Can acupuncture help with sciatica?

Yes. Acupuncture addresses several mechanisms that maintain sciatic nerve irritation — including deep gluteal tension, paraspinal guarding, neurogenic inflammation, and central pain sensitization. Many patients notice meaningful improvement in radiating pain within the first several sessions.

How long does sciatica last?

Acute sciatica from disc herniation often improves substantially within 6–12 weeks with conservative care. Chronic or recurring sciatica may require more sustained treatment. Individual timelines vary significantly.

Will acupuncture be painful for sciatica?

Dr. Sohn uses a deliberately gentle technique for nerve conditions. Acupuncture for sciatica uses minimal stimulation — the goal is to calm the nervous system, not to provoke strong sensations. Most patients find sessions more comfortable than they expect.

Do I need an MRI before starting acupuncture for sciatica?

Not necessarily. Clinical assessment can guide treatment effectively in most cases. If you have existing imaging, Dr. Sohn reviews it and incorporates that information.

Can acupuncture help if surgery has been recommended for sciatica?

Many patients try acupuncture as a conservative option before considering surgery. For disc-related sciatica, conservative care often produces significant improvement — making it a reasonable first step unless there are urgent neurological symptoms.

Is sciatica permanent?

Most sciatica is not permanent. With appropriate care, the majority of patients experience meaningful improvement. Chronic cases take longer to resolve but still respond to treatment.

Kihyon Sohn Acupuncture · Beaverton, OR

Looking for IBS Acupuncture
Near Portland?
We’re Minutes Away.

Specialized digestive health care using Korean-style gentle acupuncture and individualized herbal medicine – serving the greater Portland metro area from our Beaverton clinic.

SW Portland · Tigard · Lake Oswego · Aloha · Cedar Hills · Hillsboro · Beaverton

Book a Consultation

A Digestive Specialist –
Not a General Acupuncture Clinic

Why Portland-area patients make the short drive to Beaverton

If you have been searching for acupuncture for IBS in the Portland area and want a practice that focuses specifically on digestive health, you have found the right place. Kihyon Sohn Acupuncture is located in Beaverton, Oregon – just minutes from SW Portland via OR-217.

There are many acupuncture clinics in Portland. Most treat a wide range of conditions – pain, fertility, anxiety, and digestion as one item on a long list. What makes our clinic different is focus. Digestive health is not one of many things we do. It is what we do.

“When your IBS has not improved with medications, dietary changes, or general acupuncture, a practice that specializes specifically in digestive disorders often produces different results – because the evaluation goes deeper and the treatment is more precisely targeted.”

Conditions We Treat

Many Portland-area patients come after months or years of symptoms that have not fully responded to conventional treatment

IBS-C Constipation-predominant IBS – restoring natural bowel rhythm without laxative dependency

IBS-D Diarrhea-predominant IBS – calming nervous system signals keeping your gut in overdrive

Chronic Bloating Addressing digestive weakness and stagnation behind persistent post-meal bloating

Chronic Constipation When fiber, probiotics, and laxatives are no longer producing results

Stress-Related Gut Issues When anxiety and tension are directly worsening your digestive symptoms

Normal Tests, Still Suffering When tests come back normal but symptoms persist and affect daily life

Our Approach

What makes Korean-style gentle acupuncture different for digestive conditions

Korean-Style Gentle Acupuncture

Dr. Kihyon Sohn uses a Korean-style acupuncture technique that is notably gentle – very fine needles with minimal stimulation. This approach is particularly well-suited to digestive conditions because the therapeutic goal is to calm and regulate the nervous system, not provoke a strong needle response.

Digestive disorders are closely tied to stress response and nervous system dysregulation. Aggressive stimulation works against this. Gentle, precise treatment works with it. Most patients find treatment deeply relaxing, even on the first visit.

Individualized Herbal Medicine

Alongside acupuncture, Dr. Sohn prescribes individualized traditional herbal medicine formulas for digestive conditions. Every formula is custom-made for your specific pattern. Two patients with IBS may have entirely different underlying patterns requiring different herbs.

This is fundamentally different from over-the-counter digestive supplements. The combination of acupuncture and individualized herbal medicine typically produces faster and more lasting results than either approach alone.

What to Expect at Your First Visit

Thorough, unhurried, and tailored to you

The initial consultation is thorough and unhurried. Dr. Sohn will ask detailed questions about your digestive symptoms – timing, triggers, bowel patterns, pain, fullness – as well as your sleep, energy, stress levels, and overall health history. He will check your pulse and tongue, which in traditional medicine provide detailed information about your digestive system’s current state.

From this evaluation, a treatment plan is developed specific to your situation. Most patients with chronic IBS or digestive conditions notice a meaningful shift within three to five sessions, with significant improvement over eight to twelve sessions.

Easily Accessible from Portland

10–15 minutes from SW Portland via OR-217

Our Beaverton Clinic

Address 10700 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy, Suite 357
Beaverton, OR 97005

Phone & Text (503) 404-4567

Hours Monday – Thursday, 8am – 6pm

From SW Portland 10–15 min via OR-217 South

On-site parking · Handicap accessible · Easy access from SW Portland, Tigard, Lake Oswego, and Aloha

Ready to Schedule?

Now accepting new patients from Portland and the surrounding area. Schedule a consultation today.

Book Your Appointment

Address 10700 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy, Suite 357, Beaverton OR 97005