Could Acupuncture Be The Cure For Your Frequent Sciatica?

Chronic back pain caused by your sciatic nerve is one of the biggest factors that reduces your quality of life. These episodes are so painful and can last so long that you are extremely limited in the activities you are able to do. Something as simple as sitting down is a painful experience.

If you have been suffering with frequent bouts of sciatica and can’t seem to find the right treatment, then you may want to look into acupuncture. Many people discount it since it seems like a new-age type of treatment tantamount to using crystals. However, there have been a number of studies done that prove it to be a powerful pain relief treatment.

In this article, we will go over whether acupuncture is going to be the best way forward to treat your sciatica.

How does acupuncture work?

The Chinese have long believed that the body is interconnected with many pressure points that lead to other areas. When there is an imbalance, it can throw off your system and lead to illnesses or pain.

The idea is that to treat some of these problems, the connections have to be interrupted. Acupuncture is the process in which this is done by pricking a carefully chosen area with a very fine needle. So fine, in fact, that it barely even registers when it is inserted. It is virtually painless when done by the right practitioner like this acupuncturist in Peoria, AZ.

It’s believed that this process can reduce inflammation in muscles all over the body.

How does acupuncture help back pain?

The interesting thing about acupuncture is how it doesn’t do just one thing to help. There are a number of factors going on simultaneously so it can be very effective at reducing pain. Not only does it reduce pain, but in some cases it solves the underlying problem of the sciatica so it doesn’t return.

To reduce pain, it attacks on two fronts. First, it helps reduce the swelling that affects the muscles that put pressure on the sciatic nerve so it helps the pain subside. In addition to this, the process of acupuncture stimulates the muscles and releases endorphins that help to get rid of pain as it is a natural analgesic produced by the body. In essence, acupuncture helps the body heal itself.

Blood flow of the sciatic nerve is also rerouted so there is less pressure on the nerve. By circulating blood away from the nerve, it can help to start the repair process. It also stimulates production of serotonin which also speeds up the healing of the nerve.

How often do you need treatments?

There is no one size fits all approach with acupuncture. You may find that after just one session and a follow routine of stretching that your pain is gone. Or, you may need a few sessions over a period of weeks for the pain to go away.

It also depends on how quickly the muscles and nerves take to repair themselves and everybody’s body is different.