Taming the pain of sciatica
For most people, time heals and less is more Despite being a less common cause of low back pain, sciatica is still something I regularly see as a general internist. Primary care doctors can and should manage sciatica, because for most individuals the body can fix the problem. My job is to help manage the […]
Hold Your (Charley) Horses
Has a nocturnal leg cramp jolted you awake recently? That intense knotting in your calf, commonly called a charley horse, can be your body telling you that you’re dehydrated or low on electrolytes. “Nighttime leg cramps can be brought on by low levels of potassium, calcium or magnesium, made worse by dehydration, and are more frequent in people with […]
The Science of Sciatica Pain
A few years ago, I suffered from a herniated disc. The pain in my lower back was horrible, misery-inducing and relentless. And then the sciatica started. A pulsing shot of pain traveled down the back of my leg. I couldn’t sit comfortably. I couldn’t stand comfortably. The sciatica only lasted one week—compared to the years it took for […]
