A woman with low back pain talking to an acupuncturist.

Acupuncture for Sciatica: Surgery-Free Pain Relief

/in

Sciatica pain greatly impacts your quality of life, and a bad flare-up can even make standing up too painful to bear.

Many people who have recurring sciatica reach for pain medications to get rid of the chronic pain – in some cases, even considering surgery.

Before you wait months for an invasive operation, try acupuncture for sciatica pain. Seeing a licensed acupuncturist not only provides the pain management you need to get through the day but can also help eliminate your pain completely.

Understanding Sciatica Pain

Sciatica pain travels along the sciatic nerve, the longest nerve in the human body. The nerve root of the sciatica starts in your lower back near your hip, extending down both of your legs. So, the pain from sciatica often starts in the back and can travel down one or both legs.

An image showing the location of the sciatic nerve.  

The sciatic nerve is a major part of your nervous system; when it’s damaged or pressure is applied to it, the pain intensity can be severe enough to make day-to-day life feel impossible.

Symptoms of Sciatica Pain

Sciatica pain ranges from mild to severe and varies in location. You may have leg pain, lower back pain, or pain in the lumbar and hips. The sensations that sciatica pain causes can also vary from person to person:

    • Aches
    • Tingling
    • Jolts
    • Burning
    • Numbness
    • Weakness

Causes of Sciatica Pain

Pain is caused by damage or pressure to the sciatica nerve. This could be due to several reasons:

    • Herniated Discs
    • Pelvic Injuries
    • Spinal Stenosis (when the space inside the backbone is too small)
    • Piriformis Syndrome (when gluteal muscles press on the nerve)
    • Spondylolisthesis (when the vertebra in the spine slips out of place)
    • Tumors

Typical Treatment Options for Sciatica

Some cases of sciatica go away on their own within four to six weeks. Others take months to see relief while some instances cause permanent numbness and weakness in the leg. Chronic sciatica can last for a long period of time, feel healed, and then return.

If you have persistent nerve pain, it’s important to see a doctor. They can determine what’s causing your pain through several tests. Once they identify the cause, they can recommend an effective treatment.

Treatment of Sciatica Includes:

      • Physical Therapy
      • Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)
      • Muscle Relaxants
      • Pain Relief Medication
      • Surgery

Sciatica surgery is often a last resort. New studies also suggest that the benefits of the surgery for sciatic pain may last only 12 months.

Pain medication and NSAIDs can come with adverse effects. Long-term dependence on pain medications for low back pain can lead to addiction and physical withdrawal. Other side effects include drowsiness, confusion, nausea, and more. Additionally, NSAIDs can cause raised liver enzymes, gastrointestinal issues, and high blood pressure.

Physical therapy can help ease the pain, but it takes time to see results. If your pain is severe enough to make movement difficult, undergoing physical therapy can be particularly challenging before you can see the benefits.

Acupuncture treatment gives you a medication-free, surgery-free way to combat sciatica pain.

How Acupuncture Works

Acupuncture therapy is a traditional Chinese medicine where needles are inserted into specific acupuncture points. In China, it was believed that energy flowed through the body via meridians. Acupoints were believed to be areas along the meridians that needed to be stimulated to clear energy blockage.

Acupuncture stimulates the nervous system and increases blood flow to provide the body with numerous health benefits. Western healthcare is now using acupuncture to treat several conditions, such as osteoarthritis, respiratory issues, and more.

Clinical trials have shown both regular acupuncture and electroacupuncture can be an effective treatment for sciatica.

How Acupuncture Helps Sciatica

Acupuncture sessions ease sciatica pain and promote healing in several ways.

Regulates the Nervous System

Acupuncture stimulates the nervous system to help rebalance it. Because sciatica pain originates from a nerve, a regulated nervous system can help reduce pain.

Reduces Inflammation

Increased blood flow reduces inflammation, taking pressure off the sciatica nerve and allowing it to heal.

Promotes Healing

Increased blood flow also promotes healing by delivering nutrients and immune system cells to the injured area.

Releases Natural Pain Killers

Acupuncture needling releases endorphins into your system. This kicks your body’s natural painkillers into action so you feel less pain.

Efficacy of Acupuncture

A meta-analysis of controlled trials examined the risks and the efficiency of acupuncture treatment compared to medicine treatment. The systematic review found that acupuncture is significantly better at treating sciatica pain.

Many patients report relief after just two or three sessions. For complicated, chronic pain that comes from disc herniation or other serious causes, more follow-ups may be necessary. Most sciatica patients find major pain relief after about four to six acupuncture sessions.

Side Effects of Acupuncture

When practiced by a licensed acupuncturist, acupuncture side effects are safer than most traditional sciatica treatments.

After acupuncture treatment, you may experience one of the following side effects:

    • Soreness
    • Bleeding or bruising around acupoints
    • Dizziness
    • Nausea
    • Sweating
    • Drowsiness
    • A temporary flare-up of pain

These side effects only last for a short time and are typically very mild. However, if you have a bleeding disorder like hemophilia or you’re taking a blood thinner, consult with your doctor before receiving treatment.

Find What Works for You

Everybody is different and has different needs, and when it comes to acupuncture, some respond quicker to treatment than others. It may be best to use acupuncture for sciatica and undergo physical therapy together as complementary treatments. Or, you may find chiropractic care to be an effective way to handle your sciatica pain.

Acupuncture works to regulate your nervous system, lower inflammation, and activate your body’s natural painkillers. With the right licensed acupuncturist and a few sessions, this can drastically reduce the amount of debilitating pain you experience and even help you find a completely pain-free tomorrow.