Archive for the ‘Sciatica’ Category

In the UK a third of the population are suffering with back pain and up to 80% of the adult population will suffer significant back pain at some time in their life.

Back pain may be referred to the hip, groin, buttocks, the leg and foot as sciatica .The main causes of most low back pain are muscular weakness and postural strain due to being overweight, sitting too much, lack of exercise, unequal leg-length, trauma or over-exercise. Sometimes it is the cushion between the bones (intervertebral disc) which bulges (herniates) and compresses spinal nerves.

Click here to read more information about Low Back Pain.

Acupuncture is often associated with pain control, but has much broader applications.

The World Health Organization recognises the use of acupuncture in the treatment of over 40 medical problems, including:

• Digestive disorders: reflux, indigestion, gastritis and hyper-acidity, irritable bowel syndrome, spastic colon, constipation, diarrhoea.
• Respiratory disorders, allergies, sinusitis, sore throat, bronchitis, asthma, recurrent chest infections.
• Neurological and muscular disorders: fibromyalgia, headaches, facial tics, neck pain, rib neuritis, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel and other forms of tendonitis, low back pain, sciatica, osteoarthritis, sports injuries.
• Urinary, menstrual, and reproductive problems including infertility, pelvic, sacral and coccyx pain
• Psycho-Emotional & Neurological Disorders: Depression, Anxiety, Panic Disorders, Addiction, Insomnia, Migraines and Tension Headaches, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Fertility and conception Disorders, Prenatal and Post-partum care, PMS, Menstrual Disorders & Menopausal symptoms.
• Acupuncture is particularly useful in resolving physical problems related to tension, stress and emotional conditions.

Click here to read more information about acupuncture.

Sciatica is specifically nerve pain involving the posterior aspect of the thigh, calf or foot and which is caused by irritation or compression of  the sciatic nerve, the main nerve into the leg.  Pain may originate where the nerves pass through and emerge between the lower bones of the spine (lumbar vertebrae) or as the nerve passes through the Piriformis muscles in the pelvis.. There may be numbness and weakness of the lower leg muscles and loss of reflexes.

Click here to read more information about Sciatica.