Sciatica, herniated disc, & back pain relief strategies from sciatica, herniated disc, & back pain relief expert Malton A. Schexneider, PT, MMSc

Epidural steroid injections (ESI) are often prescribed for back pain relief. I tell patients that an ESI is used for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes and is an excellent way to determine whether or not surgery is indicated. Continue reading →

Selecting the best back pain treatment for your condition can be an exercise in futility.

In the United States alone, patients with low back pain can choose from a seemingly endless array different health care and non helath care practitioners ranging from their family physician to faith healers. And, among these specialties, there are some 200 different treatment options ranging from surgery, to low back exercises, to body casting, to taking herb supplements. Continue reading →

Lower back exercises to relieve back pain are prescribed routinely by doctors and therapists. Most of these back pain relief exercises, however, are useless in providing long term back pain relief.

I’ve begun to put together a few short videos to help you better manage your back pain. Here’s the first in the series:

The reason most lower back exercises don’t work to relieve back pain Continue reading →

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 that incorporates the use of back supports is controversial.

Some health care providers insist that the use of a back brace will “weaken the muscles of the trunk” or creates a “dependency” on the brace. Other providers recognize that the use of a back brace helps patients return to full function sooner and avoid the harmful effects of inactivity.

A summary of the facts and myths for back braces that provide back pain relief is presented here. Continue reading →

Treatment for spinal stenosis can produce immediate and long lasting back pain relief. I’ve prepared a video today that demonstrates one of the simple back pain exercises I use to treat spinal stenosis.

Spinal stenosis is a condition that is characterized by narrowing of the opening through which the nerve exits the spine. It is related to degenerative disc desease, disc herniation, disc bulging, or disc protrusion.

In many cases tight muscles that attach to the spine or pelvis can cause the spinal opening to narrow. Because of this narrowing, sciatica (pinched nerve) symptoms can ensue.

One of the muscles that affects the position of the pelvis is the rectus femoris muscle. A tight rectus femoris results in the pelvis rotating forward which can cause the spine to bend backwards, resulting in further narrowing of the spinal opening.

By effectively stretching the rectus femoris, the pelvis is able to maintain its normal position, thus reducing the negative influence it could have on the spine.

More back pain relief treatment for spinal stenosis can be found in the Erase Your Back Pain program.

To get a custom pain relief program built specifically for your condition, click on this link: End My Back Pain Today

Let me know what you think of the video by commenting below.

Also, if you have questions or would like to see particular treatment options for back pain, let me know as well.

Dedicated to Erasing Your Back Pain,

Malton A. Schexneider, PT, MMSc
The Back Pain Expert

Sciatica leg pain is a condition often times encountered in people with back pain. Here’s a video of 2 exercises for sciatica you may find helpful.

The exercises for sciatica involve stretching a small muscle in the buttocks called the piriformis (which we’ve talked about before – see piriformis syndrome) and an exercise for the sciatic nerve itself. Continue reading →

The presence of a herniated disc is sometimes treated with epidural steroid injections (ESI). Epidural steroid injection is a nonsurgical approach to back pain used for both therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. Disc herniation and spinal stenosis can cause nerve irritation that usually results in back and leg pain.

The procedure involves the injection of an anesthetic (such as Marcane) and a steroid (usually DepoMedrol) into the spine for the purpose of shrinking swollen nerve tissue and reducing pain. Continue reading →

A simple back pain exercise you can do anywhere is to stretch the psoas muscle. The psoas is a deep muscle of the low back that runs from the upper lumbar spine, through the pelvis, and attaches onto the front side of the hip.

Back pain is often experienced when this muscle is tight. So to help you with stretching this muscle, I’ve put together a short video that describes how to best stretch the psoas. Continue reading →

Back pain relief can be accomplished utilizing a variety of modalities. One form of treatment I have recommended is massage therapy.

Because back pain is often times tied directly to elevated stress levels, I often recommend a soothing, stress relieving massage. Here’s a video of one of the most stress melting massages I have come across. Enjoy! Continue reading →