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If you have sciatica, you are probably suffering with some of the following symptoms:
• Severe pain in your lower back or buttocks that shoots down your leg
• Numbness or weakness in your feet and legs
• Pain that gets worse with movement, or difficulty moving at all without pain
We don’t have to tell you the impact sciatica can have on your quality of life.
It’s a literal pain in the 🍑!
And it can keep you from doing the things you love.
But not to worry – there are drug-free, natural solutions for sciatica!
Empowered You Acupuncture in Brea, CA specializes in treating sciatica and other kinds of nerve pain.
Read on to learn about what causes sciatica, and why acupuncture is one of the most effective treatments for sciatica.
What Causes Sciatica?
Sciatica is pain that travels down the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body, traveling from the lower back through the hips and down both legs. The sciatic nerve ends at the knee, although several branches also run down the back of the legs to the feet.
Compression of the sciatic nerve can cause excruciating, radiating pain down the length of the nerve pathway.
There are many conditions that can put pressure on the sciatic nerve. This can include:
• Bulging Discs
• Osteoarthritis of the Spine
• Spinal Stenosis
• Inflammation or swelling of soft tissues
• Overly tight muscles (such as the piriformis muscle)
• Pregnancy (the weight of the baby can put additional pressure on the spine, causing nerve compression)
What’s the difference between Sciatica and Piriformis Syndrome?
In Piriformis Syndrome, the pain is caused by a contracted Piriformis Muscle over the sciatic nerve.
In Sciatica, it is usually caused by spinal compression or a bulging disc.
The symptoms are the same – shooting pain down the pathway of the sciatic nerve.
( We treat both sciatica and piriformis syndrome with acupuncture at our clinic, and have a 95% success rate with both conditions.)
What are the conventional treatment options for Sciatica?
Conventional treatment options for sciatica may include a combination of any of the following:
• Anti-Inflammatory Medications (NSAIDs like ibuprofen)
• Topical Pain Relievers
• Cold or Hot Packs
• Physical Therapy
• Bed Rest
These measures can provide temporary relief, but they are not treating the underlying causes.
In severe cases, pain medications may be prescribed. These often come with uncomfortable side effects that can further reduce your quality of life.
Acupuncture is Extremely Effective for Sciatica
Acupuncture can successfully treat sciatica without the side effects of pain medications. It is a safe, effective, and non-surgical method of treatment.
Acupuncture works by improving blood circulation, relaxing muscles, reducing inflammation, regulating pain signaling in the brain, and releasing pain killing neurotransmitters.
This relieves the compression associated with sciatica, and regenerates and repairs peripheral nerves.
These mechanisms make acupuncture extremely effective in treating chronic pain – including sciatica!
And you don’t have to take our word for it.
A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience looked at 30 randomized controlled trials involving a total of 2,662 patients. It concluded that acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for sciatica, and can be considered a suitable replacement for medication.
Another systematic review and meta-analysis from 2022 examined 28 randomized controlled trials involving 2,707 participants. It found that acupuncture was more effective in treating sciatica pain than medication and had fewer side effects.
Say Goodbye to Sciatica!
If sciatica is impacting your daily life, if you haven’t had any success with medication, or you are considering invasive surgery, consider acupuncture first.
Many of our patients find that after a series of acupuncture treatments, their sciatica is eliminated.
Don’t let sciatica keep you from doing the things you love!
Lasting relief, and the first steps to a pain free life, are just a phone call away.
Call today to set up your consultation:
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