“I have sciatica” is a common comment from people visiting us in the clinic.
Often people will feel pain somewhere along the path of the sciatic nerve.
This nerve runs from your low back all the way to your foot.
The most common spots for pain are in the buttock, back of the calf and in the foot.
The pain can be an ache or it can be a sharp nervy pain.
If you do have sciatica, the cause of the pain is usually associated with one or more of these areas:
- the low back (lumbar spine),
- the sacrum (that triangular bone at the base of your spine),
- the piriformis muscle (in your buttock)
If the pain is from the piriformis muscle, there are quite a few things that you can do at home to help:
- Use the massage ball to release the piriformis muscle and it’s trigger points
- Don’t forget basic techniques for taking care of the muscles in your body
- Stretch your piriformis muscle
- Stimulate those chinese hand points that you’ve been taught (ask us if you haven’t been taught this)
Remember to do all of these things with care, going gently to start and avoiding aggravation.