You Need To Consider Doing This If Your Sciatica Pain Is Not Improving With Acupuncture

Sciatica pain can feel like a relentless force, causing sharp, shooting sensations that radiate from your lower back down to your legs. The pain often starts unexpectedly and can intensify with every movement, making simple tasks—like sitting, standing, or walking—feel unbearable. For those who suffer from sciatica pain, it’s not just the physical discomfort that takes a toll, but the emotional strain of feeling trapped in a cycle of pain that never seems to end.

When the pain persists, it can interfere with work, relationships, and every part of life that brings joy. It can leave you feeling helpless, frustrated, and emotionally drained, as you seek relief that never seems to last.

Acupuncture: A Popular Approach to Treating Sciatica Pain

Acupuncture is a centuries-old practice in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that has been helping people find relief from sciatica pain for generations. By inserting fine needles at specific points on the body, acupuncture stimulates the flow of energy (qi) to restore balance, reduce inflammation, and promote healing. Many people with sciatica pain have found acupuncture to be an effective tool in managing their discomfort and regaining control over their lives.

However, while acupuncture can provide significant relief for some, there are times when it may not offer the long-term solution you need, especially if the root cause of your sciatica pain has not been properly diagnosed. Without addressing the underlying problem, treatments may only mask the pain temporarily, leaving you stuck in the cycle of discomfort.

Why Getting a Clear Diagnosis Is Crucial

Sciatica pain can be caused by various underlying issues. Here are five common causes:

  1. Herniated Disc – A ruptured disc in the spine can press on the sciatic nerve, causing sharp, radiating pain.
  2. Spinal Stenosis – Narrowing of the spinal canal puts pressure on the nerves, leading to pain, numbness, and weakness in the legs.
  3. Piriformis Syndrome – The piriformis muscle can irritate the sciatic nerve if it becomes tight or inflamed, causing discomfort in the lower back and legs.
  4. Degenerative Disc Disease – Over time, the spinal discs can lose their cushioning ability, leading to nerve compression and sciatica pain.
  5. Spondylolisthesis – One vertebra slipping over another can compress the sciatic nerve and cause intense pain.

In addition to these common causes, there are two less common but more serious causes of sciatica pain:

  1. Spinal Tumors – Tumors near the spine can put pressure on the sciatic nerve and cause severe, persistent pain.
  2. Infections – Infections in the spine or surrounding tissues can cause intense, debilitating pain that requires immediate attention.

The Need for Imaging to Get a Precise Diagnosis

It’s important to understand that sciatica pain cannot be fully addressed without knowing its precise cause. A physical examination alone cannot reveal the underlying issue, which is why imaging techniques such as X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans are essential. These imaging tools provide a detailed view of the spine, muscles, and nerves, allowing healthcare providers to accurately diagnose the source of your pain and create a treatment plan tailored to your needs.

The Pain Relief Clinic: Your Partner in Finding a Clear Diagnosis

At The Pain Relief Clinic, we understand how sciatica pain can disrupt your life, leaving you feeling helpless and in constant discomfort. With over a decade of experience, we take a comprehensive, non-invasive approach to diagnosing the root cause of your pain and providing targeted treatments that deliver lasting relief. If you’re suffering from sciatica pain and haven’t found a solution that works, we can arrange for affordable scans, typically within one working day.

Plus, Medisave can often be used to cover the cost of these scans, making the process more affordable.

We also help with insurance claims, including accident insurance, travel insurance, and company insurance, so you can access the care you need without the added financial burden.

Once we have a clear diagnosis, we can provide targeted treatments that address the root cause of your sciatica pain, helping you take back control of your life.

Ready to finally find relief? Send us a message today to arrange an appointment and begin your journey toward lasting relief from sciatica pain.

What To Expect When I Visit The Pain Relief Clinic

A typical visit will involve our doctor first understanding your medical history, concerns and previous experience with other pain treatments.

For patients who have consulted many people but have yet to receive a clear diagnosis, selecting an affordable imaging scan might be recommended to confirm the cause of your pain..

Some patients have already done scans with other doctors for their pain condition but are still not clearly told what they suffer from.

Dr Terence Tan is happy to offer you a second opinion and recommend how best to manage your condition.

We also see patients who already have a confirmed diagnosis from specialist pain doctors, but are "stuck” because treatment options offered are not practical or acceptable.

We can help by discussing options that you might have potentially never been told of.

A common experience is when a patient has already consulted a specialist doctor for pain management and is told to consider orthopaedic surgery which they find too aggressive.

Or they may have seen doctors for their pain and were prescribed painkillers with potential side effects which made them feel uncomfortable.

Many of our patients have also first tried complementary treatments or acupuncture with traditional Chinese pain doctors.

They look for a second opinion after finding any relief experienced from other treatments to be temporary or requiring repetitive treatments, which add up to time and cost.

Especially in such situations, we emphasize using non-invasive medical technology you likely have not been told about .

This can make a big difference to your results.