Acupuncture For Sciatica:
Traditional acupuncturists understand health in terms of a vital force or energy called ‘qi’ which circulates between the organs along channels called meridians [7]. Since sciatica is a channel disorder, acupuncture of points removing channel obstruction and promoting qi and blood circulation is indicated in its treatment [8]. Acupuncture points can be stimulated for about 30 minutes by surface pressure, insertion of a needle with or without manipulation, heating of acupuncture needles through radiant heat or moxibustion, and electrical or laser stimulation [9]. This Delphi survey achieved an expert consensus on key items in the management of sciatica for acupuncture, which provides the current opinions in China.
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The American Academy of Medical Acupuncture is made up of Western-trained physicians who have completed additional training in acupuncture through an accredited certification program. Many of these professional organizations (including the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and the American Society of Acupuncturists) have a search feature that helps you find providers with this type of designation. While searching the Internet for an acupuncturist near you is easy, it is important to ensure that your provider is fully licensed.
There’s limited research establishing how long it takes for acupuncture to effectively treat sciatica, but some studies show symptoms can be reduced or even eliminated within just ten days (at a rate of one session per day) [1]. The success of sell typically depends on using appropriate acupoints and techniques, as well as ensuring patients are eligible for this type of treatment. Clinical observation of acupuncture and moxibustion in treatment of sciatica. Funnel plots for (A) the total effective rate and (B) pain intensity.
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NSAID pain relievers are a common treatment, but recent analysis found acupuncture significantly more effective for pain and functional improvement. Two meridians considered essential for treating sciatic pain are the gallbladder, which runs down the side of the body, and bladder, which runs along the back. Select points along these meridians correspond to the pathways of the sciatic nerve. Stimulating these points is thought to relieve pain and muscle tension. Sciatica is considered acute when symptoms last 4-6 weeks, often caused by a herniated disc irritating the nerve. Chronic pain may last for 12 weeks or longer, potentially stemming from underlying conditions like spinal abnormalities or piriformis syndrome.
This is a normal response to acupuncture; many people find it calming. Sciatica is common during pregnancy, especially during the third trimester. Hormonal changes, a growing uterus, and changes to your center of gravity can irritate and compress the sciatic nerve, leading to pain. Stimulating acupoints in these meridians may help increase blood flow to the area, reduce inflammation, and promote the release of endorphins and other pain-relieving neurochemicals to relieve sciatica symptoms. Acupuncture for sciatica involves targeting specific acupoints along the gallbladder and bladder meridians thought to be connected to the sciatic nerve. Studies show that acupuncture can often outperform NSAIDs in treating sciatica, while also resulting in fewer side effects (2, 4).
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Owing to the lack of an effective treatment, a significant proportion of patients with sciatica experience pain that persists for 1 year or longer. Persistent or unresolved pain could eventually lead to neurological deficits and functional disability, which have a serious impact on the quality of life (QoL) and pose a significant burden on the patient’s healthcare resources (Maslak et al., 2020). In general, all of the studies adopted a treatment theory based on traditional Chinese medicine theory and clinical experience. Many acupuncturists choose acupuncture points or corresponding acupuncture interventions based on their clinical experience during treatment. Electroacupuncture was used in most of the trials (6 studies) [20, 23’25, 28, 30], warming acupuncture was used in 3 studies [21, 27, 29], and manual needle stimulation was performed in 2 trials [22, 26].
Data exists demonstrating that EA intervention can attenuate pain via regulation of expression of multiple proteins in the hypothalamus [40]. Sciatica is one of the most frequently reported complaints affecting quality of life and reducing social and economic efficiency. Most of this cost is not generated by medical treatment but attributable to loss of productivity [28]. In TCM, it is classified into the category of Bi syndrome (Bi Zheng) [29].
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Even if your first session was successful, expect to schedule more appointments. Acupuncture is a safe procedure and therapy when you see a professional certified acupuncturist. There are a few qi meridians that an acupuncturist may focus on for back pain. Treatment consists of inserting needles at various pressure points on the body and through the skin. This study received funding from the National Project of Key Research and Development Program for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Grant No. 2019YFC ). The datasets presented in this study can be found in online repositories.
If you want to try acupuncture for relief from back pain, you may want to talk to your regular doctor first. If you’re pregnant, certain types of this content acupuncture could stimulate labor and delivery. By stimulating these points, parts of the nervous system are also stimulated to relieve pain.
While this therapy is only one method of providing relief, it may be useful in alleviating your pain and returning you to the activities you love. In addition, several different national organizations provide acupuncture certifications. This nonmandatory designation recognizes individuals who have completed additional education in anatomy and evidence-based treatment techniques. While traditional Chinese medicine states that the benefits arise from the treatment’s effect on the body’s qi, the physiological actions are still under investigation. Speak to a healthcare provider prior to undergoing acupuncture if you have a bleeding disorder, are on blood thinner medication, or are pregnant.
Since our survey is currently only a preliminary version, we will consider the necessity of communicating with the multidisciplinary expert committee in the next consensus survey. The systematic reviews supported by evidence cannot provide strong support for our consensus items due to its low quality, which has also contributed to our expert consensus to a certain extent. At the same look at this time, since our expert groups were all from China, to a certain extent, the consensus’s extrapolation to other countries was affected. In the future clinical research for acupuncture treatment of sciatica, we must also pay attention to mental functioning. Other research has shown that a ten-day acupuncture course can relieve sciatica symptoms more effectively than certain NSAIDs [1].