Magnolia_Making Moves to Understand Sciatica

Sciatica is one of the most overused words when referring to posterior leg pain. The majority assumes the achy pain down the back of the leg or “Sciatica” is the true problem. This assumption is false and steers people down the wrong path of treatment. It is important to know what true Sciatica is and what it is not.

FREEDOM FROM PAIN The Newsletter About Your Health and Caring for Your Body

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INSIDE: Making Moves to Understand Sciatica • A 30-Second Self-Test for Sciatica • Staff Spotlight • Exercise Essentials • Featured Service: Massage Therapy • 2020 Mardi Gras Schedule

MAKING MOVES TO UNDERSTAND SCIATICA

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UNDERSTAND SCIATICA MAKING MOVES TO Do I Really Have Sciatica? Sciatica is one of the most overused words when referring to posterior leg pain. The majority assumes the achy pain down the back ofthe legor“Sciatica” isthetrueproblem.This assumption isfalseandsteerspeopledownthe wrongpathoftreatment. It is importanttoknow what true Sciatica is and what it is not. What Is Sciatica? The term “Sciatica” means pain down the Sciatic nerve root into the leg. We have very longnerveroots ina fewareasofthebody.This particularroottravelsfromthespinealltheway down to the feet. Sciatic pain means the actual nerve root itself is inflamed at some point in the pathway to the feet. Inflammation is fluid or swelling. This fluid is a problem. The brain talkstothebodybysending“impulses”through nerve roots. When the nerve root is interfered with or blocked, communication stops. When this blockage or kink in the hose occurs due to inflammation, the root signals back to the brain “OUCH” as an alarm. This “ouch” is the body telling the brain that there is a problem somewhere. Communication is not occurring as itshouldandneeds toberestored.Thebody is out of its usual harmony. Pain is the result.

is finding a professional who can help find the true cause. Physical Therapy Will Help Sciatica PhysicalTherapistsaretrained inamultitudeof waystodiagnosethecauseoftheSciatica.Once the Physical Therapist isolates the cause, the pathtopainrelief isclear.Treatmentwill include severaltechniquestorelievethepressurecaused by the problems listed earlier such as stenosis or degenerative discs. Soft tissue mobilization, assisted movement techniques, dry needling, discresorption,unweightedactives,andvarious strengthening exercises are all interventions that can be used to treat the cause. Treating the cause then will treat the symptom or pain known as “Sciatica.” If you are having pain in your legs, call us today!LetMagnoliahelpyoufindandtreatthe true cause. You will on your path to a better life before you know it!

Sciatica Is Not the Problem Sciaticaisthesymptom,notthecause.Therefore, the term has a bad reputation. Many of us feel likewehaveallweneedwhenweourlegpain is diagnosedas“Sciatica.”Inactuality,weonlyhave halfofwhatweneed.Thebadreputationcomes fromthosewhoaretoldtheyhave“Sciatica”and are then given an umbrella of choices to treat it. We often chase each idea until we have, in fact, irritated or worsened our symptoms. The pain can be severe, and to increase it can be debilitating. So What Is the Cause? The legpainknownas“Sciatica”canbecaused by several problems in the spine. Examples of these problems can be Spinal Stenosis or narrowingofthespinalcanal,DegenerativeDisc Disease or a breakdown is the disks between each vertebra, or a simple muscle spasm to name a few. The causes can be vast. The key

STAFF SPOTLIGHT ROBERT SIMMONS , LMT Hi! My name is Robert, and I became a Licensed Massage Therapist(LMT)toheal! IbelieveMassageTherapyhelpsboth physically and mentally. I give my all in each session and I’m dedicatedtohelpingeachperson!Asateenager,Iwouldrubon mymom’sshouldersafteraharddayofwork. Ithinkeveryone needs that kind of care. I love working for Magnolia Physical Therapy because they believe in helping the community live pain–free. That’s a goal I can always get behind!

cabinet.Themassagetherapistuseshisorherbarehandsto handle the stones which helps ensure the stones are not too hot for the client. The heat from the stones has a wonderful way of penetrating through the surface layers of the tissues andmusclesstraight to thebellyof themuscle. It is feels like themuscle isrelaxingfromdeep insidethetissuestothemore superficial outer tissues, instead of the usual outer surface tissues then to thedeeper tissuesnormallyexperiencedwith hands-onlymassage.Thedeeprelaxationofthesurfacetissues andsuperficialnerveendingsmakeshotstonemassagegreat for those with painful superficial tissues, such as those with fibromyalgia. At Magnolia Physical Therapy we do not do a full body hot stone massage, but we do use hot stones often duringtreatmentsessionswhennecessary.Feelfreeto ask your LMT if this form of treatment is right for you!

