Sciatic Nerve Pain

Almost every adult over the age of 30 has experienced heel pain at some point in their lives. Heel pain is the most common complaint podiatrist see in our offices. The pain is greatest usually when you get up in the morning, but continues to worsen over time, until it hurts with every step you take and can even ache at night when resting.

This syndrome is most commonly caused by several factors, including, but not limited to:
-Tight calf muscles
-Increase in body weight
-Sudden change in the amount of intensity of exercise
-Improper or worn out shoes
-Abnormal foot biomechanics (excessive pronation or supination)

Due to any of the above factors, the plantar fascia (the ligament that holds up your arch) is pulled or strained so that a portion of this very strong ligament starts to tear or fray like a rope at its weakest point (where it attaches to you heel bone). This tearing causes microscopic internal bleeding in this area. Your body reacts by causing inflammation, which in turn causes irritation to the nerves, bursae and muscles in this area. As the inflammation occurs, the body tries to heal itself by depositing calcium in the area of the tear. This creates the spur. In the early stages, many patients do not have a visible spur on x-ray. The spur poking your foot does not the cause of the pain! It is just a tangible sign that extensive tearing has occurred. The tearing and straining is the cause of the pain and then the nerve becomes inflamed which makes the pain more sharp and long-lasting. The straining must be stopped, along with the inflammation, in order to resolve this problem.

Diagnosis of plantar fasciitis is made with a complete physical examination that must include a biomechanical exam. X-ray are recommended to rule out a stress fracture or tumor in the area. Shoe gear is also evaluated.

Treatment initially includes all of the items listed below. If any of these treatments increases your pain, please call or contact the office. It has been estimated that 85% of heel pain can be eliminated by non-surgical treatements; but these take time and effort on the part of the patient and doctor. Your heel pain did not appear overnight, and it will take a while to totally eliminate the pain.

Conservative therapy can include:
1. Ice (at least 15 minutes twice a day);
2. Stretching (your doctor will give you calf and arch stretching);
3. Anti-inflammatories (either orally or in an injection);
4. Arch supports/Taping/or orthotics.
Remember that treating just the symptoms does not treat the underlying cause, you must address the biomechanics of your feet! Some people need physical therapy, night splints, and casting for relief. Conservative treatment often takes 4-6 months to eliminate plantar fasciitis.

Surgical treatment is the last alternative, after conservative therapy has been exhausted. Extracorporal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is a relatively non-invasive surgery that is quite effective, but deemed experimental by many insurance companies. If you are interested in more information about ESWT, my website has an article posted on the subject.

There are many approaches to heel pain surgery; but here are the two most common surgical approaches: the traditional approach (removes the spur) and the endoscopic approach (lengthens the ligament to reduce the strain and therefore reduce your pain). If your pain is not eliminated by conservative treatment after 4-6 months, we will discuss which approach is best for you.

Remember, the earlier you seek medical help for heel pain, the faster it will go away! If you have pain more than 5-7 days in a row in the same spot, contact your podiatrist for an appointment.

anonymous

Both men and women now regularly go in for the Brazilian body wax procedure. Definitions vary but generally the expression Brazilian wax refers to pubic hair removal either fully or partially, leaving a thin strip in the middle.

Whether it’s partial or full hair removal we are talking about, there is bound to be some discomfort or even pain. It depends on how much pain tolerance a person has got. Some have sensitive skin, others coarser hair, and this can affect how much pain is felt.

For example, the UK newspaper the Daily Mail, carried an item last year regarding model Lisa B’s experience. She is quoted as saying: “Take a tip from me, never have a Brazilian . . . It was so painful I fainted.” That may be an extreme case but it does highlight the need for pain-saving precautions. Actually, there are certain steps you can take before a Brazilian body wax procedure which can drastically reduce the pain and discomfort.

Here is an optimized list you can use for reference:

1. Tablets such as Advil or Ibuprofen can be taken 30 minutes or an hour before the Brazilian body wax session as they help control mild pain and inflammation.

2. To make sure the hair follicles are not constricted, make efforts to relax the whole body, which in turn will make the hair follicles more relaxed. This makes it easier for the hair to be extracted. Deep breathing can help. Do some simple exercises just before your hair removal appointment and feel the difference. Deep breathing is best done by drawing in air deeply through the nose, holding it for a few seconds, and then exhaling slowly and fully through the mouth.

3. Anesthetic numbing sprays are available from some pharmacies. They can at least minimize the pain even if they don’t numb the area completely. Spray it on while you are waiting for your Brazilian body wax session.

4. Avoid drinking alcohol or caffeine at least a couple of hours before your appointment. Alcoholic drinks and coffee can make the skin more sensitive, not a good idea before having a Brazilian body wax job!

5. Some use ice after the procedure to soothe and calm the protesting nerve endings. This is not a good idea before having the hair removed as the cold can cause the skin to tighten and thus make the hair harder to pull out. However, after the procedure, ice can bring immediate relief to a sensitized area of skin.

These are 5 main pain control suggestions. Additionally, here are a few more things to keep in mind.

It goes without saying you should go to a professional who is experienced in performing a Brazilian body wax. Practitioners with much experience with Brazilian waxing will know the right wax to use for your hair type, and also perform the procedure right the first time.

Pregnant women will be more sensitive to this procedure and may choose to postpone it. Additionally, if anyone is using a medication such as Retin A, Accutane, Tetracycline or Glycolic Acid, they should avoid having a Brazilian body wax. The skin is sensitive after using these medications and may even lift off with the hair causing acute pain. Also be sure not to wax over moles, warts, or skin conditions.

