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What is Plasma Exchange?

Plasma exchange is a procedure wherein a doctor removes blood from a patient. During Houston plasmapheresis, the doctor will insert a line into a vein and it separates blood contents using a centrifuge machine. Then the doctor will remove the resulting liquid portion of the blood that contains antibodies and various proteins and cells, replace it with an artificial plasma, mix it with the patient’s blood cells, and put it back into the patient.

What is the importance of plasma exchange?

This procedure aims to remove that liquid portion of the blood or the plasma, usually used for auto-immune diseases of various types. There may be portions in the liquid or proteins in the liquid part of the blood in auto-immune diseases, especially antibodies producing illness.

Plasma exchange is a possible treatment for patients with very severe attacks of multiple sclerosis, typically with paralysis. They had received the standard therapy of intravenous steroids without successful recovery. But, after treatment with five to seven courses of plasma exchange, the patients experienced dramatic rescue.

Who is the best candidate for plasma exchange?

Doctors now recommend plasma exchange for patients with MS or related diseases like neuromyelitis optica, or acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, who have very severe attacks and severe neurologic deficits, who received standard treatment with intravenous steroid treatment, which is usually helpful. Still, when it does not help, plasma exchange of five to seven procedures often results in a dramatic recovery in most patients.

For patients with pathological antibodies or antibodies that cause disease in their blood, like in neuromyelitis optica, doctors have discovered that such a pathologic antibody may have an excellent and robust response to plasma exchange.

What are the disadvantages of plasmapheresis?

Plasma exchange is perfect for patients with various pathologies in blood, and it is increasingly gaining demand in medicine. However, this is a procedure that care providers often do not do because it is expensive. The price of plasmapheresis is what limits its scalability. Although it is relatively safe, not every patient is a candidate for plasma exchange because it can be somewhat expensive compared to other procedures. It is essential to discuss your budget with your doctor to develop an affordable and effective treatment plan.

Although safe, this treatment is usually given once only in the context of an acute attack and not as a continuing treatment. You should not expect to attend a series of sessions involving the same procedure. However, you may need a follow-up visit that will help your doctor assess the efficacy of the process in treating your condition.

Choosing the proper care provider

Plasmapheresis is a very delicate procedure that requires intensive skill and experience. Therefore, ensure you choose the appropriate care provider to handle your condition carefully and provide treatment success. Board-certified specialists will also reduce the occurrence of side effects following the procedure.  Contact the transfusion medicine department in Houston Kidney Specialists Center that does these plasmapheresis procedures to receive effective plasma exchange without requiring hospital admission.

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Health

Diabetic Neuropathy: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

Diabetes is a disease where the body can’t produce enough insulin or use insulin well. Insulin helps break down glucose (sugar) into cells to provide energy. Without enough insulin, sugar builds up in the blood and causes damage to many parts of the body, including nerves that send messages from your brain to other parts of your body. This nerve damage is called neuropathy, and it occurs on both sides of the body because nerves on both sides are affected by diabetes. It’s essential to see a Baltimore, Maryland doctor for diagnosis and treatment. With the correct remedy, you can manage your symptoms. Target the finest center for diabetic neuropathy in Baltimore.

What is Diabetic Neuropathy?

Diabetic neuropathy is a severe complication that can arise due to diabetes. This condition is caused by damage to the sensory nerves, leading to various symptoms. Some of the most common symptoms include numbness, tingling, and pain in the hands and feet. 

What are the Causes of Diabetic Neuropathy?

Several factors can contribute to the development of diabetic neuropathy. One of the most common causes is damage to the sensory nerves due to high blood sugar levels. Other potential causes include:

  • nerve compression caused by swelling or tumors
  • infection
  • vitamin B12 or copper deficiency
  • autoimmune disorders

Types of Diabetic Neuropathy?

There are three main types of diabetic neuropathy: peripheral, autonomic, and focal neuropathy.

Peripheral neuropathy is the most common type in the hands, feet, arms, and legs. It can lead to several symptoms, including pain or burning sensations in the hands or feet, tingling or numbness in the extremities, and weakness in the muscles.

Autonomic neuropathy affects the autonomic nerves, which control involuntary heart rate and digestion. Symptoms can include blood pressure regulation, digestion, and sexual function problems.

Focal neuropathy is the least common type and occurs in a specific area of the body, often the face or tongue. It can cause drooping eyelids, difficulty swallowing, and slurred speech.

What are the Symptoms of Diabetic Neuropathy?

