness routine will increase the benefits of all types of exercises including weight lifting. Natural, healthy eating supports the body’s ability to heal itself of pains, discomforts and other unwanted conditions.

This post was prepared by Archie Raweed, one of Vincent Del Monte’s students in Australia.

As we all know it, human body is quite fragile and has it`s limits, as far as physical strains go. Our neck, some would agree, is most fragile of all, being subjected to years of beating, nasty turns and twists. That being said, it comes as no surprise that many people in our environment, including ourselves, at some period of life experience neck pain, some more than others. Speaking of neck pain and discomfort, we can`t go on without mentioning cervical disc disease.

Cervical disc disease is a degenerative process that causes severe pain in the upper extremity region. Weakness and numbness of arms and shoulders can be added to the list of symptoms. And, whenever pain is involved, our quality of life is affected. All you can think of is pain and ways to get rid of it, you often neglect some responsibilities involving your family, friends and even work.

Lets talk little more about cervical spine

“Neck” section of your spine is medically called cervical spine. It consists of vertebrae, just like the rest of the spine, but vertebrae are smallest in dimension. The actual joints between spinal discs are not as mobile, but combined mobility of the whole cervical segment is what counts. It incorporates movement such as rotation, side to side and back to front bending. They also serve as shock absorbers, when a violent movement is executed, such as jumping. And they degenerate over time, just like everything else. It can be the result of excessive movement, repetitive motion or simply age. So cervical disc disease is pretty widespread and common with people over 40 years of age.

It`s progress can be manifested in various ways but, as i`ve said before, pain is ever present. Stiffness can occur as a result of less flexibility. It is not common for that disk to “slip” out of it`s place and put pressure on spinal cord, making it harder for spinal cord to do what it is meant to do. On a side note, herniated disk can also be the result of a trauma, injury if you will – one example is a car accident.

We feel numbness and pain because the disc is pressing on the spinal cord, as earlier mentioned. And spinal cord is nothing more than a huge bundle of nerves, that originate in the brain.

Do I have cervical disc disease?

Obviously if you sense something is wrong you should go see your doctor, i`ve learned that you should always go with your gut and never gamble with your health! It is much too valuable to be taken for granted. So what will happen when you go see a doctor? Well he/she will take your “history”, and im not talking about your family tree or something. He/she will ask you some question in order to determine your “medical history”. He/she will be most interested in severity of the pain, place of origin, localization that is, and the first time those symptoms manifested themselves.

You will also be subjected to a number of tests to assess your fitness and strength level, to help cast more light on your situation. In addition your doctor may bring out the “big guns”, CT or MRI that will help him/her figure out what went wrong and how to fix it.

As a conclusion I want to say this- trust yourself and most importantly trust your doctors! Their main job is to help you lead a good, quality life.

 

A pinched nerve can cause tingling, stabbing or shooting pains in your body. These symptoms occur when too much pressure is applied to a nerve by the surrounding tissues (bones, tendons, muscle, cartillage). Pinched nerves may be the cause of a herniated disc, sciatica, or carpal tunnel syndrome.

Neuropathic pain is a chronic pain typically associated with tissue injury. Sometimes the nerve fibers are injured, damaged or dysfunctional and send incorrect pain signals to other parts of the body. The most common symptoms of  neuropathic pain are tingling, numbness, burning, and shooting pains.

Having Piriformis syndrome can cause extreme body pain, and produce an natural response to daily physical activity and can take a toll the patients psychological disposition.

 Understanding Neuropathic Pain

Nerve pain is a catch-all phrase that actually applies to quite a few conditions.  To understand the basics of nerve pain, it helps to have a basic understanding of the nervous system.  It all starts with the brain, which interprets the signals coming from the nerves.  From the brain, the spinal cord descends into your spinal column.  It is like a freeway for the brain because it transmits signals from the periphery to the brain for processing.

It really does look like a tree coming off the spinal cord, and at each level of the spine, many nerves branch out to report back on the actions in the periphery.  When one of these nerves is pinched, injured, or otherwise malfunctions, it sends false signals of pain to the brain.  This is the basis of all nerve pain.

