Health news

As a chiropractor here in Plano, Texas, I often have patients who come in for treatment because of lower back pain, and some find that it’s the sciatic nerve that’s giving them the pain. Sciatica is commonly seen as a pain of the lower back which runs down from the back into the leg. This pain can be sharp, tingling and cause numbness of the lower back and leg. As part of my chiropractic care, I prescribe non-surgical methods to bring relief to my patients.

The sciatic nerve is the longest and widest single nerve in your body. It branches off at the base of the spine and runs down each side of your pelvic area, supplying nerve impulses to your butt, legs and feet. If you’ve ever experienced sciatica, you know how debilitating this pain can be. I’ve seen patients, who could barely walk, couldn’t bend over, or even stand. There are a lot of things that can trigger problems with your sciatic nerve, poor posture when you sit, slip and fall on your butt, improper swing while playing golf, and the list goes on. For most of my patients, I recommend, certain exercise, lots of rest, and certain pain medication, while they recuperate. Usually you will be back to your normal self within 2-3 weeks. However, if your pain is still severe and continues beyond 2 months, it might be necessary to consider surgery as a last resolve. In this article I will focus on alternative methods to treat this condition and leave the surgery to those more qual
ified.

Chiropractic Treatments and Alternatives at Home

I immediately recommend heat packs and ice packs. Both can be used independently or combined at various intervals. If you do not have access to over the counter packs, please use ice in a Ziploc bag and heated towels or a heating pad. Both should be applied for 20 to 30 minutes and then repeated every 2-3 hours. This should bring relief until the patient can get in to my office.

Along with heat and ice, I suggest that you use Tylenol, Advil, ibuprofen, or naproxen to help reduce the pain. Another consideration if the pain is very acute is the use epidural steroid injections. These injections are different from the oral steroid medicines because the steroid is given directly to the injured area and should bring immediate relief from the pain, much quicker than meds or oral steroids. This must be administered by a qualified medical specialist, I do not provide this service but can recommend other medical professionals who do.

Alternative Chiropractic Treatment at my Office

Chiropractors sometimes suggest the need for exercise. This might sound counter productive, but very mild exercise along with the other treatments listed above, can help strengthen muscles of the lower back and your stomach muscles. To qualify the type of exercise I recommend, I prescribe simple stretching starting slowly and gradually increasing as you recover and also to prevent future recurrences of sciatica or other back pain. The equipment I’ve installed at my office is very effective in helping with the pain and if utilized correctly, will contribute to end of sciatic pain.

Other techniques for pain relief are spinal decompression, cold laser therapy, heat and cold applied with gentle massage therapy. I have patients who I see in my office that usually need a combination of the above techniques to resolve their sciatic pain. We use various forms of massage and cold laser to relax patient’s muscles, improve blood flow, and most important, the release of endorphins in the body that act as natural pain relievers.

Last but not least, a highly effective technique for treatment that is being used more and more is acupuncture. Most people think of being a human pin cushion and even though the origins of this technique were developed by the Chinese, it is an approved procedure for back pain by the FDA. A qualified and trained acupuncturist can provide relief from back pain by simply using thin needles inserted in the area where you feel discomfort. Acupuncture focuses on the applied principle of harmonizing your body’s flow of energy through various pathways in the body. There is no guarantee that this or any other combination of treatments will totally eliminate sciatica from recurring but if you follow the advice of your chiropractor and seek help early, you should prevent this from happening again in the future.

Joint pain is so excruciating that people who have experienced it even just once cringe at the thought of its recurrence. There are many ways to relieve joint pains. However, each joint pain relief is dependent on what causes the pain. Could it be brought about by arthritis, injury, or gout?

Whichever the cause is, one of the most common treatments to is drug treatment. However, you must bear in mind that if you are experiencing pains due osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, no drugs can actually cure you for good. The drugs only help to reduce the joint pain and improve your mobility. It restricts your functional impairment and it enables you to go on with your routine as normally as possible. But, this does not mean your arthritis is gone forever.

Here are some of the most common drugs used to relieve joint pains:

• NSAIDs (Non Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs) – These are drugs that give fast relief to pain. They are generally considered safe. Some of these are aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and piroxicam.

• COX 2 inhibitors – COX-2 inhibitors are NSAIDs that selectively block the COX-2 enzyme. When COX 2 enzyme is blocked, the production of chemical messengers (called prostaglandins) is prevented. This prevention relieves the pain and the swelling of the arthritis. COX-2 inhibitors are a relatively newer type of anti-inflammatory drugs and they are growing in popularity.

