Sciatica
Acupuncture for Sciatica
The largest nerve bundle in the body can become the largest cause of pain in the rear. The sciatic nerve originates from the lowest part of the spine and serves the lower body. When this nerve gets irritated, inflamed, or compressed, unbearable pain shoots down the buttocks and the back of the legs, to the ankles. You may also experience numbness in the legs or feet, difficulty walking or standing, or even bladder problems and fever. Anything from prolonged sitting on hard surfaces to carrying a large wallet can cause sciatica. Herniated disks, muscular pressure, and spinal stenosis (narrowing of the space in the spinal column through which the nerve extends) are possible causes as well.
Sciatica mostly affects people ages twenty-five to forty-five, most often from sudden twisting or improper ways of lifting heavy objects. There is a condition in Chinese medicine known as painful obstruction syndrome, which describes a situation in which the energy meridians and blood vessels become compressed, blocking the flow of energy and blood and causing severe pain. Sciatica is one such painful obstruction syndrome which often caused by dampness and energy and blood constriction.
In Chinese medicine, there are further differentiations of dampness-related painful obstruction, such as dampness and cold, dampness and wind, and dampness and heat classifications.
We've treated many with acute and chronic sciatica using acupuncture and herbal therapy with good results. Acupuncture is effective for all kinds of pain, particularly, sciatica. Our approach is to unblock the stagnation, promoting the flow of energy and blood.
