SCIATICA
Sciatica & Leg Pain Care in St. Louis Park, MN
Sciatica is a description, not a diagnosis: pain, tingling or numbness running from the low back or buttock down the leg. The real question is what’s irritating the nerve, because the answer decides the plan.
Minnesota Monthly Best Chiropractor 2020–2026 · Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician® (CCSP®) · Veteran and Woman-owned
OUR APPROACH
Pain That Travels Has a Starting Point
A disc, a tight piriformis muscle and an arthritic joint all feel similar from the outside and are treated differently. The exam is where we earn our keep.
We test how your spine, hips and nerves respond to specific positions and movements to narrow down the source. We also check strength, reflexes and sensation, because those tell us how much the nerve is being affected and whether imaging or a referral is needed now.
Let’s find where it starts.
Dr. HeatherDC, MS, CCSP®
WHAT SCIATICA CAN FEEL LIKE
One Nerve, Several Possible Causes
The pattern of your symptoms is the first clue to where they’re coming from.
Buttock-to-Leg Pain
A deep ache or sharp, electric pain in the buttock that runs down the back of the thigh, sometimes to the calf or foot.
Tingling & Numbness
Pins-and-needles or numb patches along that same path. We map these carefully because they tell us which nerve level is involved.
Worse Sitting or Bending
Pain that’s worse sitting, driving or bending forward often points to a disc. Worse standing and walking points elsewhere.
One-Sided
Sciatica is usually one leg. Symptoms in both legs, or new bladder or bowel changes, need a physician first.
Little or No Back Pain
Leg pain can be the main event with only mild back pain, or none at all. The source is still usually the low back or hip.
Hip & Piriformis
A tight hip muscle can irritate the sciatic nerve directly. It looks like sciatica and responds to a different plan.
Mostly back pain? Back pain care → Active and injured? Sports & Performance Care →
HOW WE APPROACH IT
Care Depends on What We Find
Once we know where the nerve is being irritated, the plan follows. The aim is to move your symptoms out of the leg and back toward the spine, then keep them there.
Your plan may combine:
- Adjustments or gentle mobilization of the low back, pelvis and hip, chosen for your findings.
- Directional exercises that move symptoms out of the leg and back toward the spine.
- Active Release Techniques® and Graston Technique® for the hip and hamstring muscles. Learn about ART®
- Class 4 laser therapy for the irritated tissue. Learn about laser therapy
- Clear guidance on how to sit, sleep and move while it settles.
- Imaging or a referral when strength, reflexes or sensation call for it.
WHEN TO SEE A PHYSICIAN FIRST
Uncommon, but Urgent
These are rare, but they need prompt medical attention. We screen for them at your first visit and refer immediately if we find them.
- New numbness in the groin or inner thighs (“saddle” numbness).
- Loss of bowel or bladder control, or difficulty starting urination.
- Weakness in the leg or foot that is getting worse, such as a foot that drags or slaps.
- Symptoms in both legs that came on suddenly.
If any of these apply, seek urgent care right away. We’ll be here afterward.
SCIATICA FAQ
Sciatica Questions, Answered
Straight answers to the questions we hear most. Something else on your mind? Call (952) 920-9247.
Is it a disc?
Sometimes. Disc-related sciatica tends to be worse with sitting and bending forward. Other causes behave differently. The exam, and occasionally imaging, sorts it out.
Should I stretch it?
Not every stretch helps, and some make nerve pain worse. We’ll show you the specific movements that help your pattern and the ones to skip for now.
How long will sciatica take to improve?
Many people see leg symptoms start to retreat within a few weeks of the right care; longer-standing or more severe cases take more time. You’ll get an honest estimate after your exam.
Can I keep running or lifting?
Often yes, with modifications. Our goal is to keep you moving in the ways that help and pause the ones that don’t, then build back from there.
Can a chiropractor help with sciatica?
Often, yes. Sciatica-type pain can come from a disc, an irritated nerve, tight muscles or a joint problem. We test to find the source, then build a plan that may combine adjustments, soft-tissue work and exercises. If your nerve findings call for imaging or a specialist, we’ll refer you.
Do you take my insurance?
We verify benefits in the office before care starts, so you’ll know your costs up front. Auto accident and VA Community Care referrals are handled separately; see those pages.
RECOVER · PERFORM · KEEP GOING
Ready to Find Where It Starts?
Schedule a visit at Excelsior & Grand Chiropractic in St. Louis Park, MN, serving Minneapolis, Edina, Golden Valley and Hopkins. We’ll start with your history and a thorough exam, then build a plan to get you sitting, walking and sleeping comfortably again.
Questions first? Call (952) 920-9247.