Sciatica in Argentville, MO. If you have ever known the pain associated with sciatica, you know how difficult it is to capture in words the caliber of pain that accompanies it and just how disabling it can become. If you suspect that you may have sciatica or have been diagnosed with a sciatic nerve condition, seek the care of a medical professional right away.

Axes Physical Therapy is a group of multiple Argentville, MO area physical therapy treatment clinics. These provider-owned and operated movement wellness offices bring you thoughtful, individualized, intelligent care for your sciatica or other movement complaints near Argentville, MO. Talk to a physical therapist in the Argentville area about sciatica care for you today or make an appointment online now.

What You Should Know About Sciatica

Sciatica describes the irritation of the sciatic nerve, the most extensive nerve in the human body. The sciatic nerve originates from the nerve roots located in the lower spine to the pelvis, where it then branches out to each buttock and travels down and through the back of each leg. People frequently mistaken low back pain for sciatica, but sciatica is distinct in that the pain because the pain from sciatica radiates from the path of the sciatic nerve.

The term sciatica is not, in itself, a diagnosis, as many people believe. In fact, sciatica describes conditions connected to the sciatic nerve that surface when an underlying medical condition results in the irritation, inflammation, pinching, or compression of the sciatic nerve. Sciatica symptoms range greatly, but generally include pain sensations, weakness, numbness, or tingling down the buttock and leg. Unlike low back pain, you may find that your sciatica symptoms exist down into the buttock, legs, or feet and heels.

Do I Have Sciatica? – Sciatica Symptoms

The type and severity of sciatica symptoms vary from case to case. The presentation of your sciatica depends on where the damage or pressure is along the nerve root. Symptoms that accompany sciatica include pain, loss of sensation, loss of muscle function, tingling, and pain that worsens when in certain positions.

The distinguishing marker of sciatica is pain that follows the path of the sciatic nerve from the low spine to the pelvis, buttocks, and legs. Most of the time, symptoms appear only on one side — either down the right buttock and leg or the left buttock and leg. However, it is possible for a patient to experience sciatic pain and symptoms on both sides. This is determined by the position of the compression or pinching of the nerve.

With sciatica comes undeniable pain for anyone with the condition in Argentville, MO. This nerve-related pain is described by patients as:

• Sharp
• Jolting
• Shooting
• Burning
• Electric
• Stabbing
• Tingling

If you are suffering from the debilitating pain and other limiting symptoms of sciatica, contact a medical professional specializing in spine health right away. Axes Physical Therapy’s Argentville, MO area physical and occupational therapists will lead you on your journey to a full recovery and craft a plan of action with the best chance of success of restoring your mobility and freedom from pain.

Common Causes of Sciatica

For most individuals, their sciatica is caused by some form of irritation to or inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Sciatic nerve inflammation is easily cured with physical therapy in the Argentville area designed to target the underlying cause of your sciatica symptoms, or may even resolve on their own over time with proper exercise and self-care. However, for patients suffering from sciatica due to the direct compression of the sciatic nerve, more aggressive treatments like invasive surgery may be used.

In most cases, people with sciatica are not aware of what caused their condition. Whether you suffered an acute injury while playing sports or being active or woke up one day with sharp pains down your left leg that you can’t explain, our Argentville, MO area physical therapists have the clinical success and up-to-date evidence-based knowledge you need and deserve from your sciatica treatment professional.

Most Common Sciatica Causes

• Herniated disc
• Slipped disc
• Bone spur
• Spinal stenosis
• Piriformis syndrome
• Degenerative disc disease
• Spondylolisthesis
• Pregnancy
• Vertebral fracture

Risk Factors for Sciatica near Argentville, MO

Certain activities and conditions could put you at a higher risk of developing painful, restrictive, debilitating conditions like sciatica. Risk factors tied to sciatica include:

• Age. As we age, our bodies degrade over time.
• Weight. The more weight on your body, the harder your back muscles have to work, and the more pressure the tissue in your spine and pelvic joints face.
• Other medical conditions. Diabetic patients are suseptable to nerve damage, and joint-related diagnoses like osteoarthritis can cause pain and pressure on your spine and sciatic nerve.
• Occupation/Daily activities. Trades that require lifting heavy loads for long periods, frequent bending and twisting, or driving (causing the up-and-down movement and vibration of the body) can cause sciatica.
• Lifestyle. Lifestyle choices like a “couch potato” daily routine or tobacco use can cause weakness and eventual irritation related to sciatica.

What Sciatica Treatments in Argentville, MO Are Right for Me?

There are a variety of approaches that are often used for sciatica patients. Different treatment solutions, ranging from conservative recommendations like cold and heat applications to intensive operations, vary in their accepted level of efficacy. The one thing that medical professionals agree on when it comes to sciatica treatment is that being physically active is an essential part of managing and treating sciatica. This directly contradicts previous advice to confine patients to bed rest, which we now know is not effective in addressing disabiity or pain in patients.

Remember that it is your responsibility to seek the advice of a licensed medical professional prior to taking any actions related to your medical care. The physical and occupational therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in the Argentville, MO area are committed to to guiding individuals of all types in the Argentville, MO area to optimal movement health. For you, that includes studying your medical history, sciatica symptoms, and other key factors. Your Axes medical professional specializing in movement health in Argentville, MO will complete a free screening before treating you so that we can best understand your condition and formulate a personalized treatment plan for your needs.

