Sciatica Treatment in Glendale, AZ

Sciatica usually means pain, numbness or tingling that travels from the low back or buttock down the leg, sometimes into the foot. It often comes from an irritated nerve root in the low back. Other problems can feel similar, so at Muscle Chiropractic in Glendale, AZ, Dr. Tim Ballitch examines you first to find out whether a nerve is involved, then explains your options.

Have pain running down your leg? Choose your visit:

• New patients who have never been seen at Muscle Chiropractic (ages 12+): Book a New Patient Visit — scheduled for about 30 minutes, including your history and exam. $154.13 (credit card price). See what to expect and bring.
• Existing patients, including for a new problem: Book an Existing Patient Visit — $67 (credit card price).

There’s no separate sciatica appointment. Book the visit that fits you. Soft tissue work and corrective exercise are included when appropriate, with no extra fee.

Prices shown are credit card prices. A cash discount is available when paying at the time of service.

Questions first? Call or text 480-740-9619.

Nerve pain or something else?

Not all buttock or leg pain is sciatica. Dr. Tim looks for the pattern behind your symptoms:

• Nerve-root pain (true sciatica) tends to travel below the knee along a band of the leg, often with numbness, tingling or a burning feeling. Leg pain may feel worse than back pain. Coughing, sneezing or sitting may aggravate it.
• Referred pain from the back, SI joint or hip often stays in the buttock or thigh and feels deep and achy rather than electric. See hip pain care.
• Muscle and tendon problems in the buttock or the outside of the hip can cause pain that’s easily mistaken for sciatica.
• Leg pain when walking that eases when you stop. When it eases with sitting or leaning forward, it can come from narrowing in the spine (spinal stenosis). When it eases with simply standing still, especially in the calf, it can come from poor circulation, which needs a medical evaluation.

What happens at your visit

1. History: where the symptoms travel, when they started, what changes them, and your health history.
2. Examination: back and hip movement, nerve tension tests, and checks of reflexes, strength and sensation in your legs.
3. Explanation: whether a nerve appears to be involved, what Dr. Tim recommends, and whether you need imaging or another provider.
4. Care, if it fits: one or more of the options below.

Care options Dr. Tim may use

• Chiropractic adjustments by hand or with the ProAdjuster instrument, and sometimes a Y-strap (axial pull) adjustment when your exam shows it fits.
• Manual muscle release and IASTM (scraping) or cupping for tight muscles in the back, hip and buttock.
• Corrective exercise, including nerve-mobility and strengthening exercises, plus advice on staying active, sitting, sleeping and lifting.

Not every patient needs every option, and your plan changes based on how you respond.

When to get medical care first

• Go to an emergency department for numbness in the groin, buttocks or inner thighs, new trouble controlling your bladder or bowels, or sexual dysfunction. These can be signs of cauda equina syndrome.
• Weakness in a leg or foot that is getting worse, such as a foot that slaps or drags.
• Symptoms in both legs, fever, unexplained weight loss, or a history of cancer.
• Back or leg pain after a significant fall or accident.

What the research shows

• The UK’s NICE guideline on low back pain and sciatica recommends exercise, and suggests considering manual therapy such as spinal manipulation only as part of a treatment package that includes exercise (NICE NG59).
• A 2025 review of non-surgical care for long-lasting sciatica found the evidence very uncertain, with no single approach clearly better than others (Zhu et al., J Pain, 2025).

Many people with sciatica improve over weeks to months. Results vary, and no treatment can guarantee a specific outcome.

Common questions

Do I need an MRI first?

Usually not. Imaging is generally reserved for warning signs, severe or worsening nerve symptoms, or when surgery or an injection is being considered. Dr. Tim will tell you if he thinks you need it.

Is it safe to see a chiropractor for sciatica?

Dr. Tim screens for warning signs before treating and chooses techniques that fit your exam. If something suggests a medical problem, he’ll refer you instead.

Should I rest until it goes away?

Guidelines generally advise staying as active as you comfortably can rather than bed rest. Dr. Tim will suggest which activities to keep and which to modify for now.

Do you do spinal decompression?

No. Muscle Chiropractic doesn’t offer a spinal decompression program. Dr. Tim uses adjustments, soft tissue work and exercise when they fit your exam.

Visit us in Glendale

Our only office is at 7155 W. Campo Bello Dr., Building B, Suite B-115, Glendale, AZ 85308, less than a mile from Arrowhead Towne Center. Muscle Chiropractic is cash-based and doesn’t bill health insurance; HSA and FSA cards are accepted, and receipts with procedure codes are available. Hours and directions · Call or text 480-740-9619.

Related care

Back pain treatment · Hip pain · Numbness and tingling · Y-strap adjustments