Do you have a sharp pain that frequently radiates through your buttocks, down the outside of your leg, right into your foot? If so, you might ask me as so many others have: Is sciatica causing my leg pain?
That’s an easy one. No.
How can you say that without ever meeting me you ask? Let me explain.
The term sciatica can describe the symptoms you are feeling. But it doesn’t describe what causes those symptoms.
Mere semantics? Not really. Because ending your sciatic pain doesn’t require finding out what your pain feels like (the symptoms, called sciatica). It requires finding out what is causing it (the underlying condition).
So, what causes sciatica?
Glad you asked. But let’s first clear up what sciatica actually is with a more formal definition to make sure we’re on the same page.
Sciatica is the symptom of radiating pain felt in the lower back, buttocks, hamstring, back of the knee, outside of the calf, and / or the foot. It may also be associated with muscular weakness, numbness, or even an electrical tingly feeling. Yep, tingly is a technical term.
The underlying cause of sciatica is generally the compression or irritation of either the actual sciatic nerve or one of the major lumbar nerves (L4 or L5) or sacral nerves (S1, S2, or S3).
Sometimes women experience sciatica during pregnancy as the enlarged uterus presses against the sciatic nerve and postural dysfunctions associated with carrying the extra weight pulls their spine out of proper alignment.
When it comes to sciatica, the right question isn’t “Is sciatica causing my leg pain?” Instead ask, “Is my leg pain sciatica?” This short video will help you visualize what may be causing your sciatica so you can quickly treat it properly and end your sciatic pain.
Upwards of 70% of your body is composed of good old H2O. Some claim as little as a 2% drop in fluids can leave you itchy, groggy, constipated, and feeling generally rotten all around.
It certainly makes sense to stay hydrated. Drinking enough water helps ensure our bladder and kidneys flush toxins out of our bodies. It helps our bodies digest food. And it can even prevent headaches, joint aches and muscle pain.
So what does this have to do with your spine? Quite a bit it turns out. Not only is over 70% of your body made up of water, but a similar ratio exists in the discs that cushion the vertebrae in your spine. It turns out dehydration is a little talked about but significant factor contributing herniated and bulging discs.
A decrease in disc water content is associated with spinal disc degeneration. As the discs break down, cracks form in the fibrous outer ring of the disc leading to fluid loss. The inner core becomes weaker as it shrinks and comes under more stress until conditions become ripe for the disc to bulge or herniated.
Exactly how much water is enough can be a matter of significant debate. The most commonly given “rule” is to drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. It’s really more of a “rule of thumb” though as the amount your body really needs largely depends on your gender (males tend to require more water), weight (larger mass requires more water), activity level, and environment among other factors.
Allow me to make drinking water simple for you. If you’re thirsty, drink a glass of water. Seriously. If you’re not thirsty but are experiencing some of the symptoms of mild dehydration, try drinking a glass of water anyways. Normally if you’re drinking enough water your urine will be clear or pale yellow. Be aware that it’ll typically be darker first thing in the morning, after a meal, or when taking water soluble vitamins like riboflavin.
When your body is properly hydrated, your spinal discs are able to reabsorb fluids at night while you sleep. Many individuals with back pain have gotten fast relief by using inversion therapy tables which release pressure on the discs through gentle gravity-based traction. This allows fluid to soak back into the spongy interior of the disc so that it can heal and properly support your vertebrae.
So yes, water is the stuff of life. And the stuff that’ll help your spine stay healthy too.
Related references: H2O: Hydration; Marketing Health Promotion, Wellness, and Risk Information for Spinal Cord Injury Survivors in the Community. Craig Hospital. Englewood, CO.
Wognum S, Huyghe JM, Baaijens FP. Influence of osmotic pressure changes on the opening of existing cracks in 2 intervertebral disc models. Spine. 2006;31:1783–8.
Zhao F, et al. Discogenic origins of spinal instability. Spine. 2005 Dec 1;30(23):2621-30.
Nosse, L.: Inverted Spinal Traction. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 59: 367-370, Aug 78.
Most people say they want to get rid of their pain, but they really don’t.
For some reason, they just really aren’t ready… otherwise they would have done it already or at least be actively working on it… relentless in their determination to get their life back.
