What can you do to help with Sciatic pain?

                Massage will certainly help decrease nerve pain by stimulating the muscles by having the glutes worked on and the posterior leg. With increased circulation it will temporarily help your first visit  but going regularly it has long term beneficial effects especially for those who plan to do lots of driving or has a stressful work situation that is mentally and physically draining. Following after massage a hot bath with epsom salts is great. Having two cups added to your water will have the magnesium absorbed into your skin to help soaking for 10 to 20 min is ideal.

                Compression with hot and cold is another way to help ease sciatic pain. The heat relaxes the muscles and the cold will help decrease the inflammation down, and numb the pain. Making sure not to have the cold on for more than 20 min several times a day.

                With gentle exercises and stretching techniques It will help lower the chances of requiring injury and inflammation following. Keeping the core strong and stretching of the posterior leg muscles such as hamstring will also help. Yoga is another option to help with strengthening the muscles and helping corresponding areas that will ease sciatic pain.

                Simply laying on back keeping one leg to the ground, having one knee come towards your chest grasping below the knee as you hold to chest and lifting that leg as you take your hands and hold leg to upright position towards the ceiling and hold for 30 seconds, releasing leg and doing the opposite leg will help. Chair yoga is another best option especially for the elderly or to be in seated position on chair and extend leg to stretch the hamstring muscles and alternating sides is a excellent way to ease sciatic and a good tool to prevent from happening.

                These are tools to use in the comfort of your home and then applying to your regime at home will keep you feeling balanced and restored, following with massage and the use of a little bit of peppermint oil with moist hot towel to infuse will be such an award after coming in and being cared for to melt off any emotional stress that you may be holding.


Massage available at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta. 403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca

Massage Benefits

Massage Therapy has some pretty amazing benefits, not only does it have a sedative, stimulating or even exhausting effect on the nervous system depending on the type and length of massage. It also stretches connective tissue ,improves it's circulation and nutrition and so breaks down or prevents the formation of adhesion and reduces the danger of fibrosis.

                Massage doesn't stop there. It increases the number of blood cells, especially  in cases of anemia. It is a wonderful "mechanical cleanser" as I would like to put it. Stimulating lymph circulation and hastening the elimination of wastes and toxic debris.

                For someone looking to reduce stress and have an experience to restore balance for the body and mind, make sure to book in for a 30 min 60 min or 90 min massage!

Massage available at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca.