The sciatica treatment doctors don’t want you to know

From rollingout.com

A centuries-old practice may be the key to lasting relief

Sciatica is a condition caused by compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back down to the legs. It often leads to sharp, radiating pain that can make simple tasks like walking or sitting unbearable. Some people experience numbness, tingling, or weakness in the affected leg, further complicating their daily lives.

The most common causes include herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and degenerative spine conditions. Traditional treatments such as pain medications, physical therapy, and in severe cases, surgery, are often prescribed. However, these treatments may not always provide lasting relief, leading many to seek alternative options like acupuncture.

New research shows acupuncture could change treatment approaches

A recent clinical trial conducted in China examined the effects of acupuncture on individuals suffering from chronic sciatica. The study involved 216 participants who received ten acupuncture sessions over four weeks. Their progress was monitored for a full year, and the findings were striking.

Patients who received acupuncture experienced significantly greater pain relief compared to those who underwent sham acupuncture. The reduction in pain was nearly twice as much, and disability levels decreased by almost three times, allowing many patients to regain mobility and function. Even more remarkable was the durability of the results. Unlike conventional treatments that may offer only short-term relief, the benefits of acupuncture persisted throughout the 52-week study period.

This suggests that acupuncture does more than temporarily mask symptoms. It may address the underlying mechanisms of sciatic pain, providing a long-term solution for those who struggle with this condition.

How acupuncture works to relieve sciatic nerve pain

Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine, and modern research is beginning to validate its effectiveness. The treatment involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body, stimulating biochemical and neurological responses that may help relieve pain.

One proposed mechanism is that acupuncture triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers. It may also enhance blood circulation, reducing inflammation and promoting healing in the affected areas. Additionally, acupuncture appears to influence the nervous system by calming overactive pain signals, making sciatic pain more manageable.

Some researchers believe acupuncture affects the balance of the autonomic nervous system, reducing stress-related responses that can contribute to chronic pain. This holistic effect may explain why acupuncture can provide relief beyond just the physical symptoms of sciatica.

The benefits of acupuncture beyond pain relief

Many people turn to acupuncture not only for pain relief but also for its broader health benefits. The practice has been associated with improved sleep, reduced stress levels, and enhanced overall well-being. Chronic pain conditions often take a toll on mental health, and acupuncture’s ability to promote relaxation and balance may offer additional advantages.

Unlike pain medications, which can have side effects such as drowsiness, gastrointestinal issues, or addiction risks, acupuncture is generally considered safe. In the recent clinical trial, no serious adverse effects were reported, reinforcing its potential as a well-tolerated treatment.

Another advantage is that acupuncture can be used alongside other therapies. Many people combine it with physical therapy, stretching exercises, and lifestyle modifications to maximize their recovery. Since sciatica can be influenced by factors such as posture and activity level, an integrative approach may offer the best results.

How often should you receive acupuncture for sciatica?

The ideal treatment schedule depends on the severity and duration of the condition. For acute sciatic pain, a course of six to ten acupuncture sessions over several weeks may be enough to provide lasting relief. However, individuals with chronic or recurring symptoms may benefit from periodic maintenance treatments to prevent flare-ups.

Lifestyle adjustments can also play a role in recovery. Maintaining good posture, staying active, and managing stress levels can help extend the benefits of acupuncture. While some patients experience relief after just a few sessions, others may need ongoing care to keep their symptoms under control.

A promising future for acupuncture in pain management

As more clinical evidence emerges, acupuncture is gaining credibility as a viable treatment option for sciatica. The latest findings suggest that it may offer a safer and more effective alternative to conventional treatments, especially for those who prefer to avoid medications or surgery.

For individuals struggling with persistent sciatic pain, acupuncture presents a compelling option. By addressing the root causes of nerve irritation and enhancing the body’s natural healing mechanisms, it may provide lasting relief where other treatments fall short. Consulting with a qualified acupuncture practitioner can help determine the best approach for each individual’s needs.

https://rollingout.com/2025/02/12/acupuncture-for-sciatica/ 

"I'm a neurologist who cured my chronic lower back pain in five simple steps... here's how you can too"

From dailymail.co.uk

A neurologist suffering with chronic lower back pain has revealed the five exercises she does to alleviate her discomfort. 

Dr Carol Cheatham, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has suffered for decades from agonizing shooting pains down her legs caused by chronic sciatica and degenerative disk disease. 

As a natural therapy, Dr Cheatham avoids inflammatory foods that can cause a flare up of symptoms, including gluten, dairy and refined sugar. 

She also drinks tart cherry juice, takes magnesium and uses ginger, turmeric and black pepper in her cooking to help naturally relieve pain, as they are known to have anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce inflammation in the body.

