Sciatica motor vehicle crash. After an automobile crash/accident, symptoms of pain and discomfort can immediately follow the force of impact, indicating an injury. Many injuries and symptoms appear right away, like:
Pain from high-impact trauma and cuts.
Bone fractures.
Dislocations.
Neck whiplash.
Back pain.
The sciatic nerve is the largest in the body, and any damage can cause pain in one or both sides of the body. Pressure and compression on the nerves, ligaments, and muscles accompanied by weakness or numbness in the lower back, legs, or feet could cause delayed sciatica symptoms hours, days, even weeks later. It is critical to meet with a doctor and auto accident chiropractor after any type of accident, large or small, to develop a thorough personalized treatment plan.
Sciatica Motor Vehicle Crash
Sciatica can be brought on by a pinched nerve, which is often the result of the spine shifting out of place, causing herniation and compression on the sciatic nerve. The trauma from a motor vehicle accident can cause the spinal discs to be knocked out of place, rupture, and leak out, irritating the surrounding tissue and nerve endings. Back injuries are among the most common forms of damage/injury resulting from a motor vehicle accident/crash that can lead to sciatica. Broken and/or fractured vertebral, hip, or pelvis bone fragments can compress the sciatic nerve. Even when the initial result of the impact does not result in sciatica, over time, an untreated back injury could lead to sciatica symptoms.
Symptoms
Motor vehicle crashes often activate or aggravate pre-existing conditions like asymptomatic degenerative disc disease, affecting the sciatic nerve causing discomfort and pain. Common symptoms include:
Mild discomfort or achiness.
Tingling sensations from the lower back and down the back of the leg.
Weakness, numbness, or difficulty moving the leg and foot.
Inability to bend the foot upward at the ankle- known as foot drop.
Constant pain in one side of the buttocks or leg.
Sharp pain that makes it difficult to stand up and walk
Difficulty sitting.
Burning or tingling in one leg can worsen when sitting.
Intense pain.
Sharp burning and/or what feels like shooting electricity pain.
Diagnosis
A spine doctor and chiropractor will use diagnostic imaging tools like X-rays, and CT scans to see the scope of the injured area.
An X-ray will show a detailed image of the spine and affected bones in the area.
A CT scan will include a 3D image that shows the surrounding musculature, tissues, and nerves that could be damaged/injured.
Treatment
The doctor and chiropractor will then develop an appropriate and personalized treatment plan that could utilize various methods and techniques.
Chiropractic is commonly the first treatment to realign the spine and relieve pressure on the nerve.
A pain management specialist or physical therapist will be brought in for rehabilitation/recovery as adjustments progress.
Orthopedists and neurologists may be brought in for less conservative treatment in more severe cases, including surgical options.
Other treatments can include steroid injections or anti-inflammatory medicines to relieve nerve pressure.
Body Composition
Injury Rehabilitation Phase
Current in-clinic methods of measuring the composition of an injured body are indirect, while medically advanced techniques limit the frequency of testing. InBody provides cost-effective, comprehensive, and timely measurements that identify areas of weakness from damage, injury, or recent surgery and develop a customized rehabilitation program to improve functional status.
During the rehabilitation phase, increased sedentary behavior and/or immobilization causes muscle loss in the injured or operated region. By independently evaluating lean mass in each segment of the arms, legs, and torso, a chiropractor or physical therapist gathers baseline information on the body segments with restricted mobility.
InBody can help provide further insight into an individual’s body composition to analyze long-term health risks and develop a personalized exercise intervention to improve overall health and reduce health risks. This provides beneficial information for identifying potential imbalances related to muscle loss post-injury/surgery that can be targeted and improved. Identifying these imbalances allows the therapists to increase functional fitness and mobility, helping the individual reduce the risk of re-injury or new injuries.
References
Defouilloux, B et al. “A propos de trois observations chez des polytraumatisées de la route présentag une fracture du bassin associée à des signes neurologiques” [Apropos of 3 cases of multiple traffic injuries presenting pelvic fractures associated with neurologic signs]. Journal de radiologie, d’electrologie, et de medecine nucleaire vol. 48,8 (1967): 505-6.