Many of these people claim that if they only knew “how to” solve the problem they would. Yet there is more than enough of the how to… it’s everywhere…in books, videos, audios, doctors, etc… our entire website is full of some of the best how to there is when it comes to back pain… yet most people still don’t get relief… but not because the how to didn’t work, they don’t get relief because they are lacking the “want to”… a real desire to do what it takes to eliminate the problem.
I urge you to listen to this audio from Steve Chandler about the difference between the “How to” and the “Want to”… it’s this that can keep you stuck in pain or can set you free.
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One of the questions we get most here at the Healthy Back Institute is: “what’s the best mattress for back pain?”.
A good mattress can make all the difference in the world for getting a good night’s sleep. When sciatica or back pain makes sleeping difficult, picking the right mattress takes on even greater importance.
Conventional wisdom says if you have back pain you should sleep on a firm mattress. This happens to be one convention that isn’t always so wise. In a study of over 300 adults with chronic lower back pain, those who slept on medium-firm mattresses consistently reported less pain both at night and upon arising as well as improvement in back pain related disability than those who slept on firm mattresses.
Before you rush out and purchase a medium-firm mattress, first consider the source of your back pain and your own sleeping preferences.
Mattresses for sciatica
Those with sciatica often find any amount of flexion will aggravate their condition. Selecting a firmer mattress is often helpful.
Mattresses for spinal stenosis
Those with spinal stenosis often find the opposite is true, with a flexed position providing back pain relief. A somewhat softer mattress will often make sleep more comfortable in this case.
Mattresses for lower back pain
While the study referenced earlier found a medium-firm mattress provided the best results for those with lower back pain, some individuals may find either a firmer or a softer mattress provides a better sleeping experience.
Try it before you buy it
One of the most effective ways many have found to select the right mattress is to try them out at different places first. If you achieve a noticeably more restful sleep when staying at particular hotel or sleeping over at a friend’s house and then wake up with less back pain, you have a good clue. At the very least, lie down on the bed at the store before you buy it – that’s why they have those plastic covers on the end. Many higher quality brands also offer a try at home guarantee. Since you’ll likely sleep on the mattress for the next 5 to 10 years, it’s worth making the best investment you can afford.
In this video we do an in-depth review of both inversion therapy and a device called the Nubax Trio. While both are great at decompressing the spine, they each have their advantages and disadvantages. Find out which one is right for you in this video.
Easy to assemble – can be set up in minutes without a second person.
Very easy to use – just about anyone, regardless of age or physical condition can use it. We have customers who are over 90 years old using it!
Lightweight but strong – making it easy to store or move around yet durable.
Traction Control – Allows you to control the amount of traction applied which can be very helpful. You can start out very light and then slowly increase the amount over time.
Few Contraindications – here are very few people who can’t use it.
CONS
No Cervical Traction – so this is not going to help much for upper back and neck pain.
Used for nearly 2000 years, inversion therapy has millions of success stories and has been shown in studies to reduce the need for back surgery by over 70%. Here’s a list of the pros and cons:
PROS
Complete spine – inversion decompresses the entire spine and even other joints like the ankles, knees and hips though you can’t increase the amount of traction (at least not easily).
Easy to use – most people can get into and use an inversion table without issue. However, some people do not feel comfortable going to full inversion and some older adults or people with severe weakness may find it difficult.
Additional Exercises – there are quite a few exercises that can be performed on an inversion table that can help strength your legs and abs as well as stretches to improve flexibility.
Relaxing – many people find that inversion therapy is very relaxing for them, putting them almost into a meditative state which delivers additional benefits.
CONS
Set up – while not difficult, most inversion tables require two people to set up.
Weight and Size – most inversion tables are fairly heavy (to be safe) and take up quite a bit of space. Though most can be folded up to reduce space.
Contraindications – there are a handful of health conditions where inversion is not recommended. You can find a complete list in the FAQ’s by clicking on the link below.
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Do you have a sharp pain that frequently radiates through your buttocks, down the outside of your leg, right into your foot? If so, you might ask me as so many others have: Is sciatica causing my leg pain?
Upwards of 70% of your body is composed of good old H2O. Some claim as little as a 2% drop in fluids can leave you itchy, groggy, constipated, and feeling generally rotten all around.
One of the questions we get most here at the Healthy Back Institute is: “what’s the best mattress for back pain?”.
