Sciatica Won’t Go Away? Here’s Why — And What to Do About It in Ann Arbor

You felt it the first time and hoped it would pass. Maybe it did — for a few weeks, a few months. Then it came back. The same burning, shooting pain down your leg. The same numbness. The same morning stiffness that makes getting out of bed feel like a negotiation.

If sciatica keeps returning for you, there’s a reason — and it has nothing to do with bad luck or getting older. It has to do with what’s actually causing the problem, and whether that cause has ever been properly addressed through effective sciatica treatment.

What Sciatica Actually Is

Sciatica is not a diagnosis on its own — it’s a symptom. Specifically, it’s the pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness that occurs when the sciatic nerve is being compressed or irritated somewhere along its path.

The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body. It originates from several nerve roots in the lower lumbar spine (L4, L5) and sacrum (S1, S2, S3), travels through the buttocks, and runs down the back of each leg all the way to the foot.

When something presses on or inflames those nerve roots, the signal gets distorted — and you feel it anywhere along that nerve’s path. That’s why sciatica can feel like leg pain even when the actual problem is in your lower back.

Common Causes of Sciatica

Herniated or bulging disc — The most common cause. When a disc in the lumbar spine ruptures or bulges, it can press directly on the nerve roots that form the sciatic nerve. Studies suggest disc herniation is responsible for approximately 90% of sciatica cases.
Degenerative disc disease — As discs age and lose height, the space available for nerve roots narrows. This is especially common in patients over 50.
Spinal misalignment — Vertebrae that have shifted out of proper alignment create uneven pressure on surrounding nerves and discs.
Bone spurs — Bony growths that develop on the vertebrae can encroach on nerve space.
Piriformis syndrome — The piriformis muscle in the buttock sits directly over the sciatic nerve. When it becomes tight or inflamed, it can compress the nerve from outside the spine.
Spinal stenosis — A narrowing of the spinal canal that reduces the space available for nerves, more common as we age.

Why Your Sciatica Keeps Coming Back

This is the question most patients never get a direct answer to. Here it is:

Sciatica keeps coming back because the underlying structural cause has not been corrected — only the symptom has been managed.

Pain medication quiets the nerve signal. Rest reduces inflammation temporarily. A steroid injection may suppress symptoms for weeks or months. But none of these change what’s happening to the disc, the vertebra, or the nerve itself.

When the cause is a herniated disc pressing on a nerve root, the disc is still pressing on that nerve root after the injection wears off. When the cause is vertebral misalignment creating uneven disc pressure, that misalignment remains until it’s physically corrected.

The result is a cycle that many patients know well: treatment → temporary relief → gradual return of symptoms → more treatment. Over time, the episodes often become more frequent and more severe as the underlying condition progresses.

When Sciatica Becomes Urgent

Most sciatica is uncomfortable but not dangerous. However, certain symptoms warrant immediate medical attention:

Loss of bladder or bowel control
Sudden severe numbness in the groin or inner thighs
Rapid or progressive leg weakness

If you experience any of these, seek emergency care. For typical sciatica — even severe and recurring — non-surgical treatment options are worth exploring before considering surgery.

What Actually Works for Lasting Sciatica Relief

Effective sciatica treatment addresses the mechanical cause — the disc, the nerve, and the surrounding spinal structures — not just the pain signal. At Velocity Health Center in Ypsilanti, we take a non-surgical, layered approach.

Chiropractic Adjustments

Precise spinal adjustments restore proper alignment in the lumbar spine, relieving mechanical pressure on compressed nerve roots. When vertebrae are properly aligned, the discs between them bear load more evenly — reducing the likelihood of ongoing nerve irritation.

A 2025 study found that patients with sciatica who received chiropractic spinal manipulation reported fewer side effects at one year compared to patients treated with standard opioid medication protocols — with meaningful improvement in pain and function.

Spinal Decompression Therapy

For patients whose sciatica is driven by disc herniation or degeneration, spinal decompression therapy → is one of the most effective non-surgical interventions available.

Decompression gently stretches the spine using a motorized table, creating negative pressure inside the affected disc. This negative pressure has two effects: it can draw a herniated disc material back toward its center, and it promotes the movement of oxygen, water, and nutrients into the disc — supporting natural healing of damaged disc tissue.

Many patients who have been told surgery is their only option find that a course of spinal decompression produces the lasting relief they were looking for — without going under the knife.

Softwave Therapy

When sciatica involves chronic nerve inflammation — as it often does in patients who have been dealing with it for months or years — Softwave therapy → addresses the biological side of the equation.

Softwave’s acoustic waves reduce chronic inflammation in the affected nerve root area, stimulate circulation, and activate the body’s own tissue repair mechanisms. For patients who have hit a plateau with other treatments, adding Softwave frequently unlocks further progress.

What to Expect at Your First Visit

When you come to Velocity Health Center with sciatica, we don’t start with assumptions. We start with a thorough evaluation — reviewing your history, the pattern of your symptoms, and what makes them better or worse.

From there, we have an honest conversation about what we think is causing your pain and whether our approach is a good fit. We do not recommend treatments you don’t need. If your case calls for a referral, we’ll tell you.

Most sciatica patients we see are good candidates for a combination of chiropractic adjustments and spinal decompression — with Softwave added depending on how long the nerve has been inflamed and how much disc involvement there is.

Sciatica Treatment in Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor, MI

Velocity Health Center is located in Ypsilanti and serves patients throughout the Ann Arbor area and surrounding southeast Michigan communities. We specialize in non-surgical treatment for disc-related pain, nerve pain, and chronic low back conditions — the exact issues that drive most sciatica cases.

If you’ve been managing sciatica with medication, injections, or rest and keep ending up back at square one, it may be time to look at what’s actually driving the pain.

New patients are welcome for $49 — a full evaluation and consultation, no obligation.

Book your $49 New Patient Visit →
Call us at (734) 489-1714

Frequently Asked Questions About Sciatica

How long does sciatica last?
Acute sciatica — from a recent injury or sudden disc herniation — often improves within 4 to 6 weeks with appropriate care. Chronic sciatica that has been present for months or years typically takes longer to resolve, but most patients experience meaningful improvement within 6 to 12 weeks of consistent treatment targeting the root cause.

Can chiropractic care make sciatica worse?
In the hands of a qualified chiropractor who performs a proper evaluation first, chiropractic care is safe and effective for most sciatica cases. We would not adjust a patient whose presentation suggests a condition that requires medical management first. A thorough exam guides the approach.

Is surgery ever necessary for sciatica?
In a small percentage of cases — particularly those involving significant neurological deficits like rapidly progressing leg weakness or loss of bladder or bowel control — surgery may be warranted. For the vast majority of sciatica patients, however, conservative non-surgical care produces excellent outcomes. We’ll always give you an honest assessment of where you fall.

What’s the difference between sciatica and general back pain?
General lower back pain stays localized to the back. Sciatica radiates — the pain, numbness, or tingling travels from the lower back into the buttock and down the leg, sometimes all the way to the foot. That radiating pattern is the hallmark of sciatic nerve involvement.

Can spinal decompression help sciatica?
Yes — particularly when the sciatica is driven by a herniated or degenerated disc. Spinal decompression creates negative pressure inside the disc, which can reduce the herniation and relieve the pressure on the nerve root. It is one of the most effective non-surgical options for disc-related sciatica.

How is Velocity Health Center different from other chiropractors in Ann Arbor?
Our treatment approach combines chiropractic adjustments, spinal decompression, and Softwave therapy into a coordinated plan targeting the specific structural and neurological factors driving your sciatica. We don’t treat symptoms in isolation — we work to correct the root cause and reduce the likelihood of recurrence.

This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment.

Author: Mark Sicheneder, DC — Velocity Health Center, Ypsilanti, MI