Noble, J et al. “Analysis of upper and lower extremity peripheral nerve injuries in a population of patients with multiple injuries.” The Journal of trauma vol. 45,1 (1998): 116-22. doi:10.1097/00005373-199807000-00025
Walsh, K et al. “Risk of low back pain in people admitted to hospital for traffic accidents and falls.” Journal of epidemiology and community health vol. 46,3 (1992): 231-3. doi:10.1136/jech.46.3.231
When individuals think about wellness and health, they usually think about a checkup with their doctor. However, wellness treatment with chiropractic is much more proactive. Chiropractic focuses on keeping the body functioning properly and allowing its natural healing properties to activate and do its job. Chiropractic checks to ensure the spine is correctly aligned and correct any subluxation/misalignment before pain occurs. Pain is one of the body’s warnings that something is wrong. Chiropractic wellness care aims to catch and correct any issues before it becomes a problem, keeping the central nervous system in top form, increasing the immune system’s strength, making the body healthier.
Chiropractic Increases Wellness and Health Levels
The body’s baseline level of health can be improved. Individuals can feel that they are fulfilling their responsibilities and maintaining health by engaging in physical exercise and eating a healthy diet. It is believed that lifestyle is largely the extent of an individual’s ability to maintain their health, without realizing that optimal wellness and health can be increased through chiropractic, the ideal supplement to a healthy life. Chiropractic improves body process functions by:
Increasing circulation.
Facilitating detoxification.
Balancing the distribution of hormones and nutrients.
Regulating the heart’s rhythm.
Soothing the nervous system.
Increased mobility.
Decreased pain.
Better flexibility.
Chiropractic serves as supportive treatment to other types of therapeutic care like physical therapy and massage therapy.
Improves Physical Performance
A chiropractor will recommend adjustments, manual muscle manipulation, tissue manipulation, and massage customized for the body’s needs, focusing specifically on long-term realignment. A variety of treatments help to improve the body’s structure, alignment, and energy flow. Chiropractic makes a significant difference in:
Endurance
Explosiveness
Flexibility
Speed
Mobility
Adaptability
Chiropractic also:
Realigns joints and bones.
Decompresses nerves.
Releases muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Detoxifies stagnant areas of the body.
Chiropractic is the perfect supplement to increasing performance, wellness, and health by increasing the health and alignment of the physical body and energy flow.
Improves Mental Health
Chiropractic also benefits mental health. The mind is controlled by the central nervous system or CNS and is directly affected by chiropractic treatment. With hands-on manipulation, adjustments, or traction, bones and joints move back toward optimal alignment, causing the nervous system’s structure to move toward optimal capacity and efficiency. Nerve channels and bundles can become decompressed, bruised, and pinched. The flow of electrical impulses is regulated within the body through the nervous system. Cognitive performance becomes enhanced from the improvement in communication across the central and peripheral nervous systems. Mental performance is also supported through the rush of cerebrospinal fluid/CSF. Cerebrospinal fluid removes waste and toxins from the brain and supplies the brain with oxygen and nutrients. CSF floods the brain after a chiropractic adjustment.
Improves Immune System Function
Chiropractic improves immune system function by increasing energy circulation, blood circulation, and lymphatic fluid flow.Treatment combats stagnation allowing the body to purge toxins and waste accumulated in joints, tissues, and near organs. Chiropractic loosens up areas of the body that have been compressed, crushed, strained, and divided because of misalignment, lack of physical activity/exercise, or stiffness and injury. This allows the flow of lymphatic fluid and white blood cells to regulate areas that may have previously been difficult to access. This helps to increase the immune system’s ability to fight off infection.
