Acupuncture for Sciatica
If you suffer from sciatica, you’re not alone. As many as 40% of Americans experience pain and discomfort from sciatica during their lives. However, acupuncture can successfully reduce the pain of sciatica.
At Body Mind Wellness Acupuncture, our goal is to help you feel better, heal and balance the body and soul, look your best and laugh again.
For thousands of years, acupuncture has been a safe, natural, drug-free method for providing immediate and long-lasting benefits of relieving pain. Since the body is interconnected, no one part is disconnected from the other. Therefore, diagnosis and treatment are based on pinpointing specific muscle and body imbalances. Correcting the imbalance does not just treat the symptoms or mask the condition but instead repairs the root of the problem by facilitating self-healing of the body.
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica is not a disease. Instead, the term refers to a group of symptoms affecting the sciatica nerve region. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the human body. It consists of a large bundle of smaller nerves that originate in the lumbar spine and travel down both sides of the buttocks and the legs.
Injury or irritation to the sciatic nerve can cause pain and discomfort. The most common cause is a slipped or herniated disk that causes pressure on the nerve root. Sciatica describes any pain that originates in the lower back and radiates down the leg.
Common causes of sciatica include:
- Spinal stenosis – when the spinal canal narrows and causes nerve compression
- Spinal vertebrae fracture – causes misalignment of the spine and can impact nerves
- Pregnancy – places increased pressure on and realigns the hips, creating sciatic pain
- Lumbar disc problems – reduces cushioning between spinal vertebrae, which causes pain and nerve compression
- Tight muscles – the muscles surrounding the sciatic nerve can press on it when they are tight
- Diabetes – this condition affects the way the body uses blood sugar and increases the risk of nerve damage
You will experience mild to severe pain anywhere along the nerve pathway if you suffer from sciatica. It can also cause muscle weakness, numbness, or tingling in your leg, foot, or toes. Many people describe their pain in different ways, depending on the cause. Some describe it as a sharp, shooting pain, while others describe it as burning or stabbing. Radiating pain is a more common and intense symptom of sciatica.
How Does Acupuncture Help Sciatica?
Acupuncture is an excellent way to help patients manage chronic pain due to sciatica. It is recognized by the leading National and International Health Organisation (WHO) to be effective in treating arthritis, back pain, neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, facial pain, fibromyalgia, MS, and sciatica.
Acupuncture helps sciatica in various ways. These include:
- Relaxing tight muscles
- Stimulating nerves located in muscles and other tissues
- Improving blood circulation
- Regulating the nervous system
- Releasing endorphins and neurotransmitters to reduce pain
Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine derived from ancient Chinese medicine. It treats a variety of conditions by triggering specific points on the skin with tiny needles. The correct needling of anatomically specific motor points and trigger points is a unique treatment that can relax tight muscles or strengthen weak muscles. Depending on the severity, acupuncture can encourage an out-of-place disc to go back into place and provide long-lasting pain relief.
How Many Acupuncture Treatments Do You Need?
Each patient is different. Therefore, each treatment plan is based on the severity, symptoms, and circumstances. Patients with more frequent treatments during the acute phases of their sciatica can taper their appointments as symptoms recede.
Contact Body Mind Wellness Acupuncture Today!
If you suffer from sciatica, contact Body Mind Wellness Acupuncture today! Our goal is to utilize various methods to help you find relief. Incorporating acupuncture for sciatica as part of a tailored, individualized pain treatment plan can help relieve your pain and discomfort.