Posts Tagged ‘sciatic’
Tuesday, December 21st, 2010
Good evening! I hope the holiday season has been treating you well. If you or your partner have low back pain, this may be a terrific holiday gift…
I love simple solutions to problems. One common problem I receive questions about here on the blog, and in my practice is how to enjoy intimacy without exacerbating low back or sacroiliac pain. If you are recovering from low back issues, you probably already know that it can adversely affect intercourse. Folks are always asking me about ways to enjoy each other without hurting during or after.
Usually, I give advice regarding positions or stretches to do before or after intercourse, but rarely do I encounter products which can actually be beneficial in alleviating low back discomfort associated with sex. Last year, I did have one post on a company which offered some useful products, but by and large, there really isn’t much out there.
I recently met the designer of a product called The Bouncer made by a company called Amoroso Innovations at a convention, and while it is essentially offered as a sexual aid, it was clear to me that it would be a great help to couples where one member may be suffering with low back or sacroiliac issues.
Basically, The Bouncer is a short chair with a resilient bouncy seat one partner can sit on, which provides support for their lower back while still allowing them to bounce up and down. I love this product- it works great, and could save you a lot of problems if back pain has been disrupting your intimacy.
Needless to say, I went back and forth about whether to include more graphic photos with this post, but I figure you can check out their website if you really want to see more.
Thanks for stopping by,
Andy
Tags: amoroso, Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, bouncer, kirschner, Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, sacral, sacrum, sciatic, Sciatica
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Friday, December 17th, 2010
Here is my most recent post on Martha Stewart’s Whole Living Daily. The holiday season is a time of giving, but is it possible to give too much? Here are some tips on surviving the holidays without wearing yourself too thin, and burning out.
Have a great weekend,
-Andy
The Eye overlooking the Thames.
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, kirschner, martha, Martha Stewart, Neck Pain, sciatic, Sciatica, spasm, whole living
Posted in Announcements | No Comments »
Monday, November 15th, 2010
Larry from Ontario sent me this question:
“I have had sciatica for several months, and my doctor told me it was due to nerve root irritation, and he wants to give me an injection in my back. What does nerve root irritation mean, and will an injection fix the problem? I’m a little nervous about having a needle in my spine.”
Thanks for your question Larry.
I can totally understand you concern about getting an injection, but it may provide you some relief from your pain.
Nerve root irritation is an inflammation at the point where a nerve exits the spinal cord. In your case, this is the L5-S1 nerve root. You see, the hole the nerve exits through is very small, and even small changes to this hole, or exit foramina, can compress or irritate this nerve. These changes can be due to arthritis- which can deposit small bits of extra bone, osteophytes, along the edge of then foramina. They can also be from a disc bulge extending into the hole, or simply due to small amounts of inflammation which cause swelling to the tissue around the nerve.
It is this last example which is most responsive to an injection. Under x-Ray guidance, a physician will inject a combination of a pain medication and a steroid, which functions as an anti-inflammatory, into the space around the nerve. Often, this will decrease the swelling, and help reduce the pain, breaking the cycle of inflammation and provide longer term relief. Sometimes, a series of up to three injections are needed to get the long term benefit.
I hope this answers your question, and please keep me posted on your progress should you decide to get the shot.
Best,
Andy
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, injection, kirschner, Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, nerve, nerve root, sciatic, Sciatica
Posted in Sciatica, Viewer Question | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 10th, 2010
As many of you know, I’ve been working with David & Jesse to get our iPad app up and running, and the prototype is simply wonderful. The amount of really usable content you will get for such a low price is really stunning. I know my readers with iPads will enjoy it.
One of the great side benefits of all of the work we’ve done to get this up and running are the back together user forums, which will go live on the Back Together website (backtogether.org) on the day the app launches. These forums will be available free to all registered users, and will have some wonderful features:
-Areas to discuss any of the techniques in the Back Together DVD, Book, app, or website, giving you the opportunity to discuss your experiences with other users, sharing tips and suggestions.
