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Massage and Sciatica

massage and sciatic

Massage has been a key therapy in the treatment of sciatica for as long as sciatica has been a diagnosis. Although most commonly associated with the lower lumbar spinal nerves being compressed or irritated, in many cases, muscle imbalances are to blame for many who suffer from sciatica. For anyone who suffers from a mild or moderate case of sciatica, it can be very advantageous to seek a more natural approach to first address the root cause of why you are dealing with this in the first place.

Conventional medicine may just opt for a steroid injection or look straight to surgical intervention. Our Chiropractors can offer targeted chiropractic manipulation and spinal decompression treatment which helps to take the pressure off of the potentially irritated nerve roots and the massage therapists work with much of the secondary muscle tension and inflammation that often exacerbates the symptoms. Add in a few sciatica specific exercises and precautions and SUCCESS! You’ve just managed to treat the cause of your sciatica and not just the symptoms! Not only that but the original triggers or mediators have been addressed and you now have the beneficial exercises for reducing your chances for a re-occurrence.

One more common possibility for sciatica is a stubborn piriformis muscle. In some, the piriformis muscle can be tight which may directly place pressure on the sciatic nerve itself (piriformis syndrome). This is often corrected with massage therapy or acupuncture and some basic stretches and foam rolling techniques.