Sciatica and back pain will affect most people at some point in their life. In today’s Virtual Back Pain Clinic, I answer your most urgent questions about sciatica, back pain, and neck pain.
Click the play button to listen to my answers to the questions below.
My chiropractor has suggested that I get a “cortisone?” injection to relieve sciatica pain. I am reluctant to do this? What factors should I consider in making this decision? Are there likely to be side effects?
I have pins and needs down my left thigh sometimes..Is this sciatica?
I sit most of the day. What can i put in my chair to make it more comfortable?
I have stenosis of L5 and have had mri so do not need an operation, have a needle into the muscle has given me some relief, that is only a week ago, and am looking for a long term fix it. I am 66 years old and walk a lot and also go to gym . PAM
What is Piriformis Syndrome?
I was in a car accident one year ago, I have tremendous sciatica pain, at first it was lower back pain on the opposite side, I’ve tried everything with no help. I don’t know if I have a slipped disc or not, it did not show up on a CT scan. can you help me?
I daily in the morning after i wake up feel pain in my neck. I can not move my neck right or left completely as one does in normal condition. This pain during day remains but not to the extent as i feel it at the time i wake up.
I just had a diagnostic steroid shot in my sacroiliac joint. What else do you recommend to cure this nauseating pain?
If you’d like help with your sciatica or back pain, please visit a new special report I just put together. Just click the button below to get instant access:
Sciatica and back pain will affect most people at some point in their life. In today’s Virtual Back Pain Clinic, I answer your most urgent questions about sciatica, back pain, and neck pain.
Click the play button to listen to my answers to the questions below.
In 2004 I had a double laminectomy for spinal stenosis, L5,S1 and L4,5. This relieved the sharp pain. At that time the neurosurgeon said the foramen were wide open. The last two years both feet have increasingly become numb feeling and three months ago I developed sharp pain in the left back, hip and front calf. Myelographic CT said that the foramen at L45 and L5S1 on the left and L5S1 on the right were slightly to moderately occluded. I have had 3 sets of intraforminal injections and PT which helped a lot but again irritated it doing twisting PT exercises and the pain in the back and calf has returned although not as severe. I still cannot walk more than 1-200 yards without sharp pain in the calf and low left back, which as you say is relieved by bending forward and sitting.I have had, and am now going to PT but have not had a durable change.Would you need to see the CT and MRI tests I have had, there are many in the last 5 years. Does this sound like your program would relieve my pain and allow walking more freely? There is more history but this message is long. thank you
How can I get some relief from my back pain
a que se debe el dolor del nervio ciatico?
suffering from sciatica and knee pain
One year now with bad back pain MRI says that it is a degenerative disc . even with exercises along this year still pain . I have been advised to go through pdd with radio waves . what is your advice .. thanks…
Malton A. Schexneider, thank you for giving me this opportunity to ask my questions about my neck and back pain. My first question is why do I have seizures that my doctor’s can’t find? (I was in a car accident in nov 3, 2005,hit from behind by a utility truck while I was at a red light) I have severe whiplash,my neck still moves on it’s own, I also have pain full movement in my hips and I walk very badly, the middle of my back is very pain full to the touch (don’t touch I’m fine) my lower back I was told that I have a lump on my L4 through my L5 and it may be pinching or preventing me from being able to sit or stand for a long period of time, (this hurts constantly with shooting pain through my hips and legs.) My seizures make me unable to walk and I have to wait a week or even more to be able to use my walker, and then be able to walk on my own but even them it is very painful. Please tell me what to do so that I can get the help I need because I am the head of my house hold and my children only have me to take care of them. Once again Thank You for allowing me to send you my information. Mrs. Monroe
ya i have been diagnose with minor scoliosis about 3 years ago, and i do housekeeping for my job and i think it has gotten worse, but my question is “is it healthy to run while having scoliosis?” and what can i do at home for treating my back pain because my doctor wont give me anything stronger than 800 IB!! Is there anything i can do to help straighten my back at all!! thanks
If you’d like help with your sciatica or back pain, please visit a new special report I just put together. Just click the button below to get instant access:
Sacroiliac joint pain is a common underlying cause of many low back pain and sciatica conditions. Despite the sacroiliac joint’s influence on low back pain, it is a condition that continues to elude health care practitioners primarily because of the complexity involved in evaluating the joint correctly.
In this short video, sacroiliac joint pain and its treatment are discussed.
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Trigger points were first introduced to the medical community over 50 years ago and continue to be a controversial explanation for back pain.
Likewise, the use of trigger point injections as an effective treatment for back pain has not been conclusively established.
In a 2008 study published in Pain Medicine, the safety and efficacy of trigger point injections to treat chronic pain syndromes was investigated. The conclusions from this study indicated:
Trigger point injections are safe when applied by adequately trained health care providers.
The net benefit of trigger point injections in the treatment of back pain is questionable.
According to lead author, N Ann Scott, PhD
“The efficacy of trigger point injections is no more certain than it was a decade ago, as there is no clear evidence of either benefit or ineffectiveness.”
The results of this study are consistent with my observations of patients who have undergone trigger point injections to treat back pain. When asked whether the injection therapy was working, the answer I usually get is, “I think so.”
Sometimes people want so desperately for their pain to go away that they will “convince” themselves that their current therapy is working when, in fact, it is doing little to nothing to affect their condition.
The flip side is that the “psychological” benefit will sometimes do as much, if not more, than the physical effects of the therapy - the old “mind over body” thing.
