Introduction

 

Dear Reader!

 

Do you have a lower back pain, pint in you buttocks, pain in the back of your thighs, pain around you calves, pain in your feet and toes?

Well this generally called sciatica.

But what exactly sciatica really is, and do you know how to teat it?

 

I shall give you a brief description of this, let’s call it – trauma.

I will also describe the causes for sciatica, the accompanying symptoms and ways to treat it.

And finally I will give you the method for curing the causes of sciatica that I used and still using, called inversion therapy.

 

Let’s see what sciatica really is?

Sciatica is not a disease of any kind; it is a result of the irritation, compression or damages of the sciatic nerve.

This nerve is the largest nerve in human body.

It consists of separate nerve roots that start branching from the lower back area of the spinal cord.

The sciatic nerve is actually made up of two nerve roots –  L4 and L5, which start from the lower lumbar spine and three nerve roots – S1, S2 and S3, which start from the sacrum.

From the lower back, this nerve passes through the buttocks, where it branches down through the back of the left and right leg. It then passes throughout the thighs, calves, ankles, soles and reaches the toes.

 

The sciatic nerve is one of the most vital nerves in individual’s body.
It controls a person’s balance, their correct movement and sensations in the back, hips and legs by sending and receiving signals to and from the brain.

 

When your sciatic nerves is irritated, compressed or damaged, you stop being able to do the regular things like walking, sitting or bending, as you did that before.

 

Most often a pain is felt in legs, buttocks and lower back.

It begins mainly when people aging, after their 30s – 50s.

In case of injury, the sciatic nerves could be pinched, and because of that the pain progresses.

 

There are two types of sciatica which are known as neurogenic and referred:

1. Neurogenic sciatica is associated with a pression on sciatic never or its roots.

This occurs when discs between vertebrae bulge, which creates pressure on the sciatic nerve.

Sometimes there is a continuous physical force on the spinal cord, which also interfere the normal function of the sciatic nerve.

Another irritation on sciatic nerve is coming from the tight muscles on the back of the legs.

  

 

2. Referred sciatica is a pain due to muscular and joint problems in the spine and pelvis.

The pain in referred sciatica is dull, vague and difficult for localizing.

However, it differs to the Neurogenic sciatic pain, when the experience is like needles, numbness or weakness in the muscles.

 

Causes and Reasons

 

The main causes of pain in sciatic never are:

 

1. HERNIATED DISCS

Our spinal column consists of vertebrae, intervertebral discs – between each vertebra, which works as a buffer, and nerves.

A herniated disc occurs when the intervertebral disc got deformed; part of it goes out of its space and, thereby, causing tension and irritation to the sciatic nerve.

 

2. DEGENERATIVE JOINT DISEASE

It happens when one vertebra stays out of the place from other vertebrae.

Spinal degenerative disease leads to cartilage wear.

This, in turn, leads to displacement of the vertebrae and pressure to the sciatic nerve.

 

3. SPINAL STENOSIS

While aging the spinal cord narrowing and causes a spinal stenosis.

This suppresses the sciatic nerve’s function.

 

4. SPONDYLOLITHESIS

This is a condition when one disk slips forward over the disk below.

As a result, this creates pressure to the nerves and causes a sciatic pain.

 

5. PIRIFORMIS SYNDROME

This is a condition when the piriformis muscle becomes tight and pressing branches of the sciatic nerves, which are passing by.

That, itself, radiates the pain to the legs.

 

6. SACROILIAC JOINT DYSFUNCTION

This condition is associated with irritation on one of the branches of the sciatic nerve which exits from the segment S1 in sacrum area.

 

7. PREGNANCY

During the pregnancy the center of gravity of a pregnant woman is moving forward.

The curve in the lower back increases.

In many cases this lead to sciatic nerve irritation, which pain passes to one or to the both legs.

 

 

However, because of the hormones called “relaxin”, produced within pregnancy, the ligaments become more flexible.  It is believed that due to this fact, sciatic nerve irritations is prevented.

 

Other reasons for pain in the sciatic nerves could be:

• Obesity – develops uneven proportion between height and weight;
• Long time standing – reduces the physical ability and, so, sciatic nerves’ activities become restricted;
• Long time sitting – brings pressure and irritation to the sciatic nerves;
• Having the legs crossed – is worse than just sitting; here the constriction to the sciatic nerve is a much greater;
• Poor posture – causes a reflective irritation on the sciatic nerves, from the toes to sacrum of lower back;
• Long time driving – generates a constant pressure on the sciatic nerves;
• Wearing high-hill shoes – there is a huge compression on the sciatic nerves when the load of the whole body is mostly on the toes;
• A sudden lifting –  here the sciatic nerve is under unprepared condition and is easily irritated;
• Sports injuries – this could lead to damages on the sciatic never;
• Car accidents – in such situations, the sciatic nerve could be injured, even worse, in several places;
• Illness such as diabetes – when having that disease, the sciatica develops as diabetic neuropathy;

 

Take into account all factors that can cause you the development of sciatica.

