Sciatica

Sciatica is a pain in the buttocks. And legs. And lower back, but mostly the ass and legs. When sciatica hits, your whole body can become crippled with nerve pain. But what is Sciatica and how can Japanese acupuncture help?

What is sciatica?

Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve becomes pinched, causing pain to travel along the nerve pathway. The sciatic nerve is a cluster of nerve tissue starting from the lower back, passing through the pelvis, and down the leg.

Nerves become inflamed and agitated for various reasons, however, it usually has something to do with tension in the gluteal area involving the piriformis muscle, or from the lumbar region of the back. Temporary physical changes such as a misaligned pelvis can also induce sciatica.

Bad posture is often a culprit so if you’re slouching as you’re reading this, maybe sit up straight for a bit. Temporary physical changes such as a misaligned pelvis can also induce sciatica.

Acupuncture treatment for sciatica.

Kotan Acupuncture’s resident practitioner Dr Caleb Mortensen started treating this condition whilst working with Okuma Sensei. Katsuhiko Okuma treats sciatica with a full-body approach as opposed to focusing on the pain site. Patients who experience this style of treatment often feel like they’ve had a full body healing.

A combination of acupuncture and moxibustion can bring the body back into alignment and relieve sciatica pain.