Sciatica Time

For many years we have noticed a significant uptick in the number of sciatica cases we see late in the summer so much so that we have called late summer 'sciatica time'.  Some years are worse than others and this year is near the top. This cannot be a coincidence. In Chinese Medicine we know that our environment greatly effects our bodies. And toward the end of any season the body has been weakened to some degree by the relentless onslaught of the dominant environment. In late summer the dominating environment is hot and damp. And this year has been especially damp. It is the dampness that seems primarily to cause this uptick in sciatica in people. How does this effect how we treat sciatica? In this season of the year sciatica cannot be treated as just a simple structural disc problem. The dampness and heat that the body is experiencing must also be addressed. This is done by adding acupuncture points, working on the diet, and maybe prescribing some chinese herbs to help.