Can Chiropractors Effectively Treat Sciatica Pain?
Sciatica is a common condition that affects between 10% and 40% of people. Most cases of mild sciatica resolve on their own. However, when sciatica doesn't resolve on its own, it can lead to chronic pain and muscle weakness.
Medical treatment options generally include:
lifestyle adjustments
pain medications
physical therapy
surgery, in severe cases
Some people with sciatica seek treatment outside traditional medical care.
Learn more about what research shows about chiropractic care for sciatica, as well as other tips to cope with sciatic pain.
What is sciatica?
Sciatica is a pain that's triggered when your sciatic nerve becomes injured or inflamed.
Your sciatic nerve travels from your lower back, past your hips, and down each leg. Sciatica pain can be found anywhere along this path and is often felt through the entire length.
Most people only experience sciatica on one side of their body. The pain can range from mild to severe. The pain can be felt as an electric shock or as a deep aching pain. It can also cause your affected leg and foot to feel numb or weak.
This most common cause of sciatica is a herniated disk in your spine that presses on the sciatic nerve. It can also occur when a bone spur presses on the nerve or when your spine is narrowed and puts pressure on the nerve.
Sciatica often resolves on its own within several weeks. When it doesn't, it's a good idea to see a medical professional.
Left untreated, some cases of sciatica can lead to permanent damage to your sciatica nerve. This could cause you to lose feeling in your affected leg or even lose control of your bowel and bladder.
What are the basics of chiropractic care?
Chiropractic care centers on spinal manipulation and other manual therapies to help relieve pain and treat conditions. Spinal manipulation involves applying controlled force to the spine or joints to alleviate pain.
In the United States, all chiropractors are required earn a Doctor of Chiropractic degree before they can practice. They also need to earn a license in the state where they work.
Chiropractic care is considered a holistic healthcare method. This means that it focuses on care for your whole body and not just the specific area of your pain.
A chiropractor will ask you about your pain as well as your health history at your first appointment. This helps them develop a specialized treatment plan for you.
You might also have X-rays taken, so the chiropractor can understand what's causing your pain. For example, an X-ray might show that your spine is narrowed and pinching your sciatic nerve.
Treatment involves stretching and applying controlled pressure to your joints. The chiropractor might recommend specific exercises for you to do at home to help with your pain. Some may also provide nutrition and wellness education that can help relieve your symptoms.
You'll generally need to see a chiropractor multiple times before you begin to get relief from sciatica.
Does research support the use of chiropractic for sciatica?
People sometimes seek chiropractic care for sciatica and other painful conditions. This is because chiropractic care may be a more appealing option for long-term pain management than taking medication every day.
You also may have already tried numerous traditional solutions to pain management, such as medication and physical therapy, without finding relief.
Chiropractic care is often easy to find. You don't need a medical referral to see a chiropractor, and many of these practices can see you very quickly. Plus, chiropractic care is increasingly covered by health insurance plans.
However, chiropractic care remains controversial.
Until recent years, no studies demonstrated that chiropractic care was safe or effective. A few studies looked into the effectiveness of chiropractic care for sciatica, but these have important limitations. Studies have only been done using small sample sizes, and even then, results varied.
According to a 2025 study, people with sciatica who received chiropractic spinal manipulation instead of opioids had fewer side effects one year after treatment start compared to a control group that received standard treatment of medications. Researchers said that starting chiropractic care sooner led to the decreased needs of using opioid medications later.
According to a 2021 review of available research, spine manipulation therapy was deemed to sometimes—but not always—be effective for some forms of nerve pain, though not specifically sciatica. It's sometimes offered as a frontline treatment, sometimes alongside exercise or physical therapy, and sometimes alongside medications.
What are other natural ways to help with sciatica?
If you're not sure about chiropractic care but want to treat your sciatic naturally, you have options. You can help ease your sciatica pain at home in several ways.
Some suggestions for natural relief include:
Take breaks during your workday: Sitting in the same position for long hours can aggravate sciatica. Try taking a break and changing sitting positions throughout your day. You may find you're in less pain by the end of the day.
Build back strength: You can do low impact exercises, such as bridges. Strengthening these muscles will improve spinal support, which can reduce your sciatica symptoms. To avoid the risk of making your pain worse, take it slow and do these exercises carefully.
Stretch your hip and hamstring muscles: Tight muscles in your hips and hamstrings put pressure on your lower back. Stretching these muscles helps many people see significant improvement in their sciatica pain.
Use ice packs: Ice packs can help relieve the pain of sciatica. You can use an ice pack for up to 20 minutes at a time.
Try heat: Hot packs, heating pads, or even warm water in the shower may help reduce your pain.
Take up yoga: Yoga can help improve your strength, posture, and flexibility, and also provide pain relief. Plus, you'll get the great benefits of exercise and relaxation that come with yoga.
Get a massage: A massage can loosen tight muscles and provide significant pain relief.
Consider acupuncture: For some people, acupuncture can be an effective method of controlling pain.
Ask a doctor about physical therapy: This includes a combination of exercise, education, and manual therapy.
When to get medical treatment
Mild cases of sciatica often resolve on their own. When the pain doesn't resolve quickly, it's a good idea to seek out medical care. Contact a medical professional if your sciatica pain:
has lasted more than a week
gets worse every day
doesn't get better with over-the-counter medications or rest
causes your leg to feel weak or numb
causes you to experience incontinence
Bottom line
A chiropractor might be able to help relieve sciatica pain. Using spinal manipulation techniques and other natural practices, chiropractors can help relieve the pressure on your sciatic nerve.
There is limited evidence to support chiropractic for sciatica, but many people report finding relief after visiting a chiropractor. Chiropractic care is generally considered safe, and there are very few risks to trying this treatment method.
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