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Conditions Treated

sciatica treatment

Sciatica Treatment in Pasadena, CA

Sciatica is one of the most uncomfortable and disruptive pain conditions — that sharp, shooting pain radiating from your low back through your buttock and down one leg can make sitting, standing, and sleeping nearly impossible. If you're searching for sciatica relief in Pasadena or South Pasadena, Grace Integrative Wellness Center offers an integrative, non-surgical approach that addresses the mechanical and neurological root causes of sciatic nerve pain.

Dr. Kristine Troesch DC, CMT combines chiropractic adjustments with corrective bodywork in a single integrated session — addressing the lumbar disc, joint, and surrounding soft tissue simultaneously for more complete, lasting relief than single-modality care.

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sciatica pain indicator

What Is Sciatica?

Sciatica is not a diagnosis itself but a symptom of lumbar nerve root irritation or compression — most commonly at the L4–L5 or L5–S1 spinal levels. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body, running from the lumbar spine through the piriformis muscle, down through the buttock, and into the leg. When this nerve is compressed or inflamed, the result is the hallmark radiating pain, numbness, or tingling of sciatica.

woman with low back pain

Common Causes of Sciatica We Treat

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Lumbar disc herniation compressing a nerve root
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Spinal stenosis — narrowing of the spinal canal
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Piriformis syndrome — sciatic nerve compression by the piriformis muscle
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Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
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Degenerative disc disease
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Lumbar facet joint irritation
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Postural and movement pattern contributors

Sciatica Symptoms

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Sharp, burning, or electric pain from the low back into the leg
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Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the leg or foot
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Pain that worsens with sitting, bending forward, or coughing
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One-sided leg pain (sciatica is almost always unilateral)
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Difficulty walking or standing for extended periods
man with sciatica

Our Sciatica Treatment Approach

chiropractic massage

Chiropractic Adjustments

Lumbar spinal manipulation reduces disc pressure, restores spinal joint mobility, and decreases nerve root irritation. A landmark prospective randomized clinical study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics compared spinal manipulation to microdiscectomy surgery in patients with sciatica secondary to lumbar disc herniation — 60% of those who received spinal manipulation reported clinically significant improvement, comparable to surgical outcomes. A 2021 PubMed study found that patients receiving combined manual therapy techniques experienced significantly greater improvement in leg pain, back pain, and disability scores than control groups at all follow-up timepoints.

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corrective bodywork

Corrective Bodywork for Sciatica

The piriformis muscle — a deep hip external rotator — lies directly adjacent to the sciatic nerve and is a frequent secondary compressor in sciatica cases. Tight hip flexors, gluteal muscles, and lumbar paraspinals also load the lumbar spine and irritate the nerve. Dr. Kristine applies targeted soft tissue therapy to release these tissues, relieving secondary nerve compression and restoring hip and lumbar mobility.

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low back massage

Integrated Alignment Sessions

Our signature Integrated Alignment Session is particularly effective for sciatica because it addresses the lumbar disc and joint (via chiropractic) and the surrounding musculature and piriformis (via corrective bodywork) in a single, coordinated treatment. This dual approach produces faster decompression of the sciatic nerve and more complete relief.

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nervous system sensitization

Nervous System Downregulation

Chronic sciatica often involves a sensitized nervous system that amplifies pain signals beyond the original source. Our nervous system regulation techniques reduce this central sensitization, making the body more responsive to structural treatment.

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When to Seek Care

Most cases of sciatica improve with conservative care. However, if you experience bladder or bowel dysfunction alongside your sciatica symptoms, seek emergency medical care immediately. For all other presentations, early chiropractic intervention can prevent acute sciatica from becoming a chronic condition.

We serve sciatica patients from Pasadena, South Pasadena, Arcadia, San Marino, Monrovia, Alhambra, San Gabriel, Temple City, and the greater San Gabriel Valley.

spinal care

References

McMorland, G., et al. (2010). Manipulation or microdiskectomy for sciatica? A prospective randomized clinical study. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 33(8), 576–584. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmpt.2010.08.013

‍Ormos, G., et al. (2021). Two manual therapy techniques for management of lumbar radiculopathy: a randomized clinical trial. Journal of Pain Research, 14, 543–553. https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S280036 (PMID: 33705612)

Fernandez, M., et al. (2021). Manual Therapy in Cervical and Lumbar Radiculopathy: A Systematic Review of the Literature. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(13), 6929. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18136929

‍Gudavalli, M.R., et al. (2006). A randomized clinical trial and subgroup analysis to compare flexion-distraction with active exercise for chronic low back pain and lumbar disc herniation. European Spine Journal, 15(7), 1070–1082. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-005-0021-8

‍Eisenberg, D.M., et al. (2017). Adding chiropractic manipulative therapy to standard medical care for patients with acute low back pain: results of a pragmatic randomized comparative effectiveness study. The Spine Journal, 17(4), 503–511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spinee.2016.10.020

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Location

507 Mission St,
South Pasadena, CA 91030

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