Research Progress on the Mechanism of Acupuncture Treatment for Sciatica

Authors

  • Hanbo Xu Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, Shaanxi, China
  • Wan Wei Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, Shaanxi, China
  • Tong Ke Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, Shaanxi, China
  • Jiming Jin Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, Shaanxi, China
  • Xintong Wu Shaanxi Nuclear Industry 215 Hospital, Xianyang 712000, Shaanxi, China
  • Chao Lu Honghui Hospital Affiliated to Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710054, Shaanxi, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53469/jcmp.2025.07(02).24

Keywords:

Acupuncture, Sciatica, Chronic compressive sciatica (CCI), Neuropathic pain, Mechanism research

Abstract

Sciatic neuralgia, a prevalent neuropathic pain condition, has been the focus of numerous clinical studies. Current treatment methods for sciatica encompass acupuncture, catgut embedding at acupoint, physical therapy and surgery. Among these, acupuncture therapy has demonstrated notable therapeutic efficacy, not only in alleviating pain symptoms but also in effectively managing the progression of the disease. Notably, acupuncture therapy exhibits a low recurrence rate and is characterised by a high degree of safety. The aim of this paper is to review the research literature on the mechanism of acupuncture in treating neuropathic pain at home and abroad in recent years, and to summarise its mechanism from the perspectives of the spinal cord, centre and periphery, in order to provide a theoretical basis for clinical acupuncture treatment of sciatica.

References

Wang, Y., et al., Sciatic nerve injury treated by acupuncture: a bibliometric study and visualization analysis. Front Neurol, 2024. 15: p. 1432249.

Chen, J., et al., Clinical Efficacy of Tuina Therapy for Acute Lumbar Sprain: A Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis Based on Randomized Controlled Trials. J Pain Res, 2024. 17: p. 4365-4375.

Price, M.R., et al., Medication recommendations for treatment of lumbosacral radiculopathy: A systematic review of clinical practice guidelines. PM R, 2024. 16(10): p. 1128-1142.

Samejima, S., et al., Mapping the Iceberg of Autonomic Recovery: Mechanistic Underpinnings of Neuromodulation following Spinal Cord Injury. Neuroscientist, 2024. 30(3): p. 378-389.

Mili, B. and O.P. Choudhary, Advancements and mechanisms of stem cell-based therapies for spinal cord injury in animals. Int J Surg, 2024. 110(10): p. 6182-6197.

Charlton, T., et al., Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has direct anti-inflammatory effects on microglia. Front Cell Neurosci, 2023. 17: p. 1188672.

Zheng, Y., et al., T cell interactions with microglia in immune-inflammatory processes of ischemic stroke. Neural Regen Res, 2025. 20(5): p. 1277-1292.

Huo, M., et al., The role of purinergic signaling in acupuncture-mediated relief of neuropathic and inflammatory pain. Purinergic Signal, 2024.

Kuffler, D.P., Mechanisms for Reducing Neuropathic Pain. Mol Neurobiol, 2020. 57(1): p. 67-87.

Dugan, E.A., S. Jergova and J. Sagen, Mutually beneficial effects of intensive exercise and GABAergic neural progenitor cell transplants in reducing neuropathic pain and spinal pathology in rats with spinal cord injury. Exp Neurol, 2020. 327: p. 113208.

Gilabert, D., et al., Microglial P2X4 receptors are essential for spinal neurons hyperexcitability and tactile allodynia in male and female neuropathic mice. iScience, 2023. 26(11): p. 108110.

Chen, X.M., et al., Electroacupuncture inhibits excessive interferon-γ evoked up-regulation of P2X4 receptor in spinal microglia in a CCI rat model for neuropathic pain. British Journal of Anaesthesia, 2015. 114(1): p. 150-157.

Wei, T. and C. Hsieh, Effect of Acupuncture on the p38 Signaling Pathway in Several Nervous System Diseases: A Systematic Review. Int J Mol Sci, 2020. 21(13).

Lai, H., Q. Chang and C. Hsieh, Signal Transduction Pathways of Acupuncture for Treating Some Nervous System Diseases. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2019. 2019: p. 2909632.

Allison, D.J., et al., The effect of neuropathic pain treatments on pain interference following spinal cord injury: A systematic review. J Spinal Cord Med, 2024. 47(4): p. 465-476.

Zhuo, M., Neural Mechanisms Underlying Anxiety-Chronic Pain Interactions. Trends Neurosci, 2016. 39(3): p. 136-145.

Porreca, F. and E. Navratilova, Reward, motivation, and emotion of pain and its relief. Pain, 2017. 158 Suppl 1(Suppl 1): p. S43-S49.

Huang, C., et al., Electroacupuncture Relieves CCI-Induced Neuropathic Pain Involving Excitatory and Inhibitory Neurotransmitters. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2019. 2019: p. 6784735.

Goldman, N., et al., Adenosine A1 receptors mediate local anti-nociceptive effects of acupuncture. Nat Neurosci, 2010. 13(7): p. 883-8.

Vieira, J.S., et al., Analgesic Effects Elicited by Neuroactive Mediators Injected into the ST 36 Acupuncture Point on Inflammatory and Neuropathic Pain in Mice. J Acupunct Meridian Stud, 2018. 11(5): p. 280-289.

Downloads

Published

2025-02-28

How to Cite

Xu, H., Wei, W., Ke, T., Jin, J., Wu, X., & Lu, C. (2025). Research Progress on the Mechanism of Acupuncture Treatment for Sciatica. Journal of Contemporary Medical Practice, 7(2), 125–127. https://doi.org/10.53469/jcmp.2025.07(02).24

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 2 (2025): JCMP-Volume 7 Issue 2

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Hanbo Xu, Wan Wei, Tong Ke, Jiming Jin, Xintong Wu, Chao Lu

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.