Sciatica: pain that travels from your back into your leg
Sciatica is a description, not a diagnosis. It means symptoms travelling along the path of the sciatic nerve, and several different structures can produce that pattern. Care depends entirely on which one your examination points to, which is why guessing rarely helps.
Who this page is for
Adults with pain, numbness or tingling running from the low back into the buttock, thigh, calf or foot.
Why people come in
These are reasons patients give for booking. They are not a diagnosis, and only an examination can tell you what is happening in your case.
- Pain running from the low back into one leg
- Numbness, pins and needles or burning along the leg
- Symptoms worse when sitting, coughing or sneezing
- Trouble finding a comfortable position at night
How the evaluation works
The examination includes neurological testing, movement testing and orthopedic assessment to distinguish disc, joint and muscular sources. Imaging or referral follows when findings indicate it.
How we may approach care
Conservative care may combine adjustments, soft tissue therapy, decompression where indicated, and specific exercise, paced to how your symptoms behave.
What a first visit may involve
Expect detailed questions about where the symptoms travel and what changes them, then an examination and an explanation of the likely source.
Safety and when to seek other care
Progressive weakness in the leg or foot, loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness in the saddle region are medical emergencies and need immediate care, not a chiropractic appointment.
Questions patients ask
Will sciatica go away on its own?
Many episodes settle, but recurrence and cause both matter. An examination tells you what you are actually dealing with.
Should I stretch it?
Some stretches help and some aggravate, depending on the source. Get the source identified before you follow a generic routine.
Where this care is offered
The clinical explanation above is the same at every clinic. Location links add only what is specific to that clinic.
Clinical review
Clinician review pending. This page has not yet been signed off by a named Inspine provider, and no reviewer is claimed until one confirms it. See our provider profiles.
Take the first step.
Call the clinic nearest you, or send a request and our team will follow up to agree a time.