While there are many therapies and medications that can be used as a sciatica pain treatment, shiatsu is one that we don’t commonly discuss. Shiatsu is an eastern massage technique which may help relax the muscles in the back and neck. It is said that shiatsu dates back about one thousand years to the country of Japan.  In Japan, a traditional shiatsu practitioner is usually a small gentleman who uses his palms, thumbs, fingers and knees to provide a rhythmic massage for pain relief.

Shiatsu as a sciatica pain treatment may be beneficial as it is believed that applying pressure in specific spots will encourage the ki, or chi, to flow through the bones, arteries, muscles and skin of the affected area.

The core belief behind shiatsu is that the body has the power to heal itself. The massage aspect of shiatsu is simply a means of encouragement for healing through the body’s energy. The massage may also help to release blocked energy that may be causing pain.

Shiatsu sessions usually last about an hour, most people state that they feel extremely relaxed afterward. In fact, some people claim that shiatsu has effectively eliminated the pain of sciatica in five sessions or less, making it a very intriguing sciatica pain treatment option.