Massage for Sciatica: What Actually Helps

If you've had sciatica, you know it's not like other back pain. It starts in your low back or your hip and shoots down the back of your leg. Sometimes it burns. Sometimes it tingles. Sometimes it makes it hard to sit through a movie or a long drive.

Sciatica is one of the most common things I see in my massage room in Auburn. After 25 years of doing this work, here's what I've learned about what massage can do for it, and what it can't.

What is sciatica?

Your sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body. It starts in your low back, runs through your hip and buttock, and travels down the back of each leg.

"Sciatica" just means that nerve is being irritated or squeezed somewhere along the way. That's why the pain doesn't stay in one spot. It follows the nerve.

What causes it?

There are a few common causes:

• A disc problem in the low back. A bulging or herniated disc can press on the nerve where it leaves the spine.
• Narrowing in the spine. This is more common as we get older.
• Tight muscles in the hip and buttock. One small muscle deep in the hip, called the piriformis, sits right on top of the sciatic nerve. When it gets tight, it can squeeze the nerve and cause pain that feels just like sciatica.

Often it's a mix. Even when a disc is part of the problem, the muscles around it tend to tighten up to protect the area. That tightness adds to the pain.

How massage can help

Massage works on the muscles. So it helps most when tight muscles are part of the problem, which they very often are.

In a session for sciatica, I focus on:

• The glutes and the piriformis. Releasing these deep hip muscles can take pressure off the nerve.
• The low back. Tight back muscles pull on everything around them.
• The hamstrings and hips. When these are tight, they change how you stand and walk, which can keep the irritation going.
• Gentle assisted stretching. Moving the hip and leg while the muscles are relaxed helps them stay loose after you leave.

Most people feel some relief after the first session. For pain that's been around a while, it usually takes a few sessions close together to really make a difference.

What massage can't do

I want to be honest with you. Massage can't fix a herniated disc or reshape your spine. If a disc is the main cause, massage can still ease the muscle tension and help you feel better, but it works best alongside care from your doctor, chiropractor or physical therapist.

See a doctor right away if you have:

• Numbness in your groin or inner thighs
• Trouble controlling your bladder or bowels
• Weakness in your leg, like your foot dragging or your leg giving out
• Sciatica that started after a fall or accident
• Pain with a fever

These can be signs of something more serious that needs medical care first.

What to expect at your appointment

When you come in, we'll start by talking about where your pain is, when it started, and what makes it better or worse. Then I'll work on the areas that are feeding the problem, not just the spot that hurts.

For sciatica, I usually recommend a 90-minute deep tissue massage. It gives me enough time to work the low back, hips, glutes and legs without rushing. Pressure is always up to you. Deep doesn't have to mean painful.

All my clients also get complimentary add-ons like hot stones, cupping and Biofreeze when they help.

Simple things you can do at home

Between sessions, a few small habits help:

• Get up and move every 30 minutes if you sit a lot.
• Don't sit on your wallet. It tilts your hips and presses right on that piriformis muscle.
• Use heat on tight muscles in the hip and low back.
• Try a gentle figure-4 stretch. Lie on your back, cross one ankle over the opposite knee, and gently pull the bottom leg toward you. Stop if it increases the leg pain.

Living with sciatica in Auburn?

You don't have to just push through it. If you're in Auburn, Grass Valley, Lincoln, Loomis, Newcastle, Colfax or Meadow Vista, come see me at 938 Lincoln Way, Suite 4.

Book your massage online, or see all my services and pricing.

This post is for general information and isn't medical advice. If your pain is severe or getting worse, please check with your doctor.