How to use an acupressure mat for sciatica and lower back pain? (UK)

It is estimated that more than 80% of the world's population suffers from back pain at some point in their lives. The idea is that with the acupressure mat, to treat these pains when they are caused by muscular tensions, myofascial, and blood circulation problems.

However, in the presence of sciatica, the mat is also useful because it relaxes pressure on the nerves, activates the central nervous system and facilitates blood circulation, which has a number of other benefits. Find out everything you need to know about the acupressure mat.

What is sciatica and what are the main causes of lower back pain?

Sciatica is an ailment that attacks the lower back, buttocks and legs with severe pain, acute and permanent when chronic, which prevents people from leading a normal life. It is a radiculopathy, which is the compression of a nerve root to the point of irritation and, in the most extreme cases, rupture.

Check out the most common causes of sciatica:

• Herniated discs: slipped and deformed vertebral discs also affect the integrity of the nerves. It is quite complex to treat both ailments at the same time, so it is recommended to treat the herniation so that it stops pressing on the nerve roots.
• Vertebral stenosis: this is a fairly common pathology in older people, from 60 years of age onwards. It causes a narrowing of the spinal canal until it causes nerve compression and pain in people. It causes the nerve roots to move out of the spine.
• Dyscarthrosis: this is the degeneration of the lumbar vertebrae to the point of causing minimal irregular movements, but which manage to irritate the nerve endings. This condition also causes inflammation near the vertebrae, which can be reason enough to irritate the nerves.
• Isthmic spondylitis: these are one or more small fractures, in the form of fissures, which cause one vertebra to move in front of another. This small movement puts pressure on the nerves and causes severe pain. Surgery is usually the solution when other treatments have no effect.
• Poor healing: This is a less common but possible cause. After surgery or open wounds, when the skin does not heal properly, it can put pressure on the nerves and even irritate them.
• Pregnancy: it is clear that pregnancy causes several changes in a woman's body, including the shifting of various organs and displacement of the spine, which can stress the nerves in the lower back.
• Strains: Athletes are also at high risk of suffering from this condition due to strains that can cause nerve compression. For this reason, athletes should exercise the muscles of the lower back and buttocks to prevent the nerves from suffering from muscle damage.
• Tumours and infections: both are rare but possible ailments when it comes to sciatica. These are cases where people should not use the product without prior guidance from a medical specialist and physiotherapist.

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How to use the acupressure mat to relieve sciatic nerve pain?

Exercises

Often, it is not enough just to rest your body on the acupressure mat and receive all its benefits. You can also do some movements to facilitate stimulation in the lower back.

Try this routine with the use of the lower limbs:

• Place the acupressure mat on the floor.
• Lie on your back and relax.
• Place the acupressure pad under your tailbone, your pelvis should be raised.
• Bend each leg at the same time and bring your knee as close to your abdomen as possible.
• Gently perform 10 repetitions.
• Now bend both legs 10 times at the same time.
• When you finish, rotate your hips to each side with your legs bent.
• The rotation can be done 10 times.
• This whole session can last 10 minutes with breaks.

As sciatica also affects the buttocks, it is advisable to do this other set of gentle exercises on the mat:

• Sit on the acupressure mat.
• Put your legs in butterfly position.
• Now you should move your body back and forth, so you stimulate all areas of the gluteus.
• You can do 10 cycles of movements.
• Move your body sideways, to stimulate the sides.
• Do 10 repetitions of this cycle.
• You can even stretch your back and hunch it with gentle breaths, to give mobility to the vertebrae.
• This whole relaxing session can be done for 10 minutes.

Time of use

The acupressure mat has immediate effects on people and these are long-lasting, but there should not be an excess in the use of it because it can alter the circulatory system. If in doubt, it is best to seek the support of a physiotherapist.

If you are going to do routines such as the one mentioned above, the use of the mat should be extended until you stop doing the exercises, which should always be gentle. If the session lasts 10 minutes, you should not lie down for more than that time.

If you are only going to lie on the mat, without moving, you can remain there for a maximum of 20 minutes to avoid over-stimulating blood circulation and the lymphatic system.

Regularity of use

As long as you respect the times of use that we have suggested, you can use the mat every day, although it is advisable to vary the routines, but focused on a single purpose such as relaxing the lower back, for example.

There may be tingling sensation , sensitivity, redness of the skin, these are some of the symptoms that you may have by overuse, in those cases, it is better to take a break so that the body returns to its usual state . If you notice that the marks on the skin from the lotus flowers are slowly disappearing, you can use moisturisers to keep the skin well stretched and moisturised.

What are the best alternatives to the acupressure mat for sciatica relief?

Some of the benefits of the acupressure mat can be achieved with other products that you can also find on our website, that's why we leave you this list of very useful for you.

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