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Sciatica is compression of the sciatic nerve resulting in pain radiating down the back, side or even the front of the leg. It is commonly caused by nerve root compression at various levels in the spine, usually L3, 4, 5 or S-1 or pressure from tight buttocks muscles such as the Piriformis causing an inflamed sciatic nerve. I would say 70% of my patients have experienced this at one time or another and it’s one of the most common symptoms I treat.
Symptoms associated with sciatica are low back pain, numbness or tingling down the leg as far as the foot, and weakness of the affected areas.
Many people choose to treat Sciatica through acupuncture and get fantastic results. In rare cases do they need surgery, but often this is avoided after a series of acupuncture treatments.
Here is a great study showing the success rates of acupuncture on sciatica: