Conditions/Spine + nerve/Sciatica
— CONDITION · LOW BACK + LEG

Sciatica.

Lightning down one leg. The sciatic nerve is pinned somewhere — find that, fix that, the leg pain leaves with it.

Book a consult How we treat it
01 — WHAT IT IS

Not a diagnosis. A symptom of something else.

Sciatica is compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve — the longest nerve in the body, running from the lumbar spine through the buttock and down each leg to the foot. The most common driver is a herniated disc at L4-L5 or L5-S1, where displaced disc material presses directly on the nerve root, producing the burning, electric, or shooting pain patients describe radiating down one leg.

Other drivers include bone spurs narrowing the nerve canal, piriformis muscle spasm pinching the nerve in the gluteal region, and spinal stenosis reducing the available space in the lumbar spine. Because the pain shows up in the leg while the problem lives in the back, sciatica is easy to chase in the wrong place.

The American Chiropractic Association reports that roughly 90% of sciatica cases resolve with conservative care — without surgery — when the structural source is properly identified and treated. That is the whole game: locate what is compressing the nerve, then take the pressure off it.

At our Jacksonville and Orange Park offices, treatment combines spinal decompression to relieve disc pressure on the nerve, chiropractic adjustments to restore lumbar and pelvic alignment, and targeted soft-tissue work to address the muscle imbalances that keep the compression going.

02 — SYMPTOMS

Does this sound familiar?

Lightning down one leg
Searing, electric pain that shoots from the low back through the hip and down the leg, sometimes all the way to the toes.
Numbness or tingling
Pins and needles in the calf or foot, or a dead, unresponsive feeling where the leg just doesn't answer the way it should.
Leg weakness
The leg gives out. Stairs feel unsafe. You don't trust it to hold you up the way it used to.
Sitting makes it worse
Meetings, car rides, dinners — every position is wrong. You're constantly shifting to find one that doesn't hurt.
Sit-to-stand pain
That moment going from chair to standing lights it up. You brace for it every single time.
One side only
Left leg or right — almost never both. The one-sided pattern is the sciatic nerve's calling card.
03 — HOW WE TREAT IT

Four tools. Rarely all at once.

01
Spinal decompression
The big one for disc-driven sciatica. Gentle traction opens the disc space, creates negative pressure, and encourages herniated material to retract off the nerve root. The closest thing there is to an undo button for a bulging disc.
02
Chiropractic adjustment
Realigning the lumbar spine and pelvis takes direct pressure off the sciatic nerve root. Most patients feel a meaningful change — less shooting, more mobility — inside the first few visits.
03
Dry needling
When the piriformis and glutes are part of the compression story, needling releases the deep trigger points that stretching alone can't reach. Patients who've had sciatica for months often feel immediate relief.
04
Targeted rehab
Core and posterior-chain strengthening that stabilizes the lumbar spine long-term. We're not just chasing the pain — we're building a back that can handle your life without flaring up again next month.
— WHEN TO GO TO THE ER
Loss of bowel or bladder control, saddle numbness, or rapidly progressing leg weakness — go to the ER. Cauda equina syndrome is rare but a surgical emergency.
04 — GOOD TO KNOW

Why your leg hurts when the problem is your back

Sciatica is a symptom, not a diagnosis. Something is compressing or irritating the sciatic nerve — and identifying exactly what that something is changes everything about how it should be treated.

The usual suspects: a herniated disc (the number-one cause by a wide margin), bone spurs narrowing the nerve exit, spinal stenosis in the lumbar spine, piriformis syndrome where a tight glute muscle compresses the nerve, degenerative disc disease, and spondylolisthesis where a vertebra has slipped forward. Each of these creates the compression in a different way, and each needs a different emphasis in the plan.

This is why guessing doesn't work. Two people with identical leg pain can have completely different sources — and the right fix for one can be irrelevant for the other.

How we pinpoint the source

Treatment starts with finding where the nerve is actually pinned. Orthopedic testing reproduces your symptoms with specific movements and points toward the level involved. A neurological assessment checks reflexes, sensation, and motor strength to map which nerve root is affected and how severely.

When the exam suggests we need to see more, imaging fills in the picture: X-rays show structural and alignment issues, while MRI reveals soft-tissue problems like herniations and stenosis. We order imaging when the clinical findings call for it — not by default.

How long until you feel better

Most patients notice real improvement within 4 to 6 weeks, and some feel a difference after the very first session. Acute sciatica generally responds faster than chronic sciatica that has been building for months.

For disc-related sciatica, spinal decompression typically produces measurable change within 6 to 12 sessions. We track your progress at every visit, so you always know exactly where you stand and what comes next — no open-ended treatment plans.

What you can do right now

Between visits, a few things help. Avoid prolonged sitting, which loads the disc and the nerve. Ice the lower back for 15 to 20 minutes to calm acute nerve inflammation. Gentle movement usually beats total rest — lying flat for days tends to make disc-related sciatica worse, not better.

If your leg pain is worsening, spreading, or coming with new weakness, that is a signal to get evaluated rather than wait it out. The earlier the compression is addressed, the shorter the road back tends to be.

05 — COMMON QUESTIONS

Questions, answered.

What is sciatica?
Sciatica is pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve — from the lower back through the hip and buttock and down one leg. It is a symptom of nerve compression, not a diagnosis in itself. The most common cause is a herniated disc at L4-L5 or L5-S1 pressing on the nerve root.
What causes sciatica?
Sciatica is most commonly caused by a herniated disc compressing the sciatic nerve root, bone spurs, spinal stenosis, or piriformis syndrome where the piriformis muscle irritates the nerve. Pregnancy, prolonged sitting, and lumbar instability can also contribute to sciatic nerve compression.
How long does sciatica last?
Acute sciatica often improves within 4 to 6 weeks with appropriate treatment. Chronic sciatica — lasting more than 12 weeks — typically requires targeted intervention to address the structural cause. Without treatment, sciatica from a herniated disc can persist for months or worsen over time.
Can chiropractic care cure sciatica?
Chiropractic adjustments can significantly reduce sciatica by correcting spinal misalignments that compress the nerve. Combined with spinal decompression and targeted rehabilitation, chiropractic care resolves the majority of disc-related sciatica cases without surgery. Results depend on the severity and duration of the compression.
What is the fastest way to relieve sciatica?
The fastest relief typically comes from a combination of chiropractic adjustment to restore spinal alignment, targeted stretching of the piriformis and hip flexors, and avoiding prolonged sitting. Ice applied to the lower back for 15 to 20 minutes can reduce nerve inflammation acutely. Dry needling of trigger points in the piriformis and gluteal muscles also provides rapid relief for many patients.
Does spinal decompression work for sciatica?
Yes. Spinal decompression therapy is highly effective for sciatica caused by herniated or bulging discs. The therapy creates negative intradiscal pressure that helps retract the disc material compressing the nerve root. Most patients with disc-related sciatica see measurable improvement within 6 to 12 decompression sessions. Meridian offers spinal decompression in Jacksonville and Orange Park, FL.
Can I see a chiropractor for sciatica in Jacksonville or Orange Park?
Yes. Meridian Integrative Wellness treats sciatica at both our Jacksonville and Orange Park, FL locations. Our team uses a combination of chiropractic adjustments, spinal decompression, dry needling, and rehabilitation exercises to address the root cause of sciatic nerve compression.
— IF YOU'RE READY

Done with the lightning.

A 30-minute consult to map the source of the compression and the shortest path back to a leg that does what you tell it to.

Book a sciatica consult