We have reviewed the best massagers for sciatica. If you are in a hurry, the table below gives a quick snapshot of the top 6. Or you can scroll down for more details.
Last update 2021-01-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica or sciatic pain is a throbbing pain or tingling sensation that travels along your sciatic nerve, which extends from your spinal cord through your hips, buttocks, and into each of your legs. Typically sciatic pain will only occur in one of the two legs.
In most cases, sciatic pain can be treated through the means of home remedies, and non-medicinal ways such as massage or heat therapy.
The root cause of sciatica is compression on the sciatic nerve, which could happen because either the spine has grown narrow or else there might be a herniated disc or a bone spur in the spine.
Since the primary reason for sciatic pain is a compressed nerve, massage is a very effective therapy for relieving this kind of pain. Massage releases tension in your muscles, which in turn reduces pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Massage is also capable of releasing endorphins, which help in reducing pain. Endorphins are a group of hormones inside your brain that, when released, activate your opioid receptors, thereby increasing your happiness level and act as a natural painkiller.
If you think that a massage sounds good, but it will cost a bomb to go to the therapist and get a massage done on a regular basis, worry not. In this article, we discuss the best massager for sciatica, so that you can get a massage sitting at home without having to shell out a small fortune to get pain relief.
What should you search for when you are looking to buy a massager for sciatica?
Massage Type
Before buying a massager, let us first consider what type of massage we want to get:
- Deep tissue massage helps reduce tension in your muscles.
- Swedish massage improves the flow of blood, thereby helping the body to heal easily.
- Neuromuscular massage loosens contracted muscles.
In their way, each type of massage is helpful for reducing sciatic pain. It really boils down to personal choice and experience as to which massage best suits your body type and your particular level of pain.
Since different massagers support different types of massage, you still need to make a choice on what type of massage you want before buying a massager.
Heat therapy
Kids International feature that is available in many types of massages. Heat therapy especially effective for sciatic pain, and therefore you should look for massager which has this option.
Level of massage
Each person has his own tolerance or acceptance of the intensity with which massage should be done on their body. There is no one size fits all for massage. Thankfully most massagers have options to decide the level of intensity with which massage should be performed.
Make sure that the massager that you are purchasing has an option of multiple levels of massage intensity.
Compression or vibration
Compression massages act by applying pressure on your muscles, thus helping them to relax. Vibration massages, on the other hand, shake your muscles, making them looser and, therefore, more relaxed.
Both types of massages have their own pros and cons, and both can be good for relaxing your body. If you can get a massager that offers both varieties, it would be like getting the best of both worlds.
However, if you cant find one that offers both types, look for one that offers whatever type of massage you are more comfortable with, and believe will yield better results in your case.
Battery backup and portability
Sciatic pain can strike anywhere. You may need to relieve the pain in your office or at your home. Therefore it is better to buy a massage device that is lightweight and easy to carry around.
Secondly, massaging the sciatic area requires you to be able to twist and turn a bit. It would be prudent to use a battery-operated massager, which is unencumbered and, therefore, easy to take wherever you want it to go.
Check for how long a battery backup the device can give you. You don’t want to end up charging it again and again in the middle of a massage.
Best Massager for Sciatica
#1 Zyllion Shiatsu Back and Neck Massager
The Zyllion Shiatsu Back and Neck Massager Is a uniquely designed pillow shaped massager, which can be used to massage any part of the body, especially the head and neck and lower back and thighs.
This is an FDA registered device that incorporates both heat therapy and shiatsu to give you the perfect massage for your sciatic pain.
There are four shiatsu massage nodes on this device. The shiatsu massage nodes reverse their directions every minute to give you a very soothing and relaxing massage. Heat therapy is extremely useful in sciatica pain since it relaxes the sciatic nerve and eases the pressure on it, which helps to remove the symptoms right at the root.
The massager is encased in high quality and durable vegan leather, which is soft to touch and very easy to clean. This device also includes an AC as well as a DC charger so that you can charge the device even sitting in your car.
There are a one-year warranty and 90-days full refund guarantee on this device.
Pros
- Unique pillow-shaped massager, easy to store and carry
- Includes both heat therapy as well as shiatsu massage
- Durable and easy to clean encasing made from vegan leather
- 4 shiatsu nodes that reverse their direction every minute
- 1-year warranty and 90-day return guarantee
Cons
- Does not have a rechargeable battery pack
- As per some users, the heating effect reduces over time.