The symptoms of diabetic neuropathy can vary depending on the type of neuropathy present. The most common symptom is numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, which can progress to pain. Other symptoms may include:

  • Muscle weakness
  • Heaviness in the legs and feet
  • Increased sensitivity to touch or pressure
  • Burning, shooting, and stabbing pain made worse by stress

How is Diabetic Neuropathy Treated?

The good news is that diabetic neuropathy can be treated with various methods. One effective treatment method includes taking medications to help improve blood sugar control. Other treatments may include:

  • Topical medications or creams that are applied to the skin
  • Physical therapy
  • Occupational therapy
  • Dietary changes
  • Supplements, such as alpha-lipoic acid or B-complex vitamins
  • Acupuncture

Prevention of Diabetic Neuropathy

You can do several things to help prevent the development of diabetic neuropathy. Some of the most important steps include:

  • Maintaining blood sugar level
  • Following a healthy diet
  • Exercising regularly
  • Keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol levels under control
  • Taking medications as prescribed

Diabetic neuropathy is a severe complication that can arise due to diabetes. This condition is caused by damage to the sensory nerves, leading to various symptoms. Some of the most common symptoms include numbness, tingling, and pain in the hands and feet. Fortunately, diabetic neuropathy can be treated with a variety of methods.

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Health

What are the Benefits of Space Maintainers in Pediatric Dentistry?   

Correcting oral health issues at an early age is usually the right thing to do. Typically, this is the time the gums and jaws are developing; hence the treatments are less complicated with minimal risks involved. Good oral hygiene habits and dental check-ups should also start in childhood to grow healthy and strong teeth.

Most children are likely to lose their teeth even before their permanent teeth grow, creating issues. To prevent this, space maintainers in Brea can help preserve room for your permanent teeth to emerge. Contact Dental Kidz Club today to find out more about space maintainers.

What are space maintainers?

A space maintainer is a treatment device that conserves the space of a permanent tooth. Usually, when a child loses a tooth before the permanent tooth develops, the other teeth may move into the space left, taking up the room for a permanent tooth to grow.

Your child’s dental provider places the space maintainers in the gap to prevent the rest of the teeth from taking up the space for the permanent tooth.

A child may require a space maintainer for various reasons, including following a tooth loss due to injury or early tooth extraction due to tooth decay or overcrowding.

How do space maintainers work?

Space maintainers provide firm support to the teeth on either side of the gap left from the tooth extraction. When the space is left open, the teeth may bend or drift, leading to an overcrowded jaw, which causes the permanent teeth to grow crooked.

When left unfixed, the situation may require a comprehensive orthodontic treatment in the future, which may have complications and be less effective.

Space maintainers occur as fixed and removable. For a fixed space maintainer, your provider fastens it onto the teeth on both sides of the gap. In comparison, a removable space maintainer appears like a retainer and is joined with a false tooth.

Removable space maintainers are recommendable to older children, while fixed space maintainers are suitable for younger children to prevent them from coming out.

What are the various types of space maintainers?

Your child’s dental provider designs fixed space maintainers to bond perfectly in your child’s mouth, including.

Band and loop

It is a metal wire device secured in place by orthodontic bands. It ensures it leaves space for permanent teeth to emerge. It’s good for children who have lost one or more molars in a row.

Distal shoe appliance

It involves a metal designed as a shoe to fit beside the molar. The device also has a wire extension to stop the teeth on both sides of the space from moving.

Lingual holding arch

This device has a horseshoe form to preserve the gap of the lower back teeth on either side of a dental arch.

Transpalatal arch

Your provider uses this type of space maintainer to conserve room for the back molars.

Contact a pediatric dentist today

Space maintainers help preserve space for permanent tooth development when a child’s tooth falls out before the development of permanent teeth. Call Dental Kidz Club today to understand how the treatment works and how your child will benefit.

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Health

Achieve Your Goals with Non-Surgical Body Sculpting Treatments in Santa Monica, CA

Today, lots of people have bodyweight goals to improve their body shape. In this journey of enhancing the shape of your body, exercise and diet are essential. However, your regular exercise routine and healthy diet might not be sufficient to help you achieve the body you want. Fortunately, today there are body sculpting treatments to support you in this. At Modern Aesthetica, Daniel Moghadam, MD, provides a lot of non-surgical body sculpting treatments to help achieve your goals. He also provides a medically prescribed weight loss program. To schedule your body sculpting in Santa Monica, call or schedule an appointment online today.

What Exactly is Body Sculpting?

