Shooting Leg Pain, Numbness, or Tingling That Won't Go Away?
If you've been dealing with burning pain that travels from your low back into your glute or down your leg — you already know how exhausting it is. Maybe you've tried stretching, rest, or medications and you're still in the same place. You deserve a real answer, not another temporary fix.
At Function Chiropractic, Dr. Cody Noyes takes the time to find out exactly what's causing your nerve pain before any treatment begins. No guessing. No cookie-cutter protocols. A thorough evaluation that tells you what's actually going on — and a plan built around that.
Book Your EvaluationWhat Makes Our Approach Different
- One-on-one care with Dr. Cody every single visit — no rotating providers
- Full evaluation before any treatment begins — we find the source first
- Root cause focus — not just managing your symptoms visit to visit
- Personalized home exercise program included with every care plan
- Clear explanation of your condition at every step — you'll always know where you stand
What Is Sciatica?
The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in your body — it runs from your lower spine through your glute and all the way down each leg to your foot. When something compresses or irritates this nerve, you feel it along the entire path it travels.
That's why sciatica pain is often described as shooting, burning, or electric — and why it can appear in your low back, your glute, the back of your thigh, your calf, or even your foot. The pain is in your leg, but the problem is typically in your spine or the deep muscles of your hip.
The term "sciatica" describes a set of symptoms, not a single diagnosis. A herniated disc, a tight piriformis muscle, spinal stenosis, or joint dysfunction can all produce the same radiating leg pain — which is exactly why identifying the specific cause matters before choosing a treatment approach.
This page is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for a professional evaluation or diagnosis.
Common Sciatica Symptoms
- Sharp or burning pain from the low back into the glute or leg
- Numbness or tingling down one leg
- Weakness in the leg or foot
- Pain that worsens with prolonged sitting or standing
- Difficulty with everyday movements like walking or bending forward
What Causes Sciatica?
Sciatica is not a diagnosis — it's a description of nerve irritation with several possible sources. Finding the right one changes everything about how it should be treated.
Herniated or Bulging Disc
When a spinal disc is damaged or shifts out of position, the inner material can press directly on the sciatic nerve root as it exits the spine — one of the most common causes of true radiculopathy.
Piriformis Syndrome
The piriformis muscle sits deep in the glute and runs directly over — or in some people, around — the sciatic nerve. When this muscle becomes tight or irritated, it can compress the nerve. This cause is commonly missed in standard evaluations.
Spinal Stenosis
Narrowing of the spinal canal reduces the available space for nerve tissue. This compression can irritate the sciatic nerve roots, often producing symptoms that worsen with walking or standing and improve with sitting or flexing forward.
Postural Imbalances
Prolonged sitting, poor movement patterns, and chronic muscle imbalances gradually shift load onto the spine and pelvis. Over time, this cumulative stress can create the conditions that irritate or compress the sciatic nerve — even without an acute injury.
Why Most Sciatica Treatments Fall Short
Many people dealing with sciatica have already tried pain medications, extended rest, or the generic stretches they found online — and they're still in the same place months later. That's a frustrating experience, and it's an understandable one.
The reason those approaches often don't hold is that they manage the symptom without addressing the structure causing the nerve irritation. Sciatica doesn't come from one place for everyone — and a protocol built for the average patient rarely works for the person in front of you.
Dr. Cody's evaluation is designed to identify exactly where the compression is coming from — whether it's a disc, a joint, a muscle, or a combination — and build a care plan around that specific finding. The goal isn't to get you out of pain temporarily. It's to give you the tools to stay out of it.
Symptom Management vs. Root Cause Care
Symptom Management
- Pain medication
- Extended bed rest
- Generic stretches
- Repeated flare-ups
Root Cause Care
- Identify compression source
- Targeted treatment
- Movement rehabilitation
- Long-term self-management skills
How Dr. Cody Treats Sciatica
Treatment is always determined by evaluation findings — not a preset protocol. These techniques may be used individually or in combination depending on your specific presentation.
Chiropractic Adjustments
Diversified and Flexion-Distraction techniques restore joint motion and reduce nerve pressure at the source. Flexion-distraction is a gentle, non-thrusting approach that can help decompress affected disc levels and improve nerve mobility.
