Sometimes we experience buttocks pain, down to our legs that are interfering with our daily activities. What causes this pain? What are the symptoms? How do we reduce the pain? There are many causes for buttocks pain down to the legs, but one that stands out is Sciatica. This condition can be relieved with a therapeutic massage. Read on how this works!
Without further ado let's start defining what sciatica is.
Sciatica is nerve pain from an injury or irritation to the sciatic nerve, which originates in your buttock/gluteal area. The sciatic nerve is the longest and thickest (almost finger-width) nerve in the body. It’s actually made up of five nerve roots: two from the lower back region called the lumbar spine and three from the final section of the spine called the sacrum. The five nerve roots come together to form a right and left sciatic nerve. On each side of your body, one sciatic nerve runs through your hips, buttocks and down a leg, ending just below the knee. The sciatic nerve then branches into other nerves, which continue down your leg and into your foot and toes.
True injury to the sciatic nerve “sciatica” is actually rare, but the term “sciatica” is commonly used to describe any pain that originates in the lower back and radiates down the leg. What this pain shares in common is an injury to a nerve, an irritation, inflammation, pinching, or compression of a nerve in your lower back.
If you have “sciatica," you experience mild to severe pain anywhere along the path of the sciatic nerve – that is, anywhere from the lower back, through the hips, buttocks, and/or down your legs. It can also cause muscle weakness in your leg and foot, numbness in your leg, and an unpleasant tingling pins-and-needles sensation in your leg, foot, and toes.
People describe sciatica pain in different ways, depending on its cause. Some people describe the pain as sharp, shooting, or jolts of pain. Others describe this pain as “burning,” "electric” or “stabbing.”
The pain may be constant or may come and go. Also, the pain is usually more severe in your leg compared to your lower back. The pain may feel worse if you sit or stand for long periods of time and when you twist your upper body. A forced and sudden body movement, like a cough or sneeze, can also make the pain worse.
The hip is a complex joint and there are several reasons why it can cause pain. (lower back injury, core/hip flexor tightness, or improper aiming of your muscles).
The symptoms of sciatica include:
When you are suffering from sciatica, a massage can provide relief. The main benefit is to soothe tense muscles and reduce pressure on nerves including the one that runs through your spine all of its length-which could cause immense pain in some cases! Soft tissue massages also stimulate the release of endorphins which make people happy because they boost pleasure levels as well relieve discomfort caused by chronic ailments such as these back problems or headaches among others.
Deep tissue massage
A deep tissue massage is an aggressive form of massage that uses slow strokes and deep finger pressure to release tension from your muscles and connective tissues. A 30-minute session of deep tissue massage five days a week over two weeks was found to effectively treat low back pain, including sciatica.
Swedish massage
Swedish massage doesn’t use as much pressure as deep tissue massage. Instead, flowing, kneading movements are used to stimulate nerve endings in your connective tissue and increase blood flow. It also helps to release general tension and promote relaxation.
Neuromuscular massage
Neuromuscular massage uses advanced massage techniques that combine deep tissue pressure and friction to release contracted muscles and relieve tension.
Myofascial release
Myofascial release is a technique used to relieve pain that stems from your myofascial tissues the tough membrane that surrounds and supports your muscles.
Trigger points, which are stiff, immovable areas within the myofascial tissues, cause pain and stiffness. Focused pressure and stretching on the trigger points help to reduce pain and stiffness.
Hot stone massage
A hot stone massage is used to promote relaxation and ease tense muscles. Heated stones are placed on specific parts of your body and may be held by the massage therapist while they use Swedish massage techniques.
When sciatica symptoms flare up, it's important to know that they can be resolved with a massage. A Massage Therapist will work on the midsection of your body addressing a range of motion and muscle tension in addition to nerve pattern (dermatome).
The outcome depends greatly upon an individual’s activity level; how often you sit or stand during working hours; strength/balance skills which are influenced by both physical capabilities as well dietary habits. Some people experience significant relief after two sessions while others might need couple of months before noticing any changes.
Track changes in pain patterns and when the pain comes, The Hip flexor and Groin stretches will help you recover faster from a sports injury. The Glut Stretch can be especially painful, but it's an important part of the recovery process because when our body is in pain, that means there are muscles being repaired or replaced!
Nerve flossing involves performing various gentle exercises used to mobilize and stretch the nerves to reduce irritation and improve your range of motion, especially in the hips. Nerve flossing may also be called neural gliding, nerve gliding, or nerve mobilization. The exercises can be done easily at home as you don’t need any equipment and the instructions are simple.
Nerve flossing is most effective when used in combination with other treatments, such as physical therapy and medications. Be sure to contact your doctor if you have not yet received a diagnosis, because the cause of sciatica greatly helps to determine treatment.
Mobilizing floss
Seated sciatic nerve floss
Hamstring floss
Wrap Up
Therapeutic Massage is a truly effective way of relieving Sciatica. There are different types of massages you can choose from, and by following these exercises it will help in your recovery process so don't hesitate to heal yourself with us! We always want what's best for our clients so book an appointment today.
Our goal isn’t just about pain relief; we aim at total wellness through therapeutic touch.
