Sciatica is unmistakable: a burning, shooting pain that travels from your lower back down through your hip and leg, sometimes with numbness or tingling. It happens when the sciatic nerve gets irritated or compressed — usually in the lower spine. The good news: most cases improve without drugs or surgery.
What you can try at home
- Keep moving gently. Total rest often makes sciatica worse. Short, easy walks help.
- Alternate ice and heat. Ice calms inflammation early; heat relaxes tight muscles later.
- Avoid prolonged sitting. Sitting compresses the nerve — stand and move every 30 minutes.
- Gentle stretches. Easing tension in the lower back and hips can relieve pressure on the nerve.
When to see a chiropractor
If your sciatica lasts more than a week, keeps coming back, or comes with weakness or numbness, it’s time for professional care. Home measures ease symptoms — but they don’t fix the source of the nerve irritation.
How chiropractic care helps sciatica
We pinpoint exactly where and why the sciatic nerve is being irritated, then use gentle adjustments and decompression techniques to relieve the pressure at its source. Targeted exercises then help keep it from returning. For many people, this resolves sciatica without injections or surgery.
Dealing with sciatica? Request an appointment or text (858) 565-8645 — same-week openings.
