How long does it take for acupuncture to be effective for sciatica?
Disease description:
Recently, I have been suffering from severe lower back pain. After visiting the hospital for examination, I was diagnosed with sciatica. I would like to ask, how long does it take for acupuncture to show effects in treating sciatica?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Lv Zhiqin
The effectiveness of acupuncture in treating sciatica may vary from several days to a few weeks. The average time for the treatment to take effect is around two weeks. For patients with mild pain and high sensitivity to acupuncture, symptoms may be relieved after 1-2 acupuncture sessions. Patients with severe pain or a longer disease duration may require a longer treatment period, such as 2-3 weeks or even longer, before experiencing significant therapeutic effects.
The main mechanisms of acupuncture in treating sciatica include pain relief, restoration of nerve function, regulation of local inflammatory responses, improvement of muscle spasms, and regulation of physical and mental states. By stimulating specific acupoints, acupuncture promotes blood circulation, alleviates nerve inflammation, and thus reduces the severity of nerve pain. Additionally, acupuncture can regulate the flow of blood and qi, increase blood supply, improve nerve nutrition, and promote the repair and regeneration of damaged nerves.
However, the effects of acupuncture treatment are not immediate and require patients to remain patient and undergo standardized treatment under the guidance of a physician.
