A non-surgical process without any need for medications, naturally relieving back pain. Massage for sciatica already sounds the best option for sciatic nerve pain relief, doesn’t it?
According to the NCBI database, around 5 to 10% of people with low back pain have sciatica.
However, sciatica massage is one of the most beneficial treatments for sciatica pain. Massaging the trigger points, putting pressure, and applying oils, and creams are all helpful.
However, we recommend you ask your doctor and a professional sciatica massage therapist first. This is because sciatica nerve massage can get uncomfortable in certain conditions and make it all worse for you.
It’s better to be cautious than to suffer later!
How helpful is a massage for sciatica? Is massage good for sciatica? Or does it make things worse?
Let’s dig into the details.
What Does Sciatica Massage Do to Your Body?
Sciatica massage is a great option for anyone suffering from low back pain. There are many causes and risk factors of sciatica. However, it most commonly arises when the lumbar spine gets injured.
Other than that, Age is a major risk factor for sciatica nerve pain. Studies suggest that people between 45 to 64 years of age are at high risk for developing sciatica. But sciatica nerve massage can prove very effective in these patients.
Now the question arises, what exactly does massage for sciatica do to the body?
Well, sciatica massage does not treat the root cause of sciatica pain, however, it provides you with a momentary relief that one demands due to consistent sciatic pain.
Sciatica massage provides quick pain relief to the contracted muscles. Hence, helping resolve the major symptom of sciatica.
There are several other benefits of massage for sciatica. We’ll have a look at them in a moment. Let’s first enlighten you with the importance of choosing the best sciatica massage therapist.
Choosing Therapist for Sciatica Massage
Note: Massage for sciatica is not a child’s play. You may not know but there are increased chances for an inexperienced person to make mistakes during sciatic massage therapy.
You may have decided to opt for massage for sciatica nerve pain. But your job doesn’t just end here. In fact, it’s from where it begins!
Opting for sciatica nerve massage therapy and choosing a massager for sciatica both require you to do some homework first.
Even though massage sounds like an easy job, it’s not a skill that everyone acquires. That’s right!
Only a skilled person with expertise in sciatica nerve massage can help you in lowering down the sciatica pain.
Here is a checklist for you before you invest in a massager for sciatica. Make sure to go through it and then proceed further:
- Gender; whether you prefer a male or female therapist.
- Expertise; is probably the most important factor to consider. This is what you are paying for.
- Credentials; the second most important thing to consider in a massager for sciatica. We recommend you to know your therapist before calling him for an appointment.
- Schedule; do check the therapist’s availability and cross-check with your daily schedule.
- Offers and benefits
- Cost
Note: You can also ask your doctor or friends/family for resources and recommendations.
Techniques for Sciatica Massage Therapy
As we said, massage for sciatica is not an easy task. There are certain tips and tricks for sciatica massage treatment. And only an expert sciatica therapist knows to apply these tricks properly.
Let’s highlight the most popular sciatic nerve massage techniques and their benefits.
Deep Tissue Massage for Sciatica
Applying deep pressure or friction to remove any knots, adhesions, or anything that is disturbing the normal blood flow causing pain.
This type of sciatic massage therapy helps in increasing joint mobility and range of motion.
Note: People who have clots can not have deep tissue massage for sciatica nerve pain. This is because the clot can dismount from a place and lodge somewhere else resulting in further complications.
Swedish Massage
This type of sciatica massage includes kneading movements over the spine to help relieve sciatica.
A sciatica massage therapist expert in Swedish massage will apply light pressure that stimulates the nerve endings. This will then enhance the blood flow, releasing tension from the muscles and loosening them.
Hot Stone Massage
It is the same technique as Swedish massage. And it includes placing heated stones on the trigger points which relieve tension, hence, promoting muscle relaxation.
Myofascial Massage
In this type of sciatic massage therapy, the therapist targets the fascial layer that covers the muscles externally. Applying pressure on the trigger points reduces the stiffness and pain from nerves and muscles, in turn, relieving pain.
All of these sciatica massage techniques use either knuckle pressure, kneading movements, or palm and thumb techniques to relieve sciatica.
Note: These are not exactly the types of sciatica nerve massage but rather the techniques that your therapist will use for treating sciatica pain.
Sciatica Massage Tools and Equipment
As we all know that too much lying, standing, sitting can result in stiffness of muscles. Other than exercise and physical therapy, sciatica massage is an excellent option to relax these muscles.
