Sciatica: What you need to know

Posted by Doctor Dao Hong Nam - Traditional Medicine Doctor - Traditional Medicine Unit - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital

What is sciatica? Sciatica is pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which branches from the lower back through the buttocks and down each leg. Usually, sciatica affects only one side of the body. The disease is described according to the leprosy disease of traditional medicine.
There are many causes of sciatica. The most common are disc herniation, disc protrusion, in addition, the disease can be caused by many different causes such as: infectious discitis, ankylosing spondylitis, tuberculosis spondylitis, spinal tumor ..
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The typical sign of sciatica is pain, tenderness along the path of the sciatic nerve. Depending on the location of the lesion, the clinical manifestations are different: L5 root lesion, pain in the lumbar spine spreading to the hip, down the back outside the thigh, the front outside the leg, the outer ankle and the back of the table. The foot ends at the big toe (toe I).
Painful S1 root lesion in the lumbar spine radiating down the hip, down the back of the thigh, the back of the leg, the lateral ankle, and as far as the sole of the foot on the V toe (little toe). In some cases, there is no pain in the lumbar spine, only pain along the legs.
Depending on the cause, the patient has different pain symptoms, which can be continuous or intermittent, usually reduced when lying down, increased when walking a lot. In addition, there may be other accompanying symptoms such as: muscle atrophy, sensory disturbances, round muscle disorders, fever...

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, sciatic nerve pain is caused by external evils (wind, cold, low, heat) too many openings, unsteady defenses invade the body, blocking the meridians or due to weak qi. , organ dysfunction, especially visceral viscera, kidney viscera, or due to blood stasis, obstructing the meridians of the bladder meridians, causing pain.

Sciatica caused by wind and cold (due to cold)
Patient has low back pain spreading to the buttocks, back, thighs, and legs, pain is contracted, pain increases when experiencing cold, pleasant warm compresses, often with focal pain points, Difficulty walking, no muscle atrophy. Body as a whole: Fear of cold, white tongue moss, edematous pulse or urgent edema.
Sciatica due to low back wind (spondylolisthesis) Low back pain that radiates down the leg along the path of the hip cord. Pain feels numb, heaviness, muscle atrophy, prolonged illness is easy to recur. Often accompanied by systemic symptoms: poor appetite, little sleep, clear urine, pale tongue, thick white tongue moss and soft or depressed pulse.
Sciatica due to hypothermia (inflammation)
Low back pain spreading down the leg along the path of the sciatic nerve, pain with burning sensation, stinging pain, pink or red tongue substance, moss thick yellow tongue, sharp pulse.
Traumatic sciatica Pain occurs after injury, severe pain at one point, suddenly spreading down the leg, red-purple tongue substance, blood stasis, white or yellow tongue moss, waxy pulse.

What medicine do you take for sciatica pain? It is a question that many people are interested in. In fact, at present, there are many methods of treating sciatica with internal and external surgery that bring good results to patients such as: NSAID pain relievers, rehabilitation physiotherapy, treatment with acupuncture, acupressure and traditional medicine, spine surgery...
Among the above treatment methods, acupuncture combined with acupressure Traditional Chinese medicine to treat sciatica is always the top priority because of its ability to achieve treatment. good and safe results. Depending on the type of disease and the cause of the disease, the patient will be prescribed an appropriate and safe treatment method by the doctor.

Electroacupuncture is a method of using a certain electric current to act on acupuncture points to cure diseases. This is a treatment method that combines acupuncture (traditional medicine) and electric current (modern medicine). Because of its many advantages, electroacupuncture is considered the main method of acupuncture today.

Sciatica in the cold, low in the cold

Low temperature sciatica and blood stasis sciatica need to be combined to treat the cause.

Depending on the cause of the disease, the doctor prescribes different acupressure points. The most commonly used acupressure points are: Shen Yu, Giap Tich, Trach Bien, Thu Lieu, Thu Phu, Wei Trung, Thua Son, and Kunlun.

Sterile acupuncture needles (now usually use one-time needles), cotton, alcohol, pince, bean trays, two-frequency electro-acupuncture that works well, shockproof box, blood pressure monitor, headphones.
Conduct electro-acupuncture technique including the following steps:
Locate the acupuncture points, disinfect the skin at the location of the acupuncture points, in turn conduct the technique of inserting the needle into the acupuncture points according to the determined formula. Install electrodes on the acupuncture needles (the position of the conductive connections on the acupuncture needles on each acupuncture point depends on whether the treatment is tonifying or cholera). Turn on the switch to run the machine, see the indicator light, turn the knob to adjust the electric capacity to increase slowly, reaching the required level of voltage and intensity to adapt to each patient. At that time, the patient feels comfortable or a little tense but tolerable. The time to conduct an electro-acupuncture is usually 20-30 minutes, the treatment course is about 1-3 weeks. Monitor patients during treatment, prevent complications and possible complications. The most common complication is the prickling word: the patient is restless, dizzy, dizzy, sweating, rapid pulse, pale face. Treatment of acupuncture words: Turn off the acupuncture machine, remove the acupuncture needle, let the patient lie down, warm up, explain and encourage the patient's spirit, monitor the patient's pulse and blood pressure. With the goal of comprehensive health care for customers. Vinmec Times City International General Hospital has established the Traditional Medicine Unit, based on the quintessence and inheritance of two traditional and modern medicine backgrounds in examination and treatment. Here with a team of Doctors, Doctors have many years of experience in the field of Traditional Medicine. By the combination of traditional and natural medicinal methods, along with non-drug treatments such as nourishing, acupuncture, massage, acupressure... The unit has successfully treated. for many patients with different pathologies: shoulder pain, shoulder pain, sciatica, menstrual disorders, blocked milk ducts...