-An ‘ask the doctor’ forum, where you can submit questions to one of the several experts contributing to the forum.
-An alternative medicine forum, where users can share experiences with alternative approaches to back & neck pain.
-And much more!
We’ve worked hard to create what we know will grow into one of the most comprehensive back & neck pain resources on the Internet.
Stay tuned for more info. Check in tomorrow for a response to a video viewer question.
Be well!
-Andy
One of my favorite albums of all time, with one of the most interesting covers I’ve ever seen.
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, iPad, kirschner, Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, sciatic, Sciatica
Posted in Announcements | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 10th, 2010
As many of you know, I’ve been working with David & Jesse to get our iPad app up and running, and the prototype is simply wonderful. The amount of really usable content you will get for such a low price is really stunning. I know my readers with iPads will enjoy it.
One of the great side benefits of all of the work we’ve done to get this up and running are the back together user forums, which will go live on the Back Together website (backtogether.org) on the day the app launches. These forums will be available free to all registered users, and will have some wonderful features:
-Areas to discuss any of the techniques in the Back Together DVD, Book, app, or website, giving you the opportunity to discuss your experiences with other users, sharing tips and suggestions.
-An ‘ask the doctor’ forum, where you can submit questions to one of the several experts contributing to the forum.
-An alternative medicine forum, where users can share experiences with alternative approaches to back & neck pain.
-And much more!
We’ve worked hard to create what we know will grow into one of the most comprehensive back & neck pain resources on the Internet.
Stay tuned for more info. Check in tomorrow for a response to a video viewer question.
Be well!
-Andy
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, iPad, kirschner, Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, sciatic, Sciatica
Posted in Announcements | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 10th, 2010
As many of you know, I’ve been working with David & Jesse to get our iPad app up and running, and the prototype is simply wonderful. The amount of really usable content you will get for such a low price is really stunning. I know my readers with iPads will enjoy it.
One of the great side benefits of all of the work we’ve done to get this up and running are the back together user forums, which will go live on the Back Together website (backtogether.org) on the day the app launches. These forums will be available free to all registered users, and will have some wonderful features:
-Areas to discuss any of the techniques in the Back Together DVD, Book, app, or website, giving you the opportunity to discuss your experiences with other users, sharing tips and suggestions.
-An ‘ask the doctor’ forum, where you can submit questions to one of the several experts contributing to the forum.
-An alternative medicine forum, where users can share experiences with alternative approaches to back & neck pain.
-And much more!
We’ve worked hard to create what we know will grow into one of the most comprehensive back & neck pain resources on the Internet.
Stay tuned for more info. Check in tomorrow for a response to a video viewer question.
Be well!
-Andy
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, iPad, kirschner, Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, sciatic, Sciatica
Posted in Announcements | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 10th, 2010
As many of you know, I’ve been working with David & Jesse to get our iPad app up and running, and the prototype is simply wonderful. The amount of really usable content you will get for such a low price is really stunning. I know my readers with iPads will enjoy it.
One of the great side benefits of all of the work we’ve done to get this up and running are the back together user forums, which will go live on the Back Together website (backtogether.org) on the day the app launches. These forums will be available free to all registered users, and will have some really wonderful features:
-Areas to discuss any of the techniques in the Back Together DVD, Book, app, or website, giving you the opportunity to discuss your experiences with other users, sharing tips and suggestions.
-An ‘ask the doctor’ forum, where you can submit questions to one of the several experts contributing to the forum.
-An alternative medicine forum, where users can share experiences with alternative approaches to back & neck pain.
-And much more!
We’ve worked hard to create what we know will grow into one of the most comprehensive back & neck pain resources on the Internet.
Stay tuned for more info. Check in tomorrow for a response to a video viewer question.
Be well!
-Andy
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, iPad, kirschner, Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, sciatic, Sciatica
Posted in Announcements | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 10th, 2010
As many of you know, I’ve been working with David & Jesse to get our iPad app up and running, and the prototype is simply wonderful. The amount of really usable content you will get for such a low price is really stunning. I know my readers with iPads will really enjoy it.
One of the great side benefits of all of the work we’ve done to get this up and running are the back together user forums, which will go live on the Back Together website (backtogether.org) on the day the app launches. These forums will be available free to all registered users, and will have some really wonderful features:
-Areas to discuss any of the techniques in the Back Together DVD, Book, app, or website, giving you the opportunity to discuss your experiences with other users, sharing tips and suggestions.
-An ‘ask the doctor’ forum, where you can submit questions to one of the several experts contributing to the forum.
-An alternative medicine forum, where users can share experiences with alternative approaches to back & neck pain.
-And much more!
We’ve worked hard to create what we know will grow into one of the most comprehensive back & neck pain resources on the Internet.
Stay tuned for more info. Check in tomorrow for a response to a video viewer question.
Be well!
-Andy
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, iPad, kirschner, Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, sciatic, Sciatica
Posted in Announcements | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010
rosaquestion
Thank you so much for your question Rosa.
Sciatic injury is sort of an open ended definition. To best answer your question, I should first give you two definitions. First, the sciatic nerve is a thick nerve which runs down the back of your leg, and exits the spine between your 5th lumbar vertebra and your sacrum. Sciatic pain, or sciatica is a global term which relates to any pain associated with that nerve. Some people mistakenly call any pain radiating into the leg sciatica- it is really only pain going down the back of the thigh (The front and sides of your thigh are actually a different nerve.)
There are lots of ways in which a nerve can be injured, but sciatic pain is less often the result of nerve injury than it is due to irritation of the nerve by one of its adjacent structures. There are three common causes of sciatic pain. One is L5S1 disc herniation, where the disc has extended beyond its’ normal location, and encroached upon the space where the nerve travels. The second is stenosis, where arthritis, disc degeneration, or other anomaly has caused the hole through which the nerve travels to become reduced in diameter. The third, and in my practice the most common is when a short thick triangular muscle called the piriformis goes into spasm, causing it to thicken in its center and compress the pathway through which the nerve travels through the buttocks.
An actual injury to the nerve can be caused by a trauma, and prolonged compression from any one of the three sources above can cause damage as well resulting in pain, altered sensation, and in really bad cases loss of muscle strength associated with that nerve.
I hope that answers your question. There are some great posts here on how to reduce sciatic pain including this one which describes an effective piriformis stretch. Check back periodically for new tips & suggestions.
Again, thanks for your question.
-Andy
Stay tuned for a new "One Thing" tomorrow featuring an expert from the Ayengar Institute.
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, injury, kirschner, Low Back Pain, nerve, piriformis, radiculopathy, sciatic, Sciatica
Posted in Sciatica, Tips, Videos | No Comments »
Monday, July 26th, 2010
rfaetc
.
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Beth Rifkin was kind enough to submit a response to the yoga post last week. I am amazed by the variety of thoughts and opinions about yoga and how it can effect a variety of health conditions.
The other portion of the video is a response to a question from Trisha in Arkansas about a procedure called radio frequency ablation, or RFA. RFA can be used to treat several painful conditions- but it is not for everyone. Typically, it seems to be most useful for radicular conditions (radiating pain along the length of a nerve)- although many of the physicians doing it will tell you it is useful beyond that relatively small group of pain sufferers. In any case, it seems to be a far less invasive alternative to all out back surgery. I will be posting an interview with a physician who does dozens of these procedures each week in the not too distant future.
Thanks for stopping by!
-Andy
View of the Roman Encampment from the top of Mt. Masada, Negev Desert, Israel.
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, kirschner, Neck Pain, nerve pain, radicular, radiculopathy, radio frequency, radio frequency ablation, RFA, sciatic, Sciatica
Posted in Videos, Viewer Question | No Comments »
