“Is a massage or chiropractor better for sciatica?”

Chiropractic is better but it's best to be done together.

A doctor of Chiropractic is licensed to exam and treat conditions of the human body including the spine. Massage may be utilized as a treatment protocol and help with the over all treatment. However, massage therapist are not license to treat any conditions.

For most situations, BOTH work (together) the best with an edge given to Chiropractic. Sciatica is basically a symptom of nerve irritation somewhere in the body. Chiropractors are more equipped/trained to diagnose the cause of the sciatica and treat accordingly. Massage may be recommended by the Chiropractor, especially in cases where the sciatica symptoms are brought on by a spasm of the piriformis muscle, which is in the hip/gluteal region. I hope this helps and you find relief soon. Good luck!

Both are beneficial for Sciatica pain. Consider fire cupping for relief as well.

Very simply, massage MIGHT help with the symptoms, but chiropractic helps with the cause.

The first place to start would be with a Chiropractor. The sciatic nerve can be impinged from either disc or joint from the spine, which a Chiropractor would be able to fix. Otherwise, the sciatic nerve can be impinged from muscle which a massage therapist or physical therapist would be able to fix. Hope this helps!

Both are beneficial. Massage will help relax and stretch your muscles, chiropractic will help realign your structure, giving you relief and restoring homeostasis.

All sciatic pain is not the same, so visiting a chiropractor for a clear accurate diagnosis is a good first step. There will always be benefit from massage for those suffering sciatic pain of any cause, however to correct the condition, massage and chiropractic provide an excellent combined approach. In my clinic I do massage to the muscles before the adjustment, that is just my style.

A chiropractor for sure! Sciatica is a pinched nerve, massages work on muscles, and chiropractors help the nervous system.

Chiropractors are very good at getting rid of sciatica.

Both can be effective, but chiropractic in my opinion is a better choice, with longer lasting results

I am so sorry you are experiencing this. Sciatic pain is not fun and can be very disabling. There are many contributing factors that can cause these type of symptoms of chronic leg pain.Sciatica is a nerve that is pinched. Most of the time it is from vertebral subluxation in the lower lumbar spine. This responds very well to Chiropractic Care. If there is a bulging disc the muscles in the spine will go into a protective spasm to prevent further irritation of the sciatic nerve. In this case you do not want to have a massage to release the spasm. The pressure must be removed from the disc by correcting the subluxations in the spine and pelvis first. Once this is done massage can be utilized. I often prescribe massage therapy and/or physical therapy once the subluxation is stabilized.
Another cause to leg pain may be a piriformis spasm which often traps the nerve in the lower buttock area. Massage therapy is very helpful with reducing the spasms and giving temporary relief however the misalignment of the pelvis needs to be addressed by a Chiropractor so that the problem does not repeat itself. Chiropractors are specialists trained in restoring the functioning of your nervous system. I would always do the chiropractic first and let them decide what is the correct treatment for your condition.
Here is a quick question for you.
If you had a tight rubber band on your finger what would it do to the finger?.....( it would hurt, get swollen, cut off circulation)
Then would massaging the finger fix the problem? (No)
Would exercising fix the problem? (No)
Would taking medication fix the problem? (No)
All these methods only treat the symptoms what needs to be done is to remove the rubber band. This is what Chiropractors do for your nervous system. We remove the subluxations caused by misaligned vertebrae and free the nerve thereby removing pain and restoring function. I hope this will help you in making your decision.

Sometimes combined it works great, however, sciatica is caused by an impingement of the sciatic nerve caused by and inflamation of the piriformis muscle and massage therapists are soft tissue and muscle specialists. If you need one or the other try massage first.

I won’t say one is better than another. They both have benefits. Some sciatic pain is caused by tight muscles and some are caused by bones.

Chiropractic

Sciatica often involves nerve pressure, muscle imbalance, and musculo-skeletal misalignments. Massage is therapeutic and beneficial for muscles, but often a deeper more holistic approach is needed.

This depends on the cause of your sciatica. Sciatica is usually a symptom of an underlying issue with the muscles or the joints of the low back and pelvis. A Chiropractor is able to diagnose the cause of your sciatica and recommend the proper treatment.