Understanding Sciatica
If you’ve ever had sciatica, you know it’s more than just back pain. Sciatica refers to pain caused by irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve, which runs from your lower back through your hips, down the back of your leg, and into your foot. If you’re experiencing sciatica pain in Tucson, Common Roots Acupuncture has got you covered.
Patients often describe sciatica as:
- A sharp, shooting pain down one leg
- Tingling or numbness in the leg or foot
- Pain that gets worse with sitting, coughing, or bending
Sciatica can come from a variety of causes such as herniated discs, muscle tension, spinal stenosis, or even pelvic misalignment. Left untreated, it can become a long term problem that interferes with daily life and sleep. Most patients also find that sciatica can come and go depending on their activity level and repetitive job strain can also be a contributing factor to the pain.
How Acupuncture Helps Sciatica
Acupuncture is a gentle, non invasive treatment that works by improving circulation, calming inflammation, and relaxing tight muscles that can compress the sciatic nerve.
When treating sciatica, I often combine:
- Local points release tension in lower back, hips, and gluteal muscles locally. Trigger points & motor points are usually addressed
- Distal points on the legs and feet to improve nerve flow and reduce pain signals to the sciatic nerve area.
- Orthopedic assessment to identify posture or movement patterns that may be contributing to the problem
Western medicine often treats sciatica with pain relievers, anti inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxers, physical therapy, and in severe cases, steroid injections or surgery to relieve nerve compression. Acupuncture takes a different approach, aiming to reduce inflammation, relax tight muscles, and restore proper energy flow along the affected limb.
By addressing both the underlying imbalance and the pain, acupuncture may offer relief without the side effects of medication. Many patients notice high levels of relief after just a few treatments, and with consistent care, the pain free periods get longer until the symptoms resolve completely. Acupuncture and dry needling both address this issues very well.
How Dry Needling Helps Sciatica
Sciatica pain often comes from tight muscles in the lower back, hips, or legs putting pressure on the sciatic nerve. Dry needling targets these tense spots, called trigger points, with a very thin needle. This helps the muscle relax, improves circulation, and takes pressure off the nerve. Many people feel less pain, more mobility, and better function after treatment. While it doesn’t “fix” issues like a herniated disc, dry needling can be an effective way to calm muscle related sciatica and support your healing process.
What Patients Can Expect
Your first session starts with a thorough evaluation to pinpoint the source of your sciatica. Treatments are customized, and we may also incorporate cupping, gentle stretching, or heat therapy to help further speed recovery. I’ll also give you specific home care tips as well so your results last between visits. Based on your specific circumstances, we will come up witha. treatment plan going forward as well to get you feeling better.
Combining Acupuncture with At Home Stretches
Acupuncture can dramatically reduce sciatica pain, but pairing it with targeted stretches can help you recover faster. In fact, I’ve put together a separate guide with 5 Stretches for Sciatica Relief that’s safe for most patients and easy to do at home. These are the exercises I have found to be most effective and act as a great set of “homework” to further aide your recovery. Use this information to complement this blog about sciatica pain in Tucson.
Why Choose Acupuncture for Sciatica pain
- Acupuncture provides a drug free, natural form of pain relief
- Addresses both symptoms and root cause
- Works well alongside massage, physical therapy, or medical care
- Relaxing, stress reducing sessions that support whole body health as well
Ready to get lasting relief from sciatica?
