“After Years of Sciatic Nerve Pain, the Pain Disappeared Immediately After Practicing EFT”

Mr. Pham Quoc Manh, Deputy General Director of Phu Thai Group, shared that he had suffered from chronic sciatica for many years. Before attending the course, he had used various treatment methods and many expensive imported medications, but the pain persisted. On the very first day of class, he was still in pain, had to use topical medication, and could not sit up straight; he had to sit leaning to one side because the pain radiated from his spine down to the soles of both feet, causing prolonged discomfort and directly affecting his sleep.

Sciatica typically occurs when the sciatic nerve, running from the lower back down the leg, is irritated or compressed; symptoms often affect the buttock, the back of one leg, the foot, or toes, and may present as sharp pain, burning, numbness, tingling, or muscle weakness. The NHS notes that a herniated disc is the most common cause of sciatica, along with spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, or back injury. (nhs.uk) [https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sciatica/]

Progression during the class

According to Mr. Manh's account, after the theoretical section, the class moved on to practicing the EFT method. After just one or two rounds of group practice, the pain that had persisted for many years "naturally disappeared." He said that from that day onward, the sciatic pain that had tormented him for so long did not recur as before, and he considered this method of prevention and self-support for health to be "wonderful and unique."

This story should be understood as a personal experience report: the learner directly perceived a rapid change after practicing mind-body regulation techniques. That experience has inspirational value and suggests possible mechanisms, but it does not replace medical diagnosis, controlled clinical research, or guarantee that all cases of sciatica will respond similarly.

Why can sciatica be so uncomfortable?

Sciatica is not just back pain. When the sciatic nerve is irritated, the pain can radiate along the path of the nerve, from the lower back down to the buttock, the back of the thigh, the calf, the sole of the foot, or the toes. Patients may experience increased pain when sitting for long periods, bending, coughing, sneezing, or moving with incorrect posture. The NHS recommends that people with sciatica maintain normal activities as much as they are able, perform appropriate exercises, move gently as soon as possible, and avoid prolonged bed rest or sitting, as prolonged immobility can slow recovery. (nhs.uk) [https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sciatica/]

For Mr. Manh, the inability to sit up straight indicates that the pain not only caused local discomfort but had already altered the body's protective posture. When pain persists, patients often unconsciously lean to one side, tense their muscles, limit movement, and avoid positions that might trigger pain. This protective response sometimes causes the body to become more tense, the nervous system more vigilant, and the pain loop to continue.

Chronic pain from a neuroscience perspective

Modern medicine views chronic pain as a multifactorial phenomenon, not merely due to local tissue damage. Pain signals are influenced by peripheral nerves, the spinal cord, the brain, emotions, sleep, stress, pain memory, beliefs about the body, and the level of safety the patient perceives. The CDC reported that in 2023, 24.3% of U.S. adults experienced chronic pain in the past three months, and 8.5% had chronic pain that frequently limited life or work activities; chronic pain is associated with reduced quality of life, anxiety, depression, and high healthcare needs. (CDC) [https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7324a1.htm]

In chronic sciatica, there may be two layers of issues. The first layer involves mechanical or neural factors, such as disc herniation, nerve root irritation, posture, inflammation, or muscle spasm. The second layer involves the nervous system's response to pain: fear, muscle tension, insomnia, excessive attention to the painful area, movement avoidance, and the expectation that the pain will return. Mind-body methods such as deep relaxation, self-hypnosis, EFT, or attention-regulation techniques primarily target this second layer; when the neural response calms down, pain perception may decrease significantly in some individuals.

How can EFT be understood?

EFT – Emotional Freedom Techniques is often described as a method combining focusing on an issue causing discomfort, naming the emotion or body sensation, using a setup phrase, and gently tapping on certain points on the body. In a cautious scientific interpretation, one need not assert an "energy" mechanism in a biologically unproven sense; EFT can be seen as an intervention combining multiple psychological and neural components: directed attention, naming emotions, mild exposure to uncomfortable sensations, rhythmic tapping, verbal self-soothing, positive expectation, and the presence of a safe group environment.

These components may reduce the stress response, calm the sympathetic nervous system, lower the level of threat the brain assigns to pain sensations, and help the learner shift from being "controlled by the pain" to "observing and regulating the pain." This understanding aligns with the modern model of pain: pain is not merely a signal from tissue but also the result of the brain's interpretation of how dangerous that signal is.

