ASK THE DOCTORS The sciatic nerve is the longest and thickest nerve in the body, and originates in the lumbar spine. It then runs down through the buttock area and continues along the back of the leg and branches off to the tibial and common fibular (peroneal) nerves down to the foot. Piriformis syndrome is a condition that causes the sciatic nerve to be irritated or compressed by the piriformis muscle. It is a deep muscle in the buttocks that is primarily responsible for rotating the leg outwards. It can irritate the sciatic nerve because of stiffness, tightness, and pain. Massage therapy can be a very effective in relieving Sciatica when Piriformis Syndrome is the cause. In most people, the sciatic nerve passes underneath the piriformis muscle so damage to the piriformis can potentially cause symptoms in the sciatic nerve. A small amount of the population has their sciatic nerve pass through, or split, the piriformis muscle. Symptoms of Sciatica * Pain, tingling or numbness that radiates through the lower back, buttocks, and down the back of the leg possibly as far as the foot. * Pain starts slowly and worsens after standing, sitting, bending backward, walking or sleeping at night. * Difficulty walking, bending and or sitting. * Muscle weakness in the hip and/or leg. Unfortunately, when you are suffering from sciatica it can be painful to sit, lay down, walk or even lift your leg. “The fear and anxiety associated with pain is more debilitating than the pain itself” Pain causes us to do less physically, when you reduce physical activity through lack of movement, the blood flow is reduced in the hip, this starves your tissue of the necessary oxygen and nutrients thus not removing lactic acids and metabolic wastes which then accumulate in the muscle tissue... Sciatica and the pain associated with it will alter your body mechanics. Adjustments to your gait from sciatica affects your knees, hips and lower back due to over compensation. The longer your injury endures, the greater the risk of running into serious overcompensation injuries and a permanent change in gait. Armando’s is well known for their massage, located at 2101 Estero Blvd on Fort Myers Beach. in the same location and family owned for over 21 years You can reach them at: 239-483-1200, go to: www.armandosdayspa.com Search “Best Massage” on the web. Dear Doctor: My Type A husband, who naturally falls asleep for about 25 minutes on weekend afternoons, complains that he's wasting time when he does so. How do I explain to him the benefits of napping? Dear Reader: Millions of people throughout the world take a daily nap. In many cultures the afternoon sleep break is built right into everyday life. Businesses close shop and everyone heads home for lunch and a bit of shut-eye. Here in the goal-oriented United States, though, napping carries a bit of stigma. It sounds as though your husband has internalized that feeling, which is too bad because you're correct -- a daytime nap is often a good thing. Studies show that napping does more than just reduce fatigue. It can elevate your mood, improve productivity and make it easier for you to learn and retain new information. However -- and this is where things get a bit tricky -- not all naps are equally beneficial. It turns out that what time you nap and how long that nap lasts make a difference. A nap as brief as 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes can leave you feeling energized. Sleep much longer than half an hour and chances increase that you'll wake in a mental fog. The reason for all this is that sleep is quite complex. Not only are there several different stages of sleep, they occur in distinct cycles. When you first drift off, you move from light sleep, from which you can awaken easily, into stages of ever-deeper sleep. Your brain waves and even your brain chemistry change. It becomes progressively more difficult to awaken. People in the stage known as "deep sleep" show no muscle or eye movement. The other stage of sleep is known as REM sleep, which is short for "rapid eye movement." This is the cycle during which you dream, and in which the brain registers significant electrical and chemical activity. Fall short on REM sleep and it's quite possible you'll wind up feeling cranky or irritable. Which leads us back to the question of optimal napping. First -- what time to close your eyes. Sleep experts agree that mid-afternoon is optimal. Your body clock is naturally primed for a break, and it's far enough away from bedtime so as to not interfere with your night sleep. Next, the reason why a brief nap feels best. It takes about 90 minutes for your body (and brain) to go through a complete sleep cycle. Sleep too little and you've barely grazed the surface of light sleep. Sleep too long and you're swimming up from the groggy depths of deep sleep. Aim for 20 to 30 minutes, which puts you into the earliest stages of REM sleep and lets you wake up easily, feeling refreshed. For the best naps, choose a location that's dark and quiet. Lying down results in better sleep than sitting or reclining. Setting an alarm will let you relax into your nap and assure that you'll wake up before deep sleep takes hold. When you wake up, take a moment to stretch and take a few deep breaths. And enjoy. A good nap is one of life's real pleasures. “Sciatica and Piriformis Syndrome” AMid-Afternoon Nap Is One of Life's Great Pleasures Eve Glazier, M.D., MBA, and Elizabeth Ko, M.D. Sun Bay Paper Available Do you like this News Paper? Interested in having your own Franchise in your hometown or in taking over this one? Call Bobby at: 239-267-4000 Low Tide High Tide Tide Chart License # 20205 239-463-1200 Fri, Mar 18 Tide Set One 01:53 AM 2.36 ft 08:34 AM -0.00 ft Tide Set Two 02:28 PM 1.97 ft 08:33 PM 0.26 ft Sat, Mar 19 Tide Set One 02:38 AM 2.23 ft 08:56 AM 0.23 ft Tide Set Two 02:43 PM 2.17 ft 09:17 PM -0.03 ft Sun, Mar 20 Tide Set One 03:27 AM 2.03 ft 09:18 AM 0.52 ft Tide Set Two 03:04 PM 2.40 ft 10:04 PM -0.23 ft Mon, Mar 21 Tide Set One 04:22 AM 1.80 ft 09:37 AM 0.79 ft Tide Set Two 03:29 PM 2.59 ft 10:59 PM -0.36 ft Tue, Mar 22 Tide Set One 05:30 AM 1.54 ft 09:51 AM 1.05 ft Tide Set Two 04:00 PM 2.76 ft ----- --- Wed, Mar 23 Tide Set One 07:17 AM 1.28 ft 12:04 AM -0.43 ft Tide Set Two 04:39 PM 2.79 ft 09:41 AM 1.21 ft Thu, Mar 24 Tide Set One 05:27 PM 2.76 ft 01:23 AM -0.43 ft Tide Set Two ----- --- ----- ---
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