Body Composition
Get More Sleep
Sleep is a strong regulator of immune system functions and operates to enhance the adaptive immune system. When the body is deprived of adequate sleep, it becomes more susceptible to various infectious agents. Sleep deprivation weakens the body making it harder to recover from bacteria or virus infections. When the body sleeps, it utilizes the time to strengthen the immune system and move T cells to the lymph nodes. These are the vessels of the immune system responsible for filtering harmful substances. T cells produce cytokines activated when there is inflammation in the body or under stress. Inadequate sleep causes cytokine production to decrease, causing damage to the immune system.
References
Besedovsky, Luciana et al. “Sleep and immune function.” Pflugers Archiv: European journal of physiology vol. 463,1 (2012): 121-37. doi:10.1007/s00424-011-1044-0
Goncalves, Guillaume et al. “Effect of chiropractic treatment on primary or early secondary prevention: a systematic review with a pedagogic approach.” Chiropractic & manual therapies vol. 26 10. 5 Apr. 2018, doi:10.1186/s12998-018-0179-x
Iben, Axén, et al. “Chiropractic maintenance care – what’s new? A systematic review of the literature.” Chiropractic & manual therapies vol. 27 63. 21 Nov. 2019, doi:10.1186/s12998-019-0283-6
Vining, Robert et al. “Effects of Chiropractic Care on Strength, Balance, and Endurance in Active-Duty U.S. Military Personnel with Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) vol. 26,7 (2020): 592-601. doi:10.1089/acm.2020.0107
Sciatic nerve injury happens from trauma to the nerve and can cause numbness, tingling, loss of muscle power, and pain. The traumatic experience can be a muscle spasm that pulls and/or pinches the sciatic nerve, force/pressure impact injury, over-stretching injury, or a laceration/cutting injury. A slipped disk, or herniated disk, is the most common cause of irritation on the sciatic nerve. A slipped disk occurs when one becomes slightly dislodged, pushing out from the spine. This places pressure/compression on the sciatic nerve.
Trauma to the lower back, buttocks, or leg from an automobile accident, sports injury, work injury.
Medical treatment causes:
Direct surgical trauma.
Total hip replacement surgery can cause nerve compression and stretch during the procedure, causing damage to the sciatic nerve resulting in dysfunction.
Injection injuries via intramuscular injection in the gluteal region. This is a situation where there is a loss of movement and or lack of sensation at the affected lower extremity with or without pain.
Injection palsy can begin suddenly or hours following damage to the sciatic nerve.
A misplaced intramuscular injection at the gluteal region is the most common cause of injury. It is attributed to frequent injections or poor techniques resulting from inadequately trained or unqualified staff.
Complaints of radiating pain in the leg, which follows a sensory nerve pattern.
Pain radiates below the knee, into the foot.
Complaints of low back pain, which is often less severe than leg pain.
Report of electrical, burning, numbing sensations.
Diagnosis
A detailed subjective and objective physical examination is necessary to figure out the severity of the sciatic nerve injury. Diagnostic studies include:
Chiropractic and physical therapy exercises and stretches improve nerve regeneration after nerve damage.
Electrical Muscle Stimulation
TENS and Electroacupuncture have been shown to help enhance nerve regrowth.
Bio-laser stimulation can help with nerve nutrition and regeneration.
Joint or Soft Tissue mobilization
Helps to retain muscle, nerve, and soft tissue flexibility and prevent deformity.
Balance Training
Coordination, strength, and flexibility exercises help to restore balance.
Splinting
In the early stages after a sciatic nerve injury, bracing may be needed to prevent deformity and new injury or re-injury risks.
Ankle Foot Orthosis – AFO can help prevent foot drop, muscle damage, and falls risk.
Body Composition
Optimize Diet for Fat Loss
Individuals that want to lose fat need to create a calorie deficit. Individuals need to consistently eat less than they need for Total Daily Energy Expenditure – TDEE. The safest way to handle a caloric reduction is to reduce calorie intake in small doses like 200-300 calories, for example. After a week or two, perform a body composition analysis. If Fat Mass numbers begin to drop or not, adjust calorie needs accordingly. Restricting calories is the most common way, a deficit can also be created by increasing calorie needs through exercise.
