Sciatica: A Real Pain in the Behind

This week our focus is Sciatica. I want to start by acknowledging that I did pull a lot of information from other sites, however, I feel that rather than ramble on I would rather give you something of substance and give you information from the people most knowledgeable on the subject.

What is Sciatica? According to various medical sites, Sciatica is nerve pain from irritation of the sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in the body. Sciatic nerve pain is typically felt from the low back to behind the thigh and radiating down below the knee.

I found the best information on acupuncture and Sciatica from Dr. Mario Dube, DOM, AP who is a Nationally Board Certified Doctor of Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture Physician. I wanted to share a piece from his blog on the matter below, because I feel it gives the best short, to the point, condensed explanation of how acupuncture helps heal Sciatica:

“Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medicine that balances energy or Qi, which rebalances harmony in the body removing illness and injury. It treats the body as a whole instead of just treating the sick parts. Acupuncture can relieve sciatica by reducing inflammation, which reduces pain. It stimulates the nerves in the affected muscles also relieving pain through the release of endorphins. It also improves circulation. This in turn improves joint mobility, relaxes muscles and helps to regenerate the sciatic nerve, enabling the patient to become more active. This activity then leads to healing and increased mobility. Acupuncture also increases serotonin and noradrenalin levels. This improves the patient’s sense of wellbeing and overall attitude. All of which are beneficial to healing…For many who find that traditional western drugs are unsafe or unwise, this is a great alternative. Acupuncture can also be used in conjunction with western medical treatment, greatly enhancing its effectiveness.”

I also wanted to share some info from acufinder.com. Joseph Alban, a New York State Licensed Acupuncturist, gives some great information on how Chinese medicine views and deals with Sciatica:

“ How Does Chinese medicine view sciatica?

Chinese medicine states that the body is interconnected; no one part can be separated from another.  The diagnosis and treatment is based upon identifying specific imbalances in the muscles and the body as a whole.  Correcting the imbalance does not just treat the symptoms or mask the condition, but rather corrects the root of the problem by encouraging self-healing of the body.  The most common imbalance in acute sciatica is qi and blood stagnation in the back channels.  But it is also important to treat the underlying imbalance, which may be causing the qi and blood to stagnate.

Qi and blood stagnation in the channels often affects the soft tissue of the lumbar, hips, and pelvis.  This is what causes the muscle spasm and tension that triggers the intense shooting pain of acute sciatica.

Some common underlying imbalances are kidney qi vacuity, spleen qi vacuity with dampness, and liver qi stagnation.  By treating the underlying imbalance, you can prevent the sciatica from returning.

Kidney Qi Vacuity: If your back feels very weak and it does not get better with a lot of rest, the underlying imbalance may be kidney qi vacuity.  Other symptoms include weakness of the knees, extreme fatigue, ringing in the ears, dizziness, and a weak pulse.  

Spleen Qi Vacuity with Dampness:  For those with spleen qi vacuity with dampness, you will also have fatigue and weakness, but the back feels better with rest.  Your body may feel very heavy and you may have poor digestion.

Liver Qi stagnation: Liver qi stagnation causes your muscles to be very tight and in spasm when you become angry or frustrated.  Also, you may suffer from frequent headaches and, in women, painful menses.    

How Does Chinese medicine Treat Sciatica?

It is best to approach sciatica using combination style treatment.  An effective therapy many include acupuncture, Tui Na (Chinese medical massage,) cupping, electric stimulation, and stretching.  The back, hip, and pelvis are very interconnected and the treatment should incorporate all of them.  Overall, the treatment should relax and stretch the tendons and fascia while strengthening the muscles.  This will help release the spastic muscles and strengthen them, allowing the back to naturally heal.  It can even encourage an out of place disc to go back into place, depending on severity. Acupuncture will help to reprogram the muscles to stay relaxed.  In effect, this is working to help the body heal itself.”



I do believe that blood stagnation causes illness. I had felt really physically and emotionally crappy for a looooooong while, not realizing that poor (not just poor, plain awful) diet and lack of exercise was to blame. I started drinking Beet juice and with NO other dietary or lifestyle changes, I lost 20 pounds. That may sound irrelevant, but the beet juice purified my blood and got things moving and my body was able to function properly again, hence the weight loss. If I hadn’t made changes, I can almost assure you that my body would have slowed down to the point that it would have stopped working altogether, and I have no doubt I would have developed Diabetes, Heart Disease, and who knows what else. Acupuncture has given me the same result, with added benefits. Since I have been getting treatments things in my body are moving again and flowing properly, my wellbeing has improved exponentially, I have an immense amount of energy I didn't have before, and I know for a fact that my body is healing itself because I have never felt so great.

If you have Sciatica, please do not let your pain dominate you any longer.  Deana has several patients afflicted with the problem and they have had great and long lasting results. If you mention this blog, you can get your first treatment for FREE! What do you have to lose?

Until next week,

Daisy