According to Harvard Health, 40% of people are bound to get sciatica pain as they age. The pain that you often have in your lower back along your buttocks running down your legs is called the ‘sciatica’ pain. These places are the primary locations of the body’s largest nerve, the sciatic nerve.
People who lead a sedentary lifestyle are more prone to sciatica pain since sitting in one place for extended periods inflames the sciatic nerve, hence resulting in sciatica pain.
People with certain diseases, obesity, and growing age might also face this pain.
Do you feel this pain often? Then you would certainly know the burning sensation accompanied by the shooting pain that does not have a warning sign. If you’re tired of regular sessions at the massage spa with your pocket emptying by the second, here is an easy yet effective solution; massage chairs.
Below is a guide on how massage chairs help with sciatica pain. Be sure to give it a thorough read!
Loosen and relax muscles
This is the most common cause of sciatica pain. When the core and back muscles become tensed for various reasons, they pinch or irritate the sciatic nerve. The pressing on the sciatic nerve roots results in sciatica pain.
Furthermore, when the muscles are tightened up, they can result in small nodules of pain that are especially sore and take up a lot of time to get better. The knotting up of the muscles causes specific trigger points and this is where the massage chairs come into play.
Massage chairs manipulate your muscles by stretching, loosening, and lengthening the painful muscles. This helps your lower back and legs to perform better which alleviates the pain. The good thing about massage chairs is that they help improve all kinds of muscle pain and not just sciatic pain.
Increased circulation
Massage chairs not only help soothe and open up muscles but have a much deeper effect. A massage chair helps in increased circulation of blood and nutrients. These nutrients reach parts of your body that need extra nutrients and oxygen for healing.
This happens because of the manipulation of the soft tissues during a massage. This primarily stimulates the blood vessels by pressurizing the muscles beneath the skin. Vitamin D and magnesium are essential to relieve muscle pain and for the normal functioning of muscles.
This way, massage chairs help to increase blood circulation hence resulting in improved oxygen flow and increased nutrient transfer, therefore, promoting healing.
Release of good hormones
Hormones are your body’s chemical workers. They do all the tiring work to keep your body’s wheels and dials moving. Have you ever felt ecstatic after getting a massage? That’s because massages stimulate specific pressure receptors that send impulses to the brain. This results in the release of endorphins by the pressure receptor nerve fibers to minimize the discomfort.
Endorphins are natural painkillers of the body. Also known as ‘feel-good ‘ hormones, these chemicals help cope with pain and stress. In sciatica pain, endorphin release is the key hence massages are important but remember, everything should be done with balance!
Lessens stress
Lastly, amongst the innumerous benefits of massaging chairs for sciatica, the one most prevalent is relieving stress. Since stress is a major causative factor, massages that alleviate stress are the best remedy for sciatica pain.
Since pressure receptor stimulation is a key factor in minimizing cortisol production in the body, massage chairs aim to achieve optimum receptor stimulation. Stress not only lowers pressure on the sciatica vein but reduces the perception of pain as well.
Types of massage chairs for sciatica:
Primarily, there are two basic shapes that massage chairs are available in, with a third type being a mixture of the two. One can test out both the chairs or just pick one based on the areas of their pain since the shape of the chair is specific to healing different areas.
Below are the details of massage chairs available for you to pick the one to your convenience
S-Shaped
S-shaped, or commonly known as S-track, massage chairs are the ones that you usually come across in massage parlors and spas. The letter S denotes the shape of the chair since it consists of massage rollers following the curve of the spine. The rollers are designed to run up and down your back to give a better feel.
Since S-track limits the massage range, it might not be the best choice for sciatica pain, however, if you have minor pain, you can opt for this option.
L-Shaped
The second type of chair is the L-shaped chair or more commonly known as the L-track chair. These chairs are much more popular due to their ability to cover a much larger area. The L-shape of the chair gives the chair its name while the rollers are arranged in an ‘L’ pattern too.
The difference between the S and L is that L-shaped chairs not only have rollers running up and down your spine but beneath your seat as well, giving you a proper and complete massage.
The original version was the S-track however the improved L-track covers your back along with your lower back and hamstring. Since sciatica pains usually target the lower back region, it would be wise to get your hands on an L-track massage chair. Again, if you have minor pain, opting for an S-track would be better to prevent excessive pressure on your lumbar region.
Bottom Line
So, here was my detailed guide on how massage chairs help with sciatica pain. Massage chairs are indeed a miracle from above since they not only help with the pain but relieve mental stress and fatigue as well. The next time you relieve your sciatica pain, you will get up much more refreshed and energized.
Lastly, if this article was helpful at all, let me know in the comments below. Also, comment down elbow the severity of your pain and the kind of chair you have opted for.
Until next time, happy massaging!