My advice is, when you feel it to, right away, search for a qualified and experienced spinal neurologist.

 

Symptoms and Results

 

Let’s now look at what the symptoms of sciatica are?

In short, if you experience pain in the lower back, and this pain passes through the buttocks to the lower limbs, it is a sciatica.

Sciatic pain may vary from rare to constant and compulsive.

Symptoms could be basically identified depending on the location where the sciatic nerve is being pinched.

They might be on lower back, hips, back of the thighs, calves, soles or toes.

 

Generally the sciatic symptoms could be:

• When the pain in the leg is sharp, tingling or searing;
• Feeling weakness while moving the whole leg;
• Sensation, like electric shock, in the back of the legs;
• Having a prickling or burning feeling down the leg;
• Difficulties bringing the feet upwards;
• Inability to raise the heels off the ground;
• Experiencing weakness lifting toes or ankles;
• A pain on the of the foot, especially in area between the big toe and the second toe;
• Numbness in leg and/or foot;
• A pain on the outer side of the foot;

 

Common locations where you can sense a sciatic nerve pain are:

• Lower back
• Buttocks
• Back of the thighs
• Back and/or outside of the calves
• Feet and toes

 

Symptoms of sciatica depending on where your nerve roots being pinched. For instance, on:

• L4-nerve root: when the sciatic nerve root L4 is compressed, usually the thighs become affected. You may experience difficulty in straightening your legs and may have a reduced knee reflex;
• L5-nerve root: when the sciatic nerve root L5 is pressed, the pain can extend to the big toe and ankle. You may feel a pain or numbness at the tip of the leg, especially the “skin” between the big toe and the second toe;
• S1-nerve root: when the sciatic never root S1 is squeezed, the pain from outer part of the foot can radiate to small toes. You might perceive instability, while trying to raise your heel from the ground or to stand on your toes;
• S2 and S3 nerve roots: when the sciatic nerve roots S2 or/and S3 are compressed, which happens rarely, you may feel pain, numbness, tingling or weakness in your buttocks, back of the thighs and calves;

 

 

In many cases there could be more than one sciatic never root pinched.

 

Diagnosis and Treatment

 

This is crucial to get a diagnosis before starting any sciatica treatment because the causes of your sciatic pain could be a result from other medical condition.

 

As I know that from my experience, the diagnosis proceeds in the following way:

1. Medical practitioner takes medical history of the affected person.
2. Physical exam is testing the motions of the muscles, joints and spinal column, and the overall physical condition.
3. Neurological exam is applied to identify where exactly the pain is by reflexes in a particular body parts, such as ankles and knees.
4. Orthopedic exam is conducted by putting under pressure the spinal joint, pelvis, muscle groups and nerves and assessing the information about the causes of sciatica.
5. Finally, if necessary, is performing a test by using X-ray, CT-scan or MRI (Magnetic-Resonance Imaging) to gather the clearest indications of the causes, which have to be treated. Even the MRI is the most expensive, it, however, knowing this from myself, gives the most accurate information for the reason of sciatica.

 

Treatments

 

Treatments for Sciatica could be lot, but I will mention those, which being used the most:

• Massage;
• Exercises;
• Alternative treatment;
• Medication;
• Surgery;
• Inversion therapy;

 

Massage therapy

 

With adopting the massage therapy for the sciatic treatment our blood circulation will increase.

As a consequence, the tension in our muscles will drop and will allow the faster recovery of the spinal movement.

Besides, the pressure on the sciatic nerve got reduced.

 

Exercises for Sciatica

 

There are different sports that I could suggest for strengthening your spine, improving flexibility of its lower part or/and stretching the muscles throughout this area.

 

They are:

• With stretching the lower back will deal with the injury conditions, which caused compression to the sciatic nerve;
• Yoga is an effective tool for relaxing the muscles, preventing the sciatic conditions and strengthening the core muscles;
• Pilates is similar to yoga;
• Swimming is a friendly way to improve the core stability and prevent the further development of sciatic issues;

 

When using these sports, knowing that for my experience, the sciatic conditions will decrease and gradually will disappear completely. 

 

Alternative treatments for Sciatica

 

The popular alternative treatments for sciatica are a lot, but here are some basic ones:

• Chiropractors – they are experts at Spinal Manipulation and Mobilization. While applying treatment techniques, the spine mobility activates and there is no longer compression on the sciatic nerve (this one I still use);
• Acupuncturists – with acupuncture, which include the needles, the nerve endings got stimulated and pain of sciatica gradually decreases (my relative was healed with this therapy);
• Osteopathy – this treatment is similar to the massage treatment, but with this technique a specific group of muscles relax, so the muscular pain associated with sciatica disappears;
• Hot-Cold treatment – the cold is initial part of this treatment, by which the swelling is reducing, then; with heating the pain from the sciatica eases (it is advisable to finish with cold water);
• Losing weight – when losing weight the pain from sciatica relieves;

 

Medications

Traditionally the over-the-counter medication is treatment that can help to relief the pain when having sciatica.

