Herniated Disc Treatment Desloge, MO. A herniated disc can keep you from living the active life you want, but improvement is possible with the appropriate treatment. At Axes Physical Therapy, we are experts in research-supported treatments personalized to your individual requirements, whether you’re suffering from slight pain or severe pain. Our expert physical therapy team in Desloge, MO focuses on helping you heal through conservative care, using customized plans created to relieve pain, improve movement, and help you return to the life you love.
Start managing your recovery and start feeling better today with Axes Physical Therapy in Desloge, MO. Make an appointment through our website, call the location nearest you, or come to any of our locations for a free injury screening.
About Herniated Discs
A herniated disc is a common injury affecting the spine, where the soft, inner material of a disc (the Nucleus Pulposus) pushes through its outer layer, compressing nearby nerves. This condition can lead to a set of issues, including sharp pain in the back or neck pain, as well as pain spreading through the arms or legs depending on the affected area of the spine. In advanced cases, it can result in weakness or numbness in the limbs, making daily tasks like walking, lifting, or even resting or sitting down difficult.
Herniated disc symptoms include:
- Pain: Acute, shooting pain in the lumbar region (lumbar herniation) or cervical area (cervical herniation), often extending to the limbs (sciatica).
- Numbness or tingling: A frequent symptom is numbness or tingling in the limbs, particularly the arms, legs, hands, or feet, which occurs because of nerve compression.
- Muscle weakness: If you notice reduced strength in your arms or legs, it could point to a more significant compression of the nerves.
Risk factors and causes:
- Age-related degeneration: Over time, spinal discs lose hydration and flexibility, reducing their ability to cushion the spine, which increases the risk of injury.
- Injury and improper lifting: Trauma, like sports injuries or lifting improperly, can cause discs in the spine to herniate.
- Repetitive movements: Engaging in activities or jobs that require frequent bending, twisting, or heavy lifting makes you more susceptible to disc injuries.
- Poor posture: Prolonged poor posture, whether sitting or standing, can lead to extra stress on the spine.
It’s crucial to intervene early. At Axes Physical Therapy in Desloge, MO, we conduct a thorough assessment of your alignment, movement, reflexes, and spine health to identify the severity and exact location of the herniated disc. This allows us to design a treatment plan customized for your unique condition, putting you on the road to recovery as soon as possible.
Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Herniated Discs in Desloge, MO
At Axes Physical Therapy, we focus on conservative approaches to treating herniated discs in Desloge, MO. Our goal is to ease pain, increase flexibility, and boost your well-being, all while avoiding the need for surgical interventions.
The Evaluation Process
During your initial consultation, our physical therapists in Desloge, MO will carry out a detailed examination to evaluate the extent of your disc herniation and how it affects your mobility. The assessment typically involves analyzing your posture, flexibility, and how well your nerves are functioning.
- Posture analysis: Evaluating any posture misalignments that might be affecting your spine and overall condition.
- Spine mobility tests: Checking the spine’s range of motion to pinpoint areas of stiffness or limited movement.
- Nerve function testing: Evaluating any signs of nerve damage or compression that may be causing numbness or tingling.
Key Treatment Techniques:
- Manual Therapy: With manual therapy, our licensed specialists work directly on your soft tissues and joints to alleviate pain and tension, while helping to enhance your spine’s flexibility. This can involve:
- Spinal mobilization: Subtle adjustments aimed at correcting spinal misalignment and alleviating nerve compression.
- Myofascial release: A method focused on loosening the connective tissues around muscles and organs to ease tension and reduce discomfort.
- Trigger point dry needling: Using thin needles to penetrate muscle tissue, trigger healing responses, and reduce inflammation, tension, and discomfort.
Targeted Exercises:
- Pelvic tilt: By strengthening the core, pelvic tilts help lessen pressure on the spine, leading to pain relief.
- McKenzie extension: This exercise reduces disc pressure by carefully extending the spine.
- Cat-cow stretch: Improves spinal flexibility and reduces tension in the back muscles.
