Condition · Sciatica
Sciatica Treatment — The Pain Is in Your Leg. The Problem Isn't.
Burning down the back of the thigh. Electric jolts into the calf. Numbness in the foot. Pain that decides whether you can sit through a meeting, drive to work, or sleep on your side. Sciatica is miserable in a way that's hard to explain to people who haven't had it — and frustrating to treat if everyone keeps working on your leg, because your leg isn't the problem.
Same-day appointments Mon–Fri 7am–7:30pm · All private health funds accepted — claim your rebate on-site
Watch: Dr Steve traces sciatic pain back to where it actually starts
Video coming soon — filmed in the clinic, not a stock library.
Why sciatica doesn't behave like normal pain
Sciatica isn't a condition — it's a symptom, the best-known member of the pinched nerve family. The sciatic nerve, the largest in your body, runs from your lower spine through the buttock and down the leg. When its nerve roots are compressed or irritated at the spine — by a disc, a misaligned segment, or narrowed nerve openings — pain fires anywhere along the nerve's path. The leg hurts; the spine is responsible.
This is why treating the leg fails. Stretching the hamstring, massaging the calf, strengthening the glutes — none of it changes the compression at the lumbar spine. Until the compression changes, the nerve stays irritated and the symptoms keep their lease.
Sciatica patients are some of our most motivated, because they've usually tried everything by the time they arrive — and 'tried everything' almost always means 'tried everything except correcting the structure compressing the nerve.'
Diagnosis first
How we find the cause
Your free first consultation maps the symptom pattern precisely — where the pain travels, what positions trigger and relieve it — because the pattern points to which nerve root is involved.
We assess your lumbar spine and pelvis: segmental motion, alignment, weight distribution, and the specific neurological and orthopaedic tests (including the straight leg raise) that confirm sciatic involvement and locate the compression.
Where imaging is clinically indicated, EOS standing scans show your lumbar structure under real load — very low dose, bulk billed through Medicare, no GP referral required.
We show you exactly what we find and what's compressing the nerve. If your case needs a different pathway — some severe disc presentations do — we'll say so honestly at this free visit.
Not sure if this is what's causing your sciatica?
Take our 60-second spine assessment and get a clearer picture before you book anything.
Treatment
What to expect from care
- Care decompresses the nerve by correcting the structural cause: restoring alignment and motion at the involved segments so pressure comes off the nerve root and it can settle.
- Nerve pain responds on its own schedule — many patients feel real change within the first few visits, while long-irritated nerves can take weeks to fully calm. We'll give you the honest version of your timeline, not the optimistic one.
- You'll also get specific guidance for the in-between: sitting strategy, driving setup, sleeping positions — the practical management that makes recovery liveable.
- Defined plan, progress re-assessment, clear endpoint. Same-day appointments are usually available for acute flare-ups, weekdays from 7am.
Patient outcomes
What patients with sciatica tell us
★★★★★“I've been seeing Dr Morgan for about a month now after experiencing severe back pain. Following a consultation and x-rays, I was diagnosed with Retrolisthesis in my L5, which made walking difficult, sitting painful, and bending over nearly impossible… my back is finally starting to improve.”
★★★★★“Steve is incredibly knowledgeable and truly amazing… I could barely walk when I first saw him, and he fixed my back immediately. Since then, it has continued to improve with every visit.”
FAQs
Sciatica: your questions answered
Can a chiropractor fix sciatica?
When the cause is structural compression at the spine — which covers most cases — yes, by correcting the alignment and joint problems compressing the nerve root. Assessment determines your specific cause first; where a case needs specialist care instead, we'll tell you at the free consultation.
How long does sciatica take to resolve?
Recent-onset sciatica often improves within a few visits. Nerves that have been irritated for months or years take longer to settle even after the compression is corrected — typically weeks. Your assessment gives you a specific, honest estimate.
Should I rest or stay active with sciatica?
Complete rest usually makes sciatica worse — but so does the wrong activity. The right answer depends on what's compressing your nerve, which is what assessment identifies. Until then: keep gently moving, avoid prolonged sitting, and avoid anything that sends pain further down the leg.
Is sciatica the same as a pinched nerve?
Sciatica is a specific type of pinched nerve — compression affecting the sciatic nerve roots in the lower spine. The same structural logic applies to nerve compression anywhere in the spine; see our pinched nerve page for the broader picture.
What if I have numbness or weakness in the leg?
Numbness and weakness mean the nerve is significantly affected and assessment shouldn't wait. Certain red-flag signs need urgent medical care, and screening for those is part of our first consultation — it's exactly why we examine before we ever treat.
Related conditions we treat
Pinched Nerve & Sciatica
Yes — we find the structural cause of pinched nerves and sciatica with a thorough assessment and imaging when needed, then build a correction plan with a clear endpoint.
Learn more →Back Pain
Back pain that keeps returning is a structural problem being managed, not fixed.
Learn more →Sports Injuries
Injury keeping you out of the gym, off the track or out of the water? We find the structural cause of recurring sports injuries and correct it.
Learn more →Find out what's actually causing your sciatica.
Your first consultation is free. We'll assess your structure, show you what we find, and tell you honestly whether we can help — no obligation, no lock-in plans.