Last update 2021-01-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
#2 RENPHO Rechargeable Hand Held Deep Massager
The RENPHO Rechargeable Hand Held Deep Massager Uses percussion Technology to give you a calming and relaxing massage anywhere in the body.
It has a very powerful motor that is able to deliver 3600 RPM. It also has an auto shut off feature at the end of 20 minutes so that you do not hurt yourself due to long exposure to the percussion.
Another great thing about this massager is that it is a handheld device that can be pointed to anywhere hand can be applied in very specific areas where you’re feeling pain. It has a cordless design; it means that it is very easy to use. It almost acts like a point and shoot gun.
It has a battery backup of 140 minutes, which means that it can be carried with you practically anywhere and used for a massage as and when you feel sciatic pain. The massager shuts off while charging, which is another very good safety feature.
There are five different types of massage heads that can be used to massage various parts of the body.
Pros
- Cordless and battery-operated design, extremely portable and can be used anywhere
- Handheld; acts as a point and shoot gun
- 140 minutes of battery backup
- A strong motor which can give 3600 RPM performance
- Auto shut off safety feature after 20 minutes of massage
- Five different massage helps for reaching various parts of the body
Cons
- Many users complain that the rechargeable battery that was received with the product was defective
- Some users complained that they received a refurbished and used device in their shipping.
Here we have a video featuring RENPHO Rechargeable Hand Held Deep Massager.
Last update 2021-01-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
#3 HoMedics Percussion Action Massager with Heat
The HoMedics Percussion Action Massager with Heat is another feature-packed massager on this lineup.
It is a handheld massager that is very lightweight and portable so that you can carry it around with you any place that you go to. as discussed earlier sciatic pain can occur anywhere; therefore, a portable massager is best for a patient suffering from sciatica
This massager also has an optional heating feature, which can be very good for sciatic pain because feet can help to decompress the sciatic nerve itself.
The massager uses a percussion therapy technique through its dual pivoting massage heads, which can generate pulses at the rate of 3100 pulses per minute, giving you a gentle and soothing massage.
Therefore intensity levels for massage in this device. There is a single easy-to-use power up button, which can also be used to control the intensity level.
The device comes with a money-back guarantee for 30 days and a two years limited warranty..
Pros
- Percussion as well as heating therapy option
- Easy to use, handheld and portable
- 4 intensity levels which can be set as per your comfort level
- One button operation
- 30-day money-back guarantee and limited 2 year warranty.
Cons
- Not rechargeable
- Several users complained that the device does not work after a few months
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Last update 2021-01-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
#4 VIKTOR JURGEN Handheld Back Massager
The VIKTOR JURGEN Handheld Back Massager has a dog-head (double-headed) design, with three sets of removable massage heads that can be used on various body parts.
This is a professional-grade massager with a motor that can run up to 3350 pulses per minute. There are multiple massage intensity and speed settings so that you can choose how powerful a massage you need.
It is an easy to use a handheld device with a comfortable grip and a long 71-inch cord along with a strong rubber grip on the handle so that it does not slip out of your hands while massaging.
There are six massage heads for various types of massages on different parts of your body including Acupuncture, shiatsu, and an air cushion stick
Pros
- Six massage heads for different types of massages including Acupuncture and shiatsu
- Dog-headed design for comfortably massaging many parts of the body
- Strong, professional-grade motor with 3350 pulses per minute capacity
- Comfortable anti-slip rubber grip on the handle
- Multiple massage intensity levels
Cons
- Not a cordless device. Not very portable
- Some users complained that the device was very heavy
Last update 2021-01-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
#5 RENPHO C3 Deep Tissue Muscle Massager
The RENPHO C3 Deep Tissue Muscle Massager is a professional grade massager which can apply percussion up to 3200 RPM intensity with twenty adjustable levels so that you can enjoy your massage as per the intensity level with which you are most comfortable.
It has a rechargeable battery with up to 8 hours of battery backup and 2500 MH off capacity. The battery does not take more than 2 or 3 hours to fully charge up. This makes the massager completely portable. You can use it anywhere and take it with you to your office or home as well.