The role of relaxation, self-hypnosis, and the rest response

In the "Igniting a New Vitality" course, EFT is typically not used in isolation but as part of a broader system of practice including deep relaxation, self-hypnosis, positive suggestion, and emotion regulation. NCCIH, part of the NIH, defines relaxation techniques as practices that help produce the body's "relaxation response," characterized by slower breathing, lower blood pressure, and reduced heart rate; techniques listed include progressive muscle relaxation, autogenic training, guided imagery, biofeedback, self-hypnosis, and breathing exercises. (NCCIH) [https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/relaxation-techniques-what-you-need-to-know]

Hypnotherapy has also been studied in many contexts, including pain management. NCCIH notes there is a growing body of evidence that hypnosis may support the management of certain pain conditions, although responses vary by individual and pain type. (NCCIH) [https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/hypnosis]

In Mr. Manh's case, practicing EFT in class may have combined multiple factors simultaneously: theoretical explanation, expert guidance, group practice, focusing on the pain sensation, stress reduction, shifting expectations, bringing the body into a relaxed state, and reducing protective responses. When these factors converge, some people may perceive very rapid changes.

Why can pain decrease so quickly?

A pain that has persisted for many years does not necessarily reflect only the current level of tissue damage. In many cases, pain is maintained by muscle tension reflexes, nervous system sensitization, fear of movement, insomnia, and the stress loop. If a significant portion of the pain is being maintained by muscle tension and neural vigilance, shifting the body into a state of deep relaxation may rapidly reduce pain.

This does not mean that mechanical causes, such as a herniated disc or nerve root compression, automatically disappear after one practice session. A safer scientific interpretation is: pain perception, muscle tone, protective posture, and nervous system sensitivity can change quickly, while structural factors, if present, still require medical evaluation and monitoring.

The significance of Mr. Pham Quoc Manh's case

This case is significant at three levels. At the personal level, Mr. Manh experienced a clear change after practicing EFT, from having to sit leaning to one side due to pain radiating to his feet, to feeling that the pain had disappeared. At the health education level, the story shows that chronic patients can learn self-regulation skills, rather than being passively dependent on medication or external interventions. At the applied science level, this case suggests that mind-body methods may have a supportive role in pain management, especially when pain is accompanied by stress, insomnia, muscle tension, and fear responses.

However, a single personal testimony cannot prove universal effectiveness. To determine the efficacy of EFT for sciatica, controlled clinical trials with standardized pain scales, functional mobility assessments, recurrence follow-up, and comparisons with physical therapy, usual care, and other relaxation methods would be needed.

Excerpt from Mr. Pham Quoc Manh's reflection

"I suffered from sciatica for many years and tried many treatment methods and many expensive imported medications, but still could not recover."

"On the very first day of class, I was still in pain and had to use topical medication; even so, I still had to sit leaning to one side because I could not sit up straight."

"I always had pain from my spine down to the soles of both feet, very uncomfortable, and because of this I had great difficulty sleeping."

"After just one or two times of practicing together with the whole class, the pain that I had for so long naturally disappeared."

"I must acknowledge that these methods of prevention and self-healing are truly wonderful and extremely unique."

Medical and safety note

Sciatica requires medical evaluation if the pain does not improve after a few weeks of self-care, worsens, or interferes with normal activities. The NHS advises seeking emergency care if sciatica occurs on both sides, there is severe weakness or numbness in both legs, numbness in the genital/anal area, difficulty urinating, urinary retention, or loss of bladder or bowel control, as these may be signs of a serious spinal problem requiring urgent intervention. (nhs.uk) [https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sciatica/]

EFT, self-hypnosis, deep relaxation, and positive suggestion should be understood as mind-body supportive methods that may help some people reduce stress, reduce pain perception, and increase self-regulation ability. These methods do not replace diagnostic imaging, neurological examination, medication, physical therapy, pain injections, surgery, or specialist treatment when indicated.

Related course: Haruva – Igniting a New Vitality

Methods: EFT, self-hypnosis, deep relaxation, emotion regulation, pain perception support

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References

- NHS. Sciatica. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sciatica/

- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Chronic Pain Among US Adults, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7324a1.htm

- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Relaxation Techniques: What You Need To Know. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/relaxation-techniques-what-you-need-to-know

- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Hypnosis. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/hypnosis

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