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.
“I had been suffering for years and was unsuccessfully treated by others. In one visit, Dr. Ladd was able to find and address the real issue.”
Patient review · Sciatica patient
Techniques I use for sciatica
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?
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