For those movie buffs of a certain age, Sci-a-ti-ca can be pronounced like At-ti-ca, a debilitating pain literally in the butt that imprisons athletes. Trust me when I say, sciatica is a pain in the butt. Every athlete knows that groan of a hamstring pull and the immediate sensation that this injury will take a while to heal; there is no quick fix to a pulled hammy. Stretching the hip flexor is a beginning.

Most people do not know (and until recently, I was one of them) that bulging or herniated discs in the very common L5 or S1 area can cause sciatica, leg pain that initially can feel very similar to a hamstring pull. Although sciatica is usually caused with a back injury, it does not necessarily cause back pain. As the sciatic nerve becomes more inflamed, it includes shooting horrific pain down the entire leg, causing the leg owner to take said leg to the doctor to confirm that pain is not a hamstring. The doctor has this amazing chart that shows how pain in your foot can be related to a bulging L5 disc. Who knew…

Top 5 things to NOT do and therefore avoid sciatica:

• Do not break your leg in a motorcycle accident.
• When falling off the motorcycle, do not twist to try to stop yourself from falling.
• When on crutches for 8 weeks (non-weight bearing for 5), do not assume all pain in your leg is because you broke your leg and have road rash or that long-term use of crutches throws your muscles off. In other words, do not say to yourself, “Of course your leg hurts, you have second and third degree burns and you broke it you moron!”
• When going through physical therapy to move your ankle and foot that has been in a cast, do not assume the pain in your butt is a hamstring.
• Like an athlete, do not assume that it is going to hurt to move frozen joints and just work through it. That pain in your foot may be nerve related.

Wearing a helmet, closed shoes and brand new jeans the accident occurred at 10 miles an hour; we fell over in a curve after touching some oil on the ground or something. Visually, this accident was like Ruth Buzzy falling off the tricycle on Laugh-In. No doubt, that was my last ride on the back of a motorcycle (I promise Mom!); the thrill is gone, but the pain is not.

Sciatica has led me to know about branches of medicine I had no idea existed, apparently because I fast-forwarded through all the commercials. My neurologist assures me that I will run and jump like all the other reindeer and my visions of biking, hiking and kayaking will come true. For now, pain management and physical therapy are my course of action as I join millions of Americans with a mid-life back injury. Always in search of the silver lining, I am destined to a full recovery in short order and a lifetime of abs of steel.

Statin drugs are relatively new but their use is expanding at a very rapid rate. Some of the most popular statin drugs are zocor, mevacor, lipitor, crestor and several others. These drugs are used to lower or slow down LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) production. Statins are typically combined with fibrates which also help them lower triglycerides (the fat in your blood) as well.

The most common side effects of statin drugs are myalgia (muscle pain), liver damage and digestive problems.Using statin drugs will increase your risk substantially of developing statin myalgia in the form of lower back pain, leg pain and other musculoskeletal complaints. Statin myalgia is muscle pain caused by the use of statin drugs. This seems to be the most common side effect of using statin drugs. Some studies show as much as a 50-60% increased risk of developing these musculoskeletal complaints when compared to people of the same age who do not use statins. In severe cases the breakdown of muscle tissue can even lead to irreversible kidney damage.

Creatine phosphokinase (CPK) is an enzyme found mainly in the skeletal muscle, heart and brain. By monitoring the levels of CPK in the blood you can tell if the statin drugs that you are taking are causing any damage to your muscles. If you take multiple medications keep in mind that there are also other medications that can cause elevated enzymes in your blood. Many physicians will dismiss or ignore the sometimes devastating side effects that this class of drugs can have on the body.

If you are considering beginning a course of statin drugs make sure your doctor does blood tests before you start. It is critical to get a baseline CPK blood level before you start any statin therapy so if you subsequently develop myalgia you can retest your CPK levels to see if you are damaging your muscles. Your doctor should also be monitoring your liver enzymes as well as a matter of routine. The supplement CoQ10 has been shown to be effective in treating the myalgia associated with the use of statins.

Start CoQ10 which is readily available at most reputable drug or health food stores. Dosage should be 200-300 mg per day. If the symptoms are severe enough to interfere with your routine daily activities and is lowering your overall quality of life you should talk with the prescribing doctor and discuss possible reduction in dosage or possibly trial withdrawal of the offending statin.

Sciatica nerve leg pain is caused when the sciatic nerves in your body become pinched or inflamed. These nerves, which run from your lower spine down through your legs to your feet, are susceptible to a wide variety of sensations and when people talk about problems in this area, these problems might range from a light tingle, to a persistent burning sensation to a wholly unbearable shooting pain. This can be a very difficult issue to live with, and there are many treatments that you might try when you are trying to deal with sciatica nerve pain.

One way that many people end up treating the pain is through the application of heat. Do keep in mind, thought, that if you are using heat to ease the pain that you should limit it to warm baths and cloths dipped in warm water and wrung out. Do not use heating pads while the nerve is inflamed; there is a chance that the heat will simply induce swelling, which will make the swelling in the area worse. Doctors will also suggest an ice pack placed directly on the lower back. While it will reduce swelling, the cold can be very difficult to bear on an area that is already very sensitive!

When dealing with sciatica nerve leg pain, many doctors will also prescribe you muscle relaxers, but be very wary of taking these. Not only are these medications powerful and expensive, they can also prove to be addictive. Not only are the medications themselves addictive, the instant relief from pain can be very seductive, which can be problematic when you are trying to switch to another solution. Take some time and really consider what your options are going to be when you are thinking about taking this medication. Prescription strength muscle relaxers can be habit forming, and it is fairly easy to develop a tolerance, where they are less effective even when taken with the same dosage.

If the sciatic pain becomes too intense or too debilitating, a last resort is surgery. The issue with surgery is that most patients do not respond very well to it, and there are only a limited amount of situations where it is even considered. Surgery for sciatica is usually only considered when spinal stenosis is an issue, where neurological dysfunction is suspected or where bowel and bladder function is impaired. Surgery for sciatica is considered very serious as not only is it expensive, it also involves a convoluted recovery time.