Many people don’t make a big thing of the pain factor when it comes to going to a professional salon for a ‘Brazilian’, as the Brazilian body wax procedure is often called. The feeling they get, the hygiene benefits as well as the freedom to wear any kind of swimwear, makes up for the brief period of discomfort. Nevertheless, just keeping the 5 pain saving tips in mind listed above will go a long way to making your next hair removal session a lot easier!

Mike Jones
http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/reduce-brazilian-body-wax-pain-5-tips-897045.html

Almost every adult over the age of 30 has experienced heel pain at some point in their lives. Heel pain is the most common complaint podiatrist see in our offices. The pain is greatest usually when you get up in the morning, but continues to worsen over time, until it hurts with every step you take and can even ache at night when resting.

This syndrome is most commonly caused by several factors, including, but not limited to:
-Tight calf muscles
-Increase in body weight
-Sudden change in the amount of intensity of exercise
-Improper or worn out shoes
-Abnormal foot biomechanics (excessive pronation or supination)

Due to any of the above factors, the plantar fascia (the ligament that holds up your arch) is pulled or strained so that a portion of this very strong ligament starts to tear or fray like a rope at its weakest point (where it attaches to you heel bone). This tearing causes microscopic internal bleeding in this area. Your body reacts by causing inflammation, which in turn causes irritation to the nerves, bursae and muscles in this area. As the inflammation occurs, the body tries to heal itself by depositing calcium in the area of the tear. This creates the spur. In the early stages, many patients do not have a visible spur on x-ray. The spur poking your foot does not the cause of the pain! It is just a tangible sign that extensive tearing has occurred. The tearing and straining is the cause of the pain and then the nerve becomes inflamed which makes the pain more sharp and long-lasting. The straining must be stopped, along with the inflammation, in order to resolve this problem.

Diagnosis of plantar fasciitis is made with a complete physical examination that must include a biomechanical exam. X-ray are recommended to rule out a stress fracture or tumor in the area. Shoe gear is also evaluated.

Treatment initially includes all of the items listed below. If any of these treatments increases your pain, please call or contact the office. It has been estimated that 85% of heel pain can be eliminated by non-surgical treatements; but these take time and effort on the part of the patient and doctor. Your heel pain did not appear overnight, and it will take a while to totally eliminate the pain.

Conservative therapy can include:
1. Ice (at least 15 minutes twice a day);
2. Stretching (your doctor will give you calf and arch stretching);
3. Anti-inflammatories (either orally or in an injection);
4. Arch supports/Taping/or orthotics.
Remember that treating just the symptoms does not treat the underlying cause, you must address the biomechanics of your feet! Some people need physical therapy, night splints, and casting for relief. Conservative treatment often takes 4-6 months to eliminate plantar fasciitis.

Surgical treatment is the last alternative, after conservative therapy has been exhausted. Extracorporal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is a relatively non-invasive surgery that is quite effective, but deemed experimental by many insurance companies. If you are interested in more information about ESWT, my website has an article posted on the subject.

There are many approaches to heel pain surgery; but here are the two most common surgical approaches: the traditional approach (removes the spur) and the endoscopic approach (lengthens the ligament to reduce the strain and therefore reduce your pain). If your pain is not eliminated by conservative treatment after 4-6 months, we will discuss which approach is best for you.

Remember, the earlier you seek medical help for heel pain, the faster it will go away! If you have pain more than 5-7 days in a row in the same spot, contact your podiatrist for an appointment.

anonymous

Is your sciatica pain common to herniated disc? If so, how do you get pain relief now?

There certainly are a lot of different things that can go wrong with our backs. One of the worst problems that we can have, however, is if we have a herniated disc, especially if it is irritating the sciatic nerve. A herniated disc occurs whenever the padding that exists between the individual vertebrae begins to break down and eventually ruptures or protrudes. This can cause enough pain on its own but there are times whenever the bulging material will press against the sciatic nerve, either pinching it or irritating it in some way or another. This can cause a lot of suffering for the individual that has these kinds of problems.

You might be interested to know that there is some controversy over exactly what is going wrong in this particular case. Some doctors will refer to it as a ruptured disc while others may refer to it as a torn disc or perhaps even disc disease. Regardless of what they are calling it, however, you are probably interested in what can be done in order to alleviate some of the symptoms that you are experiencing. Although this will have a lot to do with the different diagnosis that you get, there are some things that can be done in order to take some of the pressure off of the sciatic nerve.

The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve that exists in the body. Starting in the lower back, it runs through the area of the buttox and then down into the legs. Since it is such a large nerve and covers a lot of ground inside of your body, there are a lot of opportunities for things to go wrong with it. Typically, the pain will occur because of problems that are experienced in the lower back. If this nerve is pinched or irritated in some way, perhaps through a herniated disc, the pain may be localized or it may even travel down into your legs. In order for you to get rid of the pain that you are experiencing, you need to remove the pressure from the sciatic nerve.

One thing that you may be told to do is to use hot and cold treatments on this area of your back. This is a very common thing whenever it comes to herniated discs and they can actually help to ease some of the pain by reducing swelling. In the case of sciatica pain and a herniated disc, however, more may be needed in order for you to totally overcome the problem.

There are several types of physical therapy that you may have to go through in order to overcome the pain. Typically, this is accomplished through stretching and at times strengthening exercises that are done in the presence of a qualified physical therapist. There are also some specific exercises that you may be able to do at home in order to help speed along your recovery process.

Sciatica pain is something you won’t want to live with for an extended length of time. Effective treatment is available now that will ease your sciatica pain sooner than you might think.

Verona Raymond