Body sculpting is among the aesthetic and wellness services aimed at improving your body goals.  Body sculpting offers many treatments to promote your overall health and wellness, including body sculpting treatments that can enhance the tone and shape of your body. At Modern Aesthetica, Dr. Moghadam is a regenerative medicine and anti-aging physician dedicated to making you look as good as you feel.

What Are the Available Types of Body Sculpting Treatment?

Several body sculpting treatments use innovative technology to help you meet your beauty and health goals. The common ones include:

  • Cryo body sculpting

This treatment uses innovative freezing technology to freeze and damage fat cells without downtime or surgery. During the procedure, your doctor utilizes special noninvasive equipment to eliminate persistent fat pockets from various body areas, including the thighs, waist, abdomen, upper arms, buttocks, and under your chin. The in-office treatment takes a maximum of an hour and is painless. You will begin seeing progress within two to three months after the appointment.

  • ModSculpt

In addition to using CoolSculpting to get rid of unwanted fat pockets, the doctor also provides ModSculpt treatment to enhance muscle strength and tone. This advanced treatment uses innovative technology that relaxes and contracts your muscles by faking a workout. In addition to enhancing your body shape, the treatment increases your metabolism by adding more calorie-burning muscle in your body.

What Should You Expect from a Body Sculpting Weight Loss Program?

Other than improving your body shape, body sculpting treatments also help in losing your unwanted fat. However, you should not confuse it with weight loss procedures. To help achieve your weight goals, Dr. Moghadam provides a prescription weight loss program personalized to match your medical and health needs.

The weight loss program may consist of laboratory work analysis, direct physician access through email, workout counseling, nutrition counseling, weight loss supplements, and in-office progress evaluations. The doctor might also recommend keto diet planning in your weight loss program. The keto diet is a high fat, low-carb program that helps you lose your body fat rapidly. So, there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to weight loss strategy.

Do not struggle with achieving your body goals any longer. The Modern Aesthetica offers a comprehensive approach to body sculpting to help lose excess weight and perfect body shape goals. Call or book an appointment online today to get started.

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Health

What Does a Root Canal Involve?

There are a few dental cases where you may require a root canal treatment to preserve your oral health. Usually, your provider recommends a root canal when you have an infection or tooth injury. The treatment prevents the further spread of the infection to healthy teeth, lowers the risk of jawbone degeneration, and improves the teeth’s appearance.

Your provider recommends a root canal to preserve your teeth and avoid extraction. If you have a damaged or infected tooth, you can benefit from root canals in Houston. Call The Dental Design Studios today to schedule your consultation.

What are root canals?

 Root canals are an endodontic treatment to conserve an infected or injured permanent tooth. The procedure involves your provider removing the soft center of your tooth, the pulp. The pulp is only helpful while your teeth develop; however, it does not provide any other benefits afterward.

After the pulp removal, place a crown to cover your teeth cap and enhance teeth functions, including chewing, biting, and stopping further harm.

What dental issues do root canals fix?

Your provider recommends a root canal to treat infected and destroyed tooth pulp caused by:

  • Oral trauma
  • Deep cavities
  • Multiple dental procedures such as fillings or bonding
  • Chips or fractures

During the developing stage, an infected pulp may not cause any symptoms. But as the problem advances, you may feel a heat sensation in your gums, pain, or swelling that does not go away with over-the-counter medications or ice.

What does a root canal procedure involve?

A root canal treatment at The Dental Design Studios involves two appointments with a week gap.

The first appointment

Your provider first performs an oral exam and asks questions regarding your symptoms. Then takes multiple oral X-ray images to review your tooth and find out the extent of the infection.

Dr. Hernandez then administers local anesthesia to prevent discomfort. She reaches the damaged tooth and gently removes the pulp. Next, she rinses the tooth center with an antibiotic solution. The solution removes harmful bacteria and minimizes the risk of another infection.

Then she fills up the tooth with a sponge-like material, gutta-percha. After the gutta-percha dries, she takes your tooth impressions. Next, she sends the impressions to a lab to design a custom crown.

When leaving the office, Dr. Hernandez places a temporary crown on the treated tooth.

Second appointment

You return to The Dental Design Studio office a week later, where your provider removes the temporary crown and replaces it with a permanent one. She then fixes the crown in place, evaluates your bite, and provides care instructions.

What to expect during recovery?

You can expect to experience some swelling and elevated sensitivity after the root canal treatment. It would be best to avoid biting down or chewing within the first few days of your treatment. You should also take the prescribed medications and brush and floss gently around the treated part.

