“Sciatica” is used for almost any pain going down a leg, but there are two quite different things behind it, and telling them apart matters.
True nerve irritation — the sciatic nerve is compressed or irritated, often at the spine. Typically pins and needles, numbness, or a sharp electric quality, and often worse when sitting, coughing or sneezing.
Referred muscular pain — trigger points in the glutes, and particularly in piriformis deep in the buttock, refer pain down the back of the leg in a pattern that mimics sciatica convincingly. This one responds very well to soft tissue work.
A great many people told they have sciatica have the second. Assessment sorts out which, because treating one as the other wastes everybody’s time.
What treatment involves
For the muscular pattern, treatment is straightforward and often quickly effective — releasing the glutes and piriformis, settling the trigger points, restoring hip movement, and addressing why they got tight.
For genuine nerve irritation, treatment is gentler and focuses on reducing the tension in the surrounding tissue while the nerve settles. It can help, but it is not a substitute for proper diagnosis.
Read the red flags below carefully on this one. Numbness around the groin, any loss of bladder or bowel control, or weakness in both legs is a medical emergency, not something to book a massage for.