The Consequences Of Low Back Pain
As the second most frequent symptom-related reason for outpatient visits after the common cold, low back pain represents one of the most common ailments encountered in clinical practice, with a lifetime prevalence of up to 84%.1 Low back pain is also associated with absenteeism/presenteeism in the workplace, altered functional status, and lower health-related quality-of-life. Collectively, these symptoms profoundly impact mobility and the ability to perform activities of daily living , ultimately resulting in considerable economic and societal consequences.2,3,4
How Is Sciatica Treated
Sciatica pain isnt a laugh a minute, but according to the NHS the good news is most cases clear up in around six weeks without the need for any special treatment . And according to the British Association of Spine surgeons, if an episode of sciatica settles theres about a 90 per cent change it wont happen again in the next 10 years .In the meantime there are lots of things you can do yourself to relieve your symptoms until things get better. These include the following:
Foods To Avoid With Sciatica
There is a different side of the story. While all of the foods above are healthy, they affect sciatica in a positive way, and can help you recover in less time, bad foods will do precisely the opposite. Those foods are known to promote inflammation or affect the damaged sciatic nerve. As such, you can expect symptoms worsening, more pain, and a much longer recovery time.
Sadly, there are countless examples you can see. Some of those foods are also our favorite food we have been consuming for years. This is even worse. Regular and consuming these in large amounts will have a huge side effect on sciatica and can even cause it! The worst foods for people with sciatica are:
These are the worst of the worst but there are many more. Keep in mind that all the foods that can promote inflammation, contain artificial chemicals or large amounts of sugar must be avoided. Artificial colors and sweeteners are extremely bad. Not only these can promote sciatica pain but can also cause cancer and countless other health issues and diseases. Avoiding them is the best thing you can do, period.
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Which Vitamins For Sciatica Are Most Important
Most often, the vitamins that are featured in nutritional supplements for sciatica patients include vitamin D, vitamin B12, vitamin A and vitamin C. Lets look at what each is intended to do in terms of helping to relieve sciatica:
Vitamin D is used during the manufacturing process for new bone cells. Since the spine is created from largely from bone, vitamin D is crucial for a healthy vertebral column.
Vitamin B12 is vital for proper nerve functionality. Since sciatica is a nerve pain disorder, the idea is that vitamin D might prove of some value in resolving the pain.
Vitamin A is also a component of bone cells and is therefore often linked to spinal health.
Vitamin C is an important part of ligaments, tendons, bones and blood vessels, but is also used to create scar tissue.
What Are The Signs Of Sciatica
The common symptoms of sciatica include:
- Constant pain, numbness and weakness in the lower back and one side of the buttock, leg or feet
- Unable to bend the foot upwards from the ankle
- Pain worsens on moving, coughing or even sneezing
- Inability to stand or walk
- Tingling or burning sensation in the legs, toes or feet
- Inability to control bowel and bladder.
These symptoms could also be present in other diseases and therefore, it is necessary to consult a doctor for further investigation.
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Is Sciatica Causing The Sharp Pain In The Lower Back And Leg
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The human spine is made up of 33 different bones called the vertebral bones, stacked together. The spine is divided into cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and coccyx regions. The lumbar, sacrum, and coccyx combine to form the lower back, which is the place of origin of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the largest single nerve in the human body that starts from the buttock and travels down through the back of the thigh to the heel and sole. Any irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve can result in sharp pain and weakness in the lower back and the back of the leg, which is medically known as sciatica.
Sciatica: Causes & Treatments
Sciatica is the term used when the sciatic nerve becomes irritated or compressed, causing pain in the buttocks and legs . Its not a condition as such, but a symptom of a condition .The sciatic nerve is the largest single nerve in the body. It starts as a collection of individual nerve fibres starting on either side of the lower part of the spine. These nerve fibres come together to form a single nerve one on the left and one on the right of the spine. Each of these large single nerves which are as thick as a mans thumb at their widest point runs from the lower back through the buttock and down the back of the leg right down to the foot and toes.Depending on whats causing the compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve including where the irritation occurs the symptoms can include one or more of the following:
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Pain usually sharp rather than dull down one side of one buttock or leg that can get worse when you sit for a long time or if you sneeze or cough .
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A tingling or even burning sensation that can start at the lower back and travel down the back of one leg.
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Muscle weakness or numbness that can affect your ability to move your leg, foot and/or toes.
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General back pain though sciatica is more commonly associated with pain in the buttocks and legs.
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Some Foods Will Help To Ease Sciatic Nerve Pain While Others Do The Opposite
Making changes to your diet may seem like a small factor in your recovery but in reality, adding these foods that help sciatica to your diet will make you feel significantly better, a lot quicker than you would without making these changes.
