Like a lot of tools, when you need it, you need it.
But, also know how to use;
Have paid different chiros and therapists to know the good pain of YES trigger therapy, and where points are.
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That, stretching, percussive massager, hot shower and:
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Are pretty strong for backs, non drug attack, but not necessarily Sciatica.
Side note: Kidney Stone seems like most likely self misdiagnosis as a back problem.
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Am so cheap would wear patch a few days sometimes, taking hot shower and revitalized it.
Capsicum heat distracts and confuses nerves, capsicum caused dilation pulls more nutritious oxygenated blood thru the area.
Capsicum can build up for positive extended, residual effects, even given orally for this effect
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I think sciatic management begins with calming the tramau-ed muscle and stretching/ straightening the skelectical run for the sciatic nerve.
In computers on a wired bus run they put a resistor at end of the line so don't get an echo back up the line as signal hits end and nowhere to run. That is what bad sciatic nerve feels like, pain slowlly extends then reaches end of run folds back on self swamping back over already traumatized leg, really nasty stuff, tough competitor too!
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Usually loosen neck, balance stretch/exercise arm shoulder carriage and fold into intense slow back stretch by interlocking fingers on back of head, feet almost shoulder width apart offset 30degrees each
Bend head over as far as comfy keeping knees straight
Use hands to then hold head in place as SLOWLY force butt down feeling each vertebrae arc and flex to full stretched back. Re-load, repeat. Careful, slow, purposeful, intense yoga movement.
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On back now more for sciatic would bring head and knee together of affected side, slow trying to stretch anything can porting thru skeleton to include sciatic nerve , pulling straight and to side, all trying to straightening out nerve pass. Listen to bod as in previous exercise, kinda balance out exercise other side as well.
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Purposefully done, both can be very gentle, intensity.
Both are also for forging against 'roids but possibly aggravating bad preexisting situations...
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These Occidental students know and understand bod from different angle, and have millenniums of success!
Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed" -Sir Francis Bacon!
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Martial Arts buddy preached on wiring of nervous system, one of big hardwired faults was the brain working different body halves freaked out by specifically breaking 2 bones one on each side of bod to freak nervous system. Had other moves and understanding exploiting this phenomenon, but that was most dramatic call-out example of how it worked, and kinds of understandings and even mechanical logistics they have!
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edit: this shows how critical alignment can be, how many chances for nerve being pinched, to then fire muscle and keep firing it until all progressively locked up, then pain has nowhere to go,
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High butterfly wings,cheek side, right along bone then to each side are very rich in trigger points for pain management. Grinding with thumb to find hard pea size point to give painful release, if in fact it is needed. If trigger point is not inflamed, no 'knot to crack'...