Sciatica in Arnold, MO. If you have ever known the pain associated with sciatica, you know how difficult it is to adequately express the ferocity of pain that accompanies it and the degree of distress and disability the condition can wreak on your life. If you suspect that you may have sciatica or have been diagnosed with a sciatic nerve condition, seek expert medical care right away.

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

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica describes the irritation of the sciatic nerve, which happens to be the largest nerve in the human body. The sciatic nerve begins in the nerve roots in the low end of the spine to the pelvis, where it then splits off to each buttock and travels down and through the back of each leg. People frequently confuse low back pain and sciatica, but sciatica is distinct in that the pain because the pain from sciatica follows the path of the sciatic nerve.

The term sciatica is not, in itself, a diagnosisas people commonly assume. In fact, sciatica describes a number of symptoms tied to the sciatic nerve that arise when an underlying medical condition results in the irritation, inflammation, pinching, or compression of the sciatic nerve. Sciatica patients’ symptoms range wildly, but often include various forms of pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling that can extend from the buttock all the way down the leg. Unlike low back pain, people with sciatica experience symptoms down into the glute area, hamstrings, calves, or feet and heels.

Am I Suffering from Sciatica?

Each individual experiences sciatica symptoms differently. Your sciatica’s exact presentation depends on where the damage or pressure is along the nerve root. Sciatica typically includes symptoms like pain, loss of sensation, loss of muscle function, tingling, and pain that worsens when in certain positions.

The distinguishing marker of sciatica is the sensation of pain that follows the path of the sciatic nerve from the low spine to the pelvis, buttocks, and legs. Typically, a patient with sciatica will experience symptoms only on one side — either the left or right hip and leg. However, it is possible for a patient to experience sciatic pain and symptoms on both sides. This is determined by where on the sciatic nerve the irritation or compression occurs.

Pain is such a significant component of the sciatica experience for Arnold, MO sciatica sufferers. 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, get in touch with a medical professional with spine health expertise immediately. The physical and occupational therapists of Axes Physical Therapy near Arnold, MO will lead you on your journey to a full recovery and design a treatment approach with the best chance of success of restoring your mobility and freedom from pain.

Common Causes of Sciatica

Most instances of sciatica are caused, in one way or another, by the irritation or inflammation of the sciatic nerve. These cases are nearly always successfully repaired with physical therapy in the Arnold area designed to target the underlying cause of your sciatica symptoms, and some even heal on their own over time with proper exercise and self-care. Other cases, when the sciatica is a result of direct compression of the sciatic nerve, may call for a more invasive treatment such as surgery.

Often, people with sciatica are not aware of what caused their condition. You may have sustained trauma or developed nerve irritation over time. Whatever the case may be, our Arnold, MO area physical therapists are equipped to provide you with accessible, epirically-supported restorative care.

Common Causes of Sciatica Pain

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

Are You at a Higher Risk of Developing Sciatica in Arnold, MO?

You may be at a higher risk of developing sciatica and other physical and neurological conditions based on your background and activities. You are more likely to suffer from sciatica based on the following risk factors:

• 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 result in pain and pressure on your spine and sciatic nerve.
• Occupation/Daily activities. Trades where you are required to lift heavy loads, perform frequent bending and twisting motions, or drive for long periods of time (which shakes the body through the vibrations of the vehicle on the road) can cause sciatica.
• Lifestyle. Lifestyle activities like a sedentary lifestyle or tobacco use can lead to inflammation and weakness.

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

There are numerous approaches that are often used for sciatica patients. Different treatment solutions, which run the gamnut from conservative recommendations like cold and heat applications to intensive procedures, vary in their accepted level of efficacy. Regardless of their respective disciplines, medical providers who work with sciatica can all agree that being physically active is a critical 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.

Ultimately, you must seek the advice of a licensed medical professional before taking any actions related to your medical care. Our Arnold, MO area physical and occupational therapists with Axes Physical Therapy are committed to to guiding individuals of all types in the Arnold, MO area to optimal movement health. For you, that includes studying your medical history, sciatica symptoms, and other key factors. Your dedicated Axes Physical Therapy movement healthcare provider near Arnold, MO will perform a complimentary screening before treating you so that we can best understand your condition and formulate a personalized treatment plan for you.

