Home cures for ailments.

[looney]

Thought this would be a good thread to have bouncing about and someone asked me what cure I used for Sciatica.

WellI was lying on my bed half crippled in pain, anyone who's had it knows what I am talking about. After 5 days I had read everything at hand apart from a sunday supplement, which contained an article on Therapeutic Yoga exercise for various ailments, including sciatica. Now I am as much likely to indulge in this as I am going to start eating Tofu but needs must while the devil drives.

What the article said in my words was, start deep breathing to oxygenate the blood, then lie on your belly straight. Lift one leg as much as possible but dont bend at the knee. Do as much as possibel but dont "go for it", all the while doing the breathing stuff. Raise for about 5 seconds. Relax then do the other leg the same. Then Both. Repeat this process once or twice.

Then as you lay face down pull your legs up underneath you and throw your arms forward, kind of like a muzzie at prayer, then slowly draw yourself up and curling your back.

NowI I did this and was able to put on shoes and go out, by the time I had got to the end of the road the pain had gone. It came back mildly a couple more times but was soon sent packing with exercises and have not had it since for over 15 years.

The article said it was acid in a muscle which was pinching a nerve and the excersices pushed the acid out, hence the deep breathing as well. Ive done a google search for this in the past but couldn't find it. I am the sort of person who thinks that "Yoga is for women and pooftas" but I cant knock the effects of the exercises.

Hope this helps

 

[AmexRuislip]

Thought this would be a good thread to have bouncing about and someone asked me what cure I used for Sciatica.

WellI was lying on my bed half crippled in pain, anyone who's had it knows what I am talking about. After 5 days I had read everything at hand apart from a sunday supplement, which contained an article on Therapeutic Yoga exercise for various ailments, including sciatica. Now I am as much likely to indulge in this as I am going to start eating Tofu but needs must while the devil drives.

What the article said in my words was, start deep breathing to oxygenate the blood, then lie on your belly straight. Lift one leg as much as possible but dont bend at the knee. Do as much as possibel but dont "go for it", all the while doing the breathing stuff. Raise for about 5 seconds. Relax then do the other leg the same. Then Both. Repeat this process once or twice.

Then as you lay face down pull your legs up underneath you and throw your arms forward, kind of like a muzzie at prayer, then slowly draw yourself up and curling your back.

NowI I did this and was able to put on shoes and go out, by the time I had got to the end of the road the pain had gone. It came back mildly a couple more times but was soon sent packing with exercises and have not had it since for over 15 years.

The article said it was acid in a muscle which was pinching a nerve and the excersices pushed the acid out, hence the deep breathing as well. Ive done a google search for this in the past but couldn't find it. I am the sort of person who thinks that "Yoga is for women and pooftas" but I cant knock the effects of the exercises.

Hope this helps

I could never ever start to experience your pain.
Could swimming or acupuncture help?

 

[Tricky Dicky]

If anyone knows anything that works for Plantar Facilitis that would be good, I've tried everything my GP and physio have suggested and still in heaps of pain after 10 months - unable to walk pretty much.

 

[Berty23]

If anyone knows anything that works for Plantar Facilitis that would be good, I've tried everything my GP and physio have suggested and still in heaps of pain after 10 months - unable to walk pretty much.

Make sure you have good insoles in your shoes. Have you tried a spikey ball? If you have you will know what I mean.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Quote: My back feels worst in the morning. I’ve discovered that swimming helps me start my day. So, I have been swimming everyday about half mile. I swim slowly, no pressure on my arms or legs. I swim freestyle or back stroke. I don’t swim breaststroke as it hurts my back. I am swimming for two reasons – it helps me relieve my morning back pain and also it exercises by back and shoulder muscles. It feels really great to be in the pool, feels heavenly. After swimming, my day is easier, as there is less pain and I feel fresh.

http://www.spine-health.com/forum/discussion/43475/pain/sciatica-leg-pain-radiculopathy/l5-s1-sciatica-my-road-back-recovery

 

[Berty23]

As per something I wrote on the pain thread. Anyone with a bad back should do Pilates. It focuses on the breathing and controlled movement ala yoga but is not quite as bendy.

 

[pishhead]

In my experience exercise in any state can help most ailments including psychological. Increased blood flow and increased production of dopamine are nature's natural remedy.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Make sure you have good insoles in your shoes. Have you tried a spikey ball? If you have you will know what I mean.

I have the inserts the physio gave me, and I've tried rolling balls/cold cans under my feet - really hurts. I did the exercises for months, nothing seems to help much. For a very common ailment, no-one seems to know much about it.

 

[Berty23]

I have the inserts the physio gave me, and I've tried rolling balls/cold cans under my feet - really hurts. I did the exercises for months, nothing seems to help much. For a very common ailment, no-one seems to know much about it.

