Sciatica Treatment in Murrieta, CA
Sciatica pain can be frustrating, exhausting, and limiting. When pain shoots from your lower back into your leg, even simple movements can feel overwhelming. Many patients come to California Oaks Chiropractic feeling unsure why the pain started or why it keeps returning.
Dr. Phillip Vournazos, DC, takes the time to understand what is irritating your sciatic nerve and how it is affecting your daily life. Our approach focuses on gentle care that supports your body’s natural ability to heal, improves your movement, and helps you feel more confident as you get back to normal activities.
Your first visit is about listening, understanding your symptoms, and creating a clear plan forward. Call (951) 698-2511 to book an appointment.
What Is Sciatica?
Sciatica, which is also known as sciatic neuralgia, is a condition that causes pain in the lower back, down the back of the leg, and into the foot. It can make sitting and standing for long periods of time difficult and can lead to weakness, tingling, and numbness in the leg and foot. It will often come and go throughout a person’s lifetime, causing periods of varying degrees of pain and discomfort.
If left unchecked, sciatic pain will generally grow worse, and the nerve can become permanently injured.
Common Causes of Sciatica
There are a number of factors that can lead to sciatica. It is most commonly caused by disc injuries and bulges. In this occurrence, the disc presses against the nerve root, causing the issue. Disc Injuries can occur because of poor posture, repetitive use injuries, and accidents. Sciatica is also common when there are subluxations (misalignments) in the spine due to postural issues, pregnancy, or trauma.
Some patients say they simply bent over to pick up a piece of paper, and they were hit with extreme pain. The reality is that the spinal condition was probably developing for quite some time before the triggering incident occurred.
How Sciatica Develops in the Lower Back
The sciatic nerve is a bundle of nerves stemming from the sacrum and lower back, forming the largest nerve in the body. It runs down the posterior part of the lower extremity.
The reason the pain travels so far and seems to radiate down the legs and back is because it is caused by the compression of the sciatic nerve. This nerve originates in the lumbar spine, extends into the buttocks, then travels down the leg to the ankle and foot.
When the vertebrae in the lower back are compressed, the roots of the sciatic nerve can become pinched and irritated, which is what causes the pain and injury.
How Sciatica Is Diagnosed
A lot of people who have heard the term sciatica are very familiar with the phrase, “it’s my sciatic nerve.” That is not always the case.
Sometimes people have neurological symptoms in the anterior part of the thigh, which is a different nerve from the sciatic nerve. These differences are used to decipher exactly which nerve is being compressed, whether it is radiculopathy, myelopathy, or sciatic nerve compression.
Sciatica is also very closely mimicked by piriformis syndrome, which is a muscle clamping the sciatic nerve.
At California Oaks Chiropractic, we go through orthopedic exams, neurological tests, imaging, and palpation to make sure the diagnostic part is done correctly, so we know how to fix it accurately.
Sciatic Nerve Pain Treatment
- Chiropractic treatment: It fixes the structural cause of the nerve compression. Chiropractic care is an integral part of our care plan to help a patient return to full function, or as close to it as possible.
- Massage therapy: It works alongside chiropractic treatment to loosen the muscles contributing to the nerve compression.
- Shockwave therapy: This therapy is a regenerative option. Once nerve damage has occurred, shockwave therapy targets the source of compression so the body can start to repair the damage and stimulate regrowth.
Sciatica Patient Case Studies
Office worker with severe sciatic nerve compression and muscle atrophy
Patient Information: Patient sitting on a hard surface at a computer for almost 12 hours a day. She had very little knowledge of ergonomics and how to avoid the compression that was causing and stimulating the damage to the nerve.
Symptoms: Nerve compression going down the left leg so severe that she was losing muscle function in her hamstring. The hamstring muscle would spasm and was getting weaker. The difference in the overall size of the muscle was noticeable. Her walking and overall function were affected.
Treatment: Chiropractic treatment to fix the spine, pelvis, and sacral region was started. Shockwave therapy is introduced at the source of compression to stimulate repair and regrowth of the damaged nerve. Education on ergonomics was provided to permanently correct what was causing the compression.
