ShorelinePT_Is It Back Pain Or Sciatica

Understanding Sciatica

3 NATURAL SOLUTIONS TO BEAT SPRING ALLERGIES

1. Limit your time outdoors. Each spring, trees release billions of tiny pollen grains into the air. When you breathe them into your nose and lungs, they can trigger an allergic reaction. Staying inside can help, especially on windy days and during the early morning hours, when pollen counts are highest. 2. Tweak your home. Simple changes make a difference. Shut all windows to keep out pollen. Use an air conditioner to cool your home instead of a fan, which draws in air from outside. Take off your shoes at the door and ask guests to do the same. That keeps allergens outside. Finally, don’t allow guests, or yourself, to smoke inside the home. It can make allergy symptoms worse. If you or someone you live with smokes, now is a good time to quit. 3. Keep it clean! Be sure to wash all surfaces regularly with single-wipe dust rags (if using cleaning rags, be sure to wash them in hot water after each use). If you find mold, use water and detergent to clean, then let it air-dry completely. Finally, wash all bedding once a week in hot water and dry in a hot dryer.

Episodes of back pain if left untreated can progress into sciatica. The sciatic nerve is a large nerve that runs from the very bottom of your spine down the back or side of the leg all the way to the foot. Sciatica occurs if this sciatic nerve becomes compressed or inflamed. Severe arthritis or disc herniation are two main causes of sciatica. How can you tell the difference between back pain and sciatica pain? Sciatica is characterized by the following factors:

Try this movement if you are experiencing back pain. EXERCISE OF THE MONTH

• Pain usually on one side and radiates below the knee

• The leg pain develops more like a burning, tingling, or searing sensation, and not as a plain ache

Relieves Back Pain

• The sharp pain in the leg can make it difficult to sit, stand or walk

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TRUNK EXTENSION STRETCH

• The radiating pain can shoot down the leg even into the foot and toes

Start by lying face down on a mat. Move your hands underneath your shoulders. Push into the ground to bring your upper body up. Keep your legs, hips, and lower back relaxed. Do two second holds for 10 repetitions. Repeat as directed by your physical therapist.

Sciatica develops in the nerves that exit the lower back, so while the pain itself is generated from the back, most of the pain is felt in the leg. Sciatica symptoms can be a combination of burning, tingling, numbness, and at times weakness in the leg. If you are experiencing back pain or sciatica and haven’t talked to a medical professional about the concern, then now is the time to take action. Working with a MDT trained physical therapist at Shoreline Physical Therapy can get you on the road to recovery. For more information about overcoming back pain, contact us.

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