Conditions We Treat
Sciatica
Pain that runs from the low back into the buttock and down the leg. It is a symptom with several possible causes - and finding the right one is the whole job.
Sciatica Is a Description, Not a Diagnosis
The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body. It forms from nerve roots in the lower spine, runs through the buttock and down the back of the leg. When something irritates or compresses it anywhere along that path, you feel it downstream - often far from where the problem actually is.
That is why "sciatica" on its own is not enough to treat. The pain is real and the location is consistent, but the cause varies, and so does the care that helps.
Nerve root compression in the lumbar spine
The most common origin. A disc bulge or narrowing where the nerve exits the spine irritates the root. Symptoms typically follow a defined path down the leg and often change with position - worse sitting or bending, better standing or walking.
Irritation deeper along the path
The nerve travels through the deep hip musculature. When those muscles are tight, overworked or in spasm, they can irritate the nerve as it passes. This tends to produce buttock-dominant pain that worsens with prolonged sitting or after driving.
Joint referral that mimics it
The sacroiliac joint and the lumbar facet joints can refer pain into the buttock and thigh in a pattern that feels like sciatica but is not actually nerve pain at all. Distinguishing these matters, because they respond to different treatment.
What It Typically Feels Like
A defined path
True nerve pain usually follows a consistent line down the leg rather than moving around or covering a broad area.
Below the knee
Symptoms travelling past the knee are more likely to be genuine nerve involvement than referred joint pain.
Burning or electric
Nerve pain often has a distinct quality - burning, shooting, electric - rather than the dull ache of muscle or joint.
Numbness or tingling
Pins and needles or patches of reduced sensation in the leg or foot point clearly toward the nerve.
Position dependent
Which positions ease it and which provoke it is genuinely diagnostic, and one of the first things we ask about.
Worse in the morning
Disc-driven sciatica is frequently at its worst in the first hour after waking, then eases as you move.
How We Approach It
Locate the source
Orthopaedic and neurological testing, a movement exam, and a careful history of what provokes and relieves your symptoms. We are working out whether this is a nerve root, a deeper soft-tissue irritation, or joint referral wearing a convincing disguise.
Reduce the irritation
Care is directed at the actual source. That might mean restoring motion to restricted lumbar segments, releasing the deep hip musculature, positional work that centralises the symptoms, or spinal decompression where the presentation fits.
Track the pattern, not just the pain
A good early sign is symptoms retreating up the leg toward the back, even before overall intensity drops much. We watch for that, because it tells us the plan is working.
Rebuild tolerance
Once symptoms settle, the work shifts to restoring hip mobility, core control and the ability to sit, lift and train without provoking it again.
What to Expect
Sciatica generally takes longer to resolve than uncomplicated back pain, because nerve tissue is slower to settle than muscle. Steady progress over several weeks is a realistic goal for most presentations. What we watch for is direction of travel: symptoms centralising, distance down the leg shortening, and provocative positions becoming tolerable again.
- Complete rest usually makes it worse - gentle movement is generally better
- Sitting is often the hardest position; we work on that specifically
- If your leg symptoms are not improving as expected, we reassess rather than continue
- Some presentations need imaging or a referral, and we will say so directly
Find Out What Is Actually Irritating the Nerve
An accurate diagnosis is the fastest route to getting the leg pain to stop.
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