Massage and sciatica trigger points: what to know

Sciatica is pain or altered sensation along the sciatic nerve, often travelling from the lower back or buttock into the leg. Muscles around the hip and buttock may become guarded, and tender bands can feel like trigger points. Pressure on those areas may temporarily reduce tension, but severe or radiating pain can also be aggravated by forceful work.

Possible underlying causes include a herniated disc, lumbar spondylosis, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, or piriformis syndrome. A trigger point is not proof that the muscle is the source of the nerve irritation.

Choose a therapist who will ask about numbness, weakness, bowel or bladder changes, and the pattern of leg pain before treatment. Start with comfortable, broad pressure around the buttock and nearby muscles rather than deep pressure directly over the spine or painful nerve path. Stop if symptoms spread farther down the leg, become sharper, or leave lasting numbness.

Use massage as one part of a plan that may include graded movement, gentle stretching, and exercises selected after an examination. Keep track of which positions and activities change your symptoms.

Arrange a clinical assessment for persistent leg pain, progressive weakness, or numbness that affects walking. Seek urgent help for new loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness around the groin, or marked weakness in both legs. New severe pain after a significant injury also needs prompt evaluation.

Could my symptoms come from a nerve root, the hip, or a buttock muscle? Is massage appropriate before testing strength and sensation? Which movements should I practise, and what changes mean I should stop?