Dr. Hemant Chavan

Pain radiating from the lower back in lower limb up to the toe is known as sciatica. In this condition, a nerve called sciatic is effected and pain occurs in the same nerve- this is the reason, why it is known as sciatica. So to be precise- pain effecting the sciatic nerve is known as Sciatica.

Common symptoms of sciatica include:sciatica-treatment

• Pain in the back side of leg which will worsen once you sit or stretch the nerve by any movement
• Pain might be in form of tingling sensation, burning anywhere in the supply region of the sciatic nerve
• You might feel weakness in your leg
• A sensation of numbness or just difficulty in making any movement
• A cutting/tearing pain on rear side
• A pain which can make it difficult to walk or stand for moments

Causes of Sciatica:

Sciatic nerve originates from Lumbo-Sacral vertebrae. Nerves coming out of these vertebrae unite together and make a nerve- Sciatic. This nerve travels to the foot all the way so from lower back up to any place there might be some problem. Here are main causes of sciatica.

1. Slipped Disc:
When due to problems with the muscles of the spine, a disc bulges to a side and starts pressing the nerve root, involved with the sciatic nerve, this irritates the nerve and sensation of – pain/numbness/tingling starts occurring in the whole nerve. This kind of sciatic pain can only be relieved when the pressure on the nerve root is removed by proper adjustment of the disc.

2. Lumbar Spinal Stenosis:
This is the condition of hardening of the spinal canal- this is a condition which follows the lumbar spondyolitis ion general.

3. Degenerative Disc Disorder:
This is the condition where inter-vertebral disc starts degenerating due to some pathology and this starts effecting the nerve roots and pain starts travelling down to the leg.

4. Piriformis Syndrome:
This is a controversial cause of sciatica. When there is no definitive cause for the problem- all the discs are in their place, there is not a problem with the spine- this is considered that pain is due to the stiffness in the piriformis muscle. This might be a confusing diagnosis but certainly, in practice, we have seen many patients came with severe pain but there was nothing wrong with their spine or vertebral column.

5. Pregnancy:
The pull by baby-bump can stretch the nerve and can cause the sciatica problem to you, which will go away in most of the cases after pregnancy. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ayurveda.

Exposing your skin to harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun can have devastating effects on your skin,including wrinkles, sunburn and even skin cancer. So, using a sunscreen every time you step outdoors and using it correctly is of vital importance to have healthy skin. However, most people have different misconceptions about sunscreen usage. Read on to find the real facts behind these widespread sunscreen myths:

1. You don’t need to apply sunscreen if your makeup contains SPF: If any of your makeup products like foundation or powder contains SPF, do not assume that it can replace your sunscreen. Makeup containing SPF cannot protect your skin entirely as cosmetics are generally applied lightly,and mostly doesn’t cover places like T-zones, earlobes or hairline. To fully shield your skin from the sunrays, it’s necessary to apply sunscreen or moisturizer with at least SPF 30 before putting makeup on. It is advisable to apply the sunscreen half an hour before stepping out for maximum benefit.

2. Putting sunscreen on your skin once is enough to protect you throughout the day: Most people apply sunscreen only once before heading out of the house, and don’t reapply it again throughout the entire day.Contrary to popular belief, this does not provide protection for the entire day as most sunscreens lose their effect with time. To ensure that your skin remains protected you need to reapply sunscreen once every 2 hours, and once every 40-80 minutes if you are engaging in activities like swimming and exercising.

3. Waterproof sunscreens won’t wash off: Even if your sunscreen is waterproof, you need to reapply it at regular intervals if you are pursuing water sports like swimming or are the kind who washes their face frequently. When a sunscreen is typified as waterproof, it actually means that the composition of the sunscreen makes it suitable for functioning for a maximum of 1 hour and 20 minutes under water. Moreover, sunscreens containing a ‘water-resistant’ label can bear water immersion up to at most 40 minutes. So, irrespective of whatever the label of the sunscreen mentions, you need to reapply sunscreen every hour to protect your skin effectively.

4. You do not need to apply sunscreen in winters or you are when indoors: Winter skin is relatively more sensitive than summer skin which is tanned. If one is in hilly areas or snow covered regions there is reflection of UV light from the snow that causes more skin damage. Also glass can allow UV rays to pass through and indoor lighting can also be a source of UV exposure, therefore you should apply sunscreen even when you are indoors.