Is Acupuncture For Sciatica Effective?

Most people have dealt with back pain at some point. We’ve all sat in an uncomfortable chair for too long and gotten stiff. But sciatica is back pain on another level. 

Sciatica is inflammation of the sciatic nerve that runs from the lower back through the buttocks and the back of the legs. Certain conditions, like herniated discs, piriformis syndrome, and spinal stenosis can cause damage to the sciatic nerve. This results in sciatica pain, sharp, shooting pain that radiates throughout the lower body, as well as numbness, weakness, and a pins and needles feeling. 

If you’re struggling with these annoying symptoms, you may be considering acupuncture for sciatica. But is this alternative therapy really effective for managing your symptoms?

Acupuncture reduces pain naturally. The increase in circulation improves nerve function and alleviates inflammation. Over time, acupuncture boosts your pain threshold making it easier to cope with pain without having to rely on medications. 

How does acupuncture alleviate sciatica symptoms?

The primary benefit that acupuncture offers sciatica patients is pain relief. Sciatica pain is a special kind of awful, with inescapable shooting pains that can make sitting, standing, and walking difficult. You may have trouble getting comfortable when you go to bed, or double over in pain upon getting up from your desk. The good news is that acupuncture can put a stop to these problems. 

As each needle is inserted, this causes tiny tears in the muscle tissue. The body recognizes this microscopic trauma instantly and sends a flood of blood and oxygen to the injury site. Improving circulation to the area allows the body to reduce inflammation naturally. Good blood flow is essential for healing and for removing pro-inflammatory byproducts.

At the same time your body is ramping up blood flow, the acupuncture needles are forcing your muscles to release tension. The pain from sciatica can alter the way you move. Other muscle groups have to overcompensate for the ones that are in pain. Over time, this leads to sprains. 

Including acupuncture in your holistic sciatica treatment protocol supports proper muscle function. Keeping your muscles in good working order allows you to move synergistically, with each muscle group pulling its own weight. That way, none of your muscles become strained, and you can stay pain-free. 

Does acupuncture improve sciatic nerve function?

Acupuncture doesn’t just reduce pain in the same way an anti-inflammatory medication would. These drugs mask the pain making it more tolerable, but they don’t necessarily address the source of the pain. When it comes to truly healing, anti-inflammatories don’t really do much. But acupuncture stimulates the body’s natural healing process, speeding up your recovery time, whether you’re struggling with a migraine, a sprained ankle, or sciatica. 

Because acupuncture needles create microtraumas, they force the body to redirect its attention to a certain area. When using acupuncture for sciatica, the needles encourage the body to address the inflamed muscles and nerves in the back, hips, and legs. 

In a study, acupuncture was found to be more effective than the prescription anti-inflammatory, diclofenac, at regenerating damaged sciatic nerves. If your sciatica is the result of an injury, acupuncture can help your body recover from the trauma quickly and completely. 

Acupuncture has a modulating effect on the nervous system, encouraging healthy nerve function. This, coupled with its ability to reduce inflammation, makes it extremely effective for pain management. But acupuncture has another benefit that gives it an edge, and that is that it can regulate your mood by supporting neurotransmitter function. 

How acupuncture can raise your pain threshold naturally

Ever wonder how athletes are able to cope with pain better than people who live more sedentary lives? You’ve probably heard of a “runner’s high”. That euphoria that runners experience after an intense workout is caused by endorphins, feel-good neurotransmitters that modulate the body’s pain sensations naturally.

The body releases endorphins in response to pleasurable stimuli, like laughing and eating. Acupuncture can also trigger the body to release endorphins. The cascade of these helpful chemicals raises your pain threshold, allowing you to go about your day-to-day activities in spite of your sciatica. 

Now, alone, endorphins may not necessarily help your body heal. But they effectively kill the pain associated with sciatica. When you factor the endorphin-boosting benefits of acupuncture in with its anti-inflammatory and pro-healing qualities, it makes this holistic therapy a tough one to beat!

What other protocols can be used to treat sciatica pain?

Acupuncture isn’t the only tool in our arsenal when it comes to treating sciatica pain. Massage therapy is often helpful, too, because it allows us to manipulate spinal alignment and reduce deep muscle tension. Massage therapy can dramatically improve muscle function, whether you’re a serious athlete or a desk jockey. The better you can use your muscles, the less pain, inflammation, and tension you’ll develop. 

Naturally, stress management is also helpful for overcoming sciatica pain. Stress leads to muscle tension, and muscle tension quickly results in pain. Keeping stress levels at a minimum, sometimes with the help of traditional Chinese herbal blends, is often just as helpful when it comes to treating sciatica. 

Using a variety of supportive treatment measures at once is the best way to speed up your recovery. Acute cases of sciatica may be managed with acupuncture alone, but chronic and/or complicated cases will likely benefit from a multi-pronged approach. We’ll work with you to determine the best path forward. 

Booking your first appointment

No two bodies are exactly alike, that’s why one-size-fits-all treatment protocols never work. At Integrative Healing Arts, we treat the individual, not just their condition. Getting to the bottom of your sciatica symptoms is the key to resolving your pain so you can take a more active role in your life. 

Sciatica is a relatively common condition. If you want to learn more about how acupuncture can improve your sciatica symptoms, contact us today. From your very first appointment, we’ll listen to your health concerns and create a treatment protocol that focuses on realigning your body, mind, and spirit. 

Renew your energy and tackle your pain naturally. Book your first appointment with Integrative Healing Arts today and take the first steps toward reclaiming your health!