Stretches For Sciatica
Stretches For Sciatica – The Best Alternative?
Stretches for sciatica or sciatic neuritis are often suggested either as the only treatment or as a complementary therapy. Sciatic neuritis is merely a term used by doctors to refer to pain that occurs in the lower back, hips or upper legs due to compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve.
The sciatic nerve is very large. It begins in the lower back, runs through the buttocks and continues down through the legs. It is the size and length of the nerve that sometimes makes locating the site of the compression difficult. While the pain may occur in your legs or hips, the cause of the pressure on the nerve is, nearly always, somewhere in the back.
Your doctor may prescribe pain relievers, refer you to a chiropractor, suggest additional testing or recommend stretches for sciatica, which are quite effective for many people and may be all that you need to do. Non-surgical spinal decompression is another treatment that is typically expensive, although there is little evidence to support the treatment’s effectiveness.
Surgical procedures that are approved for sciatic pain include IDET (intradiscal electrothermoplasty) and RFDN (radio-frequency discal nucleoplasty). Generally speaking, surgery is only recommended when the cause of the syndrome is a herniated (torn) disc.
Herniated discs are accompanied by inflammation (swelling) in the surrounding tissues, which places pressure on the sciatic nerve, causing pain in the lower back, hips and legs. Typically, a hernia of this type is caused by injury or improper lifting. In most cases, the tear in the disc heals on its own, the inflammation goes away and the pain goes away too, although it may take weeks or months for the injury to heal.
If the disc does not heal on its own and the pain continues, regardless of physical therapy or regular stretches for sciatica pain, X-rays or MRIs will be done to locate the torn disc. Once the disc or discs are located, an IDET or RFDN can be scheduled. Physical therapy, chiropractic care and stretches for sciatica are better choices, because of the risks of surgery and the low success rate.
An IDET involves inserting a needle into the affected disc. The needle is guided by X-ray and a wire is guided through it. The wire is then heated to destroy the nerve fibers, which reduces the feelings of pain, but can also cause areas of numbness.
RFDN is somewhat similar, but instead of a heated wire, a probe is inserted to create a high-frequency, high-energy plasma field. The risks of surrounding tissue damage are fewer, because the temperature is lower. But, no surgical procedure is without risk. Any kind of back surgery is particularly risky, as it can result in partial or total paralysis.
Author: Sam Worthington
The experts at "Back in Action Institute" have created a 10 minute program that includes the best stretches for sciatica in an easy to follow format that can be done anytime, anywhere. Downloading takes just a few moments and the cost is far less than any other treatment available. Visit http://StretchesForSciatica.com and start your treatment plan today.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sam_Worthington
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