The sciatic nerve is commonly subject to irritation in two places: first, at the roots of nerves exiting the spine in the lower back before they bundle together to form the sciatic nerve, and second, in the hip region where the sciatic nerve passes through a key structural balance point. Whether the inflammation results from deep spinal structures in the lower back pinching the nerve roots, or from deep rotator muscles of the hip (most frequently the piriformis) squeezing the nerve itself, symptoms may arise all down the length of the nerve pathway, from hip to foot.
Acupuncture is effective in the treatment of this common disorder by releasing the structural restriction in the form of tight muscular patterns and reducing inflammatory agents in your system.