Sciatica

What it feels like

Sciatica is nerve pain that tends to run from the low back or buttock down the back of the leg, sometimes reaching the calf or foot. People describe it as burning, electric, or a deep, aching tightness that flares when they sit, stand up, cough, or roll over in bed. Some feel numbness or a foot that catches on the carpet. It can come on after a lift, a fall, or slowly — with no clear trigger at all. What it steals is straightforward: comfortable sitting, an easy walk, a full night of sleep.

What we check at your evaluation

We look for the mechanical picture — how your back and hips move, what positions calm the pain, and where the nerve is being irritated — plus the neurological picture: strength, reflexes, and sensation along the leg. We ask about red flags that would change the plan urgently (bowel or bladder changes, saddle numbness, progressive weakness). Imaging is ordered when it will change what we do next, not by default. Because sciatica often improves with the right combination of movement, targeted therapy, and, where indicated, an injection, we build a plan you can actually start that week.

Treatment options we offer

Every plan is individualized after a clinician evaluation. Depending on your situation your plan may draw from steroid or trigger-point injections, guided physical therapy, acupuncture, laser therapy, StemWave (non-invasive shockwave), and — where clinically appropriate and consistent with Maryland law and CDC guidelines — monitored medication management. Treatment plans are set only after clinical evaluation; no outcome is guaranteed.

Treatment plans are set only after clinical evaluation. No outcome is guaranteed.

Frequently asked