References
Kline, D G et al. “Management and results of sciatic nerve injuries: a 24-year experience.” Journal of neurosurgery vol. 89,1 (1998): 13-23. doi:10.3171/jns.1998.89.1.0013
Schmalzried, TP et al. “Update on nerve palsy associated with total hip replacement.” Clinical Orthopedics and related research,344 (1997): 188-206.
Shim, Ho Yong et al. “Sciatic nerve injury caused by a stretching exercise in a trained dancer.” Annals of rehabilitation medicine vol. 37,6 (2013): 886-90. doi:10.5535/arm.2013.37.6.886
Suszyński, Krzysztof et al. “Physiotherapeutic techniques used in the management of patients with peripheral nerve injuries.” Neural regeneration research vol. 10,11 (2015): 1770-2. doi:10.4103/1673-5374.170299
A nerve injury is often caused by a sudden traumatic event, like a slip and fall, personal or work injury, an automobile accident, or a sports injury. Overall stresses of the body from poor posture and being overweight can also lead to nerve pain over time, known as cumulative trauma. Where ligaments and bones are not aligned correctly, nerve pain and damage can occur. When nerve pain presents, there is pressure being placed on that nerve/s. Nerve pain symptoms include burning, tingling, or numbness-type sensations in the tissues controlled by that nerve. Orthopedic and neurologic testing will determine what specific nerve is affected. Chiropractic adjustments realign the spine and relieve the pressure on the nerve, thus eliminating the pain and correcting the problem.
Nerve Injury
Too much pressure from surrounding tissues compresses and irritates the nerve and interrupts its ability to function correctly. Pinched nerves are most vulnerable at points in the body where they pass through narrow spaces and have little to no soft tissue protection. Symptoms include:
Pins and Needles Sensation
Numbness
Pain
Weakness
A pinched nerve can decrease the range of motion and cause muscle spasms. If left untreated, a nerve injury can leave an individual with chronic pain and lead to permanent nerve damage.
Tingling and Numbness
Tingling and numbness are unusual or unpleasant physical sensations, most commonly experienced in the arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet, and toes. Tingling and numbness come in two forms:
To determine the appropriate course of treatment, a doctor of chiropractic must diagnose the cause of the nerve injury. Depending on the nature or severity of the sensation, the examination will include:
Muscle tests
Range-of-motion tests
Neurological tests
Orthopedic tests
The chiropractor will palpate the effective areas and order imaging tests like X-rays if necessary. If further testing is needed to diagnose the source of the nerve injury, the doctor may order an MRI or CT scan. Once the underlying condition is diagnosed, a chiropractor will develop a treatment plan to eliminate irritation, correct misalignments causing pressure, and restore proper nerve function. Treatment plans vary from case to case but can include:
Therapeutic Massage
Body adjustments
Spinal manipulation
Heat and Ice
The objective is to relieve/release the pressure on the nerves. Chiropractic adjustments help reposition the muscles and nerves. Deep-tissue massage helps to release tension and eliminate toxins that worsen the sensations. Treatment improves circulation and relieves pressure on the neural pathways necessary to restore normal neural signaling between the body and the brain.
Body Composition
Why The Brain Needs Sugar
The brain needs half of all the body’s energy supply because of its complex nerve cell system. The brain requires glucose for brain cell energy. Because neurons can’t store energy, they need a continuous fuel supply to function correctly from the bloodstream. The ability to think, learn and recall information is closely associated with glucose levels. When blood glucose levels are low, the ability to think is inhibited as the production of chemical messengers/neurotransmitters, are reduced, disrupting communication between the neurons. Natural sugar can boost brain health because it requires glucose for functioning. Sugar is released slowly into the bloodstream when taken naturally from sources like apples and bananas, keeping the energy levels steady, without craving more sugar.
References
Ameh, Victor, and Steve Crane. “Nerve injury following shoulder dislocation: the emergency physician’s perspective.” European journal of emergency medicine: official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine vol. 13,4 (2006): 233-5. doi:10.1097/01.mej.0000206190.62201.ad
Nichols, J S, and K O Lillehei. “Nerve injury associated with acute vascular trauma.” The Surgical clinics of North America vol. 68,4 (1988): 837-52. doi:10.1016/s0039-6109(16)44589-5
Ruggiero, S L. “Trigeminal nerve injury and repair.” The New York state dental journal vol. 62,8 (1996): 36-40.
Welch, J A. “Peripheral nerve injury.” Seminars in veterinary medicine and surgery (small animal) vol. 11,4 (1996): 273-84. doi:10.1016/s1096-2867(96)80020-x
WOODHALL, B. “Peripheral nerve injury.” The Surgical clinics of North America (1954): 1147-65. doi:10.1016/s0039-6109(16)34299-2
Sciatica Causes: The sciatic nerve forms by the union of Lumbar4 to Sacral31 nerve roots and exits the pelvis through the greater sciatic foramen, below the piriformis muscle located deep in the buttocks. The nerve runs down the back of the thigh, into the leg, and ends in the foot. The sciatic nerve becomes inflamed, irritated, and/or mechanically compressed. Any type of pain and/or neurological symptom/s from the sciatic nerve is referred to as sciatica. Sciatica is a type of lumbar radiculopathy, which means that the pain originates from the low back and/or sacral nerve roots.
Sciatica Causes
Physical forces on the nerve can cause mechanical compression due to the following conditions:
Herniated Discs
A disc in the lower back can bulge or herniate, causing irritation and/or compression of a sciatic nerve root.
Foraminal Stenosis
Stenosis, the intervertebral opening through which the nerve roots travel, begins to narrow/close in, can compress or irritate the sciatic nerve.
Degeneration
Degenerative changes in the spine like the thickening of facet joint capsules and/or ligaments can compress the sciatic nerve.
Segmental Instability
Instability of a spinal vertebral segment that happens if one vertebra slips over the one beneath it – spondylolisthesis
Complete dislocation of one or more vertebrae can compress the nerve root/s of the nerve.
Other Sciatica Causes
Tumors, cysts, infections, or abscesses in the lower spine or pelvic region can also cause sciatic nerve compression.
Chemical Inflammation
Chemical irritants can include hyaluronic acid and/or fibronectin/protein fragments that leak out of degenerated or herniated discs. These irritants can cause inflammation and/or irritation of the sciatic nerve.
Degenerated discs can cause nerve tissues to grow into the disc, penetrating the outer and inner layers of the disc, causing sciatica. Immune system responses can contribute to pain when exposed to disc fluid.
Substances such as glycosphingolipids/fats and neurofilaments /protein polymers secreted by the immune system are increased in individuals with sciatica. These substances are released from the reaction between nerve roots and exposed disc material, causing inflammation.
Job Occupation
Individuals with specific jobs have an increased risk of developing sciatica. Examples include:
Truck drivers
Desk workers
Teachers
Warehouse workers
Machine workers
Plumbers
Electricians
Carpenters
Fitness trainers
Sitting and standing for long periods, using improper posture, constantly bending, twisting, reaching, and regularly lifting are risk factors for sciatica.
Piriformis Syndrome
Piriformis syndrome is a condition where the piriformis muscle swells and spasms from overuse or inflammation irritating the sciatic nerve that is right underneath. The nerve can get trapped in the muscle causing sciatica-like symptoms that include:
Pain follows the same pattern in the leg as a compressed sciatic nerve root.
Tingling
Numbness
Discomfort from piriformis syndrome feels similar to sciatica, but it is not caused by compressed sciatic nerve root. Piriformis pain comes from compression of the sciatic nerve near the piriformis muscle.
Genetic Sciatica Causes
Sciatica caused by degenerated and/or herniated discs can be genetic. Research has shown that certain genetic factors are more prevalent in individuals with back and spinal problems. These congenital disabilities can cause the discs to become weak and susceptible to external stress. With time the proteins in the disc break down, compromising the integrity and function.
