Reflexology for Backache - Sciatica

Sciatica can be a very painful and debilitating condition, but luckily there may be a natural way to overcome it. The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in our body. It runs from the  lower back through the hip and along our leg to our heel. When the nerve is pinched it causes pain. In some cases of sciatica this is caused by a herniated or slipped disc that  rubs against the nerve, but in many cases it is caused by a tight piriformis muscle in your buttox.


Sciatica can be felt as a mild leg cramp or can be excruciating pain radiating from the back down the leg. The pain can come on suddenly or gradually get worse. Many people  don’t even realize they have sciatica. As a dancer I often felt a cramp on the outside of my calve that lasted weeks or sometimes months. I thought I had overworked my leg muscles.  Only years later I realized that this calve pain was sciatica. Many women experience sciatica for the first time during pregnancy.

Sciatica can also be agonizing. I once had an attack of sciatica that was so painful that I fell to the floor in the kitchen. Being alone at home, it took me about 20 minutes to crawl slowly to the sofa to get up. At that moment of pain and helplessness I thought to myself – "if this is what it is like to be alive, I may prefer the alternative." Amazingly within 3 weeks, without medical intervention, I was mobile, pain free and even went hiking.

Now the difficulty with sciatica and backache in general, is that when we are in pain, it causes us to contract our muscles. Contracted muscles, cause more pain, which in turn causes our muscles to contract more. We end up in a vicious circle of pain and contraction which just doesn't seem to end.

This is where Reflexology can be so important. Reflexology, by inducing deep relaxation, can stop this cycle, even if only for a short time. Sometimes relaxing the body can be the most important step to relieving sciatica - as illustrated in the following story:

Ronnie suffered from sciatica for 2 1/2 months. He was in constant pain, had difficulty moving and was not able to sleep through the night without taking pain relievers. Ronnie had visited numerous doctors, taken every possible drug (according to him), had been hospitalized and was given an epidural. None of these relieved him of the sciatica pain.

Very doubtful, but figuring he had nothing to lose, Ronnie tried Reflexology. After the first session, Ronnie reported that he had slept through the night for the first time in 2 1/2 months without the need of medication. Five hours after Ronnie's 4th Reflexology session, he stood up and realized that he was pain free, the first time in 3 months! Ronnie has continued to be pain free.

So how did Reflexology help while so many other treatments didn't? Reflexology simply allowed the body to relax so it could do what it knows best, heal itself. By working specific reflex points in the foot, hand and/or ear that correspond to the spine and hip area, Reflexologists are also able to relax and induce healing in those specific areas. That is the magic of Reflexology!    You can find a reflexologist all over the world. Click Here to find a listing of worldwide reflexology organizations. 


To read Ronnie's story  Click Here 

Self-help Reflexology for sciaticaclick here

 Oran Aviv, a senior Reflexologist since 1995, has been helping adults and children stay healthy for over 20 years.   Oran lectures and teaches basic Hand Reflexology workshops all across the country, showing people how to literally, put their health in their own hands.  To  arrange a Reflexology session or to to have Oran teach your group -  email her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone (053)5533856

 

 

 

 

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Alzheimer's / Dementia           Animals         Anxiety / Fear
 Backache / Back Pain / Sciatica          Babies/children           Cancer           Depression
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 Stress          Insomia / Tiredness/ Sleep Apnea
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