Do you get pain near the hips, buttocks, or legs? Try to find out if it is sciatica. You don’t have to consider only medications, steroid injections, or go ahead with the surgery.
There is an alternative method to treat sciatica nonsurgically, and that’s none other than PEMF therapy.
Before seeing how PEMF helps in managing sciatica, let us first try to understand the causes and symptoms of sciatica.
What is sciatica?
Sciatica is connected with pain around the lower back which includes hips, buttocks, and legs. They form the sciatic nerves which affect only one side of your body. This sciatic nerve is of the size of a small finger, but it is the largest nerve in the human body.
Spinal stenosis is the root cause for the occurring of sciatica. This spinal stenosis involves the bone spurs on the spine or the narrowing of the spine that compresses the nerve part. Hence, this condition further leads to numbness of the leg, inflammation, and pain in the affected region.
Most people who suffer from severe sciatica associate this condition with the substantial weakening of the leg or changes in the bladder which might have taken place during surgery. The cause and severity of this sciatica condition could only decide the management of sciatica pain.
What causes sciatica?
The major cause of sciatica is the irritation that happens in the sciatic nerve. In general, sciatica is not connected with any specific injury. The sensation of pain is felt only when heavy things are lifted or when there is some spontaneous movement in the body.
The various other factors that bring about sciatica pain are as follows-
A slipped disc or you can say a herniated disc. This disc forms a cushion in the middle of the lower back of the bone. They also perform as shock absorbers when an individual moves, bends or lifts something. The pressure is felt on the sciatic nerve when the outer edge of the disc breaks.
Due to the aging factor, there will be an overgrowth of the bone which will further lead to pressure on the sciatic nerve. Most of the people who suffer from spinal stenosis will have sciatica on both sides of the back.
Spondylolisthesis – This is a condition in which the backbone gets slipped forward or backward or over one another, which leads to extra pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Stretching of the sciatic nerve
Piriformis syndrome gets developed due to the trapping of the sciatic nerve in the piriformis muscle present in the buttock.
The fragile nature of the bone or loss of tissue leads to nerve fracture. This is also called osteoporosis.
Pregnancy
What are the symptoms of sciatica?
Following are the signs and symptoms of sciatica:
Constant pain in the hip and the lower back
Shooting up of back pain and leg pain during movements
Prickling sensation
Numbness and weakness in the leg
Struggling while walking
Continuous pain on one side of the back
Unable to stand up or to do any other movement due to shooting pain
What are the conventional treatments available for sciatica?
These are the following methods recommended by the doctors to treat sciatica:
Medications include anti-seizure medications, muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatory, narcotics, and tricyclic antidepressant drugs to get rid of sciatic pain.
Physical therapy is recommended to strengthen the power of the muscles, correct the posture, and improve the flexibility as well as movements
Corticosteroid injections are prescribed to decrease the pain by overpowering the inflammation around an irritated nerve.
Surgery comprises the removal of a portion of a herniated disk or bone spur associated with the pressing on the pinched nerve.
How does PEMF help in managing sciatica?
All the above conventional treatments could offer only temporary relief from the symptoms. This is where PEMF treatment stands out.
PEMF (Pulsed ElectroMagnetic Fields) therapy, unlike other treatments, repairs the cause of sciatica problem instead of only the symptoms. Although PEMF therapy is not an effective cure for sciatica pain, it could surely provide long-term relief from symptoms without any side effects. It is a natural, drug-free, steroid-free, and surgery-free treatment.
The nerve cell consists of positive and negative electric charges in our body. Hence, by using an earth-based pulsated electromagnetic frequency, the nerve cells can be stimulated and made to respond right away.
Just apply the PEMF device on the sciatic nerve spot, adjust the intensity and frequency and switch the machine on to deliver PEMF waves. These waves could recharge the sciatic nerve spot at the cellular level and induces the body’s natural repairing mechanism to heal naturally on its own.
Is there any research evidence to support the effect of PEMF therapy on sciatica pain?
Yes.
Study 1
A 2017 study reported that PEMF improved the recovery of sciatic nerve function. Hence, for the repair of the sciatic nerve PEMF has proved to be an effective, safe, and tolerable treatment.
This study was performed on 30 male white rats which were randomly allocated into three groups having 10 each.