Talk to a root canal specialist today

Root canals help preserve your oral health without having to extract damaged teeth. The treatment also prevents the infection from spreading to the adjacent teeth. Contact The Dental Design Studio today to learn more about a root canal procedure.

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Health

Home Remedies for TMJ

TMJ is the syndrome that affects your temporomandibular joint, where the jaw meets with the skull. The disorder has many causes, including injury to your teeth or jaw, stress, excessive gum chewing, and misaligned teeth. You can book an appointment with TMJ Treatment in Jasper if you have any signs of the disorder, as it could cause more harm with time. Read on to learn about TMJ causes and home remedies for the condition.

Symptoms

Symptoms of TMJ can vary, but the most common symptoms that you are likely to experience include pain in your jaw, having pain in one or both of the temporomandibular joints. You would have pain in and around your ear, facing difficulties or pain when chewing, locking of your joint making it difficult for you to open or close your mouth.

Risky factors of TMJ

  • Poor posture

If you have a poor posture in your spinal cord due to exhaustive poor sitting position and prolonged standing, you might develop TMJ. Thus, it would be better to buy a good office chair and frequently exercise to improve posture and alleviate the problem.

  • Stress

Stress leads to TMJ, and stressful situations might make individuals grind their teeth regularly, leading to TMJ. Aggressive individuals tend to grind their teeth when agitated, which would affect their jawline and muscles in the mouth.  It is better to practice stress-relieving remedies or take medications to relieve stress which can cause TMJ.

  • Misaligned teeth

The misaligned teeth cause tension along the jawline due to uneven bites, and you would be struggling to chew your food correctly. Uneven bites might result in TMJ due to the pressure placed on the jaw tissues and bones.

  • Arthritis

Chronic inflammation associated with arthritis can cause a health hazard, leading to TMJ. However, you should treat the underlying arthritis inflammation to treat TMJ.

Home Remedies

  • Ice

You can place the ice pack in the joint area, and it will help you reduce the pain. Ice controls inflammation and thus reduces TMJ symptoms.

  • Eating soft foods

TMJ could be caused by straining your jaw muscles; eating soft foods can be a home remedy as it helps reduce the chances of getting the disorder.

  • Getting massage

It will involve getting a massage and soft stretches in your jaw and neck muscles. To avoid more harm, you should take your doctor’s direction on appropriate stretches that you should apply.

  • Stress management

It is recommended that you look for relaxation techniques at home to help you manage stress to reduce the chances of you getting TMJ.

  • Use sedatives

Use some sedative essential oils like lavender, chamomile, sweet marjoram, or clary sage, and these oils will help you by giving you temporary relief from the pain and discomfort caused by TMJ.

  • Over-the-counter medications

Use of over-the-counter drugs. These OTC drugs like ibuprofen or naproxen will help relieve the pains caused by TMJ.

 To reduce the chances of suffering from the disorder, you should try preventive measures that include eating soft food, avoiding chewing gum, maintaining proper posture, and practicing stress reduction. There are various home remedies available to TMJ, where these remedies are not effective, you are advised to seek medical options before the conditions worsen. 

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Health

What Didn’t You Know About Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a major sleep disorder worldwide. It affects the quality of your sleep, disrupting your daily life activities, including decreased work performance. It can happen to anyone but is likely to occur in individuals with excessive weight, a small upper airway, or a family history of the disorder.

It is essential to seek sleep apnea treatments early to prevent severe complications. Bristow Sleep Apnea specialist Tamesha Morris, DDS, provides comprehensive solutions for sleep apnea to promote your living. Call Momentum Dental Care today to schedule your consultation.

What are the causes of sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a health problem where you frequently stop and start breathing during sleep.

Usually, the tissues in your mouth and the surrounding parts, including the throat, relax when you sleep. They fall to the back of your throat, covering a part of the whole airway.

When the tissues cover the airway partly, they cause vibration, leading to snoring. When the tissues block the entire airway, the breathing stops, causing obstructive sleep apnea.

The severity of your problem depends on the number of times the breathing stops. You have a serious case of sleep apnea when you stop breathing more than 30 times within an hour.

What are the symptoms associated with sleep apnea?

Loud snoring primarily characterizes sleep apnea. Well, not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. However, about 40% of individuals who snore tend to have sleep apnea. Other than snoring, you may experience the following:

  • Morning headaches
  • Memory problems
  • Excessive fatigue during the day
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • The urge to urinate during the night

Unfortunately, most people with sleep apnea do not notice they snore or stop breathing in their sleep. Rather it’s the other people in the house or their partners that complain about their loud snoring.