In addition to specializing in the Argentville, MO treatment of sciatica, our skilled Argentville area providers will deliver the care you need. We apply our knowledge and experience working with kinesiology and the musculoskeletal system toward providing people like you in Argentville, MO with many forms of care, including the following

• Physical Therapy Clinic
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment
• Sciatica Treatment
• Sports Medicine
• Hand Pain Physical Therapy
• Foot & Ankle Pain Treatment
• Hip Pain Treatment
• Plantar Fasciitis Treatment
• Stroke Rehabilitation
• Hip Replacement Physical Therapy

Treatments Options for Sciatica in Argentville, MO

The medical community and especially medical professionals who are specialists in spinal care have found the following methods to be helpful in the treatment of sciatica for certain patients. Your physician, Axes Physical Therapy doctor in Argentville, MO, and all other members of your treatment team will work together as a team to lay forth and carry out the most promising sciatica treatment plan for you.

• Medications. There is some disagreement surrounding which drugs are recommended for treating sciatica, but as with any other drug, pharmaceuticals come with potential risks. Largely used in managing the experience of sciatica symptoms, some drugs that can be used for sciatca patients include:
  • Anti-inflammatories
  • Muscle relaxers
  • Antidepressants
  • Corticosteroids
  • Anticonvulsants
  • Opiod pain medications
• Physical therapy. Physical therapy is a powerful sciatica care approach that should be included in most sciatica treatment plans. Your physical therapist will use a variety of treatment services that target comprehensive movement health and directly heal the source of your sciatica pain. With the help of a qualified Argentville, MO physical therapist and participating in your care can allow you to reach freedom from pain, improve your mobility, heal stronger, halt or prevent permanent disability and nerve damage, and reduce the risk of future injuries or return of your sciatica. Your Argentville, MO physical therapist will treat your sciatica pain with treatment methods that improve your posture, bring your body into balance, increase flexibility, improve strength, and relieve pressure.
• Injections. In some cases, your doctor might try administering an injection or series of injections to the affected area. Common injection treatments for sciata are nerve root blocks, which are used to inject the steroid and anesthetic combination directly to the affected sciatic nerve root, or epidural injections, which aim the steroid and anesthetic to the epidural space surrounding the nerve. Injections for Argentville, MO area sciatica patients are often used to temporarily supress the irritation of the nerve for the purposes of pain relief and maintain the ability to function. The effects can last anywhere from a couple of weeks to several months.
• Surgery. Because of how invasive and high risk it often is, a surgical operation is usually reserved for patients with the most severe symptoms or those who have not successfully healed with more conservative treatment methods. There are a number of surgeries for sciatica depending on the cause of the condition, such as a microdiscectomy where the surgeon removes the herniated disc or a laminectomy where the surgeon removes part of the vertebral bones to remove direct pressure on your sicatic nerve. To optimize your ability to be successful in your surgery, any procedures should be paired with pre- and post-operative physical therapy care.
  You may be a candidate for sciatica surgery if:
  • you lose control of your bowel and/or bladder
  • you have bone spurs, known as spinal stenosis, putting direct pressure on your sciatic nerve
  • you have significant neurological dysfunction
  • other treatment methods have not helped or are no longer effective

Benefits of Argentville, MO Physical Therapy for Sciatica

One of the best things you can do for your sciatica is to move. Staying active, stretching, and practicing exercises designed to help address sciatica are proven, necessary in the treatment of sciatica for anyone in the Argentville, MO area.

The physical therapy we offer to sciatica patients in the Argentville, MO area reflects the importance of movement. By working with a physical therapist near Argentville, MO, you can strengthen and mobilize tissues in the lower back, pelvis, abdomen, buttocks, and thighs and find true relief from your sciatica.

Our physical therapy services work to:

• Improve functional movement
• Relieve sciatic nerve pain
• Reduce muscle spasms
• Restore function of the lumbar spine and the sacroiliac joint
• Improve mobility of the lower body
• Foster a better healing environment in the lower back
• Restore overall balance and proper posture in the back and legs
• Promote neurologic adaptations to reduce the perception of pain
• Prevent future pain flareups and permanent nerve damage
• Foster confidence in your ability to move pain-free

Your dedicated Argentville, MO physical therapist will design a plan incorporating a number of different treatment modalities in your sciatica treatment plan, such as:

• Hot and cold therapies
• TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stiumlation
• Ultrasound
• Flexbiliby and strength exercises
• Joint manipulation
• Soft tissue mobilization
• Dry needling
• Education and training for posure, safe technique, and activity modifications

Trust your movement health care team at Axes Physical Therapy to identify the sciatica treatment modalities you would benefit from most. Your Argentville, MO physical therapist will act as an integral player in your full healthcare team to help you manage your sciatica symptoms, alleviate the underlying irritation of your sciatic nerve, and reclaim the strength, flexibility, and full range of motion of a healthy individual. Speak to a specialist in Argentville, MO now to discuss your sciatica treatment options, including a quality, tailored physical therapy plan.

Get Relief for your Sciatica in Argentville, MO Now

When the agonizing pain and insurmountable limitations of sciatica get in the way of the life you want and the activities you enjoy, seek quality care for your sciatica right away. Timely and strategic physical therapy for your sciatica in the Argentville, MO area can free you from the pain and return you to optimal mobility.

Access convenient, effective sciatica treatment from Axes Physical Therapy near Argentville, MO today. Our fifteen Missouri physical therapy locations make it easy for you to get the care you need. Find the location nearest you or request an appointment online right now.