In addition to specializing in the Arnold, MO treatment of sciatica, our seasoned Arnold area practitioners have what it takes to give you the care you need. Our team of experts in many different areas of the body and joint, nerve, and muscle conditions offer access to the care you need. Learn more below.

• Neck Pain Treatment
• 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

Popular Treatments for Sciatica in Arnold, MO

The medical community and especially medical professionals who are specialists in spinal care recommend some of the following as treatment of sciatica for certain patients. Your physician, Axes Physical Therapy doctor in Arnold, MO, and all other members of your treatment team will work in tandem to lay forth and carry out the most promising sciatica treatment plan for you.

• Medications. There is some conflicting information surrounding which drugs are effective for treating sciatica, but as with any other drug, every medication comes with potential risks. Largely used in mitigating 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 treatment for sciatica that should be included in most sciatica treatment plans. Your physical therapy will involve a number of treatment services that target comprehensive movement health and repair the source of your sciatica pain. Working with a physical therapist in the Arnold, MO area can help you obtain pain relief, improve your movement ability, become physically healthier, halt or prevent permanent damage and disability, and prevent future injuries or sciatica flair-ups. Your Arnold, MO physical therapist will provide care that works to improve your posture, bring your body into balance, increase flexibility, improve strength, and release pressure.
• Injections. For some patients with sciatica, a doctor might recommend one more more injections to the affected area. Common injection treatments for sciata are nerve root blocks, which are used to inject a steroid and local anesthetic directly to the root of the irritated nerve, or epidural injections, which aim the steroid and anesthetic to the epidural space enveloping the nerve. As a sciatica sufferer in Arnold, MO, you may use injections as a way to temporarily aleviate the irritation of the nerve for the purposes of pain relief and maintain the ability to function. The effects can wear off in weeks or months.
• Surgery. Due to its risk and inherent invasive nature, surgery is usually not considered unless you have severe symptoms or your condition has not responded well to more conservative approaches. There are a number of surgeries that can be used to address sciatic, such as a microdiscectomy where the surgeon removes the herniated disc or a laminectomy to remove bone spurs or parts of vertebrae putting direct pressure on your sicatic nerve. To optimize your ability to be successful in your surgery, operations should be paired with pre- and post-operative physical therapy care.
  You may be a candidate for surgery for your sciatica if:
  • you lose control of your bowel and/or bladder
  • you have bone spurs, known as spinal stenosis, pressing on your sciatic nerve
  • you have significant neurological dysfunction
  • other treatment methods have not helped or are no longer effective

Benefits of Arnold, MO Physical Therapy for Sciatica

One of the best things you can do for your sciatica is to move. Practicing physical activity, stretching, and performing exercises that target the source of your sciatica are proven, necessary in the treatment of sciatica for anyone in the Arnold, MO area.

The physical therapy we offer to sciatica patients in the Arnold, MO area reflects the importance of movement. Your Axes physical therapist near Arnold, MO will guide you in activities and exercises that strengthen and mobilize tissues in the lower back, pelvis, abdomen, buttocks, and thighs and heal the source of your sciatica.

The benefits of physical therapy for someone with sciatica include the following:

• 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 Arnold, 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 spine and musculoskeletal expert at Axes Physical Therapy to identify the sciatica treatment modalities you would benefit from most. Your Arnold, MO physical therapist will act as an integral player in your larger medical 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 physical therapist in Arnold, MO now to learn about your sciatica treatment options, including a quality, tailored physical therapy plan.

Get Relief for your Sciatica in Arnold, MO Now

When the harrowing pain and infuriating limitations of sciatica get in the way of the life you want and the activities you enjoy, find a trustworthy sciatica treatment provider right away. Timely and thoughtful physical therapy for your sciatica in the Arnold, MO area can relieve your pain and restore the mobility you depend upon to live your life.

Axes Physical Therapy offers accessible, convenient, and proven sciatica treatment near Arnold, MO. 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.