But the remedy that works best is a 20-minute, multi-step stretching routine a physical therapist recommended 26 years ago that has left Dr Cheatham feeling nearly pain free for almost three decades.

While her routine usually takes her about 20 minutes, she's shared with DailyMail.com her five favorite moves.

Sciatica, also called lumbar radiculopathy, is a pain that originates along either one of the sciatic nerves, which extend from the back of the pelvis to the back of the thigh.

About 40 percent of Americans experience it, which is often described as sharp and shooting pain traveling through the lower back, hips and legs.

In severe cases, it may extend as far down as the feet and toes and cause tingling or numbness in the back or hips that may also radiate down the leg.

Here are Dr Cheatham's five favourite moves to beat back pain: 

Pelvic tilt

The first move she does is a pelvic tilt - which involves lying on the back with knees bent 90 degrees in the air and raising the pelvis in the air in a rhythmic motion

The first move she does is a pelvic tilt - which involves lying on the back with knees bent 90 degrees in the air and raising the pelvis in the air in a rhythmic motion. 

The exercise is known to relieve sciatica and lower back pain by stretching and strengthening the abdominal muscles. 

Strengthening the abdominal muscles can create stability in the spine, maintain proper posture and reduce strain on your lower back muscles - leading to a decrease in pressure on the spine. 

Single leg raise

While lying on her back with her legs extended straight out in front of her on the floor, she raises them one at a time until pointing straight in the air

While lying on her back with her legs extended straight out in front of her on the floor, she raises them one at a time until pointing straight in the air.

Apart from relieving sciatica and lower tailbone pain, the exercise also helps improve balance, strengthen the core, and increase flexibility. 

The single leg raise exercise helps strengthen the muscles of the hip and thigh, which in turn can help stabilize the pelvis and reduce strain in lower back and hips. 

Knee to chest raise 

Her third preferred exercise is the knee-to-chest raise. In this movement, she lies on her back with knees bent and feet resting flat on the floor

Her third preferred exercise is the knee-to-chest raise. In this movement, she lies on her back with knees bent and feet resting flat on the floor.

One at a time, each knee is brought to the chest, held for 15 to 30 seconds and then switched with the other. 

The exercise helps relieve tension and pain in the lower back, hips, and hamstrings as well as help those with tightness or disc issues. 

Nose to knee touch  

The nose to knee touch exercise involves lying flat on the ground, bending one knee towards your nose and raising your head to make both ends meet

Dr Cheatham then prefers to perform the nose to knee touch exercise to help with her chronic pain. 

The nose to knee touch exercise involves lying flat on the ground, bending one knee towards your nose and raising your head to make both ends meet. 

The position allows the knees to open better, hips to flex easily and reduces pressure at the neck - allowing more pain to be relieved throughout the body.  

Figure four stretch

Lastly, the neurologist likes to take one ankle and place it over her opposite knee then pull her legs into her chest and repeat on other side

Lastly, the neurologist likes to take one ankle and place it over her opposite knee then pull her legs into her chest and repeat on other side.

The exercise allows a wide range of motion in the hips, lower back and hamstrings, while helps to alleviate pain and tension in these areas by loosening the piriformis muscle and hip rotators. 

The science behind it 

Sciatica can be caused by a slipped or herniated disk, spinal or pelvic injuries, tumours or certain chronic conditions. 

According to Dr Arthur Jenkins, the founder of Jenkins NeuroSpine and one of the nation's most recognized spine surgeons, physical therapy - particularly stretching - can help relieve sciatica pain. 

He told DailyMail.com: 'Daily stretching and physical exercise can definitely help alleviate back and leg pain. 

'When there is strain on the back, sometimes that leads to damage to the joints, which can leak either disk material or synovial material [a fluid meant to lubricate and cushion the joints].

'For some conditions, a combination of stretching in the right way can take some of the pressure off of the nerves, and doing that often enough and regularly can sometimes give the nerve more time to accommodate while the body tries to heal itself. 

'So it really depends on the underlying problem whether stretching and strengthening exercises can help.'

While most people tend to recover completely from sciatica, possible complications may leave some with chronic pain. 

Talking about whether a full recovery is possible, Dr Jenkins explained: 'Recovery is a bit of a misnomer. 

While her routine usually takes her about 20 minutes, she has shared with DailyMail.com her five favourite moves that could cure ongoing backaches. 

'It is easy to become asymptomatic through a number of interventions ranging from stretching, strengthening exercises, medications (injected, inhaled, taken orally, or applied to the skin), or surgery.' 

Some non surgical treatments include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen, heat and cold packs for sore muscles and osteopathic manipulation. 

Osteopathic manipulative treatment is described as a 'hands-on approach' to ease musculoskeletal pain. 

OMT techniques include doctors applying 'gentle pressure to manipulate muscles, soft tissues and joints' in order to ensure that the bones and muscles are aligned and balanced properly. 

