Acupuncture Treatment for Sciatica

Low‐back pain (LBP) is one of the most common conditions managed in primary care and a significant cause of absence from work and early retirement. Individuals, their families and society at large all carry part of the burden. Sciatica is pain in the lower extremity resulting from irritation of the sciatic nerve. The pain of sciatica is typically felt from the low back (lumbar area) to behind the thigh and radiating down below the knee. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body and begins from nerve roots in the lumbar spinal cord in the low back and extends through the buttock area to send nerve endings down the lower limb. The pain of sciatica is sometimes referred to as sciatic nerve pain.

Causes, Incidence, and Risk Factors Sciatica occurs when there is pressure or damage to the sciatic nerve. This nerve starts in the lower spine and runs down the back of each leg. This nerve controls the muscles of the back of the knee and lower leg and provides sensation to the back of the thigh, part of the lower leg, and the sole of the foot.

Common causes of sciatica include:

• Lumbar Disc Herniation directly pressing on the nerve, any cause of irritation or inflammation of the sciatic nerve can reproduce the symptoms of sciatica. This irritation of nerves as a result of an abnormal intervertebral disc is referred to as radiculopathy
• Piriformis Syndrome (a pain disorder involving the narrow muscle in the buttocks). In 15% of the population, the sciatic nerve runs through the piriformis muscle rather than beneath it. When the muscle shortens or spasms due to trauma or overuse, it can compress or strangle the sciatic nerve beneath the muscle. Conditions of this type are generally referred to as entrapment neuropathies; in the particular case of sciatica and the piriformis muscle, this condition is known as piriformis syndrome. It has colloquially been referred to as "wallet sciatica" since a wallet carried in a rear hip pocket will compress the muscles of the buttocks and sciatic nerve when the bearer sits down. Piriformis syndrome may be a cause of sciatica when the nerve root is normal
• Pelvic Injury or Fracture, irritation of the nerve from adjacent bone, , muscle, internal bleeding, infections.
• Tumors

Symptoms

Sciatica pain can vary widely. It may feel like a mild tingling, dull ache, or a burning sensation. In some cases, the pain is severe enough to make a person unable to move.
The pain most often occurs on one side. Some people have sharp pain in one part of the leg or hip and numbness in other parts. The pain or numbness may also be felt on the back of the calf or on the sole of the foot. The affected leg may feel weak.
The pain often starts slowly. Sciatica pain may get worse:

• After standing or sitting
• At night
• When sneezing, coughing, or laughing
• When bending backwards or walking more than a few yards, especially if caused by spinal stenosis

Signs and Tests

Physical exam provided in our licnic including:

• Weakness of knee bending or foot movement
• Difficulty bending the foot inward or down
• Abnormal or weak reflexes
• Pain when lifting the leg straight up off the examining table

Tests determine on the suspected causes. They are often not needed unless pain is severe or long lasting. They may include:

• Blood tests
• X-rays
• MRIs or other imaging tests

Treatment

Teatment provided in our clinic including acupuncture with electricity to release the muscle spasm, relieve the pain, eliminate the inflammation if any, light therapy to stimulate the healing process, then physcial therapy added to restore the function. Depands on the cause, spinal adjstemnt might be necessary. In the case of tumor, the patients will be sent to surgen specialist for further dignose and treatment.

Sciatica Facts

• Sciatica is nerve pain from irritation of the sciatic nerve.
• The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body.
• Sciatica pain is typically felt from the low back to behind the thigh and radiating down below the knee.
• Treatments for sciatica depend on the underlying cause and the severity of the pain.

 

About Dr. Lu