Kate Wilson

12/04/2025

Did You Know: The path your pain travels can indicate which lumbar nerve is irritated, a condition known as lumbar radiculopathy or sciatica, with different nerves affecting different areas. For example, pain radiating down the back of the thigh and into the calf and heel is often associated with an L5 or S1 nerve root, while an L4 nerve root might cause pain that moves more into the front of the thigh and shin.

How nerve location relates to pain:

• L4 Nerve Root: Irritation here can cause pain, numbness, or weakness that travels down the front of the thigh and shin. You may experience weakness when trying to lift your foot (dorsiflexion).

• L5 Nerve Root: This often causes pain that travels from the lower back and buttocks down to the outer thigh, the front or side of the lower leg, and the top of the foot. Weakness in the ability to lift your foot (dorsiflexion) is common.

• S1 Nerve Root: This is a common cause of pain that radiates down the back of the thigh, into the calf, and to the heel and outer side of the foot. Weakness is present when rising onto your tiptoes, and the Achilles reflex may be lost.

When to seek immediate medical attention:

Seek immediate medical help if you experience severe leg weakness, loss of sensation in the leg, or sudden bladder or bowel incontinence, as these can be signs of a more severe condition.

11/24/2025

Did you know your body has a “second heart” that plays a vital role in circulation? Located in your calves, this muscle helps pump blood back to your heart. Keeping this muscle active is essential to prevent blood clots and maintain healthy circulation. So, taking steps to keep your calves engaged throughout the day can be one of the simplest ways to protect your cardiovascular health.

Regular physical activity, particularly walking or calf exercises, is an excellent way to stimulate this muscle. If you spend long hours sitting, remember to stand up, stretch, or walk around every once in a while. These small movements can make a big difference in promoting blood flow and preventing the stagnation that leads to clots.

Embrace these easy habits to support healthy circulation. Taking care of your ‘second heart’ can have lasting benefits for your overall health. How do you keep your calves active during the day? 🦵❤️

11/18/2025

This injectable gel is about to change everything we know about joint damage. German scientists have created something that sounds like pure science fiction, but it's real and it's coming to clinics in 2026. Instead of cutting you open and replacing your worn-out joints with metal and plastic, doctors will simply inject this miracle gel that tells your body to rebuild its own cartilage from scratch. The results from early trials are absolutely mind-blowing.

11/14/2025

20 subtle can.cer symptoms commonly missed

11/14/2025

Diverticulitis involves inflammation of outpouchings of the intestinal wall, a condition known as diverticulosis.

By age 60 years, nearly 60% of people have diverticulosis, most often on the left side of the colon. Acute diverticulitis affects about 180 per 100 000 people in the US each year, resulting in approximately 200 000 hospitalizations annually.

This JAMA Patient Page describes diverticulitis and its symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.

https://ja.ma/3LD35GK

11/11/2025

Frequent Leg Numbness: What’s Really Behind It and When to Be Concerned

11/10/2025

11/06/2025

Over the past few decades, substantial advances have been made in neuropathic pain clinical research. An updated definition and classification have be…

10/15/2025

Neuropathic pain caused by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system is a common chronic pain condition with major impact on quality of life. Examples include trigeminal neuralgia, painful polyneuropathy, postherpetic neuralgia, and central poststroke pain. Most patients complain of an...

08/27/2025

Peripheral neuropathies encompass disorders of peripheral nerve cells and fibers which manifest secondary to a wide range of pathologies. These nerves include cranial nerves, spinal nerve roots & ganglia, nerve trunks & division, along with nerves of the autonomic nervous system.[1] There are severa...