The Truth About Sciatica

What it is, what it isn’t, and why most treatments don’t go far enough.


What If Your Sciatica Isn’t Really Sciatica?

If you’ve been told you have “sciatica,” you might be picturing a pinched nerve, a bulging disc, or something stuck in your lower back.

But here’s the truth:

Sciatica isn’t a diagnosis. It’s a symptom.

And if you don’t find out why that symptom is happening, you’ll keep chasing the pain instead of fixing the problem.

In this post, we’ll break down what sciatica actually is, why so many people struggle to get lasting relief, and what your body really needs to get back to pain-free movement.

What Is Sciatica, Really?

“Sciatica” refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve—usually from your lower back down into your glute, hamstring, or leg.

It can feel sharp, burning, tingling, or even numb.

Sometimes it’s constant. Sometimes it comes and goes.

But again—that’s a symptom, not a cause.

Here’s the Problem: Most Treatments Chase the Pain

You get adjusted.

You stretch your hamstrings.

You ice your back.

Maybe you even get an MRI that shows a disc bulge.

And yet… the pain keeps returning.

That’s because sciatica is often a full-body issue—not just a spine issue.

Here’s what could actually be going on:

Common Root Causes of Sciatica Symptoms

  1. Movement Imbalances

    • Limited hip mobility, poor glute activation, and core instability can overload the low back and irritate the sciatic nerve pathway—especially under load.

  2. Piriformis Syndrome

    • Your piriformis muscle in the glute can compress the sciatic nerve—especially if it’s overused to compensate for weak hips or poor pelvic control.

  3. Nerve Tension / Neurodynamics

    • Your nervous system needs to glide and slide through tissue. If that mobility is restricted (due to inflammation or prior injury), nerve symptoms can flare—even without compression.

  4. Disc Irritation (but not always compression)

    • You don’t need a massive disc herniation to feel sciatica-like symptoms. Mild disc irritation or joint inflammation can trigger the nerve roots and cause pain referral down the leg.

What This Means: You Don’t Just Need Relief. You Need a Plan.

Stretching alone won’t fix it.

Rest alone won’t fix it.

Adjustments alone won’t fix it.

If you want lasting relief from sciatica symptoms, you need a strategy that does 3 things:

  • Resets joint motion, nerve mobility, and tissue tension

  • Rebuilds strength, control, and coordination in the hips and core

  • Restores balance to your movement patterns and nervous system

What Recovery Looks Like at Proactive Health

We help clients recover from sciatica by addressing both the physical mechanics and the neurological patterns that keep the pain coming back.

Your plan may include:

  • Chiropractic adjustments to restore spinal mobility and pelvic alignment

  • Soft tissue therapy to release nerve entrapment points

  • Active rehab to strengthen your hips, glutes, and core

  • Nerve glide exercises to restore neurodynamics

  • Blood sugar, inflammation, and recovery support if systemic issues are contributing

This isn’t about managing flare-ups. It’s about solving the root problem—so you don’t have to live with “flare-up fear.”

The Bottom Line: You’re Not Stuck With Sciatica

If you’ve been living with shooting leg pain or back tightness that just won’t go away, don’t settle for a generic label and another round of rest.

Sciatica is a signal.

It’s your body’s way of saying something deeper needs to change.

If you’re ready to uncover the root cause of your “sciatica”, stop managing symptoms, and achieve lasting relief, we can help!

Schedule your New Patient Evaluation by clicking the button below.


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What Is a Root Cause? How to Stop Managing Symptoms and Start Healing for Real