Sciatica relief without surgery or long waits.
A sciatica chiropractor in Scottsdale who finds where the nerve is being irritated before treating it. Dr. Tracey Ryder uses adjustments, acupuncture and massage in one plan for the pain that runs from the low back down the leg.
- In practice since 2003
- Chiropractic, acupuncture and massage in one plan
- Old Town Scottsdale, Scottsdale Road
- 4.9 from 75 Google reviews
What it is
What a chiropractor for sciatica looks for
Sciatica is not a condition on its own. It is a symptom: pain, numbness, tingling or weakness along the sciatic nerve, which runs from the low back through the buttock and down the back of the leg. Something is irritating that nerve or the roots that form it, and the job of the first visit is to find out what.
The usual suspects are a disc in the lower spine pressing on a nerve root, a lumbar joint that has stopped moving and inflamed the space the root passes through, or a tight piriformis muscle in the buttock squeezing the nerve where it exits. Each of those is treated differently, which is why sciatica treatment in Scottsdale here starts with an exam of the low back, pelvis, hips and the nerve itself, and a plain-language explanation of what she found.
If you have been searching for a sciatica chiropractor near me from Old Town, Tempe or south Scottsdale, the office is on Scottsdale Road between McDowell and Thomas, and acupuncture and massage are on the same hallway.
- Where it hurts
- Low back or buttock, running down the back or side of one leg, sometimes to the foot
- Common causes
- Disc bulge or herniation, a stuck lumbar joint, piriformis tightness, long sitting
- What we use
- Adjustments, acupuncture for the nerve and muscle, massage of the glutes and piriformis
- First visit
- History, nerve and motion tests, explanation, first treatment when appropriate
What is going on
Why the nerve gets irritated
Five nerve roots leave the lower spine and join to form the sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in the body. A disc that bulges backward can press on a root as it exits. A lumbar segment that has stopped moving can narrow and inflame the opening the root passes through. Lower down, the piriformis muscle in the buttock crosses right over the nerve, and when it spasms it can squeeze the nerve directly. Sitting makes all three worse, which is why sciatica so often flares in the car and at the desk.
Adjustments restore motion to the segment and take pressure off the root. Acupuncture calms the nerve and the muscle around it. Massage releases the piriformis and the glutes. The exam tells us which is the main driver, and the plan starts there.
Symptoms
What people come in with
Sciatica has a recognizable shape. Some of it:
- Pain from the buttock down one leg
- Numbness or pins and needles in the leg
- Worse sitting, better walking
- A sharp jolt on standing
- Burning down the back of the thigh
- Pain into the calf or foot
- Weakness lifting the foot
- Pain that shifts with position
- Trouble sleeping on one side
- Low back ache alongside the leg pain
If the pain stays in the low back and never runs down the leg, see the lower back pain page.
How we treat it
How we treat sciatica
Sciatica chiropractor or acupuncture? Usually both, and the exam decides the order.
Chiropractic
Adjustments to the lumbar segment and pelvis that are loading the nerve root. Gentle techniques, manual or instrument, chosen for how irritated the nerve is.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture for sciatica in Scottsdale is booked often here: points along the low back, buttock and leg to calm the nerve and release the piriformis.
Massage
Sciatica massage in Scottsdale at Ryder targets the glutes, piriformis and hamstrings so the nerve has room, usually before the adjustment.
Your visit
What a first visit for sciatica is like
During the visit
- Where the pain runs, what makes it worse, whether there is numbness or weakness.
- Nerve tension tests, motion checks, hands-on exam of the low back, pelvis and hip.
- A plain-language explanation of what is irritating the nerve.
- First treatment when appropriate, matched to how irritated the nerve is.
After the visit
- Some feel the leg ease within a visit or two; an irritated nerve can take longer to settle.
- Advice on sitting, sleeping position and which movements to avoid for now.
- A re-check at every visit, and a referral for imaging if the plan is not moving it.
Causes
What commonly causes it
The things that put pressure on the nerve or its roots.
Disc bulge or herniation
The most common cause under fifty.
A stuck lumbar joint
Narrows the opening the nerve root passes through.
Piriformis tightness
The buttock muscle that crosses the nerve.
Long sitting
Driving, desk work, the couch.
Disc and joint wear
Narrowing with age. More common over fifty.
Pregnancy
Pelvic change and load. Dr. Tracey is Webster certified.
When to come in
When to see us, and when to see a doctor first
Good reasons to book
- Pain, tingling or numbness running from the low back or buttock down one leg.
- Sciatica that is worse with sitting and eases with walking.
- A flare that has lasted more than a few days.
- Sciatica during pregnancy.
- Leg pain that has been treated elsewhere without lasting change.
See a doctor first if
- You lose control of your bladder or bowel, or have numbness in the groin or inner thighs. This is an emergency.
- Weakness in the leg or foot is getting worse quickly.
- Sciatica in both legs at once, with severe pain.
- Fever, unexplained weight loss or a history of cancer with new back and leg pain.
If anything in the exam points to a problem we should not treat, Dr. Tracey will say so and refer you.
Real questions
What people ask about sciatica.
Searched in Scottsdale Sciatica chiropractor or acupuncture, which should I book?
If the exam finds a joint or disc loading the nerve root, chiropractic addresses the cause. If the nerve and the muscles around it are the main problem, acupuncture often calms it fastest. Here you do not have to choose: Dr. Tracey provides both, one plan can use both, and the first visit tells us where to start.
Can a chiropractor make sciatica worse?
An adjustment chosen without an exam could. That is why the first visit includes nerve tension tests and why the technique is matched to how irritated the nerve is. Gentle instrument adjusting is available for a very irritated nerve.
What is the worst thing you can do with sciatica?
Sit for long stretches. Sitting loads the disc and narrows the space around the nerve root. Short walks, changing position often and the movements you are given at the first visit are usually better than rest.
How long does sciatica take to get better?
It varies with the cause and how long the nerve has been irritated. Dr. Tracey sets a short trial of care and re-checks at each visit; if the plan is not moving it, she will say so and discuss imaging or a referral.
Do I need an MRI?
Not to start. Most sciatica is diagnosed by history and exam, and imaging is ordered only when it would change the plan, for example if weakness is progressing or the plan is not working.
( Book )
Book a visit for sciatica
Call the office or request an appointment online. Tell us where it hurts and how long it has been going on, and we will set up the right first visit.
- Monday
- 8:30 AM to 6 PM
- Tuesday
- 8:30 AM to 12 PM
- Wednesday
- 8:30 AM to 6 PM
- Thursday
- 2 to 6 PM
- Friday
- 8:30 AM to 6 PM
- Saturday to Sunday
- Closed
Directions in Google Maps
Prefer to talk? Call (480) 900-5280.