Chinese Medicine
Sciatica
Pain that runs from the low back or buttock down one leg, sometimes with numbness or tingling. Dr. Pan checks the cause first, then makes a plan.
Please bring any X-ray or MRI reports, and a list of the medicines, supplements and herbs you take now. It helps to notice what makes the pain worse: sitting, bending, coughing.
First, check the cause
Sciatica usually comes from a nerve in the low back being pressed, often by a bulging disc. Many people get better within a few weeks.
How it is treated
- Staying active as much as the pain allows. Long bed rest slows recovery.
- Physical therapy and exercises for the back and hips.
- Acupuncture: very thin needles, to ease the leg pain and numbness. It is a long-established treatment for sciatica in Chinese medicine, and many patients feel clearly better.
- Chinese herbs, prescribed for your pattern, to improve circulation, relax the sinews and ease pain. They are checked against the medicines you already take.
- Pain medicine; an MRI and a referral to a spine specialist if weakness appears or the pain lasts.
How many visits
Usually once or twice a week at first, while the pain is bad. Six to eight visits make a course; then look at how much better you are: less leg pain, longer sitting, easier walking. If the pain lasts, Dr. Pan will check again.
Common questions
Do I need an MRI?
Not at first for most people. An MRI is ordered if there is weakness, or pain that does not settle after several weeks.
Is acupuncture safe for sciatica?
Yes. A little soreness or a small bruise can happen and passes quickly.
Will I need surgery?
Most people do not; most get better with treatment. Surgery is talked about only if a leg is getting weaker, or the pain stays severe.
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Seen in King of Prussia
Patients travel from King of Prussia, Wayne, Bryn Mawr, Villanova, Radnor, Conshohocken, Malvern, Phoenixville, Devon and Berwyn.