Apart form this, people suffering from sciatica pain can also undergo surgery and have their herniated disk or bone spurs removed to stop them from pressing on the nerve.

The procedure is usually very successful at relieving pain - especially if most of the discomfort is in the legs.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14359427/neurologist-sciatica-pain-exercises-relief.html 

Don't Stiffen Up!

From newswise.com

Amid chilly, icy conditions for many of us during these winter months, it’s good to be aware of how cold weather can impact spine-related injuries and what you can do to manage the pain. Neurosurgeons Grant Arzumanov, DO, and Kevin Zhao, DO; and pain medicine specialist Jagjeet Singh, MD, in the Pain Management Program at Hackensack Meridian Ocean University Medical Center, share some insights. 

Aside from weather-related back and spinal injuries from things like slips and falls, winter sports and snow shovelling, some of the cases we see during the winter months include flare-ups with herniated discs and sciatica conditions. While there’s no direct correlation between a drop in barometric pressure and back pain, cold temperatures can indirectly lead to spinal pain. A drop in the thermometer can cause stiffness in muscles and tendons that support the spine – which can lead to a higher risk of injury and subsequently, acute and chronic pain in the back. 

Tips to keep in mind - Whether going out for groceries, shovelling snow, working outside or having fun, dress appropriately including wearing any protective gear (helmets, glasses, knee pads); breathable, non-restrictive fabrics in layers; and shoes or boots with good tread to help prevent falls and injuries. Warming up your muscles with gentle stretching before venturing out also will help to improve blood flow and reduce risk of muscle stiffness. 

When to seek help - If you have an existing back injury like a herniated disc or sciatica, you may already be familiar with a certain level of pain. If the level of pain you're used to goes beyond what you can tolerate and interferes with regular activities like sleeping, sitting and walking for extended distances, you should see your doctor or a pain management specialist to explore treatment options. If you’re experiencing new back pain due to a fall or extreme activity (like twisting your body from snow shovelling)  you’ll want to get an immediate assessment from your doctor or urgent care centre. They’ll examine you to see if the source of the pain is something considered temporary that can be handled with medications for a brief time, or if it is something more serious and potentially long-term that might require further assessment and specialist care.

What type of help - Because back and spinal injuries can be handled by varied specialists including orthopaedists, orthopaedic surgeons, neurosurgeons and those dealing specifically with pain medicine, it’s tough to know where to start. If your primary care physician or urgent care doctor feels you may need a different level of care, you may want to consider a facility that has a formal pain management program or centre for a comprehensive assessment...If faced with this step, seeking out such a comprehensive program affords an individualized approach to treatment with ease of access to a care team and support services through one program. 

Colder temperatures and unpredictable weather conditions that impact seasonal activities can lead to falls, injuries and pain that impact the spinal cord, thus protecting your spine is essential. Remember, your spine provides critical structural support to the body and provides protection of the spinal cord, which communicates messages from our brains to the rest of our body to control our movements and functions. Any injury along this critical pathway can not only lead to chronic pain, but also impaired movement - including paralysis. So, if you’re faced with back-related pain this season and it’s more than you can tolerate, seek professional guidance. You don’t have to manage it alone.

https://www.newswise.com/articles/don-t-stiffen-up/?ad2f=1&aid=823666 

Sciatica: the causes and the best treatment

From saga.co.uk

Dr Mark Porter on what causes sciatica, its symptoms and when to seek medical help 

Q. I’ve had sciatica due to slipped discs over the years, which normally settles within a few weeks.

My GP has been supportive and has stressed that time is normally the best healer in cases like mine – and so it has proved. But I was wondering whether a back surgeon may be able to do more.

I have private health insurance. Is it worth asking for a referral if I get another episode?

                                                                                    Image credit: Pro-stock studio

Dr Mark's reply

Hopefully it won’t happen again, but as you have learned, it has a habit of coming back. If you can get a free second opinion from a private specialist, I would jump at the chance.

Most cases of sciatica – pain in the buttock or leg due to pressure on the sciatic nerve – are caused by a bulge in the jelly-filled discs that sit between the bony vertebrae.

The term slipped disc is a misnomer as the disc itself doesn’t actually move. The problem is caused by a tear in its outer case allowing the softer contents to burst out and compress nearby nerves, an injury that is particularly common on lifting when bending or twisting.

Discs typically heal slowly, with recovery over six to eight weeks being the norm, but as many as one in four patients still has problems after 12 months. Some cases do require more active intervention, including surgery, but this is generally avoided if possible.

Further investigation, such as an MRI scan and/or referral to a specialist, is indicated if the pain is severe and isn’t settling (typically within six weeks, but earlier if hard to control), or if there is a history of trauma, such as a fall.

