You have a sharp, burning pain in your hip, lower back, or leg that radiates down to your feet. You may also have numbness or weakness. Whether the pain is constant or comes and goes, you know it’s not going away on its own and it’s probably time to seek help. But don’t pop a pill or assume you need surgery—there’s a good chance sciatica chiropractic can ease your symptoms without medications or invasive procedures.

Sciatica occurs when one of the spinal nerves becomes compressed. It can be caused by lumbar spine subluxations (misaligned vertebral bodies), herniated or bulging discs, pregnancy and childbirth, tumors, or even sitting on your wallet all day!

The best sciatica chiropractor will work to alleviate your symptoms by addressing whatever is impinging the sciatic nerve. That means re-aligning the spine and pelvis, and doing exercises that strengthen muscles and improve posture. It might also include therapeutic massage to reduce muscle tightness and tension and ice therapy to control inflammation. In addition to manual therapies, a sciatica chiropractor may use modalities such as spinal decompression and electrical stimulation.

A sciatica chiropractor will also teach you some home remedies that can help alleviate symptoms between treatments. These can include hot or cold packs, exercise, yoga, and stretches. Some may also recommend acupuncture, which is known to reduce pain and tension and help with circulation.