Sciatica
Sciatica is a description, not a diagnosis: pain that runs from the lower back or buttock down the back of the leg, sometimes with pins and needles or numbness.
Chiropractic care may help you manage sciatica that comes from the lower back, once we have worked out what is irritating the nerve.
What it is
The sciatic nerve is formed from nerve roots in the lower spine. Those roots can be irritated by a bulging disc, by narrowing around the nerve, or by the way a stiff lower back and pelvis are loading. Tight buttock muscles can also irritate the nerve lower down.
Leg pain that is worse than the back pain, pain with coughing or sneezing, and pins and needles below the knee all help us work out where the irritation is.
What we assess
- Your history, including how far the pain travels and anything that changes it.
- Lower back and pelvis movement, posture, and the nerve tests that tell us which level is involved and how irritable it is.
- Joint, muscle and nerve testing, with hands-on examination. On-site X-rays if clinically indicated.
Your initial consultation is $49 and includes the examination, on-site X-rays if clinically indicated, an adjustment if clinically indicated, and the planning session where we go through what we found. What to expect →
What care looks like
Adjustments to the lower back and pelvis, chosen for how irritable the nerve is; hands-on work for the muscles involved.
At-home work: positions and movements that ease the nerve, then strengthening as it settles.
A plan with a number of visits, reviewed as you go. Like all treatments, chiropractic care can have side effects; the common ones are mild and short-lived, such as soreness after an adjustment. We discuss this with you before care starts.
When to see your GP first
Some symptoms need a doctor before anyone else. See your GP, or emergency care, if you have:
- Numbness around the groin or buttocks, or any change in bladder or bowel control: same-day medical care.
- Weakness in the leg or foot that is getting worse, or sciatica in both legs.
- Leg pain with fever, after significant trauma, or with a history of cancer.
If you are unsure, call us and ask. We would rather send you to the right person than have you guess.
Questions
How long does sciatica take to settle?
It varies with the cause and how long it has been there. The planning session is where we put a number on it for you, and we review it as you go.
Do I need a scan?
Usually not at first. Imaging is for when the findings or the lack of progress call for it, and we will say when that is.
Related: Slipped or bulging disc · Lower back pain · All conditions
Ready when you are.
Your initial consultation is $49 and includes the examination, on-site X-rays if clinically indicated, an adjustment if clinically indicated, and the planning session where we go through what we found.