Sciatica, rather than being a diagnosis in itself, is actually a set of symptoms that can have other causes, usually a disk injury (herniation, or slipped disk), muscle tension or hip injury. Sciatica refers to the pain one experiences when one ore more of the nerves of the lumbar spine are being pressed on in some way. The nerves exiting from the lower spine make up the Sciatic nerve.
Symptoms of sciatica may be: burning or knife-like pain in the lower back or buttocks, pain that radiates from the lower back into the groin, down the lateral sides of the leg, or the hamstrings. It can be hard to find relief from sciatica, and many people simply take bed rest in hopes that it will go away. Medical doctors will often prescribe anti-inflammatories or suggest over-the-counter pain killers to deal with this often horrendous pain. I feel strongly though, that while pain killers can be a necessity initially, taking them long term is rather like removing the batteries from your smoke detector when your house is on fire! Pain in your body is a clear indication that something is not working. By ignoring it through pain killers, you may be doing more damage to yourself over the long term.
Enter acupuncture. In my experience, sciatica patients almost always find relief through acupuncture, even from the very first treatment. In fact, I love to treat sciatica because acupuncture works so well on it that patients will often feel like it's magic! Acupuncture works by increasing the release of pain-relieving chemicals in your body, such as dopamine. As well, if sciatica is caused by muscle impingement (a common cause), acupuncture can help those muscles to relax, easing the pressure on the nerve.
Obviously, if you have a slipped or herniated disk you should see your doctor and/or chiropractor, and get x-rays so you can be sure of the underlying issues. However, no matter the cause, acupuncture is certainly a therapy you will want to look into.
Jean-Paul Thuot R.Ac
Jean-Paul Thuot R.Ac is an acupuncturist and craniosacral therapist, practicing in Victoria BC, Canada. His clinic is Stillpoint Acupuncture
No comments:
Post a Comment