- Lumbar stabilization: Strengthens muscles supporting the spine to enhance stability and reduce stress on the disc.
- Hamstring stretches: Improves leg flexibility to help reduce pressure on the lower spine.
- Wall sits: Helps to increase strength in the lower back and legs, aiding in posture improvement and spinal stability.
- Bridges: This exercise targets the glutes and lower back, offering additional support to the spine and alleviating discomfort.
- Knee-to-chest stretch: Gently stretches the lower back, relieving tension in the lumbar area.
- Bird-dog exercise: This exercise improves core balance and stability while strengthening the muscles surrounding the spine.
Progressive Treatment Plan
As your condition improves, we transition from passive treatments, like manual therapy, to more active therapies designed to strengthen your body and improve your overall spinal health. Exercises like bird-dog movements and prone extensions become key components of your recovery, helping you regain control over your movements and prevent further injury.
Our thorough treatment approach allows patients to experience notable reductions in pain, increased mobility, and a better quality of life, without the need for surgery. We create individualized treatment plans that guarantee you recover at a comfortable and effective pace, making your healing process smooth and easy.
Pre- and Post-Surgical Rehab for Herniated Discs in Desloge, MO
While many herniated disc cases can be treated non-surgically, surgery is sometimes necessary for severe cases or when symptoms don’t improve with conservative treatment. At Axes, we assist Desloge, MO patients both before and after surgery with targeted rehabilitation designed to optimize outcomes.
Pre-Surgery Therapy:
Using physical therapy to prepare for surgery can significantly improve post-surgical recovery. Before surgery, we focus on achieving the following objectives:
- Maximizing mobility: We aim to strengthen and increase your mobility to ensure a quicker recovery after surgery.
- Reducing pain and inflammation: Providing treatments to lower pain and reduce inflammation before surgery to improve comfort.
Post-Surgery Therapy:
After surgery, physical therapy becomes an important part of restoring function and getting you back to full strength. Our post-surgical rehabilitation plans focus on:
- Rebuilding strength: Especially in the core muscles and those supporting the spine.
- Restoring mobility: Working to help you move freely again while reducing any discomfort.
- Preventing future injuries: By teaching you about proper posture, body mechanics, and safe ways to move.
Our objective is to maximize the success of any necessary surgeries so you can resume your normal and enjoyable activities in Desloge, MO, free from pain or limitations.
Why Choose Axes Physical Therapy for Your Herniated Disc Treatment in Desloge, MO?
At Axes, we believe in addressing more than just the pain when treating herniated discs. In Desloge, MO, our licensed physical and occupational therapists bring 15+ years of expertise to crafting customized plans that address not only your symptoms but also the deeper issues causing your condition.
Why Patients Trust Us:
- Experience: We bring years of expertise to treating numerous spine-related concerns.
- Patient-Centered Care: We customize each care plan to the patient, addressing both physical and emotional needs.
- Cutting-Edge Techniques: Utilizing the most up-to-date therapy methods, we incorporate everything from manual therapy to specialized exercises for herniated disc recovery.
Our success stories speak for themselves, with countless patients regaining the ability to live active, pain-free lives after undergoing treatment with us.
Other services we offer in Desloge, MO include:
- Rotator Cuff Tear Treatment
- Running Injury
- MCL Tear
- ACL Rehabilitation
- Functional Capacity Evaluation
- Vertigo Treatment
- Total Knee Replacement Physical Therapy
- Vestibular Therapy
- Concussion Treatment
Call Axes For Your Herniated Disc Treatment in Desloge, MO
We at Axes Physical Therapy are dedicated to assisting you in overcoming the discomfort and challenges caused by a herniated disc. Whether you’re looking to avoid surgery or recover after one, our expert therapists will create a personalized, scientifically backed treatment plan to restore your mobility and get you back to the activities you love. Don’t let a herniated disc dampen your life—reach out to Axes Physical Therapy in Desloge, MO today to schedule your evaluation and start your journey to recovery!