The massager is very quiet and does not produce more than 63.5dB of noise at the highest intensity level. There are four different massage heads with the gun which can be used for various parts of your body. The Bullet-head and U-shaped head are the most relevant for sciatic pain
Pros
- Professional grade massager with 3200 RPM motor and 20 intensity levels
- It is battery operated within 8-hour battery backup
- Four types of massage heads are available for various parts of the body
- The massager is very quiet and does not create a sound of above 63.5dB at even the highest intensity level
- It has an easy to use and simple digital display
Cons
- The rechargeable battery quickly ends up losing its 8-hour capacity
- One of the most expensive massagers on this list
Last update 2021-01-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
#6 TEC.BEAN Handheld Deep Percussion Massager with Heat
The TEC.BEAN Handheld Deep Percussion Massager with Heat Is another solid Percussion massager that has six interchangeable heads and a soft rubber hammer that can massage different parts of the body perfectly.
It also has a variable speed feature where you can select the speed and intensity level at which you want your massage. The heating feature of the massager helps to improve the circulation and flow of blood, which heals injuries and improves your overall health.
The massager is ergonomically designed with an easy to hold handle that has an anti-slip grip on it so that you can comfortably do the massage while holding it with just one hand
Pros
- Six interchangeable massage heads and a soft rubber hammer help you to Tu massage different joins tissues and muscle groups of your body
- There is a variable speed feature which allows you to choose your massage intensity as per your liking and the level of pain that you are experiencing
- The heating function in this massager improves blood flow and helps heal the body more quickly
- The device is ergonomically designed with an easy to use handle that has an anti-slip grip
Cons
- It is not a cordless massager; therefore it lacks the portability of other cordless massages in this lineup
- The massager is louder than most others and can reach a very high and annoying level very quickly.
Last update 2021-01-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
#7 Wahl Deep Tissue Percussion Therapeutic Handheld Massager
The Wahl Deep Tissue Percussion Therapeutic Handheld Massager Is another great choice for massages that can help relieve your sciatic pain. This is one of the few massages on this lineup that is FDA approved and therefore adheres to the highest quality standards
It has four different massage heads, which can be used to massage various parts of the body using multiple techniques.
The product is designed in an ergonomic fashion and is easy to hold and has an anti-slip contoured surface on the handle so that it can be used easily by holding it up with one arm.
The massager has variable intensity settings so that you can choose the level of intensity with which you want your massage full stop. This also allows you to decide the level of massage depending on the amount of pain that you are facing at that particular moment.
Pros
- Variable intensity levels allow you to choose the level at which you want your massage
- One of the few FDA-approved massages thereby adherent to strict quality checks and measures
- Easy to use anti-slip handle with a contoured design so that you can hold the massager easily with one hand and conduct your massage yourself
- For different massage heads to provide multiple massage therapies on various parts of the body
- Powerful motor that can provide up to 3350 RPM strength
Cons
- Not a cordless design, therefore not as portable as other massagers
- A few users mentioned that the product broke down after a couple of months of usage
- Several users complained about shipping damages in the product when received
Last update 2021-01-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Conclusion
Sciatic pain can be unbearable and cause havoc in your life if you allow it to fester around without getting the proper treatment or trying to solve it from the source itself.
Massage can be an excellent therapy for sciatic pain because through massage, we can help relieve the sciatic nerve, thereby solving the problem at the root itself.
Massages can be of many types, and almost all of them have a positive impact on sciatic pain. If you can choose her good massager and regularly in massaging yourself at the right points in your body, it is possible to completely resolve the problem of sciatic pain without spending a huge amount on treatment and medication.
In this article, we have named the best massager for sciatica based on the features mentioned in our buyer’s guide and the ratings and comments mentioned by actual users on Amazon.
In our opinion, the Zyllion Shiatsu Back and Neck... is the best choice among the various options that we have considered because it is an FDA approved device that can provide both heat therapy and shiatsu, and is cordless and ticks off almost all the other points on our buyer’s guide as well.
If you are looking for a value for money option, you can also consider the VIKTOR JURGEN Handheld Back... , which offers great value and features at a very reasonable price point.
While we make every possible effort to provide updated and correct information, the advice given in this article and website should not be construed as “medical advice”.
Please consult with your physician or medical practitioner before using any massager for sciatic pain. Each individual may have their unique issues, and your medical practitioner is the best person to decide the best massager for sciatic pain for your case.