Arthritis and Joint Issues
Arthritis or other inflammatory conditions around the hip joint can cause pain down the leg, similar to sciatica. This is referred pain that spreads out from the source and is not radicular nerve pain that originates in the nerve roots.
Conditions like sacroiliac joint dysfunction or sacroiliitiscan cause sciatica-like pain that runs down the back of the thigh but usually ends before or at the knee.
The pain can be acute and debilitating, like sciatica but is caused by an abnormal motion or malalignment of the sacroiliac joint.
Body Composition
Normal Cholesterol Ranges
High cholesterol can lead to severe consequences when left untreated, but it can be difficult to spot with no noticeable warning signs. This is why it’s essential to monitor cholesterol levels with blood tests, especially if there is an increased risk. Example of normal cholesterol levels for adults 20 years of age or older:
Total cholesterol 125-200 mg/dL
LDL <100 mg/dL
HDL >40 mg/dL men, >50 mg/dL women
Lifestyle
Lack of physical activity contributes to high cholesterol levels.
Diets that mainly consist of processed foods and saturated fats increase the risk of high LDL levels.
Smoking can lower HDL levels.
Aging
Individual risk for developing high cholesterol tends to increase as the body advances in age. This is why it is recommended to have regular physicals and blood tests.
Genetics
Some individuals are more genetically predisposed to developing high cholesterol and heart disease.
Knowing family medical history can help predict whether it may become a problem.
References
Davis D, Maini K, Vasudevan A. Sciatica. [Updated 2021 Sep 2]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507908/
Giuffre BA, Jeanmonod R. Anatomy, Sciatic Nerve. [Updated 2021 Jul 29]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482431/
Hicks BL, Lam JC, Varacallo M. Piriformis Syndrome. [Updated 2021 Jul 18]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448172/
Raj MA, Ampat G, Varacallo M. Sacroiliac Joint Pain. [Updated 2021 Aug 30]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470299/
Neuropathy is a painful condition that causes tingling, numbness, burning sensations in the hands and feet, and other symptoms throughout the body. Neuropathy can make life difficult. There is no cure for neuropathy, but symptoms can be managed with medications, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and pain relievers. Another treatment option to help relieve neuropathy symptoms is chiropractic.
Symptoms
Symptoms vary from individual to individual depending on their health condition and how the nerves have been impacted. Common symptoms include:
Pain
Numbness
Tingling
Pins-and-needles feeling when touching something hot or cold.
Some individuals lose the sense of feeling like clothing on their body, even though it’s rubbing against the skin but feel as if it is not there.
Other changes can be familiar objects looking different than usual.
Lessened or heightened sense of smell.
Negative impact on mood.
Protective Sheathing Of The Nerves
Neuropathic pain is caused by damage and degeneration to the nerves or the protective covering/sheathing of the nerves. Various causes include:
Diabetes.
Injury.
Infections.
Medication side effects.
Exposure to toxins.
Stages
The symptoms of neuropathy depend on the location and severity of the nerve damage. The stages include:
Numbness and Pain
Stage one consists of numbness and pain.
Some individuals describe a tingling or numbing sensation.
What feels like pinpricks in the hands and/or feet.
This stage can last for months, but most individuals recover within a year.
Constant Pain
Stage two is characterized by continuous pain.
Some individuals may experience shooting pains that come and go.
Intense burning sensations around the waistline.
Numbness on one side of the body with stabbing pain.
This stage can last for a year or more and worsen until the individual is incapacitated.
Loss of motor skills like walking and falling over.
Doctors treat the symptoms so they don’t get worse.
Loss Of Sensation
The final stage is the loss of sensation.
This occurs when the nerve endings are destroyed and can no longer send messages to the brain.
Treatments To Help Relieve Symptoms
Treatments usually involve:
Antidepressants.
Pain medications.
Anti-seizure medications.
Pain-relieving creams.
All can help manage pain and inflammation.
