Sciatica Treatment

Ever felt a sharp, shooting pain that travels from your lower back, down your buttock, through your leg? That may not just be a bad case of sitting too long—it could be sciatica.

Sciatica is a condition characterized by pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back, through the hips, and down your leg.

It typically occurs when a herniated disc or bone overgrowth compresses the nerve roots in the lumbar spine, located “upstream” from the sciatic nerve. It’s this compression that leads to inflammation, pain, and often numbness in the affected leg.

How long it lasts depends on the cause of the sciatica. We’ll get to that in a bit. In many cases, though, the pain may be caused by a herniated disc. This may improve with proper treatment within a few weeks to months. However, more severe sciatica accompanied by serious symptoms, like leg weakness or changes in bowel or bladder function, may require surgical intervention.

Our goal here is to provide you with a clear understanding of this condition and offer effective treatment options to help you find relief.

When it’s NOT Sciatica But Looks Like It

Sciatica is one of the most commonly reported symptoms of people seeking Chiropractic care, though it’s important to be aware of how many things may actually mimic sciatica symptoms, without it actually being the sciatic nerve, such as:

Musculoskeletal Causes Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

This is THE most common mimicking issue we find at MYo!. Inflammation or misalignment in the sacroiliac joint can cause pain radiating down the leg, mimicking sciatica.

Neurological Causes Peripheral Neuropathy

Nerve damage due to diabetes or other conditions can cause tingling, burning, or shooting pain in the legs.

Vascular Causes Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

Blood clots in the leg can cause swelling, pain, and tenderness, often mistaken for nerve-related pain.

Other Causes Hip Joint Issues

Pain originating from the hip joint can radiate down the leg, mimicking sciatic nerve pain. (e.g., Arthritis or Labral Tear).

Facet Joint Syndrome

Irritation in the spinal facet joints can lead to referred pain similar to sciatic nerve pain.

Meralgia Paresthetica

Compression of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve causes pain and numbness in the outer thigh, resembling sciatica.

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)

Poor circulation in the legs can cause cramping and pain during movement, resembling sciatica.

Pelvic Dysfunction or Tumors

Pelvic masses or dysfunction can compress nerves in the region, leading to symptoms similar to sciatica.

Spinal Stenosis

Narrowing of the spinal canal compresses nerve roots, causing leg pain and weakness similar to sciatica.

Lumbar Radiculopathy

Irritation of nerves exiting the lumbar spine can mimic sciatic nerve pain.

Shingles

(Herpes Zoster). Pain and nerve irritation from shingles can mimic nerve pain, especially in its early stages before the rash appears.

Muscle Strain

Tight or injured muscles (e.g., glutes or hamstrings) can irritate nerves and lead to referred pain down the leg.

Here’s an overview of the techniques our team uses to treat sciatica:

Spinal Adjustments

One of the primary methods we use is spinal adjustments, which aim to restore proper alignment to the spine. Misalignments can put unnecessary pressure on the sciatic nerve, causing pain and inflammation. By precisely adjusting the affected areas, we help reduce nerve compression, improve spinal function, and promote the body’s natural healing processes.

Soft Tissue Therapy

Inflamed or tight muscles around the sciatic nerve can make pain worse. Soft tissue therapy, which, depending on the severity of your condition, may include targeted massages or myofascial release techniques. This helps reduce muscle tension, improve blood flow, and minimize general inflammation.

Rehabilitative Exercises and Stretches

To complement hands-on treatments, we may also recommend specific exercises and stretches as part of our rehab program. We’re big on getting you moving, and these movements focus on strengthening the lower back and leg muscles, relieving tension on the sciatic nerve, and improving overall mobility. The idea isn’t just to get rid of the pain but also to prevent future episodes of sciatica.

Flexion-Distraction Technique

This gentle, non-invasive method involves a specially designed table that allows the spine to stretch and decompress. By relieving pressure on the affected nerves, this technique helps reduce pain and inflammation.

Modalities

Again, depending on the severity of the pain, we may also incorporate additional therapies such as Heat and Cold therapy, Shockwave Therapy, or Acupuncture or Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS)/Dry Needling. These modalities aim to reduce inflammation, target nerve irritation, relax muscles, and accelerate the healing of the sciatic nerve.

Lifestyle and Ergonomic Guidance

We go beyond hands-on treatments. Our team talks to you about long-term recovery and some of our recommendations would include improving posture, setting up an ergonomic workspace, and adopting regular exercise routines.

Member Testimonials

“This is my go-to clinic when I injure myself, have tightness due to office work/postural issues or simply need a massage. The clinic is conveniently located in the heart of Kensington with several professionals under the same roof, who can treat you as a team so you don’t have to run around town to a multitude of appointments. My husband went to see them after a bad car-cycle accident and they took care of his whiplash injury in only a few weeks. They have the knowledge, technology and are so caring and pleasant to work with. Even the front desk staff is absolutely lovely, they also direct charge so you don’t have to worry about doing manual claims to your insurances or anything which is so convenient.”

Naomi L.

“I’m a local track athlete, and MYo Lab has helped me reach my personal best over the last 3 months. They have an array of services such as Chiropractic care, massage therapy and acupuncture all of which have helped me reach my full potential!”

Aiden G

“I first came into MYo Lab because of ongoing mobility issues with my ankle and hips. After undergoing ankle surgery at a young age, I continued to experience pain and discomfort whenever I exercised or played basketball. Despite several attempts over the years to improve my condition, the pain never fully went away. When I recently took up running and a more active lifestyle, the ankle issues became even worse forcing me to stop running altogether and even making walking uncomfortable. During my treatment, Evan referred me to shockwave/ cold laser therapy. I’ll admit I was skeptical at first, but the results were remarkable. From the beginning, the staff made me feel comfortable and provided a clear, well explained breakdown of my treatment plan, ensuring it worked with my schedule. After just six sessions, I noticed significant improvement, and by the end of the treatment plan, the pain I had lived with for years was gone. For the first time since childhood, I am almost 100% pain free and able to run, exercise and do many of the activities I enjoy without my body breaking down. Shockwave/cold laser therapy has truly been life changing for me and I am deeply grateful for the care and expertise provided by the MYo Lab team.”

Alex