What is Sciatica ?
Sciatica is a debilitating condition in which the patient experiences pain and/or numbness in the sciatic nerve distribution area or an associated lumbosacral nerve root. Sciatica nerve is the nerve arising from the lumbar vertebra L4 through S2 nerve root which then passes through the butt region to the hamstrings to the calf muscles and front on leg to the sole of the foot.
What are the causes of sciatic nerve pain ?
Sciatic nerve pain is mainly due to chronic inflammation which irritates the sciatic nerve root resulting in pain and discomfort. various causes of this irritation are :
Disc herniation at lumbar vertebrae .
Lumbar spine stenosis ( narrowing ) in old age.
Misalignment of one lumbar vertebrae over the other.
Lumbar or pelvic muscle spasm.
Spinal or paraspinal mass like malignancy, epidural hematoma etc.
What are the symptoms of sciatica?
One sided pain in lumbar region extending to the same side of the leg.
Pain or burning sensation in buttocks
Numbness along with pain of the affected leg
Weakness and heavy feeling of the leg.
What are the mental conflicts / Mind-Body correlation in Sciatica?
As per Dr. Hammer , the founder of German New Medicine, generalized Self devaluation Conflicts concerning the whole person underline the development of Sciatica. Possible Circumstances leading to experience of such conflicts are :
Humiliation ( accusations, scolding, derogatory remarks)
Abuse ( Physical, sexual, verbal)
Failure ( at work, at school, in sports, in a relationship, as a parent or partner)
Poor performance ( intellectual, artistic, athletic)
Feeling of shame and guilt.
Loss of status, loss of a workplace, retirement.
Illness or injuries ( “i’m out of commission”)
Aging ( “i’m not as good as i used to”, “i’m getting old and useless”)
loss of person , who made one feel appreciated and needed.
The way we perceive ourselves or speak to ourselves (“I am a failure”, “I will never succeed”) create mental predispositions for generalized self-devaluation conflicts. Children and the elderly are more vulnerable to suffer the conflict. Which Side is affected , also gives the possible clue of the experience of this conflict
How to manage Sciatica?
Use of hot or cold packs for comfort and to decreased inflammation
Avoidance of inciting activities or prolonged sitting/standing
Practicing good, erect posture
Engaging in exercises to increase core strength
Gentle stretching of the lumbar spine and hamstrings
Regular light exercises such as walking, swimming, or aquatherapy
Use of proper lifting techniques
NSAID’s
Homoeopathic medicines for pain management and reduction of inflammation
Identification of possible conflict situation and resolution.
3 Simple stretches for Sciatica Pain !
Scissor Hamstring Stretching exercise : https://www.spine-health.com/video/scissor-hamstring-stretch-low-back-pain-and-sciatica-relief-video
Single knee to chest stretch for Sacroiliac joint : https://www.spine-health.com/video/video-single-knee-chest-si-joint-stretch-sciatic-pain-relief
Sciatica nerve glide exercise : The sciatic nerve glide exercise helps relax and desensitize the sciatic nerve, improving the range of motion in the leg(s).
To perform this exercise:
Sit upright on a chair and straighten one knee while keeping your other foot flat on the floor.
Slowly bend your ankle so that your toes are pointing towards you.
Continue to bend your ankle back and forth, pointing your toes away from you and then toward you.
As tolerated, to put more tension on the sciatic nerve, try the same nerve glide with your head bent forward, bringing your chin toward your chest.
Pump your ankle up and down 15 to 20 times and then repeat the exercise with your other leg.
Aim to complete 3 rounds for each leg, twice a day.
Gentle stretches that target the lower back and hips can help reduce sciatica pain, as well as improve range of motion. Try these stretches when your sciatica pain starts to flare up. Click to watch the exercises.
References :
Sciatica by David Davis; Kushagra Maini; Arvind Vasudevan. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507908/ .
German New medicine by Dr. hamer. https://learninggnm.com/SBS/documents/bones.html#Bones_BC .