Chiropractic Can Also Help Relieve Symptoms
Chiropractors use hands-on methods to adjust and realign joints, muscles, spinal discs, and ligaments to function more efficiently and bring relief from pressure on the nerves. Neuropathies are often caused by nerve compression in body areas that have been altered by injury or disease that affects ligaments, discs, spinal muscles, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, hip adhesions, leg length discrepancies, etc. These can contribute to pain and numbness in the peripheral nerves that supply the legs, feet, arms, hands, and neck. While a chiropractor cannot cure neuropathy, they can help relieve symptoms, make it much more manageable, and improve quality of life.
Body Composition
Common Cold
The common cold, also known as upper respiratory tract inflammation, is the most common infectious respiratory disease because of its effect on the nose and throat. The average adult will catch 2–3 colds a year, according to the CDC. A virus that causes a cold can enter the respiratory tract directly when inhaling droplets expelled from an infected person or by direct skin contact, like touching the face with a hand that came in contact with the virus. Cold symptoms vary but usually include:
Runny or stuffy nose
Sneezing
Coughing
Headaches
Body aches
The duration of a cold differs; however, most individuals with a healthy immune system recover in 7–10 days. However, individuals with a compromised immune system, asthma, or COPD have an increased risk of developing more serious illnesses like bronchitis or pneumonia. Hundreds of viruses can cause colds. Human Rhinoviruses are common culprits and are constantly mutating, which is why there is no cure. Several medications or natural treatments help alleviate cold symptoms; it is recommended to combat the illness effectively through a healthy immune system response. Doctors recommend proper rest, eating a nutrient-rich diet, and maintaining proper H2O hydration to boost the immune system.
References
D’Angelo, Kevin et al. “The effectiveness of passive physical modalities for the management of soft tissue injuries and neuropathies of the wrist and hand: a systematic review by the Ontario Protocol for Traffic Injury Management (OPTIMa) collaboration.” Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics vol. 38,7 (2015): 493-506. doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2015.06.006
Kissel, Jaclyn A, and Cristina Leonardelli. “Isolated musculocutaneous neuropathy: a case report.” The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association vol. 63,3 (2019): 162-170.
Passioti, Maria et al. “The common cold: potential for future prevention or cure.” Current Allergy and asthma reports vol. 14,2 (2014): 413. doi:10.1007/s11882-013-0413-5
T Francio, Vinicius. “Chiropractic care for foot drop due to peroneal nerve neuropathy.” Journal of bodywork and movement therapies vol. 18,2 (2014): 200-3. doi:10.1016/j.jbmt.2013.08.004
The sciatic nerve is formed through a combination of motor and sensory fibers based on the spinal nerves of the lower back L4 to S3, known as the lumbosacral plexus. It is the largest and longest nerve in the human body and about as wide as an adult thumb. It begins at the base of the spine, runs along the back of each leg, and ends at the foot supplying the areas with fresh blood and nutrients. There are sciatic nerve branches that consist of primary branches and smaller branches.
Sciatic Nerve Branches
The nerve splits into two main branches near the back of the knee called the popliteal fossa.
This fossa is located slightly above the joint behind the knee.
The popliteal fossa is a diamond-shaped space that acts as the conduit for the blood vessels and nerves.
Primary branches
From the popliteal fossa:
The tibial nerve continues down the back of the calf to the heel and bottom of the foot.
The common peroneal nerve, aka common fibular nerve, travels sideways along the outer part of the knee to the outer border of the lower leg and foot.
Both nerves convert into small sensory nerves in the calf that supply the outer side of each foot.
The sciatic nerve breaks off into smaller branches, known as collaterals, that include:
These are muscle branches that supply the muscles in the thigh, including the hamstring group and the adductor magnus muscles along the inner thigh.
Other small branches supply the leg and foot muscles.
Articular branches supply the back of the hip joint, the back and side of the knee joint.
The sciatic nerve does not supply structures in the buttocks; however, pain commonly radiates/spreads into this area when the nerve is impaired, impinged, and inflamed.
