Massage for Sciatic Pain in Bradford

Sciatic pain is a burning, tingling or sharp pain that travels from the buttock down the back of the thigh and sometimes into the calf and foot. The cause is often in the lower spine, but tight muscles in the buttock and hip frequently keep the pain going. At WellCare Medical in Bradford, our registered massage therapists use deep tissue massage to release those muscles and reduce the pressure around the sciatic nerve.

The sciatic nerve runs through the buttock, passing under or through a small deep muscle called the piriformis. When the piriformis and the muscles around it are tight, they can irritate the nerve directly. This is more likely if:

• buttock pain is worse after sitting and eases when you walk or stretch the hip
• pressing on the buttock reproduces the leg pain
• you sit for long periods, drive a lot or run regularly

When the nerve is irritated at the spine, for example by a bulging disc, the back and hip muscles tighten protectively, and that guarding adds to the pain.

• slow, sustained pressure on the piriformis and other deep buttock muscles
• myofascial work around the back of the hip to restore a normal stride
• massage for the lower back and the muscles at the side of the trunk, to reduce guarding
• treatment of the hamstrings and calf when they have tightened in response to the pain
• comfortable positioning during the session, often lying on your side

Your therapist avoids direct pressure on the irritated nerve and checks with you often. Leg symptoms should ease during treatment, never increase.

• sitting and driving for longer before the pain starts
• less tingling when walking or standing
• an easier, longer stride

Your RMT asks where the pain travels, what brings it on and what you have tried. They check your hip and lower-back movement and find the tender muscles that reproduce your symptoms. If your signs suggest the nerve is compressed at the spine, they will recommend that you also see our chiropractor or your doctor.

Go to an emergency department if you lose control of your bladder or bowels, have numbness around the groin or inner thighs, or have leg weakness that is getting worse.

Massage works on the muscular side of sciatic pain. For the spine and nerve, see chiropractic treatment for sciatica and leg pain and adjustments for pinched nerves. Our physiotherapists add nerve-mobility and strengthening exercises (see physiotherapy), and acupuncture is an option when nerve pain lingers. If your back is the main problem, read about deep tissue massage for lower back pain.