Sciatic Pain, Sciatica, Radicular Leg Pain and Acupuncture

Sciatica and Sciatic pain is a condition of the sciatic nerve, the longest nerve in the human body.  The sciatic nerve pathway runs from the spinal cord, to the buttocks and down each of the legs. Sciatica is the common term for pain that is felt along all or part of the pathway of the sciatic nerve.  In reality, sciatic pain itself is not an ailment but rather a symptomatic problem related to the sciatic nerve. The root cause of this condition may be a herniated disk, nerve root impingement a muscular entrapment in the low back or leg. Often sciatic pain occurs along with low back pain, but sometimes these symptoms are experienced alone.
For most cases, acupuncture is a very effective treatment for sciatica and sciatic pain.  Most patients have a large decrease in pain after a single treatment, however, multiple treatments are generally needed for more chronic conditions.  The recommended number of treatments based on the history, the patient’s overall condition and basic examination of the back and legs.

Why does Sciatica occur?

When any structure puts pressure on the sciatic nerve root it leads to Sciatic pain. This may be due to spinal discs, muscles in spasm and sometimes due to the spine itself.  Most often, this pain is caused by a slipped disc or muscle spasm.  You may want to consult an acupuncturist or chiropractic doctor for diagnosis to rule out serious illness.

Acupuncture is very effective for sciatic and low back pain and generally is the treatment of choice in acute cases.

Get started with a consultation today: