Sciatic Nerve Pain Relief with TCM
Sciatic nerve pain can be debilitating, affecting your daily activities and overall quality of life. While conventional treatments provide relief, many are turning to TCM and acupuncture for a holistic, natural approach to managing pain. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) views sciatica as an imbalance in the body's energy flow, offering time-tested therapies such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, and cupping to alleviate discomfort and promote healing. In this article, we explore how TCM can provide effective, long-lasting relief for sciatic nerve pain.
What is Sciatic Nerve Pain and How Does it Affect Me?
Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which branches from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down each leg. It's typically caused by a herniated disk or bone spur on the spine, compressing part of the nerve.
Causes for Sciatic Nerve Pain
Sciatica can result from various factors, including:
Herniated Disk: When the soft centre of a spinal disk pushes through a crack in the tougher exterior.
Bone Spurs: Overgrowth of bone on the spine due to arthritis can narrow the space around the nerve.
Spinal Stenosis: Narrowing of the spinal canal in the lower back.
Spondylolisthesis: When one vertebra slips forward over another.
What are the Symptoms of Sciatic Nerve Pain?
Symptoms of sciatica include:
Pain that radiates from the lower back down one leg.
Tingling or burning sensation down the leg.
Numbness or weakness in the affected leg or foot.
Pain that worsens with sitting, coughing or sneezing.
Difficulty moving the affected leg or foot.
Self-Help and Prevention Tips
With proper lifestyle and postural changes, sciatic nerve pain can be reduced and duration of recovery can be shortened. Below are some self-care and lifestyle changes that can help:
Exercise: Low-impact activities like swimming, walking, or yoga can help alleviate symptoms
Posture: Maintain proper posture while sitting, standing, and lifting heavy objects.
Healthy weight: Excess weight can exacerbate sciatica, so maintaining a healthy weight is crucial.
Quit smoking: Smoking can increase the risk of osteoporosis which can lead to back pain and slow down the healing process[1].
Regular exercise: Strengthening the core muscles can help support the spine. The core muscles are the group of trunk and hip muscles that surround the spine, abdominal viscera and hip.
Proper lifting techniques: Lift heavy objects with your legs, not your back.
Ergonomic workstation: Ensure your workstation is set up ergonomically to reduce strain on your back.
Evidence-Based TCM Approaches for Managing Sciatic Nerve Pain
Depending on where the pain is most prominent, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) classifies
Sciatic nerve pain into either 腰痛(Yao Tong) or 痹证(Bi Zheng), with the former having emphasis on the lower back and the latter elsewhere. The two above-mentioned TCM diseases can also be categorized according to three main categories of excess, deficiency and a combination of the two. In the excess category, there are sub-categories like "Cold-Damp Invasion, Qi stagnation and Blood stasis etc." In the deficiency category, there are sub-categories like "Kidney Yin deficiency, Kidney Yang deficiency, Kidney Qi deficiency etc." Lastly, an individual can have both excess and deficiency combined together in a unique way like “Kidney deficiency and Blood stasis”. Consequently, formulas or herbs that address these imbalances can be useful in the management of Sciatic nerve pain.
Herbal Medicine and Medicated Plasters
Modern research has demonstrated that certain herbs can aid pain management by regulating gene expression in peripheral blood[2]. One such herb is 川芎(Ligusticum chuanxiong)[3]. This herb is one of many other herbs in a formula known for its pain-relieving effects in the lower limbs: 独活寄生汤 (Du Huo Ji Sheng Decoction). According to medical studies, Du Huo Ji Sheng Decoction can exhibit anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting the activity of proteins that stimulate inflammation[4]. Taking into account the specific constitution of your body, a qualified TCM practitioner can create a personalized formula tailored to you.
While oral medication can be effective for relieving pain caused by inflammation of the sciatic nerve, oftentimes it takes a few hours before the relief sets in. The usage of medicated plasters with added ingredients like 乳香 (Ru Xiang) Frankincense and 薄荷脑 (Bo He Nao) Herbal menthol can immediately exert its effect through the topical use of the plaster on the site of inflammation. This helps alleviate pain and inflammation while providing a lasting cooling sensation to quickly bring relief while the oral herbs are being absorbed by the body. For those with sensitive skin, zinc oxide present in medicated plasters helps to protect the skin and reduce the occurrence of sensitivity to the adhesive of the plasters. The usage of medicated plasters is also convenient and can be done on the go if you are unable to consume oral medication or get access to hot water.
Acupuncture and Cupping Therapy
Acupuncture has been shown to aid in improving the pain threshold and the reduction of clinical symptoms and signs. In a study done on 90 patients suffering from sciatica, it was found that the warming acupuncture therapy resulted in better therapeutic effects than the other two groups which received either Nimesulide tablets or Anisodamine point injections. The study concluded by mentioning that acupuncture can relieve the symptoms of sciatica with an increase of pain threshold[5]. In 2015, a meta-analysis was done to investigate the effects of acupuncture on patients with Sciatica. It found that acupuncture could be efficacious in treating the pain associated with sciatica[6]. Some commonly used acupoints for sciatica include 阳陵泉 Yanglingquan (GB 34) and 环跳 Huantiao (GB 30).
In addition to acupuncture, TCM cupping treatment is also often used to help reduce the pain from sciatica. Cupping involves placing cups on the skin and creating a vacuum to draw up the skin. This process stimulates blood flow, balances and realigns the flow of qi, and breaks up obstructions. By increasing blood flow to the selected area, cupping therapy can help oxygenate surrounding tissue and decrease inflammation and swelling, thereby helping reduce sciatic nerve pain. In 2018 a systematic review and meta-analysis were done to evaluate cupping therapy on chronic back pain. It found that there was a significant reduction in the pain intensity score through the use of cupping therapy (p = 0.001) and that cupping was a promising method for the treatment of chronic back pain in adults[7].
How Many Sessions Do I Need?
The prognosis and treatment combinations of Sciatica are determined by the extent, duration of onset, severity of symptoms and underlying degeneration or impingements. Sciatica stems from a compression of the sciatic nerve. For patients with fewer underlying medical conditions, shorter duration and severity, treatment may only require 6 sessions or fewer.
At Common TCM, your physician will review your medical history and determine the optimal frequency of visits based on the duration, and severity of symptoms as well as any other underlying medication conditions (e.g. osteopenia) that may affect the prognosis. After a course of treatment, the patient may be pain-free thereby being able to resume normal activities in daily life.
Who is this Suitable For?
If you are pregnant, or have a skin infection or bleeding disorder, cupping therapy might be contraindicated. Skin lesions located on the lower back or buttocks might also prevent medicated plasters from being pasted on it. Ultimately, a personalized consultation with the physician will be necessary to determine the treatments chosen. This consultation can also be an opportunity to review your well-being status, and stress levels, so as to personalize your healthcare journey.
Most importantly, do your research and seek advice from reputable professionals at a good TCM in Singapore for an elevated healing experience. For more information, visit our website to learn more about our treatments and physicians or to book an appointment. Your well-being is our priority, and we are here to support you on your journey towards better health.
