Sciatica Treatment in Pendleton, Indiana
Sciatica is one of the most common conditions we treat at Lagoni Chiropractic, and one Dr. Jay Lagoni knows better than most chiropractors ever will.
If you are dealing with shooting, burning, or radiating pain that travels from your lower back down through your hip, buttock, and into your leg, you do not need someone to tell you it hurts. You need someone who can tell you why and do something about it.
This page is for you.
What Is Sciatica?
Sciatica is not a diagnosis in the traditional sense. It is a description of symptoms caused by irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve, the longest nerve in the body, which runs from the lower spine through the buttocks and down each leg. When that nerve is compressed or inflamed, the result is pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness that can radiate anywhere along its path.
Sciatica can range from a dull, persistent ache to sharp, electric pain that makes sitting, standing, or walking nearly unbearable. In severe cases it can disrupt sleep, limit mobility, and make it impossible to get through a normal day. Many patients describe it as the worst pain they have ever experienced.
Symptoms of Sciatica
Sciatica feels different for different people, but the most common symptoms include:
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Shooting or burning pain that travels from the lower back or buttock down one leg
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Numbness or tingling in the leg, foot, or toes
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Weakness in the affected leg
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Pain that worsens with sitting, especially for extended periods
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Sharp pain that makes standing up from a seated position difficult
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Symptoms that affect one side of the body more than the other
If any of those descriptions sound familiar, there is a good chance sciatica is involved. The only way to know for certain is a proper evaluation.
What Causes Sciatica?
Sciatica is a symptom, not a standalone condition. Something is compressing or irritating the sciatic nerve. The most common causes include:
Herniated or bulging disc: When the soft interior of a spinal disc pushes through its outer casing, it can press directly on the nerve root. This is the most common cause of sciatica and the one Dr. Jay knows firsthand.
Degenerative disc disease: As discs wear down over time, the space between vertebrae narrows and nerve roots can become compressed.
Bone spurs: Overgrowth of bone in the lumbar spine can encroach on the space where the nerve exits.
Piriformis syndrome: The piriformis muscle sits directly over the sciatic nerve in the buttock. When it tightens or spasms, it can compress the nerve and produce symptoms that closely mirror disc-related sciatica.
Pregnancy: The added weight and postural changes of pregnancy can put significant pressure on the sciatic nerve. Dr. Jay sees pregnant patients regularly for this reason.
Spinal stenosis: Narrowing of the spinal canal can reduce the space available for nerve roots, leading to compression and radiating symptoms.
Understanding the cause matters because the treatment approach depends on it. A proper diagnosis is the starting point for everything.
Dr. Jay Has Been Where You Are
This is not a section most chiropractors can write.
As a junior high wrestler, Dr. Jay developed a herniated disc that caused shooting pain down his right leg so severe he was pulled out of school. He could not sit through a class. Doctors ran MRIs, tried physical therapy, and recommended a full laminectomy and discectomy. Major spinal surgery on a teenager.
His parents took him to a chiropractor instead. The third one, Dr. Hulin, got the result. With chiropractic and a lot of prayer, the pain resolved. Dr. Jay went back to school, went back to the wrestling mat, and competed through college without surgery.
He now recognizes that episode as a textbook case of sciatica caused by a herniated disc. He has spent nearly 20 years treating the same condition in patients across Pendleton and the surrounding area.
When you describe your symptoms to Dr. Jay, he is not working from a textbook alone. He has felt what you are describing, made the same decision you are facing, and knows what a good outcome looks like from both sides of the table.
How We Treat Sciatica at Lagoni Chiropractic
There is no single protocol for sciatica because there is no single cause. Treatment at Lagoni Chiropractic starts with a thorough evaluation to identify what is actually driving the nerve compression, then builds a plan around that specific finding.
Chiropractic adjustments: Dr. Jay uses Gonstead, Diversified, and Thompson techniques to restore proper alignment and motion to the lumbar spine and pelvis, reducing pressure on the affected nerve root. For patients who prefer a gentler approach, the Arthrostim instrument delivers precise, low-force adjustments without manual manipulation.
Low-level laser therapy: Applied to the affected area to reduce inflammation around the nerve and promote tissue healing.
Electric muscle stimulation: Helps relax the surrounding musculature, reduce spasm, and decrease pain during the acute phase.
Therapeutic ultrasound: Delivers deep heat to soft tissues, improving circulation and reducing inflammation in the structures contributing to nerve compression.
Kinesiotaping: Used to support the lumbar spine and pelvis, reduce muscle guarding, and improve movement patterns during recovery.
Home exercise program: Every sciatica patient receives a specific set of exercises designed for their condition and delivered by email and in print. What happens between visits matters as much as what happens in the office.
Care coordination: When advanced imaging is needed, Dr. Jay has working relationships with stand-alone MRI facilities that can provide it at a reasonable cost. When a case calls for a referral, he makes one.
What to Expect as a Sciatica Patient
Your first visit is a detailed one.
Dr. Jay will go through your full health history, ask about how and when the pain started, what makes it better or worse, and what you have already tried. A thorough physical evaluation follows. If X-rays are clinically indicated, they are taken right here in the office.
Your second visit is the Report of Findings.
Dr. Jay will walk you through the diagnosis and prognosis in plain language, review your home exercise program, and outline a recommended care plan with realistic expectations for improvement. Most sciatica patients receive their first adjustment at this visit.
Care plans are designed around your needs.
Dr. Jay tracks your progress throughout to make sure you are getting the results you came for, and adjusts the approach if needed. There is no prepay and no pressure to commit to more than makes sense for your situation.
Sciatica Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Get Started?
Sciatica does not usually get better on its own, and waiting tends to make it worse. If you have been dealing with shooting leg pain, numbness, or a diagnosis you are not sure what to do with, call us.
We will take a detailed look at what is going on and give you clear answers about what can be done.
Call us at (765) 778-4095 during office hours and a real person will pick up.
Prefer to reach out after hours? Fill out the form on our New Patient page and we will get back to you the next business day.
Serving Pendleton, Anderson, Fortville, Lapel, and the surrounding area. Most major insurance accepted.