How Low-Level Laser Therapy May Help with Sciatica

If you’ve ever experienced sciatica, you know how intense and disruptive it can be. That sharp, burning, radiating pain down the leg can make even simple daily movements feel overwhelming. At True Spine Chiropractic, we see sciatica fairly often, and many patients are looking for natural, drug-free ways to support their healing and get back to normal life.

One promising treatment is low-level laser therapy (LLLT), also called photobiomodulation therapy. Emerging research suggests it may play a helpful role in supporting tissue healing, calming irritation around nerves, and reducing inflammation.

Here’s a simple breakdown of what sciatica is, why it happens, and how LLLT may support the body’s natural recovery process.

What Exactly Is Sciatica?

“Sciatica” is a general term patients use to describe pain that travels along the sciatic nerve — the large nerve that runs from your lower back through your hips and down your leg. Sciatica happens when that nerve becomes irritated or compressed.

Common causes include:

• Herniated or bulging discs

• Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal)

• Spondylolisthesis (forward slippage of a vertebra)

• Piriformis syndrome (tightness or inflammation in a hip muscle that can irritate the nerve)

• Inflammation around the nerve

Symptoms may include sharp pain, burning, tingling, numbness, or even weakness in the leg. Sciatica can range from mildly uncomfortable to completely debilitating.

How Low-Level Laser Therapy Works

Low-level laser therapy uses specific wavelengths of light to stimulate cellular activity. This light penetrates the skin and interacts with tissues in a way that may support the body’s natural healing processes. LLLT is thought to help by:

• Supporting cellular repair: Light energy at certain wavelengths can help cells produce more ATP (energy), which they need for healing and regeneration

• Reducing inflammation: Research suggests that LLLT may help calm inflammatory processes around irritated nerves and tissues

• Improving microcirculation:Enhanced blood flow brings oxygen and nutrients to the area and helps clear out inflammatory byproducts

• Supporting nerve health: Some studies—particularly in animal models—have shown improved nerve regeneration following laser therapy

These biological effects may explain why many patients report symptom improvement when it’s used as part of a broader treatment plan.

Laser therapy sessions usually involve:

• Treating the lower spine where the nerve roots exit

• Treating along the sciatic nerve pathway

• Addressing muscles such as the piriformis or gluteal muscles that may be contributing to irritation

Treatments are painless and non-invasive, and can take anywhere and can last 15-60 minutes depending on the number of areas treated.

What the Research Says About LLLT and Sciatica

One notable study by Dr. Shimon Rochkind, a leading photobiomodulation researcher, looked at how near-infrared laser therapy affected sciatic nerve injuries in animal models. The findings suggested that:

• Treating the nerve roots, the injured nerve itself, and the surrounding muscles led to better outcomes

• Longer treatment times (within safe parameters) were more effective than shorter ones

• Laser therapy helped reduce muscle atrophy associated with nerve injury

While animal studies don’t directly translate to clinical outcomes in humans, this research supports the idea that LLLT may help create a more favorable environment for nerve recovery.

Who Might Benefit?

LLLT may be a good supportive option for people who:

• Are experiencing new-onset sciatica

• Want a drug-free, non-surgical approach

• Prefer gentle, conservative care

• Aren’t getting relief from stretching or at-home remedies alone

The earlier the irritation is addressed, the better the chances of preventing chronic nerve irritation.

The Bottom Line

Low-level laser therapy is an exciting tool that can help support the body’s natural healing processes. If you’re dealing with sciatic pain and want to explore whether laser therapy may be appropriate for you, we’d be happy to help guide you. Book your laser therapy consultation with True Spine Chiropractic here.