Use of Electroacupuncture for Treatment of Chronic Sciatic Pain

Introduction: Chronic sciatic pain is one of the most common complaints of patients referring to orthopaedic, neurosurgery, and physiatric clinics. In most cases, common treatment modalities may be employed. However, in many, the results are not be consistent. Electroacupuncture has been recommended as an appropriate alternative in such cases. Aim: To assess the effect of electroacupuncture on chronic refractory sciatic pain, we conducted a single-blind clinical trial comparing it to physiotherapy and a placebo. Material and methods: 119 randomly allocated subjects (59 males, 65 females) were chosen and classified in three treatment groups consisting of: Electroacupuncture (EA), physiotherapy (PT), and a placebo(SO). Pain intensity and related complications were assessed before and after the 5th, 10th and 15th treatment sessions using a visual analog scale. Results: The pain reduction percentage in the (EA), (PT), and (SO) groups were as follow: 62.1% ± 18.6%, 52.5% ± 17.5%, and 17.5% ± 12.7% (P<0.05) respectively. The contentment in the EA group was significantly higher than the other two groups (P<0.01). The complication reduction percentage in EA, PT, and SO groups were 89.3%, 51.8%, and 31.9%, respectively (P<0.05). EA was more effective than PT in ameliorating buttock pain, lower limb paresthesia, gastrosoleus muscle pain, lateral calf pain, cold feet, increased lordosis and gait disturbance (P<0.05). Conclusion: Electroacupuncture is a semi-invasive and effective method in controlling chronic sciatic pain and complications and may thus be used as a good treatment alternative in indicated cases.