 Causes

Many conditions can cause neuropathic pain.  Trauma and mechanical injury is the most common type.  For instance, if you were in a car crash and damaged the nerves in your neck, you could experience pain in your arms.  You should also consider that trauma can also affect bones, and bones can press on nerves to cause pain.  This is especially true of nerves that run close to the spine, and something as simple as a fall or improper lifting can cause the bones or the discs between them to shift out of alignment.

Other mechanisms that can cause damage to nerves usually result from some sort of disease.  Diabetes can damage nerves and this can lead to neuropathy in the feet or, sometimes, in the hands.  If you have a case of shingles, you can develop nerve damage in the area that the shingles manifested.  Infection, certain medications, and kidney problems can also lead to nerve pain occurring anywhere in the body.

 Symptoms

Pain is the most common symptom with nerve dysfunction, but it is often more specific than that.  When a nerve is damaged, you will have sensitivity to the slightest touch all along the track that the nerve services.  This sensitivity usually manifests as pain.

Sharp, stabbing, and burning pain is also felt along the nerve track, and you can sometimes feel pain very far away from where the nerve was originally damaged.  You may have numbness, tingling, and weakness, as well, because the nerves for movement often run close to the nerves for feeling.

 Treatments

Nerve pain is sometimes challenging to treat, but there are new procedures that will help you manage your pain.  The first line of treatment is usually medications, such as anti-seizure medications and some antidepressants.

In cases of severe nerve damage, you may need a strong pain medication, such as a narcotic.  You can also have injections of pain relievers directly into the area or a nerve block, which chemically blocks the signals from the damaged nerve.  Physical therapy and the burning away of troublesome nerves in a surgical procedure can help to reduce pain.  If you have trauma that caused the nerve pain, surgery to repair a broken vertebra or disc in the spine are very helpful in decreasing pain to the auxiliary areas.

Author`s bio:

You can use a combination of medication, physical therapy, talk therapy, and surgery to treat nerve pain.  On the staff of BASIC Spine, we have a dedicated pain management doctor who can prescribe just the right medications for your condition, and we are also affiliated with surgeons who can employ injections or other surgery to ease your pain.

It starts out as any other ordinary day, but the end of this day will be much different. Imagine that you are doing your typical daily routine when something strikes that is not so typical. You bend over to reach the remote or put your socks on, and something unimaginable hits you like lightning. Back pain! You are stuck and it is difficult to move.

Your once perfect performing back has called it a day and revolted on the hand that once fed it. Immediately your brain shuts off all nonsensical thoughts, and remedies are brought to the surface. Your cortical synapses fire at light speed and recall every human you’ve come in contact with who had back pain. Like an epiphany, your brain comes up with the thought of the chiropractor.

Back pain comes in many varieties with many causes. Back pain typically comes out of no where. It can feel achy, tight, burning, fatigued, weak, electrical, stabbing, throbbing, gripping, pinching, and out of alignment. These symptoms can present with many problems of the back. The chiropractor is well versed in identifying and treating problems with the back with a variety of therapy options that are non drug and non surgical.

Conditions Involving Back Pain

Some problems with the back that a chiropractor can help you with are as such: sacroiliac syndrome, leg length inequality, lumbar strain/sprain, facet syndrome, instability, spondylolisthesis, disc herniation, stenosis, degenerative joint disease, scoliosis, headaches, piriformis syndrome, torticolis, and other spine related problems. Injuries to the back can come from gradual wear and tear, or accidents.

Just about everyone will be involved in a car accident in their life, and chiropractic care is an excellent option for treatment. Car accidents mainly produce whiplash, but also instigate a host of the former listed spinal related problems. Auto injuries most often produce soft tissue injuries. Chiropractic care for auto accidents help restores the structure and alignment of the spine, in turn allowing the function of the spine to return.

The typical acute case of back pain usually requires 6-12 treatments. Each office visit my entail such therapies as electrotherapy, moist heat, cold laser, soft tissue techniques, and chiropractic manipulation therapy. Chiropractic adjustments help decrease stiffness in the back, and trigger important neurological reflexes that decrease pain and muscle tone. Your chiropractic treatment may also include prescribed exercises.

