See Testimonials Pain Management for testimonials from this clinic.
Can Acupuncture Help My Hip Pain?
Most hip pain is due to pressure on the sciatic nerve or stagnation in the Bladder or Gallbladder meridians. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body and runs between and along the Bladder and Gallbladder meridians from the lumbar spine, traveling down the buttocks, and through to the leg. Radiating pain is the most common and intense symptom associated with sciatica. Numbness and tingling starting in the lower back radiating down the leg also occur. Hip pain can be caused by injury or a sedentary lifestyle in people who don’t exercise or stretch enough during the day, particularly a problem for those that sit at a desk all day.
Pressure on the sciatic nerve can come from a muscle spasm (usually the piriformis muscle), a slipped disc (spinal disc herniation), the spine, spinal canal, or even a spinal tumor. A slipped disc occurs when a portion of the spinal disc bulges out of the spinal column and presses on the sciatic nerve. If there is trauma to the spine or if it gets out of alignment, the spine can press on the sciatic nerve. In severe cases, the spinal canal can actually narrow (spinal stenosis) and push against the sciatic nerve. A spinal tumor is a serious cause of sciatica, one which requires immediate medical attention.
In Oriental Medicine, the most common cause of sciatica is a stagnation in the Bladder or Gallbladder meridians. Qi and Blood stagnate in these meridians affecting the soft tissues of the lumbar, hips, and pelvis. This can cause muscle spasms that trigger the intense shooting pain down the leg. Acupuncture, as well as Tuina (a type of therapeudic massage), cupping, electric stimulation, and herbal medicine, can relieve the pain, relax and strengthen the muscles, move Qi and Blood in the area, and promote natural healing. It is possible for these methods to even encourage an out of place disc to go back into place, depending on severity.
One study, involving 50 sciatica patients received acupuncture at points on Bladder and Gallbladder meridians, 30 minutes a day, every two to three days, for 10 treatment sessions. Nearly every patient treated experienced a positive effect from acupuncture: 40% cured, 30% markedly effective, 26% effective. The conclusion was that acupuncture stimulation on Bladder and Gallbladder points treats sciatica effectively.
Related Articles:
- Sciatica Treatment with Acupuncture – Acufinder.com