That shooting pain, burning, or numbness running from your lower back down your leg is sciatica — and it's one of the most treatable conditions in physical therapy. Dr. Cisneros uses precise nerve mobilization and manual therapy techniques to relieve sciatic pain fast.
Sciatica is not a diagnosis itself — it describes symptoms caused by irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve. Identifying the source is critical to effective treatment.
Sharp, electric-like pain that travels from the lower back or buttock down the back of the thigh and into the calf or foot — often only on one side.
A burning sensation or "pins and needles" feeling along the path of the sciatic nerve — from the gluteal region down through the leg to the toes.
Numbness in the leg, foot, or toes, and sometimes weakness in the affected leg — making it difficult to walk or stand for extended periods.
Sciatica classically worsens with prolonged sitting, especially driving. The pain often improves with walking or lying down in certain positions.
Deep buttock pain and sciatic symptoms caused by the piriformis muscle compressing the sciatic nerve — often misdiagnosed as a disc problem. Highly responsive to targeted manual therapy.
A herniated or bulging disc in the lumbar spine pressing on the sciatic nerve root. PT is the first-line treatment and highly effective for most disc-related sciatica cases.
Effective sciatica treatment requires identifying whether the nerve is being compressed at the spine, the piriformis, or elsewhere along its path. Dr. Cisneros uses a systematic neurological assessment to locate the source and target treatment precisely.
A thorough evaluation of lumbar spine mobility, nerve tension tests, and neurological screening to determine exactly where the sciatic nerve is being irritated and what structures are involved.
Two of the most powerful tools for sciatica relief. Nerve glides move the sciatic nerve through its full range of motion in a controlled way, reducing tension and desensitizing the nerve over time. Neurodynamic flossing takes this further by alternately tensioning and releasing the nerve from both ends simultaneously — essentially "flossing" it through surrounding tissue to break up adhesions, improve neural mobility, and rapidly reduce symptom intensity. These techniques are gentle, highly specific, and often produce noticeable relief within the first few sessions.
Joint mobilization to restore normal lumbar movement combined with dry needling of the piriformis, gluteal muscles, and lumbar paraspinals to reduce compression and muscle-driven nerve irritation.
Education on positions and movements that centralize or eliminate symptoms, combined with progressive core and hip strengthening to prevent recurrence. Most patients learn to self-manage their symptoms within the first few weeks.
It depends on the mechanism — which is why accurate diagnosis matters. Nerve-root compression behaves differently than disc-related irritation: a compression often has a flexion-based directional preference to avoid closing down on the nerve root, while a disc irritation may respond better to extension-based exercises. Dr. Cisneros also uses sciatic nerve glides (sliders) to mobilize the sensitized nerve, dosed to your symptoms — neurodynamics is an area most clinicians aren't well-trained in, and done well it provides significant relief. Paired with dry needling and manual therapy, many patients feel meaningful change early once the mechanism is identified.
No. Most cases of sciatica can be effectively treated without imaging. Dr. Cisneros will perform a thorough clinical evaluation to determine the source and guide treatment. If something concerning is found that warrants imaging, he will refer you appropriately.
Not necessarily. Sciatica refers to symptoms along the sciatic nerve pathway, which can be caused by a disc herniation, piriformis syndrome, lumbar stenosis, or other conditions. A proper evaluation is needed to determine the true cause — which directly determines the most effective treatment.
It can, especially if the underlying movement patterns and muscle weaknesses aren't fully addressed. Dr. Cisneros focuses not just on symptom relief but on correcting the root cause so recurrence is minimized. Most patients leave with a home program that keeps symptoms from returning.
No. Texas is a direct access state — you can book an evaluation with Dr. Cisneros without a physician referral, saving you time and the cost of an unnecessary office visit.
Sciatica is caused by compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back through the buttocks and down each leg. The most common causes are a herniated lumbar disc pressing on a nerve root, piriformis syndrome (a muscle in the buttock compressing the nerve), lumbar spinal stenosis, or degenerative disc disease. Proper diagnosis through a clinical evaluation — not just imaging — determines the specific cause and guides the most effective treatment.