What is the diagnosis of sleep apnea?

Usually, your symptoms are the first ones to suggest you may have sleep apnea. But, your provider at Momentum Dental Care recommends a sleep study to diagnose your health issue accurately. The sleep study happens at home.

It involves attaching the sensors to your fingers and chest and placing a small tube in your nose. A device records your breathing, oxygen levels, and airflow during your sleep.

What are the treatments for sleep apnea?

Your provider suggests a treatment depending on the severity of your condition and the cause. For instance, if sleep apnea results from being overweight, Dr. Morris may recommend losing weight to manage the condition.

Another treatment for sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or oral appliance therapy. CPAP is usually the first recommended treatment for sleep apnea. It involves wearing a mask with continuous oxygen pumping to keep your airway open.

To patients who find CPAP unmanageable, oral appliances are an alternative treatment option. They provide effective results as with CPAP and are ideal for treating mild to moderate sleep apnea cases.

You place the appliance over the upper and lower teeth, moving the lower jaw a bit forward. It expands the airway stopping the tongue from falling back.

Consult a sleep apnea specialist today

If your partner or family members comment on your loud snoring, you might have sleep apnea. Contact Momentum Dental Care today for more evaluation and treatment.

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Health

An Expert Guide to Sciatica

Sciatica condition arises from the pinched sciatic nerve. It is characterized by symptoms such as pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness in the buttocks, thigh, and leg on one side of your body. Some estimates suggest that more than 12% of adults will experience this condition at least once in their lifetime. In Shrewsbury, New Jersey, you’ll find reliable sciatica specialists ready to diagnose and put you in the proper treatment. Thus, book an appointment with the best center for sciatica in Shrewsbury. Let’s break things down.

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica is a condition that causes pain that runs from your lower back into the backs of your thighs. Several different conditions can cause this pain. The most common cause is a herniated disc in the spine pressing on the nerve as it exits from two vertebrae. In other cases, sciatica may be due to spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis, or piriformis syndrome. These all manifest themselves physically, but there are some things you can do to help relieve your symptoms and make life more comfortable.

Symptoms of Sciatica

Sciatica usually presents itself with pain, tingling, or numbness along the length of your sciatic nerve. You might have all three symptoms at once, or just one or two – but they should be constant unless you are currently experiencing a reprieve from your condition. These symptoms can worsen when you’re sitting down for long periods, coughing or sneezing, and they can make it difficult to walk, stand or climb stairs.

Treatment for Sciatica

There are several different treatments available for those who suffer from sciatica. The most crucial first step is seeing your doctor and finding out what’s causing your pain. Your doctor can help you rule out some possibilities and determine which treatments will work best for your specific condition.

There are two standard treatment methods currently available, with epidural injections of steroids proving one of the most popular options. Other treatments include physical therapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture, and massage.

Steroid Injections

Epidural steroid injections are one of the most common treatments for sciatica. A physician will inject a corticosteroid medication into the epidural space around the spinal cord. This can help to reduce inflammation and relieve some of the pain.

Physical Therapy

Using stretching, heat treatments, and other therapies to relieve tension on the sciatic nerve can help reduce your discomfort. This is usually done in conjunction with muscle relaxants or anti-inflammatory medications. Sometimes physical therapy sessions are supervised; sometimes, they involve exercises that you can do at home.

Spinal Decompression

This treatment method has grown in popularity over the past few years. It involves using a machine to pull your spine to decompress discs and other structures. This allows for better spinal fluid movement, which should help reduce the pressure on your sciatic nerve and provide you with some relief from sciatica symptoms.

Sciatica is a condition that many different factors can cause, but the most common cause of this debilitating pain is some herniated disc in the spine. Luckily there are treatments available for those who suffer from sciatica. Some people may experience relief with steroid injections, while others need physical therapy.

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Health

A DENTAL HYGIENE COLLEGE: FINDING THE BEST PROGRAM

Picking out a career path is never easy. Even when you are passionate about something, picking out a college and course is never easy. Both these choices can make or break your career. When your aim is to become a dental hygienist, there are many options that you can choose from. Even though there are a plethora of colleges and courses out there, they might not always be an excellent choice for your career. Aplus Dental Institute has designed an intensive 18-month full-time diploma which provides the students with overall growth. The program has been designed keeping in mind, the skills that the students would require when they step out of the college. Here is what makes their program stand out.