Group A includes a normal group with any treatment. Group B includes rats whose left sciatic nerve was only grafted. Group C includes rats whose left sciatic nerve was grafted and exposed to PEMF therapy at the intensity of 0.3 mT and the frequency of 2 Hz for four hours per day. This PEMF therapy was continued for 5 days.
Before and after PEMF therapy, sciatic nerve functional study, behavioral testing, and gastrocnemius muscle mass were examined which showed quick axon regeneration in the PEMF group compared to the other two groups.
Thus, it is proved that the exposure of the whole body to PEMF therapy could improve morphometric indices and functional recovery of the sciatic nerve. Hence, PEMF treatment is considered a safe, effective, and tolerable treatment against sciatica nerve pain.
Study 2
A 2014 research study published in the International Journal of Surgery (London, England) reported that PEMF could accelerate functional recovery of the sciatic nerve.
This study was performed on 60 male white rats which were randomly allocated into four groups having 15 each.
Group A includes a normal group with any treatment. Group B includes rats whose left sciatic nerve was only transected (TC). Group C includes rats where the left sciatic nerve was bridged with chitosan conduit filled with phosphate-buffered saline.
Group D includes rats whose left sciatic nerve was chitosan grafted and exposed to PEMF therapy at the intensity of 0.3 mT and the frequency of 2 Hz for four hours per day. This PEMF therapy was continued for 5 days.
Before and after PEMF therapy, sciatic nerve functional study, electrophysiological testing, morphometric indices, behavioral testing, biomechanical testing, functional testing, and gastrocnemius muscle mass were examined 4, 8, and 12 weeks after undergoing the procedure. Rats exposed to PEMF therapy showed quicker recovery of regenerated axons compared to the other three groups.
Thus, it is proved that the exposure of the whole body to PEMF therapy could improve morphometric indices and functional recovery of the sciatic nerve. Hence, PEMF treatment combined with chitosan grafting is considered as the safe, effective, and tolerable treatment against sciatica nerve pain.
Other studies
A 2021 study published in the Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine journal revealed that regeneration of the injured sciatic nerve can be accelerated by low-frequency PEMF as it works very well for a shorter period of application time.
A 2006 study published in the Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine journal reported that the long-term exposure to PEMF therapy on a periodic basis could promote both morphological and electrophysiological properties of the injured sciatic nerve, which helps in getting relief from sciatica pain.
The Final Takeaway
When the positive effect of PEMF on sciatica is supported by strong scientific evidence, then why not try PEMF treatment? However, it is an FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved treatment used by even NASA scientists as well.
Furthermore, PEMF therapy is a one size fits all treatment that can be used to treat not only sciatica pain but also multiple conditions. To know the list of conditions, go through our website.
Buying just one PEMF instrument can help you and your loved ones in your family. For undergoing PEMF treatment, you need not have to visit the chiropractor or physiotherapy clinic every time. You can buy a PEMF device for your own personal use.
The sciatic pain can be improved in a painless way with PEMF therapy.
Visit our site to get one for your family at an affordable price. Are you finding it difficult to choose the best one? Reach out to us and we’ll help in choosing the best one according to your personalized concerns.
References
Minoo S, Payman T, Rahim M. Effects of Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields on Peripheral Nerve Regeneration Using Allografts in Sciatic Nerve: An Animal Model Study. Biomed J Sci & Tech Res 1(6)- 2017. BJSTR. MS.ID.000509. DOI : 10.26717/BJSTR.2017.01.000509 (Link)
Mohammadi R, Faraji D, Alemi H, Mokarizadeh A. Pulsed electromagnetic fields accelerate functional recovery of transected sciatic nerve bridged by chitosan conduit: an animal model study. Int J Surg. 2014; 12(12):1278-1285. doi:10.1016/j.ijsu.2014.11.004 (Link)
Bademoğlu G, Erdal N, Uzun C, Taşdelen B. The effects of pulsed electromagnetic field on experimentally induced sciatic nerve injury in rats. Electromagn Biol Med. 2021; 40(3):408-419. doi:10.1080/15368378.2021.1907403 (Link)
Mert T, Gunay I, Gocmen C, Kaya M, Polat S. Regenerative effects of pulsed magnetic field on injured peripheral nerves. Altern Ther Health Med. 2006; 12(5):42-49 (Link)