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Question re Sciatica/Back Pain and Stress

Hi guys,

Since doing the LTBP program and water therapy I am largely free from back and sciatic pain. However, I have recently been under a lot of stress at work, or rather I should say I allowed work matters to have a negative stress impact on me.

Anyway, I found that I was starting to get minor symptoms of sciatica again in my leg. I took some time to relax, did the LTBP exercises again and it eased off quite quickly.

However I wonder why feeling under stress did this?

Does anyone have any similar experiences -do your symptoms get worse under stress-and what do you do?

Look forward to hearing from you
Ann

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Permalink Reply by Paul D on April 13, 2008 at 5:51pm: Hi Ann,

When your body is under stress, naturally your response is for your muscles to contract, which will be having an adverse effect on your condition. I find I am a streesfull person, but only due to my back pain, so I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle. Unless my back is pain free I will, be stressed about it, which will only keep my muscles tense and me chaing my tail.

Regards, Paul D.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ann on April 20, 2008 at 10:23am: Hi Paul,

Thanks for your reply, that makes sense. I appreciate that. It then seems it can become a cycle of stress-pain-stress, especially if we get worried about the pain.

I think the thing is to break the cycle if we can. Tackle the underlying stress and the physical pain. What I find can work for me is meditation/relaxation CD's, getting in the water (which I find mentally and physically relaxing) and to do things I know work for my sciatica (like LTBP).

Take care, look after yourself

Ann; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kathy on May 25, 2008 at 1:10am: Hi Ann!
I'm Kathy and I just joined the forum tonight - and it's really late, but I am very curious as to what kind of water therapy you did. Would you explain please? I actually took a water therapy class from a Dr. of Naturopathy and I was amazed as to how many types of water therapy's there are!
Thanks; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ann on June 1, 2008 at 10:40am: Hi Kathy,

Good to meet you. Sorry for the delay in replying, I am just recovering from a nasty virus and just saw this.

Re the water therapy, I took advice from Steve Hefferon and my neurosurgeon about what to do. I felt confident about it and would have had to wait months for a class here so I did it myself.

Essentially at first I was in so much pain with my back and legs that i just got in the water and hung over the side, floated, sat in the hot tub and just walked a bit. Then as the pain eased I progressed to doing some of the lose the back pain exercises in the water and scissoring my legs, treading water, water walking forwards,backwards etc and progressing with exercise. I spent time in the hot tub and in the warm pool mainly.

I found being in the water really helped me a lot, along with the LTBP system. That combination for me, got me on the road to recovery :)

What was your water therapy class like? I would be interested to know.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Chet Zelgowski on July 26, 2008 at 11:40am: It seems that wherever you weakest link is that were the pain will start. I know when I have a cold my back and legs hurt, other people that have joint pain feel the worst when they are sick.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Shawn Book on December 1, 2009 at 12:14pm: Hello Ann I see that this post is about a year old do still have a question?

Face Massages; ▶ Reply to This

Question re Sciatica/Back Pain and Stress

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