Spinal Decompression
Gentle traction applied to the lumbar spine is designed to reduce intradiscal pressure and create space for compressed nerve roots. Many patients find this approach helpful when disc involvement is identified as the primary driver of their nerve symptoms.
Dry Needling & Soft Tissue Therapy
When the piriformis or surrounding hip musculature is contributing to nerve compression, targeted dry needling can help release trigger points and reduce muscle tension that may be compressing the sciatic nerve.
Learn more about dry needling →Active Rehabilitation
Targeted exercises restore strength, mobility, and movement patterns that reduce long-term nerve load. Every patient receives a personalized home program — a custom PDF with exercise name, sets, reps, frequency, how-to instructions, and a video of Dr. Cody demonstrating each movement.
Sciatica Doesn't Have to Be Your Normal
Most patients who come in with sciatica have been dealing with it for months — sometimes years. They've been told to rest, stretch, and wait it out. Some have been bounced between providers without ever getting a clear answer about what's actually happening.
Dr. Cody's approach starts with understanding the exact mechanism causing your nerve irritation — then building a plan focused on meaningful pain relief first, and the long-term habits that may help prevent it from coming back. You leave every visit knowing more about your body than when you walked in.
"The education aspect of healthcare has been lost."
— Dr. Cody Noyes, Function Chiropractic
What to Expect at Function Chiropractic
Sciatica is one of the most commonly mismanaged conditions in primary care — largely because the underlying cause is rarely confirmed before treatment begins. A thorough evaluation isn't optional; it's the entire foundation of getting the right result.
Your first visit is dedicated entirely to evaluation. No treatment on day one. Dr. Cody will walk through your full health history, perform orthopedic and neurologic testing, and use spinal analysis, digital movement assessment, and posture analysis to build a complete picture of what's driving your symptoms.
Your second visit is your report of findings — where Dr. Cody explains what was found, what it means, and what the plan looks like. That's also when your first treatment begins.
Your Care Process
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1
Visit 1 — Comprehensive Evaluation
Detailed health history, orthopedic testing, neurologic testing, spinal analysis, digital movement assessment, and posture analysis. No treatment on visit one — the focus is entirely on understanding your case.
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2
Visit 2 — Report of Findings + First Treatment
Dr. Cody walks you through every finding in plain language — what's happening, why it's causing your symptoms, and what the care plan looks like. Your first treatment follows the report.
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3
Ongoing Care + Home Program
Treatment frequency is based on your findings. A personalized home exercise program is built into your care from the start — designed to extend the benefit of each visit and build long-term resilience.
What Patients Are Saying
"Dr. Cody is an absolute pleasure to work with. He was able to assess and address my needs without a ton of unnecessary visits. My goal was to get back in the gym without pain and he did just that. He is very insightful, used new technology to assess, and I loved the mobility aspect with easy home exercises. I would definitely recommend Dr. Cody for not only back pain, but hip and pelvic mobility issues contributing to back pain."
Google Review · Function Chiropractic
"I have been going to a chiropractor off and on since I was 16 years old. For the first time I have found a chiropractor who listens to my concerns, established a relationship and understanding of what my goals are and has met them. Cody does a great job coaching me to understand what I can do on my own through exercises that help me get better each day. So my treatments aren't just temporary they are actively improving my overall health. Highly recommend!"
Google Review · Function Chiropractic
"The best chiropractor in all the suburbs. He is straight forward with a plan, is up front with costs, and always up to date with insurance. I came in with shoulder problems, he developed a plan, and I couldn't be happier with progress. Don't waste your time and money with other chiropractors, go to Function!"
Google Review · Function Chiropractic
Individual results may vary. Testimonials reflect each patient's personal experience and are not a guarantee of outcomes.
Ready to Find Out What's Actually Causing Your Nerve Pain?
Sciatica rarely resolves on its own — and the longer the nerve stays compressed or irritated, the harder recovery can become. A comprehensive evaluation with Dr. Cody is the first step toward understanding exactly what's driving your symptoms and building a plan that actually addresses it.
Book Your $97 EvaluationServing the Western Suburbs of Chicago
Batavia • Geneva • St. Charles • North Aurora • Fox Valley & surrounding communities
