Massage For Sciatica

Massage for sciatica can be very beneficial.

Sciatica is inflammation of the sciatic nerve. It is a very painful condition that makes it difficult to walk or sit. A very good friend of mine has this condition and I have been able to help him each time he calls.

The client has a dull pain and a lot of tenderness in the buttocks. This can be on one side or both. Sharp pains shoot down the leg into the foot. A lot of times there is numbness or tingling with sensations of burning or cold shooting down the leg as well.

Leg movement is limited with a wobbly feeling of one's knees being made of rubber.

Sciatica may be caused by a compressed nerve from bone or cartilage. Another cause is entrapment of the sciatic nerve by muscle or other soft tissues.

It is rarely caused by entrapment by the muscle piriformis. Fifteen to twenty percent of the general population have piriformis syndrome where the sciatic nerve runs through the belly of the piriformis muscle instead of running under the muscle.

This condition can be brought on by an injury, overuse, and even emotional stress. Stress may also cause the muscles to tighten which makes the pain worse.

If it is brought on by an injury, normal activities of daily living can aggravate the injury, making it more difficult to heal.

If the person has disk problems, it can also be caused by muscular imbalance.

Massage for sciatica is indicated in most cases. The recommended massage techniques are ischemic compression, cross-fiber friction, and myofascial release to the quadratus lumborum, gluteus minimus, gluteus medius, and psoas major.

No deep work should be done over the sciatic nerve in cases of sciatica. Extreme care should be used when working on piriformis since it is so close to the sciatic nerve.

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