Can Massage Therapy Help Relieve Sciatica Pain?
Sciatica is caused by a pinched sciatic nerve, which extends from your buttocks to your feet. This is very painful and can cause tingling, numbness, and/or tingling along with sudden and sharp pain. Some people may find it difficult to stand or walk because of the pain. Up to 40% of people are thought to experience sciatica at some point in their lives. Sciatica flare-ups may even happen to some unfortunate patients at some point in their lifetime. Due to the unpredictable nature of sciatica attacks, recurrent sciatica can also be a source of anxiety. The good news is that sciatica typically goes away on its own within a few hours. However, massage therapy has a number of advantages for people who have sciatica that comes back frequently or who need assistance managing the pain from a new case.
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica is the term used to describe pain along the sciatic nerve, which runs from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down each leg.
Sciatica usually only affects one side of the body, and its severity can range from mild to severe. Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the affected leg and foot are frequently present along with it.
Standing, walking, and even sitting can be challenging when you have sciatica, which can obstruct your daily activities. Massage might be a good option if you want to try something different from prescription painkillers. Although it won’t address the underlying cause of your sciatica, it might offer some brief pain relief.
How Massage Therapy Can Relieve Sciatica
The sciatic nerve roots may become compressed by tight lower back muscles, resulting in a painful flare-up. Massage therapy can loosen up those muscles and increase range of motion and flexibility. After that, you might be able to perform gentle stretches to add regular exercise to your therapy, which can help keep sciatica pain at bay. Because massage releases endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers produced when one is content and relaxed, massage also provides pain relief.
Manage Sciatica Pain with Massage
For those who experience sciatica pain frequently, massage therapy for the condition has many advantages. Let’s examine the reasons for this.
- Relieve lower back pain. First, lower back pain, a primary symptom of sciatica, can be successfully treated with massage therapy. According to a 2014 study published in the Scientific World Journal, deep tissue massage is just as effective as anti-inflammatory drugs for lower back pain. Massage therapy is a great and efficient option for sciatica patients who want an all-natural treatment.
- Relax tense muscles and relieve pressure on the nerves. Your sciatic nerve, among other nerves, can experience excessive pressure from tight, tense muscles. In contrast to other pain relief methods, massage therapy targets these muscles first to relieve pressure on your sciatic nerve. The underlying cause of sciatica may occasionally be addressed through this type of muscle relaxation, which also makes you feel great.
- To aid in recovery, increase blood circulation. Increasing blood flow to the painful area is another benefit of massage therapy. Because of the touch of massage, tissue temperature increases and allows the area to receive nutrient-rich blood to the injured area, according to a 2010 study published in Strength and Conditioning Journal. Your body can heal if your blood circulation is improved. (Note: Your diagnosis will determine whether you receive this benefit. Increasing blood flow won’t treat the underlying issue if your sciatica is due to a herniated disc.)
- broaden your range of motion and flexibility. Another symptom of sciatica that can be treated with massage therapy is the discomfort that comes with moving and walking. Your range of motion and flexibility may be improved by massage in general, which could make it easier for you to move around and recover more quickly.
- lessen your tension and stress. The emotional aspects of sciatica pain can also be helped by massage therapy, to sum it up. Patients with sciatica may feel less anxious and recover more quickly if they are calm. In this way, massage therapy can benefit your emotional well-being as well.
Why Choose Massage?
The most obvious justification for choosing massage over other treatments is that it does help to reduce pain without requiring surgery, which can keep you in bed for several weeks while you recover. The benefits of massage extend beyond improving your mood; it can also help you unwind and forget about your day. For those who do have sciatica and prefer a holistic approach to treatment over taking painkillers or choosing surgery, massage is an excellent alternative.
400 people who experienced lower back pain were the subjects of a study that was once carried out. Either a weekly massage or any other alternative healing method that the subjects felt was appropriate had to be tried. The options included everything from getting a massage to going to physical therapy or even taking medication. Additionally, they had the option of taking no action at all. Those who chose to receive massage therapy after ten weeks reported feeling better and having less pain. Over a third of massage clients reported that their pain was almost or entirely gone. However, only 4% of people who chose alternative treatment reported making such a progress. This demonstrates that, when compared to other forms of treatment, massage will greatly assist you in relieving sciatica pain.
Call a local LaVida Massage location right away to make an appointment with a licensed expert.
How Does Massage Help with Sciatica?
Massage therapy is a powerful method of pain relief. A 2014 study even discovered that deep tissue massage may be equally as effective as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for treating low back pain, which can be a symptom of sciatica.
Massage therapy has two benefits for sciatica. Soothing tense muscles is massage’s main advantage. Your sciatic nerve, among other nerves, may experience increased pressure if your muscles are tense. You could possibly relieve pressure on your sciatic nerve by massaging these tense muscles.
By encouraging the release of endorphins, soft tissue massage may also help you have a higher pain threshold. An elevated sense of well-being results from endorphins’ enhancement of pleasure and relief of pain.
Read More:How Often Should I Get A Massage
Types of Massage for Sciatica Pain
There are several different types of massage that can help relieve sciatica pain. Let’s consider the following in more depth:
Deep tissue massage. In order to relieve tension from your muscles and connective tissues, a deep tissue massage uses slow, firm strokes and deep finger pressure.
A 2014 clinical study found that treating low back pain, including sciatica, with five days a week, 30-minute deep tissue massage sessions over two weeks was effective.
Swedish massage. Swedish massages use therapeutic touch to relax muscles and tissues, just like deep tissue massages do. Swedish massage, on the other hand, uses a softer approach that concentrates more on specific areas and less on applying pressure to the body. A Swedish massage’s main goal is to relieve tension, which is perfect for people with sciatica since it helps to relax the muscles and reduce pain.
trigger point treatment Another massage technique that can help people with sciatica is trigger point therapy. Trigger point therapy involves applying pressure to the painful area and then releasing it. To relieve pain and address the underlying musculoskeletal issue, the therapist seeks to identify the precise location of the painful area and works to release it. In order to relieve the pressure and tension in the area, this technique targets the area with the pinched nerve, making it useful for people with sciatica.
neuromuscular massage To release contracted muscles and ease tension, neuromuscular massage uses cutting-edge massage techniques that combine deep tissue pressure and friction.
Myofascial release. A massage technique called myofascial release concentrates on the tenacious tissues that support your muscles, called myofascial tissues. In order to reduce pain and improve the healing of the underlying cause, a myofascial release massage identifies trigger points in these tissues and then works to release this tension. Depending on the trigger point on your sciatic nerve, myofascial release may be a good treatment for sciatic pain.
Hot stone massage. Exactly as it sounds, a hot stone massage is. While receiving a massage, the heat warms muscles. A hot stone massage may also be helpful for people who have sciatica.
How to Find a Massage Therapist
You should be aware that not all massage therapists are the same if you want to get treatment for sciatica. In your search for a therapist, try to find one who has experience treating sciatica and can relate to your situation. A good place to start is with your physician or the database of the American Massage Therapy Association.
Always speak with your doctor before beginning massage therapy. If this is a sensible course of action for your particular circumstance, they can let you know.
Conclusion
The majority of massage therapists are knowledgeable about how to treat sciatica. A sports massage therapist will know how to stretch and passively move your muscles through a series of movements if you’re looking for a specialty massage.
Make sure to ask your massage therapist to give you instructions on some stretches, exercises, and movements you can do at home to relieve your sciatica pain. Your massage therapist will be able to assist you more if they are informed of the precise symptoms you are experiencing.
