Tag Archives: Back Pain

MS and Does MS Cause Sciatica

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Sciatica is pain from an injured or irritated sciatic nerve. This is the longest, thickest nerve in the body. It starts in your buttocks area and runs down your legs into your feet. People with sciatica have mild to severe pain along the path of the nerve.1

Many people have sciatica, including some people with multiple sclerosis (MS). About 40 percent of people in the United States have sciatica at some point in their life. People who feel this type of pain may wonder if they have sciatica or MS. Some may think their sciatica is a symptom of MS.1

Experts once believed sciatica and MS were unrelated. But new research suggests there may be some links between the two.2

Symptoms of sciatica

People experience sciatica in different ways. Common symptoms of sciatica include:1,3

  • Lower back pain, usually on one side of the body
  • Pain that travels down the leg, typically one leg at a time
  • Leg weakness
  • A burning feeling in the buttocks
  • A tingling or pricking feeling that goes along with the pain
  • Pain that gets worse with movement
  • Loss of movement

Several of these symptoms are also common in people with MS.4

Causes of MS pain versus sciatica

Both sciatica and MS can lead to pain. However, the main causes are different. This is because the 2 conditions involve different parts of the nervous system.1,5,6

Your body’s nervous system has 2 parts:7

  • Central nervous system CNS – Your CNS includes your brain and spinal cord.
  • Peripheral nervous system PNS – Your PNS is everything else. It includes nerves that travel from your spinal cord and brain to every other part of your body.

MS is considered a disease of the CNS. In people with MS, the immune system attacks the protective covering that surrounds nerve fibers in the brain, eyes, and spinal cord. This protective layer is called myelin. MS “short circuits” nerves that carry signals from the brain to the body.5,6

On the other hand, sciatica is not a disease of the immune system. The pain comes from direct pressure on the sciatic nerve, which is part of the PNS. Certain people are more likely to have sciatica than others. This includes those who have:1

  • Herniated or slipped discs
  • Diabetes
  • Physically demanding jobs
  • Osteoarthritis

Possible connections between sciatica and MS

For years, experts believed that MS affects only the CNS. However, some studies suggest that it also affects the PNS. For example, research has shown that people with MS have more damage to their sciatic nerves than those without the disease. This may mean the PNS is involved more often than experts once thought.2

More studies are needed to better understand how MS may impact the PNS, including the sciatic nerve. This could lead to new ways to diagnose and treat MS.2

Treatment for sciatica

Whether or not sciatica is related to MS, the condition can be painful. If you or a loved one has sciatica, speak to a doctor.

Fortunately, many people with sciatica get better with time and self-care. Treatment might include:1

  • Icing
  • Hot packs
  • Over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen
  • Gentle stretching

If this does not provide relief, your doctor may recommend other options. They may include prescription drugs, physical therapy, and spinal injections. Surgery is not often needed. But your doctor might consider it if your symptoms do not improve within a year or so. Your care team can help you find the cause of sciatica and the best treatment.1

Reprinted from MS News Today

Don’t Let Back Pain Disrupt Your Sleep

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Girl stretching on mat

Picture by: Pixabay

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t Let Back Pain Disrupt Your Sleep

After a long day and an aching back, nothing sounds better than falling into bed and drifting off to sleep. Unfortunately, if you are a back pain sufferer, sleep might not provide the sweet relief you are looking for. The pain continues, you can’t get comfortable, and it ends up being a painful night of tossing and turning. While there isn’t a cure for your back pain, there are a few ways to take some of the pressure off so that you can escape to dreamland.

Strengthen Your Core

When pain is involved, exercise is likely the last thing you want to do, but strengthening your core could help alleviate some of that pain. According to physical therapist Sean Kinsman, “When the muscles that surround and help stabilize the spine aren’t strong enough to properly function, other structures have to pick up the slack,” which results in stress on your back and the resulting pain. A strong core can take the pressure off and give you some relief. There are several easy exercises you can perform from the comfort of home such as the bird dog, dead bug, or seated hip switches. You might also try some gentle stretching before bed as well to loosen up tight muscles and relax both your mind and body.

Eat Right for Healthy Joints

Have you ever stopped and truly thought about how important food is to your overall health? The food you put in your body has a direct impact on every system in your body, including bone and joint health. Some foods in particular rise above the others as far as their ability to promote healthy joints. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and kale help your bones absorb calcium. Broccoli even takes its superpowers a step further with sulforaphane, a bio-active compound that can help prevent joint pain. Other super foods to add to your diet include ginger, bone broth, and fruits that are rich in vitamin C such as pineapples, strawberries, and mangoes.

Change Your Sleep Position

We all have that one sleep position in which we feel the most comfortable, but there are a few changes you can make to reduce pain. Side sleepers should keep knees bent, put a pillow between their legs to align their spine, and switch sides periodically. If you are a back sleeper, put a pillow under your knees and a rolled-up towel under the small of your back to mimic your back’s natural curve. Sleeping on your stomach isn’t recommended due to its lack of support, but if you must, put a pillow under your abdomen and try going without the head pillow to avoid straining your neck.

Shop for a New Mattress and Pillow

Both your mattress and your pillow could be exacerbating your pain rather than relieving it. The proper mattress for ultimate spinal support will be the perfect firmness (medium-firm), which can be achieved with memory foam, latex foam, or an innerspring. All options conform to your body’s natural shape, so it comes down to a matter of comfort, preference, and budget. When you shop around for a new mattress, make sure you try it out on each side as well as your back, and ask about the return policy.

You might also consider investing in a new pillow that helps align your spine, support your head and neck, and reduce pressure points. Back and stomach sleepers will benefit from a thin pillow with a little lift at the bottom to support the head. Side sleeps should opt for a firm pillow with a gusset to add thickness. No matter what you choose, don’t let your purchases go to waste by getting out of bed the wrong way and twisting your back. Instead of popping out of bed and risking even more pain, roll on your side and push yourself up.

Millions of people have back pain, and as one of them, you know the effects it has on your sleep. Don’t lie there in pain. Instead of just reading the above tips, put them into action today!

by,

Cheryl Conklin