What is Sciatica?
Sciatica is a nerve-related diagnosis that Harvard estimates affects approximately 40% of the adult population in one form or another every year. The symptoms range from mild pain in the glutes that radiates down the leg, to severe pain and weakness that keeps the person bent over in an antalgic position — unable to stand upright.
Medical intervention offers symptomatic relief at best: pain killers, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxers. More severe interventions — surgery — can cost up to $150,000. None of these approaches actually resolve the underlying cause of sciatica. They only mask the symptoms and their effects. Many people search for alternative, less toxic, and less invasive approaches. We receive calls daily from people asking: "Can chiropractic help sciatica?" The answer is yes.
Chiropractic Helps Sciatica by Correcting the Cause
In general, sciatica has two main causes:
A) A subluxated lumbar vertebra that creates pressure on the nerve root as it exits the spine, or
B) A bulging or herniated lumbar disc compressing the nerve root as it exits the spine.
Usually, it is the combination of both that creates the chronic conditions that produce sciatica over time. Instead of directly addressing the pain of sciatica, chiropractors should be looking to correct the biomechanical cause. By adjusting the subluxated bone of the spine, we: take the hard bone off the soft nerve, and realign the spine back toward its ideal position. When the bones return to their ideal position, the discs also begin to improve — because the high stress created by the subluxation misalignment is corrected.
Restoring Quality of Life — the Outcomes That Matter
This case was one of severe sciatica due to chronic vertebral subluxation, degeneration, and significant disc involvement. His medical doctors wanted to perform spinal surgery due to the extent of degeneration. He crawled into our office asking if chiropractic could help.
For a man in his 70s, expectations for significant spinal alignment improvement were realistically low. We followed chiropractic adjusting principles and performed McKenzie Disc protocols. After 6 months of corrective care:
He was snowboarding again. Playing Pickleball. And he had regained his full 6'4" height. Not because we treated his sciatica — but because we corrected the subluxations causing it, and allowed his body to heal itself.
He recently returned to give us an update. He has not had a relapse or recurrent sciatica episode since receiving care, and has continued to exercise and lead an active lifestyle.
Chiropractic can help sciatica — not just temporarily reduce symptoms, but more importantly, restore your Quality of Life, helping you participate in the activities of daily living that make life worth living.