Exercises And Back Pain

Exercise is an absolute must to help the spine return to normal function. Some exercises have been shown to help stabilize the back. These are core stability exercises. Core stability exercises help improve the strength and more importantly they help improve the muscle firing patterns of the complex array of muscles in the back. Some examples of core stability exercises are: plank, side plank, bridge plank, quadraped exercises, bird dogs, and dead bug.

Finding the right chiropractor is essential as not all chiropractors are the same. Some specialize in sports injuries, and some specialize in auto accident treatment, or both. There are a variety of chiropractors, and it is important to research online the services they offer.

Back pain can last a lifetime if not properly treated. Any type of back pain related symptom is not normal. A visit to your chiropractor is essential since treating a chronic pain is more difficult than an acute pain.

Author`s Bio:

Dr. Trent Artichoker MS, DC is the owner and founder of Denver Chiropractic, LLC, where he specializes as an auto accident chiropractor in Denver. They accept auto insurance for auto injuries, and they treat car accident injuries on lien basis as well.

Can college be dangerous to your health? This may seem like a strange question until students begin to consider its implications. College campuses are notorious breeding grounds for communicative diseases and bacteria. This is the reason most colleges require that students have their immunizations up to date before arriving on campus. Students also have a tendency to make terrible food choices during college, and this makes it hard for their bodies to defend against invading germs and bacteria.

However, one of the health risks that students rarely consider is the stress that those hefty backpacks are placing on their backs. Researchers have been astounded to find out just how much weight the average college student deals with each day and are concerned about the impact that this could be having on the spine. The following tips may help students keep their back in excellent condition and alleviate some of the pain caused by bad habits:

Lighten the Pack

Backpacks are great because they free the arms and hands for other uses, and they can distribute the load if they are worn properly, but they can certainly be a health hazard if students become careless. The following suggestions should prevent a bad back sprain:

• Remove all unnecessary books and supplies before making each trip.

• Distribute the load in a back pack so that one side is not heavier than the other.

• Make sure the backpack weighs less than 15 percent of your current weight.

• Wear the pack high in the center of the back instead of leaning to one side.

Train the Back Muscles

Just like any other muscle, the back can be strengthened with the right exercises. Both weight lifting and resistance bands work well for this purpose. Muscles also experience less stress when students work to stand and sit up straight, rather than reclining at an angle or slumping over as they walk. Students should practice keeping their shoulders, back and hips in a straight line when running, biking or sitting. For improving posture and strengthening core muscles, students may want to consider joining a Pilates or yoga class.

Keep Stress under Control

College students are under constant pressure to adapt to new situations, meet new people, and keep their grades up. This tension can lead to physical pain in the neck, shoulders and back. The following are some easy ways to keep this from happening:

• Begin and end the day with five minutes of stretching.

• Maintain a consistent sleeping schedule even if you cannot get eight hours of rest.

• Take frequent breaks, especially from computers and other electronic devices.

• Use some inexpensive DVD’s to practice a few easy yoga moves.

• Use a personal journal as a way to get rid of negative feelings like anger or disappointment.

• Get at least 30 minutes of sunlight each day.

By being careful about the loads that they lift, strengthening their back and shoulder muscles, and managing stressful situations, most college students will not be sidelined with back pain. At the first sign of trouble, it may be well worth the money to get a professional massage to relieve knotted muscles.

Author Bio: Jennifer Lewis uses the above tips to keep her back healthy. She writes for a site that helps female students find funding for college, such as scholarships for Hispanic women and grants for pregnant women.

The amazing complexity of the spine not only supports body weight but enables a wide range of movement. Millions experience back and spinal problems at some point during their lives. Implementing subtle changes in your lifestyle prevents many types of injuries.

Getting a Good Night’s Sleep

While sleeping, mattresses and pillows support the entire length of the spine. When too soft or too hard, the bed does not offer adequate support or promote proper back alignment. When the body cannot relax, physical stressors remain in the body. What should be a restful sleep turns into a night of tossing and turning in an effort to find a comfortable position.

Shoe Selection

The fashion industry continually adds to the vast selection of shoe designs and styles. While attractive, many types of shoes do nothing for proper posture. The height of the shoe directly affects the curvature of the spine. The higher the heel, the greater the degree of spine misalignment. Likewise when walking, jumping or running, shoes should not only offer proper support but cushion blows that travel through the spine. As feet support the entire weight of the body, adequate shoe styles encourages proper spinal alignment and decrease back pressure.