My advice: If trigger point injections are actually helping you, great, keep doing them. If, on the other hand, you have to convince yourself of the effectiveness or you’re getting no benefit at all, don’t waste your time or money.
Remember, only one type of treatment for back pain has been consistently shown to be effective and that is active rehabilitation. The Erase Your Back Pain program utilizes the active rehabilitation model in establishing a targeted exercise program for your particular condition.
Sciatica and back pain are conditions where the symptoms naturally wax and wane in terms of frequency and intensity. Treatment for sciatica and back pain ranges from evidenced based therapies to the latest “snake oil” remedy. While the majority of sciatica and back pain cases represent a medical enigma, one thing is for certain; very few treatment options are actually effective.
My purpose here is to provide you with a review of a popular treatment option for the management of sciatica and back pain. My hope is that the information provided will assist you in making better decisions for the management of your particular condition.
To relieve lower back pain and sciatica, spinal decompression, improving muscular flexibility, and enhancing one’s posture are all treatment options advocated by many health care professionals. Specific treatment ranges from high tech traction devices to very simple stretching exercises. Look in any magazine or land on any late night infomercial and you’re sure to come across some form of back care treatment claiming to “end back pain forever”.
True Back Device
One such device advertised on the Internet is the True Back. The True Back claims to be a non-powered orthopedic traction device that helps eliminate pain by decompressing the spine and lengthening the muscles of the back.
The unit is made of a single piece of hollow plastic approximately 24 inches long by 10 inches wide, making it very light weight. The top of the True Back has a center channel that the bony part of the spine lies in. On either side of this channel are 15 pairs of suspension posts that are situated in such a way as to provide constant pressure to the muscles on either side of the spine. On the outside of these posts, are two removable foam cushions.
How It Works
To use the True Back, a person positions the unit so that the center channel lines up with the center of your back. From here, you simply lay back on the device as shown here.
The spine is suspended in the center channel while the weight of the body is supported on the suspension posts. The prolonged pressure provided to the spinal muscles results in a relaxation effect. While lying on the True Back, you are encouraged to take slow, deep breaths and allow your body to relax. Treatment time is a steady progression based on your tolerance and can last from a few seconds to several minutes.
The manufacturer of the True Back claims that the device provides spinal traction or decompression. This claim can be argued as there is no actual separation of the vertebral bodies themselves as you would expect to encounter with traction or decompression. That being said, however, one could argue that the front portion of the vertebrae in the thoracic spine move sway from one another while on the device resulting in an “apparent” elongation of the spine and an overall improvement in posture.
My Recommendation
The True Back Device is a handy device to assist with improving upright posture and spinal mobility, specifically that of thoracic and lumbar extension. Its use will also assist in improving the flexibility of the abdominals, anterior neck, chest, and shoulder musculature. For this reason, I would recommend the use of the True Back in treating the Backward Pelvis and Forward Head Syndromes as defined here: 4 Common Causes of Sciatica & Back Pain
Keep in mind, however, that, while I like the device in certain respects, it, in no way, represents a “final solution” to back pain. The medical research is quite clear in its assessment of back pain treatment options; active treatment has more long term benefits than does passive treatment. The True Back IS passive treatment and should only be utilized within the context of an active rehabilitation program and only for specific conditions.
Perhaps some of you have used the True Back and would like to comment. I certainly would like to know your experience with this device, especially the effects it had on your sciatica and back pain.
Of course, anyone with a question or comment, feel free to fire away in the comment section below. Oh, by the way, if there is something you’d like me to review related to anything back pain, let me know and I’ll see what I can do.
Dedicated to Erasing Your Back Pain,
Malton A. Schexneider, PT,MMSc The Back Pain Expert
Low back pain treatment options can be confusing. Often times treatment is not specific and falls in to the “over the counter” methodology, meaning that the treatment approach is directed towards reducing symptoms and not addressing the actual problem.
Having observed the low back pain treatment methods used by physical therapists over the past 26 years, I am of the firm opinion that the vast majority of physical therapists have no business treating low back pain. Why? Because most physical therapists don’t have the advanced training necessary to evaluate a patient with low back pain effectively much less treat the underlying cause of the problem. The sad truth is that most physical therapists treat patients with low back pain symptomatically.
There are exceptions, however, and not all physical therapists are the same. Here’s an interview with a physical therapist who represents the exception. Listen carefully to how he approaches patient care. It’s what the role of a physical therapist treating back pain shouldbe.
Please take a moment to leave me your comments by filling in the form below. I appreciate your feedback.
If you’re suffering with back pain and would like fast relief, click here ====> End My Back Pain Now!
Dedicated to Erasing Your Back Pain,
Malton A. Schexneider, PT, MMSc The Back Pain Expert
Inversion therapy is often utilized in the treatment of back pain, sciatica, and herniated discs. However, some people report that inversion therapy was not beneficial in alleviating their back pain.
To help you get the maximum benefit from inversion therapy, I’ve put together a video that describes what you need to do to end your nagging back pain. Continue reading →
Back pain treatment by a physical therapist is very common. But did you know that there are light years of differences in the skill levels of physical therapists that treat back pain? Continue reading →
Back pain treatment utilizing spinal decompression has been previously discussed. I was able to find this video that does an excellent job of describing the process for disc herniation, spinal stenosis, sciatica, and degenerative disc disease. Continue reading →