Massage for sciatica provides increased blood flow to the muscles of the body which then results in better nutrition and oxygen supply. Thereby, warming them up and relaxing them.
We have discussed the massage techniques for sciatica that the experts use. However, there are a few sciatic nerve massage tools that can help in sciatica treatment at home.
All you have to do is invest in the right product, learn a few tips and tricks, and use them till your pain is gone!
Note: Take advice from your doctor first. And try these massagers for sciatica only if your condition isn’t severe and if your doctor allows.
- Tennis ball to pressurize the trigger points.
- Topical creams that relieve natural pain killers.
- Spinal roller; which rolls over the back releasing tension from muscles.
- Sciatica massage gun
- Knobble
- Body back buddy
- Kong dog toy
Other than these sciatica massage tools, stretches, exercises, walking, and cycling have shown amazing results in sciatica patients.
Moreover, a sciatic nerve massage machine can prove helpful in providing deep tissue massage with a professional-like massage treatment.
Benefits of Massage for Sciatica Nerve Pain
Note: The techniques of massage for sciatica nerve pain will only work if done the right way.
Whether you get benefitted from the massage for sciatica nerve pain or not, solely depends on the massage therapist you appoint. A single mistake can lead to multiple consequences making sciatica even worse.
Generally speaking, there are more benefits of massage for sciatica nerve pain relief than the cons. We have bulleted them down:
- Sciatica nerve massage relaxes muscles
- Enhances blood circulation
- Reduces stress upon the nerves and muscles
- Release endorphins that help reduce pain
- Speeds up the healing process
- Improves range of motion
It is important to note that sciatica massage does not magically relieve sciatica pain. Therefore, there are chances for sciatica pain to recur later in life. But for temporary sciatica nerve pain relief, massage therapy is a remarkable choice.
One important thing to achieve the full benefits of massage for sciatica is to know the trigger points and how to massage sciatica trigger points.
Let’s find out!
How to Massage Sciatica Trigger Points
What are the trigger points for sciatica?
Trigger points, as the name suggests, are the areas in the body that, if stimulated, release a few factors that result in pain and inflammation.
In the case of sciatica, the trigger points lie in the lower back, hips, thighs, and legs. And these trigger points are extremely painful in the active phase.
However, the Trigger point therapy is here to save the day! Also known as ‘Neuromuscular massage’.
How to massage sciatica trigger points?
Well, the technique that experts use is called the palm and thumb massage technique. It is kind of like the deep tissue massage for sciatica nerve pain but done firmly and steadily.
It helps relieve the contraction, once again releasing tension and relaxing the muscles.
Note: This type of sciatica nerve massage can be performed to alleviate sciatica symptoms at home. But it’s better to get it done by an expert.
Is Massage Good for Sciatica?
Now one must wonder, is massage good for sciatica? And if it is, then on a scale of 1 to 10, how much benefit does it provide?
Well, it depends on personal preference and the patient’s condition. In some cases, massage therapy for sciatica can worsen the symptoms. Whereas some patients might give it a solid 10.
Sciatica nerve massage has proven its efficacy in many patients. In fact, some might call sciatica the villain, and massage – the ultimate savior!
However, sciatica pain treatment provides temporary pain relief yet its effectiveness goes a long way.
But how does massage for sciatica help us anyway?
Well, it releases natural painkillers from the body and improves blood circulation. Next, it delivers the painkillers to the affected area, provides nutrition to the exhausted muscles which, in turn, soothes the pain.
Note: Massage for sciatica nerve pain is indeed a relaxing experience unless you don’t feel any discomfort or additional pain.
FAQs
There is a slight possibility that sciatic massage therapy makes the pain worse. Reason? An inexperienced sciatica massage therapist. This is why it’s important to do your research before appointing one.
Plus, people with clots may get more pain rather than relief. And you may experience worsening of the symptoms if massage is done too aggressively.
All the massage techniques for sciatica work great if done the right way. So, which one will work best for you comes down to individual preference.
Conclusion
To sum it up, we can say that sciatica and massage are excellent duos as long as you don’t feel any discomfort.
But for all of it to work, you have to improve your posture, bring change in your lifestyle, and follow these therapeutic measures by heart.
Sciatica massage will surely do you wonders. Don’t just sit there holding your back wondering if it’s ever going to get better. Make efforts. Appoint a therapist. Ease down the pain! Hopefully, you know a lot about sciatica and massage by now. In short, to answer your question ‘is massage good for sciatica?’ we would say, it sure is!