Holistic Health for Slipped Disc and Sciatica
Did you know the human spinal column consists of thirty-three individual bones? Goodness. The stack one on top of each other with spinal discs, fluid-filled pads lying between each pair of vertabrae. These discs are shock absorbers, preserving the brain, spinal cord and internal organs from jarring as we walk, run, play, and yes..dance.
Slipped discs occur with excessive strain and causes a disc to rupture or tear. The disc starts to protrude out and may even impinge on a nerve root. Yikes! This
picture above, Advasana, is an encouraged sleeping position to reduce strain and promote more restful sleep. Resting in Makarasana, below, is encouraged to stay in for extended periods of time to reduce strain upon a disc in lower and mid back to promote healing and relieve pain. Shalabhasana would a great asana to strengthen the low back/pelvis.
This painful immobilizing injury usually occurs when a person has weak spinal muscles and ligaments. However, a disc can slip if for instance you are on post-surgery bed rest. Trust me! It happened to me after my open abdominal surgery! My body was strong and it still had a slipped disc. The stronger I got in my spine, I was able to correct this issue. Poses like Janu Sirsasana and Prasarita Padottanasana are examples of asana, along with healthy breathing like deergaswasm, align and strengthen the body when sciatica is present. Don't forget some healthy squats of all kinds for slipped discs and sciatica. With healthy alignment squats really help strengthen the back, abdomen, and your beautiful legs parallel and turned out.
Did you know many yoga therapy positions are used in Thai Yoga therapy? As a long time giver of Thai Yoga Therapy of 15 years and 20 years as a teacher of traditional yoga (ashtanga yoga, ashtanga vinayasa yoga, hatha, and yin yoga), I absolutely go above and beyond with the yoga postures/ pranayama/ pratyahara with thai yoga therapy. I also research patterns and imbalances through ayurveda yoga. For instance, movement of breath awareness from mooladhara chakra to ajna chakra helps move healing power of breath through the spinal column. lam,vam,ram, yam, hum,ksham........mmmm
With how that sciatic pain can be experienced from your bum, thigh and calf, and your low back, researching some natural ways to deal with pain, inflammation, anti-spasmodics, nervine supporters can become crucial. Skullcap below is just one of many examples that may help you. Everyone deserves to feel like they are tapping into the roots of the issue of their imbalances and not running around and around in circles for years. I don't want to sound allopathic, I want all of you to feel I am nudging Vitalism... Earth Medicine...I just want to get my point across. Depending on your constitution and making sure nothing is contraindicated, herbology can assist you with theses symptoms from ie. St. John's wort oil applied to nourish nerves (if applied externally, one even on anti-depressants can receive st. johns help), to skullcap helping you as an antispasmotic and nervine / trophorestorative (can even help with sleep). Knowing if your internal environment runs cold/hot and moist/ dry is very important when finding your 'herbal allies'. I look forward to helping you all!
Skullcap, scutelllaria lateriflora
