Acupuncture Treatment of Sciatica

                                                      ----------------------Zhu Rong CMD

Sciatica refers to the pain along the course of sciatic nerve distribution and the area it supplied. Based on its etiology, the disorder can be classified into primary and secondary sciatica. Primary sciatica also named sciatic neuritis often results from attack of pathogenic factors onto the nerve, spread from other infection site in the body through the blood circulation. This is rarely seen clinically, and therefore, our discussion will be mainly focused on the secondary sciatica. Secondary sciatica is caused by physical compression of the neighboring tissue lesions on the sciatica nerve. Pathologically, secondary sciatica can be classified into radiculer or truncal.

The source of radicular sciatic pain is often located within the spinal canal or intervertebral foramina. The cause of the pain is likely due to disease such as lumbar vertebral disc hernia, and spinal joint diseases. The treatment of the problem is to offer pain killers by Western medical doctor.

There are several methods to treat sciatica in Traditional Chinese Medicine, such as acupuncture, shiatsu, moxibustion, cupping and herbs. Sciatica falls under Bi Syndrome in TCM, mainly due to wind-cold-dampness pathogen attacking the meridians and collaterals, leading to obstruction of meridian Qi, which result pain; or it can be caused by external trauma and injuries damaging the meridians and collaterals, leading to Qi and blood stagnation in the meridians. This blockage causes symptoms of pain. Longstanding case of the obstruction in the meridians first affects Qi and then advance into blood level over time. Moreover, because chronic condition consumes and damages Qi and the blood, the meridian diseases can advance to a zang-fu disease, resulting in Deficiency of Liver and Kidney, Insufficiency of Qi and blood. At the end, the condition can become a complex syndrome of deficiency and excess.

Since our therapists are well trained for years, we use the most effective combination to treat this problem. Normally, people only receive three to five treatments the problems are solved.