However, you ought to be careful when choosing them, because there could be some unexpected complications.

 

Surgery

Surgery is suggested to be the last step for treating sciatica.

I quote what has been said in some specialized sites. There is stated that surgical procedure would be necessary only when the control of the intestine and bladder have been affected.

 

Sciatic surgery is usually undertaken when the patient has the following symptoms:

• The patient has severe leg pain, which has lasted more than six weeks;
• When after treatment with drugs, injections or by chiropractician, the pain remains;
• When the patient is not able to do their every-day activities;

 

The most well-known types of surgical operations for sciatica are:

• Microdisectomy: when causes are from herniation of a spinal disk;
• Laminectomy: when the disk is pinched and, so, the sciatic nerve is disconnected;
• Spinal Fusion: when there are disk injuries;
• Disk replacement: when a disk is completely destroyed;

 

People who suffer from sciatica do not necessarily have to think about surgery as the only option.

 

Many of them do not consider that there are a lot more choices for treating the sciatic issues, different to surgery.

 

How the Inversion Therapy works for Sciatica

 

The inversion therapy targets the spinal decompression – reduction of the pressure on discs and enlargement the space between the vertebrae.

As a result, rehydration of interverbal disks becomes more effective.

Furthermore, the irritated sciatic nerves got released.

Thus, the sciatica is not an issue any more.

 

Just as a quick reminder, because I will use this data in the following section: two sciatic nerve roots starting from the lumbar region of the spine – vertebrae L4 and L5, and three from the sacral region of the spine – vertebrae S1, S2 and S3.

 

Now, I will describe, how the inversion therapy works for preventing, ease and cure sciatic issues:

 

1. By inverting the compressed nerve roots L4, L5, S1, S2 and S3 will alleviate. There will no longer be a tension on your hip joints, thighs, and legs – they could again be freely moved. The numbness or any pain on your feet will disappear. There will also be no difficulties for you to raise the heels and stand on our toes.

2. By inverting the weakness, pain and numbness in your carves, lower buttocks or back of the thighs, connected to nerve roots S2 and S3, will gradually melt away.

 

The inversion is not just being fixed on one position.

While inverting various exercises, related to different kind of sciatic issues, could be applied.

These workouts might be performed by using inversion tables, inversion boots, or other tools that allow your body to be upside down, partially or fully.

 

From my personal experience, the most accessible for sciatica sufferers tools are inversion tables. So, I am giving you some exercises on inversion table, with video samples:

Warm up

• We will start with 10 swings

Resut:

• Warming up our the body, joints and muscle groups, and
• Preparing us for the practice;

 

Exercise1 = Exercise for Decompression

• Relaxed while Inverted – while lying with you back on the inversion table;
• Choose the inverted angle of 20, 40, 60 degrees or fully inverted, in which you feel most comfortable;
• Spread you hands above your head and stay here for 10 full breathes, which is almost 2 minutes;

Results:

• You will fell decompression of your spine and hip joints; hydration of your intervertebral discs increases, and reduces the pressure on your sciatic nerves, thus, recovery from sciatic issues.

 

Video 1 link: https://youtu.be/IG-71PqMf8A  

 

Exercise2 = Rotating Exercises

• Fix your position on 20, 40 or 60 degrees;
• Place your right hand on your left shoulder;
• Grab with your left hand the handles and turn to the right;
• Stay here for 10 full breathes;
• Return to the center and switch hands;
• Repeat the same by turning to left and remain there for 10 full breathes;
• Then go back to the center;
• Now, grab the handle with your right hand;
• Cross your left hand over your body and grad the frame;
• Turn to the right and walk your left hand as far as you can down the frame, and stay here for 10 full breathes;
• Go back to the center and switch hands;
• Repeat the same to the left side;
• When done the 10 full breaths, return to the center;

Results:

• The tension in your upper back muscles will slowly vanish, vertebrae through whole length of your spinal column will open, and there will no longer be pressure on sciatic nerve.

 

Video 2 link: https://youtu.be/kSIVwjtNDxo 

 

Exercise3 = Overhead stretch

• Interlock your fingers with straight hands above your head and stay here for 10 full breathes;
• Now, with your left hand grab the elbow of your right hand; walk your right hand, as far as you can, downwards your back; stay here for 10 full breathes;
• Switch hands and repeat to the other side; stay there for 10 full breathes;
• Next, grab your elbows above your head and do 10 full breaths here;
• Switch hands and repeat;
• After that, again, interlock your fingers and straight your hands above your head;
• Stretch to the right and then to the left;
• Repeat this several times;
• Return to the starting position;

Results:

• The pain in sciatic nerve will quickly relieve and after several repetitions, there will no longer be a pain in the sciatic nerve.

