How Massage Helps Sciatica

Sciatic nerve pain, more commonly referred to as sciatica, can range from mildly uncomfortable to seriously affecting how people walk and move. Massage to different parts of the body, especially the lower back, can help relieve the symptoms of sciatica, along with improve overall health.

Sciatica pain is caused with the sciatic nerve roots in your lower back become pinched or irritated. Because of the size and placement of the sciatic nerve, it can cause pain throughout the length of a person's leg. In some cases, the pain can be mild and disappear on its own within a few days or even hours, but more severe cases can inhibit a person's ability to walk.

Targeted Treatment

To help sciatic pain, massage therapists should massage the lower back. Massage therapy loosens these muscles to help prevent pinching or irritation. Massage on the leg itself may be helpful, but treating the lower back will provide much better results as that is the primary source of discomfort.

Massage elsewhere may help as well. Massage stimulates the nervous system, causing the body to release hormones and chemicals that can help relieve pain. This can help provide temporarily relief to some of the main symptoms of sciatic, such as a throbbing pain in your foot or the burning sensation down the leg.

Relieving Pain

Massage, in general, can help relieve types of pain like this. It can be an additional treatment for sciatica and can help improvement additional preventative measures such as stretch, exercise and weight loss.

While it is always best to visit a professional massage therapist, massage chairs can be a helpful alternative, especially for people that may work all day in an office and spend lots of time in a sitting position.

If you suffer from sciatica, consult your local massage therapist to see what treatments may be available for you.