Necessary Accreditation

When looking at various courses, accreditation is the one thing you should look at. Accreditation can make a whole lot of difference. The course should be accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada. Only the top schools get this accreditation under the National Association of Career Colleges. The diploma degree offered by the Institute has been accredited.

Importance of Practical Skills

The job of a dental hygienist includes preventing oral disease and promoting oral health. This is done by working alongside dentists and other healthcare providers. To collaborate with them, you need the required skill set. Every course can provide you with theoretical knowledge. When it comes to performing the required procedure, the gap between practical knowledge and theoretical knowledge becomes quite evident. To avoid this gap, the course places importance on the acquisition of practical skills.

According to the curriculum, various practical skills are taught. The ability to assess and record the overall oral health of the client, administering local anaesthesia, ability to perform intra-oral radiology, taking impressions for the construction of mouth guards and casts, applying dental sealants and administering fluoride, are a few of these abilities.

Reputed and Experienced Faculty

Even when the course offered is good, it can become a complete disaster when the faculty is not right. The faculty at A Plus has been handpicked to facilitate learning. They are some of the best and leading names in the dental industry. They are working professionals who are highly skilled and are well aware of the latest technologies. With such an experienced faculty by your side, you know you are bound to get the best learning possible.

Learning Soft Skills 

As a dental hygienist, you have to interact with people. Communication and motivation skills can really have a significant impact on your dental hygiene practice. The program designed by A Plus Dental Institute keeps all of this in mind. It works to prepare the student for the life outside the institute. They inculcate skills that will help them to establish themselves professionally and flourish. Hence, learning soft skills will improve the abilities of the students. Such skills are not given due attention by most courses. This is one of the things that makes the curriculum offered to stand out.

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Health

5 Common Causes of Sciatica

Sciatica is a condition that causes pain and numbness in the leg. The sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back to the feet, can become irritated and inflamed due to pressure. It leads to symptoms of pain and tingling down one or both legs. Sciatica is not a disease but an umbrella term used for irritation or inflammation of this vital nerve pathway. In West Orange, NJ, you’ll find reliable sciatica experts willing to offer the help you need. As you look for the best pain management physician of West Orange, here are some common causes of sciatica you should know about.

  • Facet Joint Arthritis

The facet joints are miniature shock absorbers located between the vertebrae in your spinal column. They can become irritated due to various causes – from a traumatic injury, such as a heavy fall or car accident, to more subtle degeneration caused by age. The pain is usually felt in the lower back and can travel down the leg if both sciatic nerve roots are irritated by pressure from the facet joints.

  • Herniated Disc

 It may cause a small piece of the fibrous outer layer to bulge or rupture, causing pressure on the already inflamed nerve. A herniated disc can occur anywhere in the spinal column, but 80% are between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae, which are in your lower back.

  • Degenerative Disc Disease

Much like a herniated disc, degenerative disc disease is caused by age and wear and tear on the spine. It causes discs to gradually lose their firmness and ability to cushion vertebrae as they rub together. The result is often lower back pain that radiates into the leg and down the sciatic nerve.

It would be best if you had an expert who understands how sciatica works and knows what treatments will help relieve your symptoms, without making them worse. A pain management specialist has experience treating patients with all types of chronic pains and injuries, including those caused by sciatica. They’ll provide personalized treatment plans tailored just for you so that you can get back on track as quickly as possible.

  • Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stenosis is another common cause of sciatica, where mild to severe compression occurs on the nerve. If you are experiencing quick sharp pain from the lower back to feet, you must seek professional advice from a doctor. Sciatica is usually not a severe condition and can be treated with rest, medication, and exercise; but there are cases where surgical intervention is required to prevent further damage.

  • Bone Spurs

The ruptured area can press against the surrounding nerves when a herniated disc occurs. Bone spurs form here as tissue attempts to repair itself, but they can act like knives cutting into your sciatic nerve.

There is no harm in trying an over-the-counter medication if you’re experiencing any of these symptoms as a result of sciatica. However, if you don’t see improvement, the best course of action is to visit your doctor for a diagnosis and proper treatment plan.

Suppose you’ve been experiencing pain in your back, leg, or foot and are unsure that it may be due to sciatica. Sciatica is an umbrella term for any irritation or inflammation that affects the nerve pathway running from the lower spine to the feet. There can be many causes of this condition, including facet joint arthritis, degenerative disc disease, herniated discs, bone spurs, and spinal stenosis.

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