Sciatica or Back Pain:
How Massage Can Help
Are you experiencing pain in your lower back, hips, buttocks, or legs? You might be suffering from a common condition known as sciatica.
Sciatica or
Back Pain:
How Massage
Can Help
Are you experiencing pain in your lower back, hips, buttocks, or legs? You might be suffering from a common condition known as sciatica.
What is Sciatica?
Healthcare professionals use the term sciatica to describe mild to severe nerve pain that occurs anywhere along your two sciatic nerves, which branch off from the spine and extend down through your hip, buttock, and leg on each side. Pain can result from injury, normal wear and tear, or other health conditions like osteoarthritis when the sciatic nerves become irritated or compressed.
If You’re Suffering From Lower Back Pain Or A Sciatica Flare-Up, Massage Can Provide Relief Without A Prescription
Treating sciatica usually focuses on decreasing pain and inflammation and increasing mobility. Massage therapy can be a very safe and effective treatment option for sciatica and back pain, regardless of the cause.
Get relief from your sciatica and back pain with massage therapy
How Does Massage Help?
During a professional massage, a therapist will knead, stroke, and/or apply pressure to affected muscles, joints, nerves, and deep tissues (depending on the type of massage).
When it comes to sciatica, massage specifically helps relieve pain by:
- Relaxing muscle tightness. Tight muscles can put pressure on the sciatic nerves in your lower back or create knots that become trigger points for pain. Massage releases tensions in the muscles, warms up muscle tissue, lengthens muscles, and breaks up muscle knots.
- Increasing blood flow. Injured areas of the body need blood to bring nutrients and oxygen to that area to promote healing. Increased blood flow can also reduce inflammation and improve range of motion and mobility.
- Reducing stress. When we are in pain, our cortisol levels rise, which can interfere with the healing process and increase muscle tightness. Massage releases endorphins and reduces cortisol, resulting in relaxation and pain relief.
Types of Massage
Different types of massage therapy available to address a variety of health conditions include:
- Swedish massage
- Deep tissue massage
- Medical massage
- Reflexology
Get help with your sciatica and back pain by scheduling a session with a professional massage therapist today.