Blood Supply
The delivery of nutrients to the sciatic nerve is done through blood vessels that also contribute to the nerve’s function. Any interruption of blood flow to the sciatic nerve can cause pain and dysfunction. The sciatic nerve and the sciatic nerve branches receive their blood supply from two sources that include:
The extrinsic system is made up of nearby arteries and veins.
The intrinsic system includes arteries and veins that run along the nerve and are embedded deep in a sheath known as the epineurium of connective tissue that envelops the nerve.
The intrinsic blood supply can be affected by conditions like diabetes, which can contribute to symptoms associated with diabetic neuropathy.
Both systems connect at various junction points.
Nerve Function
The combination of sensory and motor fibers that make up the sciatic nerve provides the essential functions in the lower limbs allowing the body to:
Stand
Walk
Run
Climb
Lift
A healthy sciatic nerve is well protected around the low back and buttock muscles where it starts, and it cannot be palpated or felt by touching or pressing on the area. When the nerve gets inflamed, injured, or pinched, the leg can feel stiff and inflexible when trying to move and can lead to pain, weakness, and tingling in the lower back, buttock, leg/s, and feet.
Anatomical Variations of the Nerve
Individuals can have variations in the anatomical structure of the sciatic nerve. These variations are considered normal, but they can increase the risk of developing sciatica brought on by impingement, entrapment, or irritation of the nerve root/s. Variations in sciatic nerve branches include:
The nerve divides above the piriformis muscle; one portion passes through the piriformis, with the other portion exiting the pelvis below the muscle. This is the most common variation.
The nerve divides above the piriformis muscle; one portion passes through the piriformis, with the other portion exiting the pelvis above the muscle.
The nerve divides above the piriformis, with one portion traveling in front while the other travels behind it.
Undivided sciatic nerve exits through the piriformis muscle.
Undivided sciatic nerve exits from behind the top part of the piriformis.
Around 10% of individuals have a nerve that divides above the popliteal fossa and does not merge but courses down in two separate branches.
The sciatic nerve and the sciatic nerve branches are significant components of the body. It supplies motor functions to move the legs and feet and provides sensory functions along the nerve path. Keeping the sciatic nerve healthy is key in helping to prevent back and spinal issues. Chiropractic can help realign the sciatic nerve and educate on maintaining the nerve’s health.
Body Composition
Fitness Motivation
New workout routine
Individuals that don’t feel like returning to previous workout routines are recommended to try out other fitness options. If the gym isn’t cutting it or there is burnout with the current routine, switch things up. This can include:
Virtual group classes.
1-on-1 personal training.
Outdoor activities.
All are valid options to explore if in a rut with the current routine.
The important thing is to find what works for you.
Allow the body to rest
Individuals may want to push it to the limit to get back into shape, but rest days are essential for healthy muscle development and improved performance.
Noticing the body is more sore and exhausted after a workout is an indication that the body needs rest. This also includes:
Maintaining proper hydration.
Stretching out the muscles regularly.
Taking days off from exercising are necessary to:
Prevent muscle fatigue.
Reduce the risk of injury.
Allow for adequate muscle recovery.
Long term commitment is key
It can be discouraging to commit to a workout schedule only to notice minor changes to strength and fitness.
However, small improvements do accumulate over time.
Small increases over time can have a huge impact on overall strength and fitness.
Keep the bigger picture in mind to remain positive.
References
Davis D, Vasudevan A. Sciatica. [Updated 2019 Feb 28]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2019 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507908/
Barral J, Croibier A. Manual Therapy for the Peripheral Nerves. Elsevier Health Sciences; 2007.
Ryan MM, Jones HR Jr. Mononeuropathies. In: Neuromuscular Disorders of Infancy, Childhood, and Adolescence. Elsevier; 2015:243-273. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-417044-5.00014-7
IFM's Find A Practitioner tool is the largest referral network in Functional Medicine, created to help patients locate Functional Medicine practitioners anywhere in the world. IFM Certified Practitioners are listed first in the search results, given their extensive education in Functional Medicine
