Sciatica

Sciatica: Understanding the Source & Finding Relief Without Surgery

Sciatica is one of the most common—and often most misunderstood—forms of low back and leg pain. Many people associate it with nerve compression, but the truth is: sciatica is a collection of symptoms, not a single condition. And treating it successfully requires identifying the true source of those symptoms.

At Sarasota Pain Treatment Center, we specialize in distinguishing between true sciatic nerve compression and trigger point referral pain—a key difference that many treatment approaches overlook.

What Is Sciatica, Really?

The sciatic nerve is formed by five nerve roots exiting the lower spine. Sciatica refers to irritation or compression of these nerve roots or the sciatic nerve itself, often resulting in:

  • Sharp or burning pain in the low back, hip, or leg

  • Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the leg or foot

  • Pain that worsens with prolonged sitting or certain movements

But not all pain that "feels like sciatica" is caused by nerve compression. Trigger points—highly irritable spots in muscle tissue—can mimic sciatic pain almost identically. Differentiating between the two is crucial to effective treatment.

What Causes Sciatica?

True sciatic nerve compression can be caused by several conditions, including:

  • Herniated or bulging discs

  • Spinal stenosis

  • Spondylolisthesis (slippage of a vertebra)

  • Piriformis syndrome or other muscular entrapments

All of these are linked by a common thread: postural imbalance. When posture is distorted, it creates physical forces—such as torsion, shear, and compression—that weaken tissue, misalign joints, and ultimately irritate or compress nerves.

Trigger points, meanwhile, are also born from postural distortion. Overworked or chronically tense muscles (often due to poor posture) develop these tight, painful areas that can refer pain down the leg, mimicking true sciatica.

Traditional Surgical Treatment

Surgical interventions for sciatica may include:

  • Laminectomy

  • Discectomy

  • Laser surgery

  • Spinal fusion

While these may be appropriate in extreme cases, studies have shown that surgical and non-surgical outcomes are the same after two years.

Source: Gregory DS, Seto CK, Wortley GC, Shugart CM. “Acute Lumbar Disk Pain: Navigating Evaluation and Treatment Choices” (Am Fam Physician. 2008)

So if both paths lead to the same destination, why not choose the one that’s non-invasive, natural, and longer-lasting?

Neurosomatic Therapy: A Better Way to Treat Sciatica

Neurosomatic Therapy (NST) addresses both true sciatic compression and the muscular trigger point pain that can imitate it. Rather than treating symptoms in isolation, we correct the underlying postural distortions that lead to nerve irritation and muscular dysfunction.

Our approach includes:

  • Comprehensive postural analysis

  • Treatment of muscular imbalances throughout the spine, hips, and legs

  • Targeted soft tissue release techniques

  • Restoration of alignment to relieve pressure on nerves and reduce chronic tension

When balance is restored, the body is no longer fighting itself—and pain naturally subsides.

Trigger Point Referral Pain: The Sciatica Look-Alike

Pain caused by trigger points in the low back, hip, or leg muscles is often mistaken for sciatica. These referral patterns are so similar that even trained clinicians can misdiagnose them.

In Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual, Drs. Janet Travell and David Simons provide maps showing how trigger points can mimic sciatic pain almost exactly.

These muscular pain patterns don’t respond well to surgery or medication. But they do respond to Neurosomatic Therapy—which restores proper posture, reduces stress on muscles, and eliminates trigger point activity.

Long-Term Relief Without Surgery

Whether your symptoms are caused by true nerve compression or trigger point referral, Neurosomatic Therapy provides a lasting, non-invasive solution. By correcting the postural forces that lead to pain in the first place, we help your body recover naturally—and stay that way.

Call us today to speak with one of our expert therapists and find out how Neurosomatic Therapy can help you finally get relief from sciatica—without surgery or medications.

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