Pamper Your Back

Stress and certain physical activities stress back anatomy. Muscles tighten. Ligaments, muscles and tendons may endure injury. Soft tissue swelling pulls vertebra out of alignment. Taking the time for a hot bath, the soothing jets of a hot tub or any number of massages help soft tissues relax and eliminate the physical effects of stress on the body. Less expensive alternatives include portable electronic message cushions.

Back Support

Sitting increases the weight load endured by the lower spine. The wrong chair or seat style also does nothing for proper spinal alignment. Not all chairs and seats are created equal and many are not designed for adequate support and comfort. When sitting for lengthened periods without proper back support, people tend to squirm and continually change position, which alters spinal alignment. Sitting for extended periods of time also inhibits proper blood circulation throughout the body.

Strengthen Your Back

Abdominal exercises not only improve appearance but also serve to strengthen back muscles and maintain vertebral alignment. Stretching exercises encourage relaxation by lengthening muscles and encouraging blood flow.

Not providing adequate support, forcing the body to endure unnatural movements or excessive external forces contributes to back problems. Making a conscious effort toward spinal health saves you from the pain and discomfort of injury and potentially expensive medical interventions.

Author`s bio:

Casey Haslem is a professional writer that enjoys hiking, the outdoors and spending time with her family. She is also a big proponent of the Bellevue massage clinic. For more information visit: MassageTherapyBellevue.com.

Hey guys, we have something special for you today. We came in contact with Sciatica sufferer Paul and he has decided to share his story with us. So let`s hear what he has to say:

Copyright http://www.flickr.com/photos/doctorow/

“For a few weeks, I would find myself fidgeting when I sat down to watch television in the evening. Before I realised it, it had been months, and much to my housemates’ annoyance. I thought that maybe it was the sofa; that it was too low down, or something like that (student furniture not being the best made). But when I got home during the holidays, I experienced the same discomfort in my right leg.

It wasn’t a pain, like a cramp in the middle of the night. It was just a dull ache. I didn’t do any sports so it couldn’t have been that. It’s only now that I realise that that could indeed have been the cause. I tried to think whether I had stepped off a curb awkwardly, but I couldn’t think of anything I had done to cause this sensation. I wracked my brain thinking of what it could have been but nothing came to mind.

As I said, because it didn’t cause any pain, and was only occasionally felt in one leg, I continued to dismiss it for a while, and that was when I did actually notice it myself. Soon however, I began finding it difficult to walk properly if I had been sat down or sedentary for a period of time, to the point that I would sometimes limp away. At night, I would awake in absolute pain in my lower back, which caused great concern because my parents have had back problems for years. The odd sensation now crept up into the back of my thigh and my buttock, so I knew it was escalating.

Visit to the doctor`s office

When I went to my doctor, he prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs which I was quite disappointed with, because not only did it feel like I was being pushed away without a proper solution but now I was losing sleep from about 5am onwards because of how I would wake up. This is probably a lesson to get anything like that checked out as soon as possible.
My second GP visit, following another two weeks of no improvement, was a bit more successful, and the doctor actually had me flex my legs to see what happened. He was very quick to diagnose the pain as sciatica though because I was quite young. Again, the only thing he could prescribe was general exercise, though not necessarily walking; because of the posture you make when you walk everything is being pushed down, whereas to resolve sciatica you need to be able to move the legs without putting weight on your soles. So the action your legs make when you cycle or swim loosen up the leg nerves as your legs revolve.

I was ready to do anything, especially to avoid injections into the lower back which is sometimes the case in bad circumstances. So after a few weeks of taking up swimming twice a week, I found a huge improvement in that I could sit for films without that dull ache and I managed to sleep without problems. I feel it coming back every now and then, so I treat that as a sign I need to be more active.”



Author Bio:
Paul has been suffering on and off with sciatica issues for about eighteen months now. He enjoys sharing his experience with others, and finding new exercises to put off any such sensations when they come back. He’s a big proponent of products like King of Bitters (known under other names like Natural Bitters) though appreciates the necessity for an active lifestyle to fend off such problems.