Throughout the last 12 months, I would say that one of the most common problem I treat is sciatica. The sciatic nerve is the body’s longest nerve and is a collection of nerves that originate from the lower lumbar to sacral nerves (L4 to S3). The term sciatica refers to pain in the distribution of the sciatic nerve. Classically the pain is described as an electric shock from the lower back shooting down behind one or both legs. However it may feel like an ache, or just tingling/numbness. The two most common causes are lumbar disc problems or arthritis (lumbar spondylosis). Lumbar disc problems may be due to degeneration, bulging or prolapse at any of the lumbar levels L3/4, L4/5 and/or L5/S1. I have written an article on lumbar spondylosis previously.
From my experience, I would say that sciatica from a bulging disc responds more readily to laser acupuncture than does lumbar osteoarthritis. The problem with lumbar osteoarthritis is that you can get formations of osteophytes (bone spurs) and if it impinges on a nerve, there isn’t a whole lot that can be done to significantly open up that space except back surgery. The intervertebral discs are a more flexible structure and if treated with the anti-inflammatory effects of acupuncture, the swelling will reduce and consequently provide more breathing space for the nerves. With that said, I have successfully managed lumbar spondylosis back pain in it’s early stages when large spurs have not formed and my patient is able to learn strengthening exercises to maintain the back and not worsen the arthritis. The following is a case of sciatica from lumbar disc bulging that responded well.
My patient is a pleasant 69 year old gentleman with 30 years of lower back pain and sciatica ever since falling off a roof and sustaining several fractures of the spine. On a recent CT lumbosacral scan, it shows old compression fracture of the T12 and L1 vertebrae as well a minor L4/5 disc protrusion that is impinging the L5 nerve root bilaterally. His pain is 7/10 average; at worst 9/10 and at best 5/10. He is always in pain and was previously a very high doses of painkillers. He has since taken himself off them as he did not want to rely on them anymore. He now just tries to bear with the pain. His pain from two sources – the T12 vertebral fracture which he feels right in the middle exactly over the fracture site, and the more painful sciatica which he feels in the centre of the lower back with the pain shooting down behind the left leg.
Laser acupuncture treatments:
The following is how I treated him – roughly one week apart
First treatment: right ear point for L4/5 disc. Brought pain down from 7/10 to 4/10 within 30 seconds of treatment. Pain relief only lasted 2 days before returning to what it was before.
2nd Treatment: bilateral L4/5 disc point on ears. Pain once again reduced from 7/10 to 4/10. Pain went down to ‘zero’ according to patient. Only had one bad night. Needless to say he was very pleased. Given an exercise sheet with lower back stretches and exercises.
3rd treatment: bilateral L5/S1 disc point on ears. Pain this week was not as well controlled (but still better than before any treatment) so I referred him to my trusted exercise physiologist and he started doing the prescribed exercises.
4th treatment: bilateral L5/S1 disc point on ears. He found that the exercises prescribed to him were worsening his pain and did not want to continue them. I encouraged him to continue course. When starting exercise, it will always be more painful in the beginning.
5th treatment: bilateral L5/S1 disc point on ears + facial acupuncture point for L4/5. His pain this week was much improved 1/10 on average. He feels now that the exercises are improving his chronic pain condition. He is ecstatic
6th treatment: as the sciatica symptoms had greatly improved to the extent that he now felt that the pain over the T12 vertebra (the old fracture site) was worse. Treatment was applied with facial acupunctre to the T12 vertebrae with good effect. During the week, the T12 pain was virtually gone.
Ongoing treatments from this point have maintained the progress. I am now using acupuncture to support his exercises. Acupuncture can improve the pain, but you can only keep those improvements with dedication to the correct exercises. As you can imagine, his quality of life has dramatically improved and he is extremely grateful for the help.
