Sciatica and chiropractic care
Sciatica is pain that travels from your lower back or buttock down the back of your leg, sometimes with numbness or pins and needles. It happens when the sciatic nerve, which runs from your lower back to your feet, is irritated or pressed on.
Sciatica is one of the problems chiropractors are trained to assess and treat. As part of your assessment, Ismail checks your reflexes, strength and feeling in your legs.
What happens at your home visit
Your first visit starts with questions about your sciatica, your health and your history. Ismail then carries out a thorough assessment: how you move, your posture, and neurological and orthopaedic checks. He explains what he finds in plain words.
If chiropractic care is right for you, it may include chiropractic adjustments or gentle mobilisation, soft tissue work, and exercises to do at home. He explains what he would like to do and why, and only goes ahead with your consent. If you need a different kind of care, he will tell you and suggest you see your GP. See every step of a home visit.
Get medical help first if
See your GP, call 111, or call 999 in an emergency, if you have sciatica and:
- sciatica in both legs
- numbness or tingling around your genitals or bottom
- difficulty peeing, or loss of control of your bladder or bowels
- numbness or weakness in both legs, or weakness that is getting worse
What the research says
NICE recommends considering manual therapy (spinal manipulation, mobilisation or soft tissue techniques such as massage) for low back pain with or without sciatica, as part of a treatment package that includes exercise. The guideline was last updated in July 2026.
In a 2021 trial of 44 people with leg pain from an irritated nerve in the lower back (lumbar radiculopathy), adding 3 sessions of spinal manipulation to physiotherapy gave better results over 3 months than physiotherapy alone.
In a trial of 192 adults with leg pain coming from the back, spinal manipulation plus home exercise and advice reduced leg pain more than home exercise and advice alone at 12 weeks. At one year, the people who had manipulation still reported more overall improvement and satisfaction, and used less medication.
See all the research behind our care.
Questions
Can a chiropractor help with sciatica?
Sciatica is one of the problems chiropractors are trained to assess and treat. Ismail starts with a thorough assessment, including checks of your reflexes, strength and feeling, and explains what he finds before suggesting any care.
Do I need to see my GP first?
No, you can book directly, without a GP referral. If you have any of the warning signs on this page, get medical help first.
How many visits will I need?
It depends on what Ismail finds. At your report of findings he explains what he recommends, and you decide together.
Checked by Dr Ismail Hassan, Doctor of Chiropractic (GCC 06577), October 2026.