Acupuncture is practiced by most Chinese to relieve pain for therapeutic purposes. It uses filiform needles that will be inserted in various points of the body. It was proven that this form of treatment can relieve the feeling of pain.

A person who is suffering from sciatica usually feels pain going down his or her legs. This is usually caused by the irritation of main nerve in our legs called the sciatic nerve. In usual cases there will numbness and pinching sensation that can be felt in the buttocks and upper thighs. In some more severe cases there are patients who feel pain from their buttocks going down to the back of their legs. This can even be caused by a slipped vertebral disc which gives pressure to the sciatic nerve.

Sciatica usually occurs to people who have a bad posture or a weak back. There are other factors that can cause sciatica like wearing high heeled shoes for long period of time, carrying heavy loads, standing or sitting for a long time, and this ailment can even afflict pregnant women.

The usual treatment for sciatica is by taking pain killers and for severe pains some doctors would give anaesthetic drugs for their patient. The process would require an epidural injection in the lower back. Others can feel relief from the pain through surgery but this is only advisable if the pain is caused by a slipped disc.

A lot of patients who suffers from sciatica have an option to undergo acupuncture. This can be a relief from the pain through a more natural process. The process of acupuncture will help relieve pain by using filiform needles to stimulate the body to release natural painkillers. This is due to the natural reaction of the body when there is stimulation created directly to the sciatic nerve. Opioid and serotonin are the natural painkillers in our body that will help shield patients, who are suffering sciatica, from pain.

A person who suffers sciatica does not need to worry about acupuncture treatments. During the treatment all the patient will feel is just a tingling sensation on the legs. The treatment itself will last 20-30 minutes, where the needle will be left inserted on the nerve. Sciatica treatment will need 5-10 treatments. On some cases, additional sessions will be given if the patient will feel pain again.

Thus it is safe to say that acupuncture is one of the safest methods of treating sciatica. There are no side effects that should be feared. A patient will usually feel some bruises after the treatment. It is quite a painless procedure that even pregnant women can undergo.