Sciatica Treatment in St. Augustine, FL
Sciatica is pain from an irritated sciatic nerve, usually felt from the low back down one leg. At Back in Motion in St. Augustine, Dr. Colby Caltrider finds what is pressing on the nerve with an exam and on-site digital X-rays, then treats it with adjustment, Back on Trac spinal decompression and corrective exercise. No surgery, no drugs.
Can chiropractors treat sciatica?
Yes. A chiropractor can examine you, find what is irritating the sciatic nerve, and treat many of the common causes without drugs or surgery. The research says spinal manipulation may help sciatica; it is not a guaranteed fix, so we pair it with decompression and exercise.
Sciatica is not a diagnosis by itself. It is nerve pain from injury or irritation to the sciatic nerve, and the causes include herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis and pregnancy (Cleveland Clinic). Treating it well means finding which of those is behind your pain.
The National Institutes of Health says spinal manipulation “isn’t widely used to treat sciatica, but it may help.” In one 2014 study of 192 people, those who had manipulation plus home exercise reported less pain after 12 weeks than those who did home exercise alone. At one year, leg pain was about the same in both groups (NIH NCCIH). That is why we do not rely on adjustments alone.
Is it a good idea to see a chiropractor for sciatica?
For most people with sciatica and no red-flag symptoms, a chiropractic exam is a reasonable first step. It is non-surgical, and a good chiropractor will tell you if your case needs an MRI, a medical doctor or a surgeon instead.
It is not a good idea if you have loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness in the groin, or leg weakness that is getting worse. Those need emergency care, not a chiropractic appointment. See the box below.
How quickly can a chiropractor fix sciatica?
Not in one visit. Many cases of sciatica improve within four to six weeks, and most people recover without long-term problems. Our job is to help that happen sooner and more completely, and to tell you honestly how you are progressing.
Those four-to-six-week figures come from the Cleveland Clinic (Cleveland Clinic). How long your own case takes depends on the cause, how long you have had it, and how irritated the nerve is. Dr. Colby gives you a timeline and a visit plan after your exam, and re-checks you along the way so you can see whether it is working.
TODO PETE Ask Dr. Colby for the practice's typical visit range for sciatica (e.g. “most patients are seen X times over Y weeks”) so we can publish a real number.
Can sciatica go away on its own?
Often, yes. Many cases improve within four to six weeks, and surgery is usually a last option. Care can speed that up and lower the chance of it coming back, but mild sciatica does not always need treatment.
A day or two of rest may help at the start. Too much rest can slow recovery (Cleveland Clinic). If the pain is not easing after a couple of weeks, or it keeps coming back, it is worth getting the cause checked.
Is it better to sit or stand with sciatica?
Neither for long. Most people with sciatica do best changing position often: short walks, standing breaks, and not sitting for long stretches. Which position eases your pain also gives us a clue about the cause.
For example, disc-related sciatica often feels worse sitting and bending forward, while stenosis-related leg pain often feels worse standing and walking and better sitting. Tell Dr. Colby which positions help and which hurt. It is part of the exam.
Can sitting down too much cause sciatica?
Sitting alone is rarely the root cause, but long hours of sitting can aggravate a disc or nerve that is already irritated. If your leg pain flares at your desk or in the car, sitting is likely making it worse.
Get up every 30 to 45 minutes, keep your hips slightly higher than your knees, and do not sit on a wallet. We teach corrective exercises you can do at work.
When to go to the ER instead
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
- Numbness in the groin, inner thighs or buttocks (“saddle” area)
- Leg weakness that is new or getting worse
- Sciatica after a serious fall or crash, or with fever
Muscle weakness and loss of bladder or bowel control are listed by the Cleveland Clinic as serious symptoms that need immediate care (Cleveland Clinic).
How Dr. Colby finds the source
Two people can have the same leg pain for completely different reasons. So the first visit is about finding the cause, not jumping straight to treatment.
1. History and exam
Where the pain goes, what makes it better or worse, and how long you have had it. Then orthopedic and neurologic tests: reflexes, strength, sensation, and straight-leg raise and related tests that show whether a nerve root is involved and which one.
2. On-site digital X-rays, when indicated
X-rays show disc height, alignment, arthritis and slippage of one vertebra on another (spondylolisthesis). They are taken in the office and reviewed with you the same visit. More about our digital X-rays.
3. A plain-words diagnosis, or a referral
You leave knowing what is likely causing your sciatica. If the exam points to something that needs an MRI or a specialist, Dr. Colby tells you and refers you.
Our approach to sciatica
Chiropractic adjustment
Gentle, specific adjustments to restore motion in stiff joints of the low back and pelvis. For an acute disc, Dr. Colby may hold off on manual adjustment and start with decompression.
Back on Trac spinal decompression
A slow, computer-guided stretch that takes pressure off the discs and nerve roots. The Back on Trac system we use is FDA 510(k) cleared and indicated for pain associated with herniated, protruding and extruded discs, sciatica and degenerative disc disease. See spinal decompression.
Corrective exercises
Movement homework that calms the nerve and keeps it calm, so progress lasts after you finish care. This is the part of the 2014 study that both groups did, and it matters.
If a herniated disc is the cause, our disc herniation page goes deeper into how we combine decompression, focused shockwave and Class IV laser.
Other things people ask
Can a chiropractor make sciatica worse?
It can happen if a high-force adjustment is used on an acute, unstable disc. That is why Dr. Colby examines you and takes X-rays when needed before any treatment, and often starts acute disc cases with decompression rather than manual adjustment.
Should I see a doctor or a chiropractor for sciatica?
If you have no red-flag symptoms, either is a reasonable first stop. If you have bladder or bowel changes, groin numbness or worsening weakness, go to a medical doctor or the ER first. We refer out for MRI or specialist care when the exam calls for it.
How many chiropractic treatments does sciatica take?
It depends on the cause and how long you have had it. Dr. Colby gives you a specific plan and visit count after your exam and re-checks your progress so you are never on an open-ended schedule.
Dr. Colby Caltrider, D.C.
Palmer College graduate · OwnerDr. Colby examines every sciatica patient himself, with orthopedic and neurologic testing and on-site X-rays, before any treatment. If your case needs an MRI or a specialist, he tells you on day one.
When someone walks in here in pain, my job isn't to sell them a package. My job is to figure out what's going on and get them moving again. That's it.
Leg pain that won't let up?
Book an exam. We will find what is irritating the nerve and give you a plan, with an honest timeline, in plain words.