5 benefits of dry needling for sciatic nerve pain

Sciatica can affect your ability to handle your responsibilities because the radiating pain can make it difficult to do simple tasks such as going up the stairs to your workplace or reaching for the top shelf in the grocery store. But needles may be the key to alleviating that pain.

Dry needling is a common physical therapy technique that can be used to help reduce back pain from a variety of causes, including sciatica. But how can dry needling benefit your sciatic nerve pain? That’s what we’re here to answer.

Read on to learn about the basics of dry needling and sciatica, as well as the benefits that you could gain from using the technique for your sciatica.

The basics of dry needling

Dry needling is a technique that involves thin, dry needles being inserted directly into the affected muscles to alleviate pain and help restore mobility from injury or medical condition symptoms. The muscles contract around the needle to release the tension.

It can help with a variety of conditions, such as:

• Headaches.
• Neck pain.
• Back pain.
• Tendinitis.
• Muscle spasms.
• Hip or knee pain.
• Muscle strains.
• Fibromyalgia.

Dry needling is often confused with acupuncture due to the use of needles, but there are notable differences to keep in mind. For instance, dry needling and acupuncture require different training programs for those who administer them. Another key difference is that dry needling uses stimulation in the muscle to reduce pain, while acupuncture stems from the channel theory. This theory utilizes the connections throughout the body to carry out natural healing.

The basics of sciatic nerve pain

Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the sciatic nerve, which starts in the lower back and runs down the back of each leg. Sciatica can range from a mild ache to a sharp pain.

Sciatica is common, affecting about 40% of the general population in their lifetime. It has an annual incidence rate of up to 5% as well as a lifetime incidence rate of up to 40%.

Sciatica occurs when you have a pinched nerve, often as the result of a herniated disc or bone spurs.

Along with lower back and/or leg pain, other sciatica symptoms can include:

• Muscle weakness.
• Numbness or loss of sensation.
• Difficulty walking.
• Weak reflexes.

5 benefits of using dry needling to help sciatic nerve pain

Dry needling can help sciatic nerve pain in the three main affected muscles. It can target the piriformis muscle, which is located above the sciatic nerve, as well as the gluteus minimus and gluteus medius, which are located on either side of the nerve.

The goal of dry needling for sciatica is to help with pain management as well as increase your range of motion.

Here are five benefits of using dry needling to help sciatica:

• Can provide immediate relief — One of the main reasons why dry needling is such a popular physical therapy technique is that most people feel immediate relief from the muscle tension that’s causing the pain. Depending on the severity of the cause of your sciatic nerve pain, the likelihood of long-term relief increases with repeated dry needling sessions.
• Decreases nerve compression — Sciatica usually stems from increased pressure on the nerves, resulting in compression. Dry needling can reduce the painful pressure on your sciatic nerve and/or vertebrae that may come from a herniated disc or bone spurs in your spine.
• Improves mobility — By alleviating the pressure on your sciatic nerve and vertebrae, you can increase your back and legs’ range of motion. Pain can inhibit your mobility, making it hard to do simple movements such as standing or walking with comfort. By increasing your mobility, dry needling allows you to move freely without feeling an ache or strain with each motion.
• Speeds up healing — Depending on the cause of your sciatica, such as an injury-related herniated disc, the healing process isn’t always fast and easy. But dry needling increases your blood circulation, which sends nutrients and oxygen to the area to promote healing and help you recover from the injury.
• Reduces need for medication and surgery — Many people believe that taking medication and/or going under the knife is the only option for relieving sciatic nerve pain. But dry needling can reduce the need for medication or surgery with a minimally invasive technique.

SSOR can showcase the benefits of dry needling for sciatica 

If sciatic nerve pain is affecting your ability to complete your day-to-day responsibilities, you should consider dry needling as a treatment technique. With benefits like immediate pain relief and increased mobility, it may be exactly what you’re looking for.

Contact us today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.