Sciatica
Acupuncture for Sciatica
Acupuncture can be very effective at treating sciatica. It can stop the pain, promote healing of an injured area and helps build your underlying energy or strength. Most people will feel some relief after the first treatment and many will be back to normal after 5 treatments. Some people may choose to have monthly sessions to stop the problem re-occuring.
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica is pain that goes from the buttock down the back or outside of the leg. It can travel right down the leg, into the ankle and foot, and as far as the toes. Sometimes it starts in the lower back or sacrum. The pain usually affects only one leg, though in some people both legs can be affected. All these symptoms are caused by nerve pain form the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve starts in the spine, goes behind the sacrum and then travels down the leg.
Sciatica and Chinese Medical theory
Simply put, Chinese Medicine sees Sciatica as a blocking of the acupuncture channels that start in your lower back and run down the leg. There are 3 different basic types of sciatica according to acupuncture theory:
-Pain that is worse in the morning and aggravated by sitting still.
-Pain that is worse in the evening, better in the morning and aggravated by fatigue.
-Pain that is aggravated by cold or damp weather.
Some people may experience a mixture of these symptoms and have other symptoms. All of these differences will be taken into account in your treatment.
The Evidence for Acupuncture’s Effectiveness
The link below is to The British Acupuncture Council who have a duty to give an impartial and objective view of the research into acupuncture. They aim to increase awareness of the effectiveness of traditional acupuncture by providing good quality information to practitioners, other health service providers, journalists, researchers, government bodies and the public