Sciatica Relief in Fredericton: Evidence-Based Care at Fredericton Family Chiropractic
If you’ve got pain shooting down your leg, a burning sensation in your buttock, or numbness and tingling that runs from your low back all the way to your foot, you’re likely dealing with sciatica. It’s one of the most common reasons people seek chiropractic care, and it’s one of the conditions we see the most at our clinic.
Sciatica isn’t actually a diagnosis on its own. It’s a description of symptoms caused by irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve. The real question is: where is the nerve being irritated, and why?
At Fredericton Family Chiropractic, Dr. Scott Brayall takes a thorough, evidence-based approach to figuring out the source of your sciatica and building a treatment plan that actually addresses it.
What Sciatica Feels Like
Sciatica can show up differently from person to person, but there are some common patterns. You might feel a sharp, shooting pain that travels from your low back or buttock down the back of your leg. Some people describe it as a burning or electric sensation. Numbness or tingling in the leg, calf, or foot is common. You might notice weakness in the affected leg, making it harder to push off when walking or lift your foot. Sitting for long periods often makes things worse. Bending forward, coughing, or sneezing can increase the pain. Some people only feel it in the buttock or thigh, while others feel it all the way to the toes.
The pain can range from a mild ache to something that stops you in your tracks. It almost always affects one side, and the location and pattern of your symptoms can tell us a lot about where the problem is coming from.
Where Does the Problem Come From?
This is the most important question, because the answer determines the treatment. The sciatic nerve can be irritated or compressed at several different points along its path, and each one requires a different approach.
The Low Back (Lumbar Spine)
The sciatic nerve is formed from five spinal nerve roots that exit the lower lumbar and upper sacral spine: L4, L5, S1, S2, and S3. These nerve roots can be compressed or irritated by disc herniations, degenerative changes, or spinal stenosis before they even come together to form the sciatic nerve. This is the most common cause of sciatica, and it means the problem often starts in the low back, even if you don’t have significant back pain.
Learn more about how the sciatic nerve is formed and why your low back matters
The Buttock and Hip (Deep Gluteal Space)
Once the sciatic nerve exits the spine and enters the buttock, it passes through a tight space surrounded by muscles, tendons, and other structures. The piriformis muscle is the most well-known structure here, but it’s not the only one that can cause problems. Conditions like piriformis syndrome and deep gluteal syndrome involve compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve in this region, and they’re more common than most people think. An estimated 6 to 17% of sciatica cases in secondary care are caused by nerve entrapment in the deep gluteal space.
Learn more about sciatic nerve entrapment in the buttock and hip
Our Treatment Approach
At Fredericton Family Chiropractic, we build your treatment plan around two pillars: chiropractic care and functional rehabilitation exercise.
Chiropractic Care
Spinal manipulation and mobilization are recommended for sciatica in multiple clinical practice guidelines. A comprehensive 2024 review found that spinal manipulative therapy was among the most frequently recommended interventions for lumbar radiculopathy across current guidelines. Treatment focuses on restoring normal joint movement, reducing nerve irritation, and improving the mechanical environment around the affected nerve roots.
A significant 2025 retrospective cohort study involving over 370,000 patients found that adults with sciatica who initially received chiropractic spinal manipulation had a lower risk of opioid-related adverse events compared to those who received usual medical care alone. The incidence of opioid-related adverse events was 0.09% in the chiropractic group compared to 0.30% in the usual care group.
Functional Rehabilitation Exercise
Exercise is a cornerstone of sciatica recovery. A 2024 network meta-analysis of 50 randomized controlled trials found that exercise combined with neural mobilization showed significant pain reduction for chronic sciatica. Your rehab program may include core stabilization exercises, nerve gliding techniques, targeted stretching, progressive strengthening, and graded return to activity.
The specific exercises depend entirely on where your nerve is being irritated and what’s causing the compression.
Learn more about sciatica treatment and rehabilitation
Symptom-Specific Guides
We’ve created detailed guides for the key topics related to sciatica so you can better understand what’s happening in your body and how treatment can help.
How the Sciatic Nerve Is Formed: Why Your Low Back Matters
The sciatic nerve is built from five spinal nerve roots in your lower spine. Understanding this helps explain why low back problems are the most common cause of leg pain. Learn more about sciatic nerve anatomy and your low back
Where the Sciatic Nerve Gets Trapped: Piriformis Syndrome and Deep Gluteal Syndrome
The sciatic nerve passes through tight spaces in your buttock and hip where it can become compressed. Learn about piriformis syndrome, deep gluteal syndrome, and how to tell the difference from spinal causes. Learn more about sciatic nerve entrapment
Sciatica Treatment and Rehabilitation: What the Evidence Supports
Chiropractic care, exercise, nerve gliding, and targeted rehab are the pillars of effective sciatica treatment. Learn what the research says and what your recovery plan might look like. Learn more about evidence-based sciatica treatment
When to Seek Care
You should get assessed if you’re experiencing pain, numbness, or tingling that travels down your leg, if the symptoms have been present for more than a few days and aren’t improving, if sitting or certain positions consistently make things worse, if you notice weakness in your leg or foot, or if you’ve been dealing with recurring episodes.
If you experience sudden loss of bowel or bladder control, numbness in the groin area, or rapidly worsening weakness in both legs, seek emergency medical attention immediately. These are signs of a rare but serious condition called cauda equina syndrome that requires urgent intervention.
For most people with sciatica, early treatment leads to faster recovery. Research consistently shows that active rehabilitation outperforms rest and waiting.
Evidence and Sources
- Coulter ID et al. Chiropractic and spinal manipulation: a review of research trends, evidence gaps, and guideline recommendations. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2024.
- Whedon JM et al. Association between chiropractic spinal manipulation for sciatica and opioid-related adverse events: a retrospective cohort study. PLOS ONE. 2025.
- Defined network meta-analysis. Effectiveness of non-surgical interventions for patients with chronic sciatica: a systematic review with network meta-analysis. Journal of Pain. 2024.
- Defined network meta-analysis. Effectiveness of nonsurgical interventions for patients with acute and subacute sciatica: a systematic review with network meta-analysis. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. 2025.
- Basson A et al. The effectiveness of neural mobilization for neuromusculoskeletal conditions: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. 2017.
- Fernandez M et al. How effective are physiotherapy interventions in treating people with sciatica? A systematic review and meta-analysis. European Spine Journal. 2023.