One of my patients came to see me with raging sciatica one time.
He had admitted to falling off the diet bandwagon after his sciatica had struck and felt that he was gaining weight as a result.
His diet comprised mostly of processed foods, like fries, pizza and crisps.
After our conversation, we noticed a pattern where his sciatica would always feel worse in the evenings, after a typical processed ready meal that was high in fat and sugars, and I suggested that maybe his diet was contributing to the pain that he was feeling.
Sure enough, after making a few simple substitutions from bad foods to foods that help sciatica, he felt a significant improvement within a few weeks just from following this sciatica diet plan.
Why Should I Buy A
You can tell if you need or want a vitamins for sciatica by looking at your existing inventory. You probably dont need it and should reconsider buying it. If you cant get go of the old one, you could sell it and use the proceeds to buy the new one.This is a fun and easy approach to finish your task.
Final Thoughts
Lets face it, we all want to feel good about our purchases. But there are so many! How can you know which is best? You need not be concerned because Aids Quilt has your back. Our trained staff is here to help you find what works for you. Before making a final decision, you can take advantage of our free consultations. Let us show you how easy shopping for home audio equipment can be when you have an expert on your side!
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Nausea Vomiting And Diarrhea
Vitamin B-12 deficiency can affect the digestive tract.
A lack of red blood cells means that not enough oxygen reaches the gut. Insufficient oxygen here may lead to a person both feeling and being sick. It may also cause diarrhea.
The following factors make a person more likely to have a vitamin B-12 deficiency:
- being older, because a person becomes less able to absorb B-12 as they age
- eating a vegetarian or vegan diet
- taking anti-acid medication for an extended period
- weight loss surgery or other stomach surgery, which can affect how the digestive system absorbs vitamin B-12
Can Sciatica Be Treated
The treatment of sciatica aims at improving mobility and reducing pain. Measures that may help reduce sciatic nerve pain include:
- Ice compression: The application of ice packs is advised to reduce pain and swelling. One can apply ice packs to the affected area for 20 minutes, many times a day.
- Medications: Doctors often prescribe medications such as Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants to relieve sciatica.
- Physical therapy: Physical therapy helps in improving muscular flexibility and reducing the symptoms of sciatica. Certain exercises that may help in relieving sciatic nerve pain include pelvic tilt, press-up, bridging, back flexion, hamstring stretch, hook-lying march, abdominal curl, and prone leg raise. One should consult their doctor before trying out any new exercise.
- Injections: In the case of severe pain, doctors may inject corticosteroids in the lower back to reduce the swelling, pain, and inflammation around the nerves.
- Surgery: Surgery is not recommended until the person has severe weakness in the legs or has lost bladder or bowel control. Surgical procedures such as microdiscectomy and laminectomy are performed to remove the pressure on the compressed nerves.
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Vitamins To Prevent Back Pain
Can you ward off back pain with vitamins? Maybe. Certain vitamins may have the potential to ease back pain and inflammation that can be associated with a host of spine conditions, including spinal osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Of course eating a healthy diet is an important way to support an overall healthy lifestyleyou can usually get plenty of the vitamins you need from the foods you eat. However, sometimes you need to take supplements to ensure youre getting enough of certain vitamins.
Before taking any new vitamins, ask your doctor if its safe to do so. He or she will recommend how much you should take as well as how frequently to take the vitamin. You may need a higher dose of a particular vitamin, depending on how deficient you are in that vitamin and/or how efficient your body is at absorbing that vitamin.
To test for a vitamin deficiency, your doctor can order a simple blood test.
Vitamins for Back Pain Below are some vitamins that are helpful in boosting back health.
Many of the vitamins and other dietary supplements you find in your grocery store do not undergo strict standards to obtain US Food and Drug Administration approval. Its best to check with your doctor for his or her recommendations of what brands of vitamins that support back pain health.
B Vitamins For Neuropathy
B vitamins are useful in treating neuropathy since they support healthy nervous system function. Peripheral neuropathy is sometimes caused by a vitamin B deficiency.
Supplementation should include vitamin B1 , B6, and B12. You may choose to take these separately instead of as a B complex.
Benfotiamine is like vitamin B1, which is also known as thiamine. Its thought to lower pain and inflammation levels and prevent cellular damage.
A deficiency in vitamin B12 is one cause of peripheral neuropathy. Without treatment, it can cause permanent nerve damage.
Vitamin B6 may help to maintain the covering on nerve endings. But its important that you dont take more than 200 milligrams of B6 per day.
