Sciatica is pain resulting from irritation of the sciatic nerve. Sciatica pain is typically felt from the low back 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.
You may feel sciatica in different ways, including:
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Pain that travels from the low back, through the buttocks, downward into the leg, and sometimes into the foot.
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Shooting pain down your leg — sometimes described as like electricity.
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Pain and other symptoms may be constant and vary from mild to severe.
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Burning and tingling sensations in your leg.
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Partial leg numbness or weakness.
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Pain, burning, tingling, numbness, or weakness on only one side of your lower body.
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Sitting, trying to stand up, and walking may be painful and difficult.
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Coughing, sneezing, and other sudden movements can intensify pain.
Allopathic medicine often treats sciatica with physical therapy and pain medication or NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). These drugs provide short-term pain relief but also decrease blood circulation to the muscles and joints. NSAIDs have potential side effects such as liver damage and gastric irritation.
Although acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to treat a wide variety of painful conditions, only recently has it become scientifically recognized as an effective pain therapy. Acupuncture causes the body to produce natural steroids and promotes the production of natural endorphins. Steroids decrease inflammation, while endorphins produced by the body reduce pain. By alleviating pain, acupuncture decreases use of pain medications and reduces recovery time.
If you suffer from sciatica pain, acupuncture can offer sciatica pain relief naturally and with no adverse side effects. The sooner the treatment begins, the quicker the Sciatica pain relieves. If you would like to pursue this form of treatment or information, please contact Xiaoyan.