The spiked balls worked for me. Hurt like hell at first. Now I use them before any exercise. Loosens the hamstring. Good luck finding something.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Tremendous home cure for the crippling ailment that is gout is concentrated cherry juice. Not cheap, small bottle is about £9 from Holland & Barrett, but works wonders. Mix a teaspoon of cherry juice in a natural yoghurt twice a day. At worst, you'll have a damn tasty yoghurt. At best, you'll have a wholly natural alternative to prescribed drugs to alleviate the symptoms. Medical sites say the effects are unproven, some think it may hit the same nerve receptors as ibuprofen, maybe it's a simple placebo. Whatever it is, all I can say it's worked for me and for a number of people I know who the tip has been passed on to.

 

[whitelion]

If anyone knows anything that works for Plantar Facilitis that would be good, I've tried everything my GP and physio have suggested and still in heaps of pain after 10 months - unable to walk pretty much.

Has a steroid injection been suggested? I had one - bloody awful, into the heel - but it cleared the problem up.

 

[The Clamp]

If you suffer from general back pain you may be dehydrated. The bones of the spine have cushioning sacks between them. These require a fair bit if water to keep them working properly. Aching backs and joints can be easily restored to health with more water consumption.

 

[looney]

I could never ever start to experience your pain.
Could swimming or acupuncture help?

The point isI dont have any more sciatic pain, haven't in donkeys years. My evidence is anacdotel and free, so not a snake skin oil salesman, just hope it works for others,

Acupuncture is quack alternative medicine that does nothing beyond a placebo effect. Dont know about swimming, I guess its a positive on many levels, exercise generally.

Any cardio-vascular exercise is good for depression as well as the heart. Swimming, cycling or running for example. For sciatica I dont know, I'm just retelling what worked for me. I am not any kind of medical practitioner.

 

[looney]

[MENTION=638]Bigtomfu[/MENTION]

OP in this thread

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Has a steroid injection been suggested? I had one - bloody awful, into the heel - but it cleared the problem up.

Discussed with my GP - apparently they no longer recommend it, they no longer think it is as effective as they once did. He said it hurts a lot and chances are it won't cure it. The only person I know had the injection, it worked for about a month, then came back - she said it wasn't worth it.

 

[Bigtomfu]

[MENTION=638]Bigtomfu[/MENTION]

OP in this thread

Cheers! I already do the curling up and arching part but not the legs. Will try that tonight.

It's manageable in the main and I'm a stubborn git so will carry on exercising no matter what so this sort of remedy will be vital in maintaining the exercise!

 

[Cian]

If anyone knows anything that works for Plantar Facilitis that would be good, I've tried everything my GP and physio have suggested and still in heaps of pain after 10 months - unable to walk pretty much.

You need to know (roughly) what's causing it first - my plantar fascia was under tension from overly tight calf muscles. Specific muscle stretches and remembering the do the damn things has all but fixed mine - and the associated muscle twitches I'd get in my legs.

 

[BigGully]

Tremendous home cure for the crippling ailment that is gout is concentrated cherry juice. Not cheap, small bottle is about £9 from Holland & Barrett, but works wonders. Mix a teaspoon of cherry juice in a natural yoghurt twice a day. At worst, you'll have a damn tasty yoghurt. At best, you'll have a wholly natural alternative to prescribed drugs to alleviate the symptoms. Medical sites say the effects are unproven, some think it may hit the same nerve receptors as ibuprofen, maybe it's a simple placebo. Whatever it is, all I can say it's worked for me and for a number of people I know who the tip has been passed on to.

Isnt the problem the vagueness of when gout symptoms appear and when they go away and such a wide spectrum of so called triggers.

It lends itself to a plethora of 'cures' that seem to have no evidence to show it could possibly help.

I am guessing booze plays a part, but as an enthusiastic social drinker why so rarely am I blighted by the condition ?

As an aside I spoke to a colleague this last weekend, I mentioned my gout and he said how he gets it all over his body, must be terrible but he assured me his trigger is always cheese on toast he confirmed no matter what when he ate cheese on toast shortly after he would be riddled with gout, I kid you not there was not one hint of irony it seemed to me he had the answer but ............................

 

[happypig]

If anyone knows anything that works for Plantar Facilitis that would be good, I've tried everything my GP and physio have suggested and still in heaps of pain after 10 months - unable to walk pretty much.

Mr Mrs had it. Took about 18 months to clear up. What helped, temporarily, was stretching her calf muscles; standing on the edge of a step and dropping her heels was good but better was me holding her heel and pushing her toes back.

 

[happypig]

Hay fever remedy - a teaspoon of local honey once a day for several months. It's subjective and anecdotal but I'm the world's biggest cycnic and it seems to ameliorate the symptoms. Still have a few bad days but not as many.