- spinach
- Brussels sprouts
Alpha-lipoic acid has been shown to have a positive effect on nerve conduction and to reduce neuropathic pain. A small 2017 study found that alpha-lipoic acid was useful in protecting against oxidative damage in people with diabetic neuropathy.
One important note of caution: If you are deficient in thiamine, or vitamin B1, as a result of excessive alcohol use or for another reason, alpha-lipoic acid may have a toxic effect on your system.
Acetyl-L-carnitine is an amino acid and antioxidant. It may raise energy levels, create healthy nerve cells, and reduce pain in people with neuropathy. You can take it as a supplement. A typical dosage is 500 milligrams twice per day.
Food sources of acetyl-L-carnitine include:
- meat
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Is Peripheral Neuropathy Causing Your Pain
In addition to pain, those with peripheral neuropathy may experience:
- Muscle weakness
- Sensitivity to touch
- Dizziness
Aside from diabetes, a variety of risk factors figure into the development of peripheral neuropathy, including:
- Autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus
- Fibromyalgia
- Physical trauma due to accidents and injuries
- Epstein-Barr virus, Lyme disease, and other chronic infections
- Exposure to toxic substances, such as lead and mercury
Its especially important to resolve peripheral neuropathy sooner rather than later, when it will be far more difficult to cure. Bring any concerns and questions to Dr. Berkower, who can put you on a path to wellness.
B12 & Sciatic Nerve Pain
The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body. It runs from your hip and buttocks area down both of your legs. If you experience sharp pain in your lower back, buttocks, the back of the thighs or the back of the legs you may be experiencing sciatic nerve pain. This pain may go away on its own depending on the cause but it can be very uncomfortable. Vitamin B12 is essential for the health of your nerves. Sciatic nerve pain can indicate a diet deficient in B12.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
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How Can Foods Help Sciatica
There are a number of ways in which certain foods that help sciatica can reduce the symptoms associated with this condition.
Firstly, some foods can help to reduce the inflammation associated with sciatica through the actions of some enzymes within the body.
In this list of foods that help sciatica, a large proportion of them have made the list due to their anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Both of these actions will help to reduce the symptoms associated with sciatica by reducing the inflammatory chemicals around the irritated nerve root.
Another mechanism of action in the foods in this sciatica diet plan is the fact that they are low calorie, healthy alternatives to junk food.
It is now known that being overweight can INCREASE the symptoms of sciatica, as more weight is being placed through the joints and discs in the spine, consequently overloading the affected area.
This can lead to a larger disc bulge and more symptoms as a result. In addition to this, if your sciatica is caused by osteoarthritis or wear and tear, the stress on the joints caused by excess weight will worsen symptoms. In fact, there is evidence to show that the more overweight someone is, the worse their sciatica pain is.
To read about the most effective way to lose weight when you have sciatica !
To read more about how to improve your sleep when you have sciatica, !
Mechanisms Underlying The Analgesic Of Mecbl
For many years, the B12 group of vitamins had been used to treat pain. In some countries, vitamin B12 was categorised as an analgesic drug. It was suggested that vitamin B12 may increase availability and effectiveness of noradrenaline and 5-hydroxytryptamine in the descending inhibitory nociceptive system . MeCbl exerted therapeutic effects on neuropathic pain in diabetics, possibly through its neurosynthesis and neuroprotective actions . But the analgesic mechanisms of MeCbl remained elusive till now.
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Release Your Natural Pain Killers With Massage
Massages can help you feel relaxed, release endorphins , improve blood circulation, and soothe sore spinal muscles.
- A deep tissue massage can help restore the spineâs range of motion, improving its flexibility.
- Manual therapy, a special form of medical massage, can help knead out knots, trigger points, or tension in the muscles.4
There are many forms of massage that can be beneficial, such as myofascial release and Shiatsu .5
These massages may be more effective in relieving sciatica pain from poor posture, muscle strain, or fatigued musculature in the lower spine.
Alternative Remedies For Sciatica
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If you are not getting enough natural sunlight , vitamin D supplementation may be the next best thing to painkillers. In addition to supplementation, you can also get vitamin D by consuming fortified dairy products.
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Using music thr for bk n rmmndd bu l gnrll respond quickly t mu. In a n, a trngr mind-body connection is tblhd.Which may benefit the sciatica patient in the long term as well.
Alternative Treatments for Sciatica
5. Vitamin B12 supplementation. Vitamin B12 is not only good for your bones and brain. It actually helps reduce the intensity and frequency of acute and chronic back pain. Taking vitamin B12 regularly may also help reduce ones dependency on OTC sciatica medication such as NSAID drugs .
Alternative Therapies Herbal Supplement and Yoga Exercises
Natural Therapies
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