Typically people describe two patterns of Sciatica:

1.  Pain travels down the middle of the hamstring, staring in the back or buttocks, to the knee, calf or ankle. (Bladder Meridian)

2.  Pain follows the outer pant seam from the hip to the outer knee and ankle. (Gall Bladder Meridian)

In both cases, pain can be severe, excruciating and debilitating causing difficulties in walking, exercising and sleep. Pain is important to listen to. Medication alone will mask its root cause and often cause further distress to the liver and kidneys.  Pains in the body most often have a structural/postural, musculoskeletal misalignment which must be addressed in conjunction with acupuncture and at times herbal medicine.

TREATMENT:

Course of 10 sessions to retrain the body, with meaningful results often seen in 4-6 sessions.

1.  Gait analysis

2.  Posture analysis

3.  Yoga therapy: how to sit, stand and carry oneself

4.  Deep tissue massage, Tui Na and cupping to release knots and old scar tissue

5.  Acupuncture therapies to redirect energies and blood flow to affected areas
6. Chinese Herbal Medicine if pain is recalcitrant and it fits a specific pattern.

PAIN TREATMENT:

Lightswitch Analogy;  pain is most effectively treated by treating the healthy side of the body, rarely into the area of pain.