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Sciatica
Treatment in Overland Park, KS · Dr. Ladd Carlston
By Dr. Ladd Carlston · Updated March 16, 2026
What it feels like
Shooting pain down the leg. Numbness or tingling in the leg. Pain worse with sitting. Weakness in the foot. Pain on one side only.
What’s actually causing it
Sciatica is one of the most misunderstood conditions I treat. Most people think it's a disc pressing on a nerve, and sometimes it is. But more often than not, the piriformis — a small muscle deep in your hip — is the culprit. When it's in spasm, it sits right on top of the sciatic nerve and creates that shooting pain everyone dreads. The reason stretching doesn't help is that the piriformis is in spasm because something else isn't doing its job. Usually the glute max has shut down, and the piriformis is trying to compensate for it. I find the shutdown, fix it, and the piriformis relaxes because it no longer has to do someone else's work.
How I treat it
I test the muscles around the affected area individually, find which ones aren’t firing, and reset the connection using gentle techniques. No cracking, no popping.
How long it takes
Most patients feel a difference after one session. Chronic cases typically resolve in 4–6 sessions.
“After dealing with chronic hip, shoulder & neck pain for a year, Dr. Ladd was able to find the problem and solution immediately. I felt so much better after the first visit and now I see a light at the end of the tunnel!”
Tammy · Patient review
Techniques I use for sciatica
The foundation of everything I doNeuromuscular Re-education
Retrains the communication between your brain, nerves, and muscles so the right muscles fire at the right time — and the overworkers can finally relaxSoft Tissue Mobilization
Hands-on work that breaks down scar tissue, releases muscle tension, and restores circulation to areas that have been locked up and compensatingMuscle Energy Technique
Uses your own gentle muscle contractions against resistance to improve joint mobility, reduce pain, and restore the range of motion your body has lost
Common questions
Why does my sciatica keep coming back?
Because the weak muscle causing it hasn’t been found and reset. I treat the cause, not the symptom.
Will you crack my joints?
Never. My techniques are gentle, precise, and comfortable. No high-velocity adjustments.
Ready to find real relief?
Book online in 30 seconds. No referral needed.