HotStoneMassage: IamoftenaskedwhatHotStoneMassage isandhowdoes itwork?Hotstonesaretoolsthatthemassage therapistcanusetomassagethebody.Muchunlikethephotos that are usually seen, the stones are not placed stationary on the body, but they are used as extensions of the massage therapist’shandsandused tomassage thesoft tissuesof the desired area of the body. The massage stones, usually made of tumbled lava rock due to their ability to hold heat, are heated in water or a hot towel

Do you have back pain or leg pain with standing or walking? Do you have a shooting pain in your leg when you stand up? Do you need to sit down for a minute for the pain to go away? Take this 30-second self-test to see if you might have sciatica: 1. Sit on a chair and keep good posture. 30-SECOND SELF-TEST FOR SCIATICA

2. Straighten one of your legs out in front of you, while pointing your toes to the sky. Pay attention to how high your leg can go and if you have any pain, numbness, or tingling. 3. Place your leg back down to resting position, and repeat the same movement with the opposite leg. What Your Results Mean

If the leg with pain, numbness or tingleing does not go up as high as the other leg, you likely have sciatica. Give us a call today at (504) 733-0254 and find out how we can help.

MIRACLE RED JUICE

• 2 largebeets • 4 longcarrots

• 2apples • 6celerystalks

• 2 limesor lemons • 2 inchesofGinger

Prepare beets, carrots, apples, celery, limes (or lemons) and ginger by chopping into smaller pieces before placing into a juicer. As the skin of a beet is packed with antioxidants and nutrients, it is recommended to leavetheskinonthebeet.Beetskinand lemonpeel (ifusing)havestrong flavors,soyoucouldalsopreparehalfwithskinandhalfpeeledtoadjust to the flavor, or simply peel all if preferred. Apples can be any color or variety. Do not peel the ginger, which you will add to taste as ginger can be spicy. After all ingredients are added to the juicer, blend until juiced and smooth. Drink juice as soon as possible to obtain all benefits of the antioxidantsandnutrients.MiracleRedJuicecanbeabsorbedmoreeasily on an empty stomach. Drink one glass every other day or as needed.

Brace Marching While lying on your back with your knees bent, tighten your stomach by drawing in your belly button close to your spine. Slowly raise up one foot a few inches and then set it back down, and continue as if marching for two minutes. Try not to move your pelvis or back while moving your legs. Drawing in your stomach helps to keep your spine from moving. Next, perform the same exercise with your other leg. Repeat 10 times. EXERCISE ESSENTIALS USE THIS TECHNIQUE FOR CORE STRENGTH

FEATURED SERVICE MASSAGE THERAPY

Massage Therapy is both mentally calming and physically therapeutic— just about anyone can benefit from a session with a trained massage therapist. Massage therapists use targeted pressure techniques on soft tissues, such as muscles, in order to promote healing and boost wellness. “Regular” massage is fairly well known, and involves gentle manipulation and pressing down on your skin and underlying muscles, tendons, connective tissue, and ligaments. Several other types of massage therapy exist, including deep tissue massage, which involves more pressure and longer strokes, and lymphatic, in which gentle pressure is used to stimulate the lymphatic (drainage) system to decrease swelling and boost immunity. In trigger point therapy, pain centers are deactivated through targeted massage. Depending on the kind of friction or smoothness needed for the massage, your massage therapist may use body oils. Aromatherapy candles or essential oils mixed in with the massage oil might also be part of the healing process. To learn more about Massage Therapy and other services we offer, call us today at (504) 733-0254.

Exercisescopyrightof

Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing.

Freedom From Pain

SUCCESS STORIES

DIRECT ACCESS WHAT DOES IT MEAN? Physical Therapy is Easier to Get Than You Think! • A physician referral • Therapy may begin

“I would not imagine going

anywhere else. Magnolia PhysicalTherapyhasseen me through a foot injury, knee replacement, and shoulder operation; all with excellent outcomes! The staff is incredible, knowledgeable, and concerned. I am so gratefulDr.Sketchlerand Dr. Ogden referred me here! ”

with a full evaluation by a licenced physical therapist. • Patients sent by their physician can choose where they want to receive therapy.

no longer needed, whether you want a check-up, suffered a recent injury, or if you want to improve your overall health and wellness.

Don’t let your pain hold you back. Call us today at (504) 733-0254 or visit our website at MagnoliaTherapyLA.com.

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