Between being a massage therapist and yoga practitioner, I have run into sciatic pain constantly. Many people who have it may not even know it by its name, but just that feeling of pain from the lower back that can run from there to the head, hip, buttocks and leg, typically only affecting one side of the body.

A little background. Sciatic pain or sciatica is caused by compression and/or irritation of the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back (lumbar and lumbosacral spine) down the back of each leg to the feet. When there is significant pressure on the nerve, which can be muscular or skeletal, it can cause this pain. Often it is the piriformis muscle that can irritate the sciatic nerve, which causes the pain and numbness. A variety of spinal issues can also cause irritation, such as degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, and/or lumbar spinal stenosis. Being overweight, physically inactive and even wearing high heels on a regular basis can also contribute to the pain/irritation. For muscular issues, this can be addressed with massage, yoga, acupuncture, and self-care. For skeletal issues, a chiropractor and doctor may need to be contacted.

In this post, we will be discussing self-care tactics. If you have any questions or desire further explanations, please reach out to me at jolt4joy@yahoo.com.

Yoga For Sciatic Pain

Below is a slideshow of yoga poses which are known to help release tightness within the area of the sciatic nerve. Remember to always listen to your body, never going to pain. Take deep, even breaths throughout the stretch. Hold for at least three breaths, or as long as feels good in your practice.

Self-Massage For Sciatic Pain

Below are the photos I most often show to clients dealing with sciatica. Use these, as well as your other health modalities to assist in calming the pain and keeping the body healthy.

Home Remedies

• Use heating pads to soothe the pain
• Take Epsom salt baths (45 minutes as hot as you can take it. Be sure to rinse off with cold water after)
• Reduce inflammation by avoiding smoking and a healthy lifestyle/diet (see more on this below)
• Diffuse or apply essential oils to the pained area (see more on this below)

Ten foods that increase inflammation:

1. Alcohol
2. Sugar/High Fructose Corn Syrup
3. Processed Meats
4. Soda
5. Artificial Sweeteners
6. Dairy
7. Fried foods
8. Vegetable oils
9. Refined grains
10. Caffeine

Ten foods that decrease inflammation:

1. Blueberries
2. Broccoli
3. Chia Seeds
4. Flax Seeds
5. Bone Broth
6. Ginger
7. Pineapple
8. Salmon
9. Turmeric
10. Walnuts

Five essential oils that help ease inflammation:

1. Lavender
2. Chamomile
3. Eucalyptus
4. Frankincense
5. Ginger

Overall, listen to your body. Take care of it! Self care is the most important thing. Eat healthy (it has been proven that what we eat affects our DNA), exercise, drink lots of water, stretch- find what works for you!

As always, if you have any questions, you can reach me at jolt4joy@yahoo.com or comment below.

Love & Light