 

Video 3 link: https://youtu.be/E7LAqHGsdxQ 

 

Exercise4 = Complete inversion exercises

• Now, being fully upside down, do several stretches to right and to the left;
• Make sure the stretches are 10 or more;
• Do them without holding on one position, but with no hurry;

Results:

• While complete inverted your body is stretching completely.
• As a result, all the channels, through which the sciatic nerve passes and have been pinched or irritated, got open, and; consequently, your sciatic nerve begins to function at its full capacity.

Video 4 link: https://youtu.be/SosSeLnXHp0  

 

Go back to the starting position and return, facing the table.

Exercise5 = Reversed Inverted Position

• Now we are going to be fully inverted;
• From here we are going into a Cobra Pose;
• We remain in this posture for 10 full breathes;
• Then release and relax;

Results:

• This opens, relaxes and extends the lumbar and hip areas, and, thus, our sciatic nerves are relieving.

Video 5 link: https://youtu.be/yADKTGIUe7Q 

 

Note: For those of you who are not yet comfortable with the inversion, the fourth and fifth exercises ought to be done, after you have become used to being upside down.

Note: To gain the best results, you will need to be determined and persistent.

Note: For those of you who don’t feel ready, process slowly and gradually.

Note: To take full advantage of this, try following this sequence, without interruption.

Note: If you need a toiler during the practice – stop, use the toilet, then drink some water (for hydration) and wait 5 – 10 minutes. After that, start from the beginning.

 

The complete sequence of exercises you can find in my youtube channel on the following link: https://youtu.be/BsshpmVaKyI 

The things I want to emphasize about inversion therapy are:

1. To gain the best results for yourself, breathe fully, relax and stay focused on what is going on with you, during the time of inversion.
2. Additionally, while you using this therapy in long-run, I guarantee that there non-sciatic nerve issues will ever be.
3. What’s more, when we got sciatica after back injury, the inversion therapy will help us reach a full recovery.
4. Bear in mind that to have the results you must apply this as daily based routine for at least six months.
5. If you choose to use the inversion therapy in a long-run, you will enjoy a healthy and happy life.

 

A short summary of what we have learnt by now:

1. Inversion therapy is a tool to relieve and cure sciatica and its derivatives.
2. Applying the inversion therapy as our daily based activity, our back, hips and legs’ muscles will relaxed, stretched and lengthened. As a result, our spine will be capable to elongate, and any compression will disappear, and the sciatica too.
3. People with herniated disc, who use inversion therapy, have their spines open and discs got back into their initial space.
4. Thereby, there is no misalignment on their spinal vertebrae and no compression on the sciatic nerve.
5. As well as that, herniated or/and slipped discs are healing naturally by decompression while inverting.
6. Subsequently, the spine is returning to its natural alignment and, thus, providing enough space between each vertebra.
7. Then, there is no longer irritation on the nerves, which are passing from the lower back to the toes.
8. With inversion therapy the weak bones and joints becoming stronger.
9. Moreover, the ligaments between each vertebra become more flexible.
10. Thus, sciatica could be prevented and there will be no movement affections, nor pain.

 

Disclaimer:

All information provided here is not intended to replace professional medical care. That’s why always follow the instructions of your healthcare professional in prior starting the inversion therapy.

 

NOTES:

• Before start using inversion therapy, I would strongly warn you to consult with a Medical Practitioner, Neurologist or Physiotherapist.
• Inversion therapy used by people under the age of 14 to be attended of an adult.
• The people with vertigo or high blood-pressure must first consult with their medical practitioner.
• Women, who are in their pregnancy, is recommended to avoid inverting.
• For women, after pregnancy I would strongly urge them to take the advantage of inversion therapy (from statistics and from women I have talked to, more than 60% of them have struggled from sciatica for years after they gave a birth. 90% of these cases had been accompanied by the lumbar lordosis. Additionally, the sciatica caused them other complications)

 

Conclusion

 

Final thoughts

 

Over the time, as it has been stated in many publications, and knowing this from my personal experience, with aging, the pressure on the sciatic nerve gradually increases.

I can certainly affirm that with inversion therapy the spine is decompressing, the tight muscles got relaxed, and the sciatic nerve is releasing from any irritation and compression, and restores its natural function.

Another important fact is that the inversion therapy is not just a restricted therapy. It could be well incorporated with swimming, fitness, yoga, pilates etc., whilst treating sciatica, which I do too.

The biggest advantage of inversion therapy over all other therapies, when treating sciatic issues, is that it is a time and monetary saving. Furthermore, it does not need any special training.