Sciatica Treatment in Springdale, AR
Sciatica is a description, not a diagnosis. Leg pain, numbness and tingling can come from the lumbar spine, from the way the nerve glides through the hip, or from both.
Sorting out which one you have is the whole job. The treatments are different and using the wrong one makes it worse.
What it feels like
- Pain travelling from the low back or buttock into the leg
- Numbness or pins and needles in the calf or foot
- Symptoms that worsen with sitting or driving
- Relief when you stand up and walk, or the reverse
- Weakness pushing off the foot on that side
What usually causes it
- Lumbar disc irritation compressing or chemically irritating the nerve root
- Restricted nerve mobility through the hip and hamstring
- Deep hip muscles guarding around the nerve path
- Long driving or sitting hours with no position change
- Loading the spine in one direction only
How we assess and treat it
We map the symptoms, test reflexes, strength and sensation, and use directional testing to find the movement that centralizes your leg pain back toward the spine. That movement becomes the core of your home plan.
Nerve mobility work, targeted manual therapy and specific loading follow. Dry needling can be used for the guarding hip musculature when it is limiting progress.
We also rebuild sitting and driving tolerance directly, because that is what most people actually need back first.
What a plan of care looks like
- 01
Weeks 1–2
Get the leg symptoms moving back toward the spine and give you positions that reliably reduce them.
- 02
Weeks 3–5
Restore nerve mobility and hip strength. Rebuild sitting and driving tolerance in graded steps.
- 03
Weeks 6+
Progressive lifting and full activity with a spine that tolerates load in every direction.
What patients say
“My knee held up through a full match. He explained every step of why.”
Frequently asked questions
- Should I rest until sciatica goes away?
- Extended rest usually prolongs it. Directed movement, chosen from your exam, tends to work far better.
- When is sciatica an emergency?
- Loss of bowel or bladder control, numbness in the saddle region, or rapidly progressing weakness require immediate medical attention. Go to an emergency department.
- Do I need an injection first?
- Many people improve without one. If your progress stalls, we will tell you honestly and help you coordinate the next step.
- How long does sciatica take to settle?
- Many cases improve meaningfully within a few weeks. Your exam findings give a realistic estimate at visit one.