• Steroids – Steroids may be occasionally required as a joint pain relief. This may be given orally in low doses or injected into the painful joint. Steroids are given for rapid pain relief, inflammation, and swelling around the affected areas. They are prescribed by doctors and should be taken only under close supervision. Abuse of these substances may cause more alarming problems in the future.

• Gout Medications – Some joint pains may be caused by a chronic ailment called gout. It is a painful inflammation of the joints in the hands and feet especially in the great toe due to the excess of uric acid in the body. If your joint pain is caused by this condition, gout medications may be used to alleviate the pain. Probenecid, for instance, is a traditional choice when it comes to promoting uric acid excretion. However, this medication is not advised to patients with a kidney problem because it predisposes a him or her to kidney stones. Another medication for gout is Allopurinol. This one works by reducing the production of uric acid.

• Dietary Supplements – Although they do not really fall under the category of medication since they do not have approved therapeutic claims, a lot of people take them to manage certain painful joint conditions. For example, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are taken by osteoarthritis patients. These supplements are said to replenish depleted connective tissues that cushion the bones. Other supplements that work the same way are niacinamide and S-adenosylmethionine. Ginger and turmeric are also known herbs to act as effectively as the supplements mentioned. They are highky recommended for joint pain relief.

Genital herpes outbreaks are never fun, never come at a convenient time, and aside from the nasty rash and lesions, they are often accompanied itching and swelling, and in many cases, quite a bit of pain. While many treatments and remedies focus on healing lesions and speeding up recovery time, not many deal with the pain of an outbreak. In this article, we’ll take a look at a few methods you can try at home with easily available ingredients, that are tried and true tested genital herpes pain relief treatments.

Over the Counter Painkillers – Sometimes a simple over the counter painkiller can be enough to reduce the pain of a herpes outbreak. I recommend Ibuprofen, it has worked the best for me in the past and reduces inflammation too. In my experience aspirin and paracetamol haven’t helped much. A local anaesthetic can also work wonders, but get a spray on variety rather than a cream, the spray contains alcohol which will evaporate, while a cream will contain a greasy solution that might gunk up your sores and make healing take longer.

Salt – Washing lesions in a mixture of warm water and Epsom salts can be very soothing and help relieve pain. You can also try sea salt (don’t use table salt), or try a bath of the same mixture, although you’ll need to use a lot of salt, around 2-3 cups for a bath.

Ice – Apply an icepack wrapped in a thin cloth or towel for ten minutes, then take it off for five minutes, then apply for another ten minutes. This is a surprisingly effective pain reliever.

Suppose you have just had an MRI scan and you’re waiting for the results. Chances are that your doctor has a report in his hand that states that you have a bulging spine or a herniated disc. In fact, in the past, it was only the over 60’s age group that was prone to such problems. These days, even those over 25 develop serious back and neck pain problems.

It has been noted that more than 90% of people find back pain relief within a couple of months of their symptoms. However, if back pain does not go away in the first couple of months, then, chances of it going away permanently are very slim indeed. According to a survey by Liberty Mutual, the longer a person absents themselves from work due to back pain, the lesser their chances of returning to work with a fully functional back. To make matters worse, research also indicates that once a person falls into the abyss of back pain, they may soon develop other health problems. Approximately 75% of chronic back pain sufferers reportedly suffer from multiple health problems.

Unfortunately, a good majority of people consider surgery to be their best shot at back pain relief. What most people do not know is that surgery is always the last option, never the first. In fact, most people who suffer from persistent back pain can get back pain relief through non-surgical means. However, for this to work, it is important that patients start working on their back musculature at the earliest possible time.

Many people are prone to back pain due to the very nature of their work. In fact, it can safely be said that if you are over 30 and working, your back is a sitting duck! By that definition, almost 90% of the world population is at risk. Surveys show that many people are indeed struggling with chronic back problems and are desperately seeing back pain relief.

The first step is to ensure that your back is always well supported. Sit, stand or lie down in a position that allows your back to be in its natural and most comfortable state of being. Anything that places continuous stress or strain on the back is guaranteed to cause pain and irritation.

The next step is to strengthen your back so that it becomes more flexible. Bear in mind that most kinds of back pains result from muscular strains. Regular back strengthening exercises are a surefire way of achieving back pain relief. That said, it must be remembered that exercises help only if they are practiced regularly, if the exercises are performed right and if they are performed over a long period of time.

If back pain problems have reached a level where they interfere with normal activities, then, it is recommended that you meet a doctor and explore the possibilities of a surgical procedure to achieve back pain relief. Research shows than in 10-15% of people, surgery is the only route to permanent back pain relief.