Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve starts at the low back, goes down the buttock and branches out through the back of the leg to the foot. Sciatica symptoms may include pain, numbness, tingling, cramping, burning, and weakness in the muscles of the involved leg. Sciatica can be made worse with both prolonged sitting and standing.

Lower back pain with Sciatica tends to indicate that the problem is coming from the back rather than muscular in origin. Upper back pain is not usually related to Sciatica. It is very common to have pain in one buttock on the same side as the leg pain.

If the Sciatica is caused by muscular tightness then the buttock pain can be prominent.

How Massage Helps Sciatica:

The Sciatic nerve comes out of the spinal cord and down both legs through the buttocks. It travels through a muscle called the Piriformis. If this muscle becomes tight it compresses the nerve, causing a painful condition called Piriformis Syndrome. Deep Tissue Massage is effective in releasing the pressure on the nerve. Starting with a hands-on assessment of the entire lower back and buttock area, massage techniques are then applied that reach to the depths of the muscle, helping to relieve pain.