WE HAVE ALL suffered from back pain at some time in our life. Whether caused by accident, injury, sport, degeneration, posture, occupation or everyday life.

There are self-help alternatives but it is important to note that reoccurring back pain should always be checked by your doctor.

True sciatica is when the sciatic nerve is compressed near the site of exit from the spinal cord, which can be affected by a prolapsed disc in your spine. These cushioning discs are between your vertebras to allow shock absorption through your spine. Pain can be felt in your back, buttocks, back of your leg, sometimes extending to your foot.

There is also a more common reason for this type of pain. There is a muscle that is deep in your buttocks called piriformis. It runs horizontally while your sciatic nerve runs vertically directly beneath it. As they are very close it makes sense that if your piriformis is tense or spasming it can irritate your sciatic nerve. So what can you do to help yourself?