Acupuncture for Sciatica
Living with sciatica can be debilitating and frustrating. Unfortunately, many people suffer from this condition and their daily lives are negatively impacted because of sciatica pain.
If you suffer from sciatica and traditional treatment options have been ineffective at relieving or improving your symptoms, then it’s time to look for another alternative. Although not commonly associated with sciatica, acupuncture treatment can address the root of the issue to help alleviate your symptoms. At Gainesville Holistic Healthcare, we can provide you with an acupuncturist in Gainesville, FL, you can rely on to help treat your sciatica symptoms.
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica is a condition characterized by pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, branching from the lower back through the hips, buttocks, and down the legs. Usually, sciatica usually only affects one side of the body. This condition occurs when something causes excessive pressure on the sciatic nerve. Some of the most common causes of this pressure on the nerve are muscle spasms, a slipped disc, or even an abnormality in the spine itself.
The sciatic nerve is the largest single nerve in the body. It is composed of individual nerve roots that branch out from the spine in the lower back and combine to form the sciatic nerve. The nerve runs under, or through, the piriformis muscle in the pelvis and is connected to the bottom of the spine and the top of the femurs. The piriformis muscle can often be the one to place pressure on the sciatic nerve due to tightness or spasms and cause pain to shoot down the leg. Sciatica can be caused by a variety of different factors including serious injuries, prolonged sitting especially in uneven surfaces, and sedentary lifestyles.
Common Symptoms of Sciatica
People who suffer from sciatica often experience:
- Constant or radiating pain in one side of the buttock and leg
- Leg pain typically described as burning, searing, or tingling
- Pain that becomes more intense when sitting
- Weakness, numbness, or difficulty moving the leg, foot, or toes
- Sharp pain that makes it difficult to stand or walk
How Acupuncture Helps With Sciatica
Traditional Chinese Medicine focuses on maintaining a balance throughout the whole body. Acupuncture works to correct any imbalances that have developed by addressing the root of the problem and alleviating the symptoms, unlike medications that simply aim to mask the symptoms.
Through the insertion of fine needles in specific areas of the body, acupuncture can improve blood flow to certain muscles and release tension as well as relieve muscle spasms to stop the pressure on the sciatic nerve. Once pressure is relieved from the sciatic nerve, symptoms will begin to dissipate and you will be able to move your leg, feet, and toes without the same difficulty or pain. Acupuncture can also stimulate the production of pain-killing hormones in the body to alleviate the pain experienced.
Gainesville Acupuncture
Treatment for Sciatica
If you suffer from sciatica, acupuncture can provide you with an alternative form of treatment to help relieve your symptoms. You don’t have to live with constant pain and difficulty when moving or sitting. At Gainesville Holistic Healthcare, we can provide you with acupuncture Gainesville, FL, residents can trust.