Sciatica Specialist · Lawrence Park, North York

Shooting pain down your leg.
We find why.

Sciatica describes a symptom. What matters is which structure is irritating your sciatic nerve. Dr. Devon looks for the most likely source at your first visit, screens for red flags, and builds your treatment plan around the finding instead of treating every shooting-leg-pain case the same way.

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Sound familiar?

→ Sharp or burning pain from the lower back into the leg or foot
→ Leg pain that feels worse than the back pain itself
→ Numbness or tingling running down one leg
→ Weakness in the leg, calf, or foot
→ Pain that worsens with sitting, standing, or sneezing
→ Deep buttock pain that feels like a hamstring problem
→ Pain that's better lying down or walking, worse with prolonged positions

Short Answer

What helps sciatica relief last?

Lasting sciatica relief starts with finding where the nerve is irritated. The cause may be a disc, a nerve root, the piriformis, a joint, or spinal narrowing. Dr. Devon tests those patterns first, then builds the plan around the finding instead of treating every leg-pain case the same way.

"Dr. Devon Savarimuthu, DC, CSCS, says: 'Sciatica is a symptom. The treatment depends on what is irritating the nerve, and those causes are not all treated the same way.'"

Why sciatica keeps coming back

Most sciatica treatment targets the pain. Not what's causing it.

Most sciatica treatment is organised around where you hurt: the leg, the buttock, the lower back. That's the pain pattern, and it doesn't tell you the cause on its own.

Disc herniation, piriformis syndrome, facet joint irritation, and spinal stenosis can all produce similar symptoms (shooting leg pain, numbness, weakness) and call for different treatment approaches. Without a clear working diagnosis, you're treating a symptom that tends to return.

This is why people with sciatica often improve briefly, then relapse. The painful leg calmed down, but the loading pattern behind it was never addressed, and the back and hips never got strong enough for a normal week.

Common causes

Four structures. Same symptoms. Different treatment.

The first visit at Endura is a 50-minute assessment designed to narrow down which of these is most likely driving your symptoms.

Disc herniation

A lumbar disc can irritate or compress a nerve root. The examination looks for a consistent neurological and movement pattern and screens for referral needs.

Piriformis syndrome

Deep gluteal structures can irritate the sciatic nerve outside the spine and produce symptoms that overlap with lumbar presentations.

Facet joint irritation

Lumbar joints can refer pain into the buttock or leg without the same neurological pattern as nerve-root irritation. The examination helps separate them.

Spinal stenosis

Narrowing of the spinal canal that compresses nerve roots, typically in older patients. Symptoms often bilateral, worsen with extension, improve with flexion. Requires careful assessment.

In some cases, imaging (MRI or X-ray) is needed before or during treatment. If that's true for your case, Devon will tell you at the first visit, not six sessions in.

The first visit

A diagnosis before any treatment begins.

Physical tests

Tests that show which structures are involved: disc, nerve root, facet joint, or soft tissue. Based on clinical findings, not guesswork.

Neurological assessment

Reflex, sensation, and motor testing to determine whether nerve compression is present and at what level. This dictates both urgency and treatment approach.

Movement screening

How load distributes through the lumbar spine, pelvis, and hip in functional movement. This is often where the pattern that keeps setting it off shows up.

Working diagnosis and plan

You leave with a working diagnosis, a plan with milestones, and guidance on what you can keep doing. More specific than "lower back pain", and more than "let's see how you respond."

See the full Endura Method →

Keep exploring

Sciatica rarely travels alone.

Sciatica

The full breakdown: possible contributors, assessment, and treatment planning.

Sciatica vs piriformis

Worth reading if you're unsure which one you're actually dealing with.

Lower back pain

Leg symptoms can involve lumbar nerve-root irritation, local referral, or another presentation that needs assessment.

North York

Endura's North York coverage area and what care looks like near you.

Important

Certain symptoms need urgent medical attention, not chiropractic care.

If you experience any of the following, seek emergency care or call 911 immediately:

! Loss of bladder or bowel control
! Progressive leg weakness (getting worse rapidly)
! Numbness in the groin or inner thighs (saddle anaesthesia)
! Sciatica following a major trauma or fall

These symptoms may indicate cauda equina syndrome, a medical emergency requiring immediate imaging and specialist care. When in doubt, go to emergency.

The plan

Start with a 50-minute first visit that includes assessment and treatment.

Assessment and treatment begin in one 50-minute visit, one-on-one with Dr. Devon, when it's safe to start. Then the plan builds the strength your back and hips need to stay settled.

If follow-up care is useful, Devon explains the visit schedule after the exam.

Lawrence Park, North York, Toronto

Get a clearer read. Build the next step.

Call Dr. Devon directly. You'll speak with him, not a receptionist, and get an honest answer about whether the Endura Method is the right fit for your case.