Outcome: Muscle tone returned to normal. Sensation returned, and the patient no longer had pain. She now has a full understanding of what she was doing wrong and how to fix it.
IED injury survivor with phantom sciatic nerve pain treated to full recovery
Patient Information: Military translator in Afghanistan. She was caught in an IED explosion that damaged the lower extremities, resulting in the loss of part of her lower limb.
Symptoms: Phantom nerve pain. It is the pain the brain registers in a limb that no longer exists.
Diagnosis: When she lost part of her lower limb, the sciatic nerve pathway from the lower back to the brain was still intact. The brain was still firing pain signals through that same sciatic nerve pathway, even though the limb was gone.
Treatment: Chiropractic treatment to correct the spinal nerve pathway from the lower back to the sciatic nerve. Specific rehab and exercise were provided to retrain how the brain and nerves communicate.
Outcome: Sciatic nerve pain was eliminated regardless of the trauma and injury she went through.
Patient Testimonials & Reviews
Jasmine K Saleh
I was in need of a serious adjustment & Dr. K and his staff were absolutely wonderful to work with. They took me in the same day I called, within 10 min I was booked and, in the office...
Read on Google
Denise
Just WOW! Everyone at California Oaks Chiropractic in Murrieta was just professional and very nice. I felt immediately comfortable. Dr. K was very easy to talk to and made me feel at ease...
Read on Google
Abby Ngo
I had a great experience with Dr. K. This is top-notch chiropractic care! From the moment I walked in, I felt welcomed, listened to, and well taken care of. Dr. K combines strong knowledge...
Read on Google
Rick Scherer
My family and I have been seeing Dr. K for over 20 years, and I can't imagine going anywhere else. From the moment you walk in, you're treated like family. The office staff is incredibly friendly...
Read on Google
Sandra Guzman
If you are looking for a chiropractor with a lot of knowledge, friendly staff who feels like family, and an overall welcoming environment, this is your place! Dr. K has been vital in helping my husband and I...
Read on Google
Lorretta Marcum
This morning I was lucky enough to see a Daphne! Oh my heavens do I feel 1000 x better!! Then I saw Dr. Chris for an adjustment and boy does he know his stuff got rid of my sciatica pain instantly...
Read on GoogleBook an Appointment for Sciatica Treatment in Murrieta
At California Oaks Chiropractic, we take the time to find out exactly which nerve is being compressed and what is causing it.
If you are experiencing nerve pain, numbness, or weakness going into the lower extremity, Dr. Phillip Vournazos can help identify the cause and create a personalized care plan.
Call (951) 698-2511 or book online using the booking tool below.
FAQs About Sciatica Treatment
Can sciatica go away without treatment?
Mild cases may improve, but ongoing or recurring sciatica often requires care to address the cause. In severe cases, if it is left untreated, there is a greater risk of permanent damage.
How long does sciatica treatment take?
Some people respond very quickly, while others take more time to recover. It really depends on the condition of the disc or the joints that the chiropractor has to correct.
In most cases, the longer the issue persists, the longer it will take to achieve correction. The great news is that it typically takes less time to fix an issue like this than it took to create it. Once the position of the spine and discs is improved, patients often report improvements to their overall health.
Is chiropractic care effective for sciatica?
Chiropractic care can help reduce nerve pressure by improving spinal alignment and movement. Treatment addresses the cause of the nerve compression. When combined with massage and shockwave therapies for nerve regeneration, our goal is to achieve the best outcomes.
Does sciatica treatment hurt?
Sciatica treatment is designed to be gentle and comfortable. Most patients describe the care as comfortable rather than painful, and techniques are always adjusted to your comfort level and symptoms.
Will sciatica come back after treatment?
Preventive care and posture guidance help reduce recurrence risk. Education on ergonomics is a core part of our treatment plan. Understanding what is causing the compression and how to avoid it is what permanently fixes the problem.
What are the long-term effects of ignoring sciatica?
An untreated sciatic condition can continue to worsen and make the daily tasks of living go from difficult to impossible.
If nerve compression is not addressed, muscles can become atrophied and lose function. The hamstring muscle can spasm and get weaker. Walking and overall function change. Nerve damage can become permanent, and the longer it is left untreated, the harder it is to repair.
Content Reviewed by
