Thursday, February 6, 2014

Sciatica : What You Should Know

Ever get a sharp pain in the back of the leg? A leg cramp that won't go away? You might have sciatica. 
There a lot of issues people come in to the Backrub to remedy. One of these such issues is sciatica- an ailment some people do not even realize that they have. So, what is it and how can you get rid of it?


Sciatica generally comes from pressure on the discs that cushion the bone- a "pinched nerve".  The nerve might be pinched inside or outside of the spinal canal as it passes into the leg. 
Aging wear and tear also can contribute, with sciatica effecting people aged 30 - 50.

Common symptoms of sciatica include:
- Weakness, numbness, or difficulty moving the leg or foot- A constant pain on one side of the rear
- A shooting pain that makes it difficult to stand up
- Pain in the rear or leg that is worse when sitting
- Burning or tingling down the leg


The main goals you want to reach when you're looking to treat sciatica is to reduce the inflammation and muscle spasms. Luckily there are ways you can do this without heading to the doctor:

Icing and Heat: Ice your lower spine area and around your hips for about twenty minutes - this will lessen the inflammation. Follow by applying heat, either through a hot bath or heating pads - which will increase your circulation and quicken the healing process.  

Stretching and Core Muscle Strength: Although you may not want to, a few stretching moves will help release muscle spasms and help prevent sciatica pain in future. Try this short helpful video for a stretching guide.

Massage Therapy: If stretching is out of the question, a massage can get you immediate relief. The Backrub practitioners offer deep tissue massage - for sciatica that means calming the muscle spasms and restoring the "numb" feeling you may have in your legs and feet. Regular visits also contribute to restoring your balance and body structure, an important component to healing many body ailments including sciatica. 




Come into The Backrub today for a session to help restore you body's natural balance - we're open 7 days a week! Walk-ins or booking available - 651-698-4567

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