Orthopedic
How long does sciatica take to go away?
Most people improve substantially within six to twelve weeks, and physical therapy speeds that and reduces the chance of recurrence. Surgery is reserved for the small minority with progressive weakness or no improvement after a full course of conservative care.
The details
What to know
Answered by the practice of Dr. Elana Shalem, DPT, pelvic floor and orthopedic physical therapist.
Sciatica is nerve pain traveling from the back or buttock down the leg, from a disc, a narrowed opening in the spine, the piriformis muscle, or simply a sensitized nerve after a flare. Sitting and bending usually make it worse.
Physical therapy uses directional exercises that move leg pain back toward the spine, nerve mobility work, positioning for sitting and sleeping, and progressive strengthening of the hips and trunk. How far down the leg the symptoms reach is the main progress marker, and it is tracked at every visit.
New loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness in the groin, or rapidly worsening leg weakness need emergency evaluation; a physical therapist screens for these at the first visit.
Where you live
Tell us where you are
Insurance, referral rules, and booking depend on where you live. Choose your area and we take you to the right page.
Not listed? Dr. Shalem can only treat patients located in a state where she holds a license. Send a message and we will tell you what is possible.
How it works
How a virtual visit works
Most of pelvic floor physical therapy is education, breathing and pressure management, movement retraining, and a home program. All of it works on camera. During the evaluation, Dr. Shalem guides a self-assessment so she can see how the pelvic floor is coordinating with breath and movement. An internal examination is not possible by video; if a hands-on assessment would change the plan, she says so and helps the patient find local care.
Discovery call
15 minutes, free, by phoneA short call to hear what is going on, explain how visits work, and check insurance or pricing. No pressure to book.
Evaluation
60 minutes, by videoDr. Shalem takes a full history, watches how you move and breathe, and guides the self-assessments she needs to build a plan.
Your plan
Same visitYou leave the evaluation with a plain-language explanation and a short home program, usually a few minutes a day.
Follow-ups
45 minutes, every 1 to 2 weeksProgress checks, program updates, and techniques you can do yourself, for as long as they are useful.
For a video visit you will need
- A phone, tablet, or laptop with a camera
- A private room
- A mat or towel
- About an hour
Your physical therapist
Dr. Elana Shalem, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy, University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, Miami. Licensed physical therapist.
Dr. Shalem treats pelvic health for women and men, from pregnancy and postpartum recovery to bladder, bowel, and pelvic pain conditions and recovery after prostate or pelvic surgery, and general orthopedic conditions of the back, neck, hips, knees, shoulders, and feet. Visits are one-on-one and unhurried, and she explains what she is seeing in plain language.
More about Dr. ShalemPrefer to write? Send a message.
Questions about insurance, pricing, or whether physical therapy is the right next step? We reply within one business day.
Start with a free 15-minute call.
Tell us what is going on, hear how Dr. Shalem would approach it, and decide from there.