Other ‘red flags’ that should prompt urgent reappraisal include any unexplained change in your bladder or bowel function, worsening pins and needles, muscle weakness in either one or both legs, or accompanying symptoms of general ill health, such as a high temperature or unexplained weight loss.

https://www.saga.co.uk/magazine/health-and-wellbeing/dr-mark-porter-sciatica-causes-and-treatment

Lower-back pain not going away? Here are some clues if it's your sciatica

From golfdigest.com

These nerves are often the culprit in nagging back and leg aches for golfers 

This image of poor Jason Day was taken at the 2016 World Golf Championships. Long time ago, but when you think about Day's career, that's how long—if not longer—he has been dealing with back issues. It's 2025, and it's a safe bet Day would say his back has never really felt great in the last decade.

Use that as a cautionary tale for your own lingering back pain. If not addressed in a real way—seeing a orthopaedic doctor, a chiropractor, a physical therapist, a skilled fitness coach, doing stretches, exercising, resting properly, changing activities of daily life, etc.—your back issue/s is likely to stay with you for a long time.

Now comes the good news. Andrew Dulak, a doctor of physical therapy from the University of Pittsburgh and one of Golf Digest's Best Fitness Trainers in America, is going to attempt to put you on a path to better back health in this article. Today's topic is sciatica pain. If you're not sure what that really is, Dulak says it's a compression or irritation of a sciatic nerve. They run from your lower back down through your butt and into each leg (see the graphic, below). Your pain could be felt on either side of the body and, furthermore, is often misdiagnosed, says Dulak.

"True sciatica can cause sharp or shooting pain along the nerve’s pathway, usually starting in the lower back on one side and radiating down the backside of the same side leg," he says. "It can also cause tingling, numbness, or even weakness in the leg or foot. However, when most people talk about sciatica, they’re often describing general lower-back issues with some form of leg pain that doesn’t strictly follow the nerve. Either way, the discomfort can be frustrating and affect the ability to enjoy playing golf."

To truly know if your pain is the result of an inflamed or compressed sciatic nerve, it's common sense to go see an expert. Especially if your issue is chronic and possibility debilitating. However, Dulak offers a roadmap to help you get a better sense if you've found the culprit to your back pain. He also has some exercises to help get you healthy. If you have any questions in terms of sets, reps, technique, it depends on your current fitness level, but you can reach Dulak at dulakphysicaltherapyandgolf.com.

"Sciatica-like symptoms often fall into one of four common movement patterns. Each has a specific cause and responds best to certain exercises," he says.

1. FORWARD-BEND PAIN

"This is often related to a disc issue, like a herniation or bulging disc. In this case, extension-based (bending backward) exercises can help relieve pressure on the nerve."

Exercise 1: Prone Press-Ups (stretching into extension)

Exercise 2: Prone Alternating Arm and Leg Lifts (strengthening extension)

2. BACKWARD-BEND PAIN

"If bending backward worsens the pain but bending forward provides relief, the cause might be degeneration in the lower back, such as arthritis or spinal stenosis. Flexion-based exercises (bending forward) can create space in the spine and ease discomfort."

Exercise 1: Seated Exercise-Ball Bends (stretching into flexion)

Exercise 2: Banded Pullovers Ball Squeeze Lifts (strengthening flexion)

3. PAIN BENDING EITHER WAY

"Sometimes, bending in either direction makes the pain worse, but engaging your core improves symptoms," Dulak says. "This usually points to instability or core weakness, and exercises that strengthen the core can be effective."

Exercise: Golf-Posture Pallof Presses

4. CONSTANT PAIN STANDING OR SITTING

"If no movement seems to help, but taking pressure off the spine provides relief such as sitting in a chair and lifting your body off the seat by pushing up through the arms, it might be a combination of disc and degenerative issues. In these cases, distraction or decompression exercises can help."

Exercise: Dead-Arm Hangs

Final Thoughts

"Since we are talking about sciatica and pain radiating down the leg, when the symptoms get worse down the leg, it’s called peripheralization (NOT GOOD!). Get to a doctor as soon as you can. A positive response would be less symptoms in the leg and becoming more specific to the back, which is called centralization (IDEAL!)," Dulak says.

"Also, it's worth noting that swing faults can contribute to physical issues like sciatica. An inefficient swing might place too much stress on your back, exacerbating symptoms. Combining a professional swing analysis with a medical assessment can provide a complete picture of what’s causing your pain and how to address it effectively. For golfers, sciatica or back pain can be a significant barrier to enjoying the game. Understanding what’s causing the symptoms and tailoring exercises accordingly can get golfers feeling better and back on the course sooner!"

In other words, if the exercises aren't helping and you want to play golf this year, get checked by a pro.

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/lower-back-pain-not-going-away--here-are-some-clues-if-it-s-your