Do’s And Don’ts When Suffering With Acute Sciatica In Galesburg IL

When dealing with an acute flare-up of nasty sciatic pain in Galesburg IL, please know that this nerve problem is debilitating and can literally ruin your life.

There are a few smart choices you can make that will shorten healing time, and prevent complete exhaustion.

Do:

• Use cold packs to battle inflammation, and focus these cold packs on the low back… not the leg.
• The sciatic nerve originates in the low back.
• A bit of slow movement helps. You can even shove an ice pack into your jeans and waddle down your hallway.
• When seated use a firm chair. Sciatica patients don’t do well slumped in a lounge chair.  This posture tends to pull on the nerve root.
• Have spinal joint mechanics and alignment evaluated by a chiropractor. Something is indeed pinching onto the sciatic nerve.  Let’s find out exactly where the irritation takes place!  The pressure center must be located, and something must be done to release the pressure from the root of the sciatic nerve.
• Acupuncture has been shown to move out local inflammation better than most things on the planet. And there are no harmful side effects like you would witness with medication.

If you have Sciatica in Galesburg IL, Don’t:

• Plan on not sitting for long periods. If your eyes are heavy, get down flat, even if it means on the floor, propped up by pillow cushions.  Prolonged sitting will really stretch the injured sciatic nerve, and produce even more inflammation.
• Avoid lifting and bending in the acute state. Vacuuming and raking are out of the question.  Even doing the dishes at the sink is a tough act with a full blown sciatica.
• Please do not try to out stretch a bad sciatica! The natural tendency is to just pull on that leg or foot, and all will be well.  No, it won’t.  Stretching and acute sciatica will light up the nerve even worse.  Slow, deliberate walking is your better option.  And keep the ice handy.
• Please don’t just load up with medication and then go out and do your chores. Medications are designed to mask pain by cutting nerve signal into the tissue.  Once it wears off, you will be in even a hotter mess.  The spinal joint mechanics and nerve pressure must be addressed if this sciatica is ever going to be resolved.  As a side, many, many people are taking statin drugs for cholesterol.  This class of drugs has the ability to weaken muscle tissue, and actually deplete muscle fiber.  Muscle building is a key issue in the long term recovery from sciatica.  This statin issue just may be why so many people in the modern era possess a weak back.  Strong back musculature is essential in the prevention of future sciatica flare-ups.

Submitted by:  Dr. Luke Sakalosky - Illinoischiropractic.com - Midtown Chiropractic Clinic of Galesburg, IL

References:

1. Stafford, M.A., Peng, P., Hill, D.A. (2007). British Journal of Anaesthesia, 99(4)
2. Pinto, R.Z. et. Al. (2012). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.