The fastest path to sciatica relief is targeted physical therapy — not rest. Manual therapy to decompress the nerve, nerve mobilization techniques, and dry needling to release the piriformis and paraspinal muscles produce faster relief than pain medication or waiting it out. At Solas PT in El Paso, many patients feel meaningful improvement after the first 1–2 sessions. Same-week appointments are available — no referral needed. Call (915) 318-7381.
Yes — foot pain, tingling, or numbness is a classic sciatica symptom. The sciatic nerve runs all the way from the lower back to the foot, so compression at the spine or piriformis can cause symptoms anywhere along that pathway. Numbness on the top of the foot often points to L4–L5, while pain on the outer edge of the foot suggests S1 involvement. A physical therapist can identify the specific nerve root involved and treat the source — not just the foot symptoms.
It depends on your directional preference. For many people, lumbar flexion — bending forward and prolonged sitting — worsens sciatica, and extension-based movements like press-ups relieve it. For others it's the opposite: standing upright, walking, or lying on the stomach aggravates it, and flexion-based movements that open the joint space (knees toward the chest, or side-lying with rotation toward the affected side) help. A common mistake is aggressive hamstring stretching, which can actually worsen a sensitized sciatic nerve — targeted nerve glides are what's warranted instead. Dr. Cisneros identifies your specific pattern and modifies activity to calm the nerve before progressing to function.
Sitting increases disc pressure on the lumbar spine by up to 40% compared to standing, which compresses an already irritated nerve root. Soft chairs and car seats are often worst because they encourage a flexed lumbar posture that increases nerve tension. If sitting triggers your sciatica, it typically points to a disc-related cause. Physical therapy addresses this through nerve mobilization, disc decompression techniques, and postural retraining.
Acute sciatica without treatment often lasts 4–6 weeks but can become chronic if the underlying cause is not addressed. With targeted physical therapy, most patients experience meaningful relief within 2–4 sessions and significant improvement within 4–6 weeks. Chronic sciatica that has persisted for months can still respond well to PT — the treatment approach simply needs to address both the nerve sensitivity and the movement patterns that sustain it.
It depends on the mechanism — which is exactly why an accurate diagnosis matters. Sciatica from nerve-root compression behaves differently than from disc-related irritation, and treatment must match: a compression often has a flexion-based directional preference to avoid closing down on the nerve root, while a disc-related irritation may respond better to extension-based exercises. Dr. Cisneros also uses sciatic nerve glides (sliders) to mobilize the sensitized nerve, prescribed precisely to your symptoms — neurodynamics is an area most clinicians aren't well-trained in, and done well it provides significant relief. Paired with dry needling and manual therapy, many patients feel meaningful change early at Solas PT in El Paso once the mechanism is correctly identified.
Yes — the vast majority of sciatica cases resolve with conservative treatment. Physical therapy combining manual therapy, nerve mobilization, dry needling, and progressive exercise has strong evidence for disc-related sciatica and piriformis syndrome. Surgery is typically only considered when sciatica is caused by severe nerve compression that hasn't responded to 6–12 weeks of conservative care, or when there is progressive neurological deficit. At Solas PT in El Paso, Dr. Cisneros has helped many patients avoid recommended surgery through targeted one-on-one care.
Solas Physical Therapy in El Paso offers one-on-one sciatica treatment with Dr. Andrew Cisneros, PT, DPT, MS. Treatment includes manual therapy, nerve mobilization, dry needling, and targeted exercise. Located at 300 N Resler Dr, Ste F, El Paso, TX 79912. No referral needed. Same-week appointments available. Call (915) 318-7381 or book online at solaspt.com.
Solas Physical Therapy is a top-rated choice for sciatica treatment in El Paso, holding a 5.0-star rating across 36 Google reviews. Dr. Cisneros identifies your directional preference and the mechanism actually producing the leg symptoms before loading anything. Paired with dry needling and manual therapy, many patients feel meaningful change early once that mechanism is identified. Every session is one-on-one with Dr. Andrew Cisneros, PT, DPT, MS for the full 60 minutes — no aides, no double-booking. Solas PT is cash-based and direct-access at 300 N Resler Dr, Ste F, and can usually see new patients the same week with no referral required.
Same-week appointments available. No referral needed. One-on-one with Dr. Cisneros every session.
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