Sciatica in Dutzow, MO. Anyone who has ever experienced sciatica will struggle to find words powerful enough to convey the intensity 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, get the care you need right away.

Axes Physical Therapy is a group of multiple Dutzow, MO area physical therapy treatment clinics. These provider-owned and operated movement wellness offices bring you sound, personalized, strategic care for your sciatica or other movement complaints near Dutzow, MO. Speak to a physical therapist in the Dutzow area about your sciatica today or schedule an appointment online now.

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica is the irritation of the sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in the human body. The sciatic nerve originates from the nerve roots in the low end of the spine, then from the pelvis it splits off to each buttock and runs 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 runs along this precise nerve path.

The term sciatica is not, in itself, a diagnosis, as many people believe. In fact, sciatica is only a word used to describe a number of symptoms connected to the sciatic nerve that rear up when an existing medical condition results in the irritation, inflammation, pinching, or compression of the sciatic nerve. Sciatica symptoms range greatly, but frequently consist of pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling that can extend from the buttock all the way down the leg. While low back pain in constrained to the immediate area around the back (though other conditions affecting the low back and lead to tightness, imbalance, and overcompensation that causes additional physical problems), you may find that your sciatica symptoms exist down into the glute area, legs, and feet.

Do I Have Sciatica? – Sciatica Symptoms

Each individual experiences sciatica symptoms differently. Your sciatica’s exact presentation is dictated by the positioning of the pressure or damage to the nerve root. Symptoms that accompany sciatica include pain, numbness, weakness, tingling, and pain that worsens when in certain positions.

The distinguishing marker of sciatica is pain that follows the path of the sciatic nerve which begins in the lower spine and travels through the hips and posterior, down the back of each leg. Typically, a patient with sciatica will experience symptoms 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 down both nerve paths. This is determined by where on the sciatic nerve the irritation or compression occurs.

With sciatica comes undeniable pain for anyone with the condition in Dutzow, MO. Sciatica pain can range from:

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

If you are suffering from the debilitating pain and other limiting symptoms of sciatica, reach out to a medical professional specializing in spine health immediately. Axes Physical Therapy’s Dutzow, MO area physical and occupational therapists will lead you on your journey to a full recovery and design a treatment approach to return you to the life you want to live.

Common Causes of Sciatica

Most instances of sciatica are caused, in one way or another, by some form of irritation to or inflammation of the sciatic nerve. These cases are nearly always successfully cured with physical therapy in the Dutzow area designed to target the underlying cause of your sciatica symptoms, and some even heal on their own as time passes and you practice safe exercise and home 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.

In most cases, patients with conditions such as sciatica pain 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 Dutzow, MO area physical therapists are equipped to provide you with accessible, epirically-supported restorative care.

Common Reasons for Sciatica

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

Major Risk Factors for Sciatica

You may be at a higher risk of developing sciatica and other physical and neurological conditions based on your background and activities. Risk factors associated with 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 conditions 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 sedentary lifestyle or smoking can lead to weakness and eventual irritation related to sciatica.

What Sciatica Treatment Options Do I Have in Dutzow, MO?

There are a number of treatments that are commonly used to treat sciatica patients. Different treatment solutions, which run the gamnut 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 physical activity is an essential part of managing and treating sciatica. This is contrary to outdated recommendations to confine sicatica patients to bed rest, which is no longer an accepted treatment fo sciatica as it is not effective in addressing disabiity or pain in patients.

Remember that it is your responsibility to consult with a licensed medical professional before taking any actions related to your medical care. Our Dutzow, MO area physical and occupational therapists with Axes Physical Therapy are committed to to guiding individuals of all types in the Dutzow, MO area to optimal movement health. For you, that includes evaluating your medical history, sciatica symptoms, and other critical details. Your dedicated Axes Physical Therapy movement healthcare provider near Dutzow, MO will complete a free screening prior to beginning any treatment so that we can best grasp the big picture of your physical condition and develop an individualized treatment plan for your needs.

In addition to a history of success in the Dutzow, MO treatment of sciatica, our skilled Dutzow area practitioners 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 Dutzow, 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

Popular Treatments for Sciatica in Dutzow, MO

Healthcare professionals and especially those specializing in spine health and neurology have found the following methods to be helpful in the treatment of sciatica for certain patients. Your primary care physician, Dutzow, MO Axes physical therapist, and any other necessary medical professionals will work in tandem to provide you with the sciatica care that is best suited for you.

• Medications. There is some conflicting information surrounding which drugs are effective for patients with sciatica, but just like with any other drug, every medication comes with the risk of side effects, which can be severe. 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 an effecitve sciatica care approach that is recommended for most patients with sciatica. Your physical therapy will involve a wide range of treatment services that address the body as a whole and directly heal the source of your sciatica pain. With the help of a qualified Dutzow, MO physical therapist and participating in your care can allow you to enjoy pain relief, improve your ability to move, heal stronger, avoid permanent damage and disability, and protect against future injuries or return of your sciatica. Your Dutzow, MO physical therapist will provide care that works to improve your posture, bring your body into balance, increase flexibility, improve strength, and relieve pressure.
• Injections. For some patients with sciatica, a medical provider might try administering one more more injections to the affected area. Common injection treatments for sciata are nerve root blocks, which apply a steroid and local anesthetic directly to the affected sciatic nerve root, or epidural injections, which administer the steroid and anesthetic to the epidural space surrounding the nerve. Injections for Dutzow, MO area sciatica patients are often used to temporarily aleviate the irritation of the nerve to provide pain relief and potentially preserve movement abilities needed for daily living. The effects can last anywhere from a couple of weeks to several months.
• Surgery. Because of how invasive and high risk it often is, surgical treatment is usually reserved for patients with the most severe symptoms or those who have not successfully healed with more conservative approaches. There are different surgeries for sciatica depending on the cause of the condition, including a microdiscectomy to remove a herniated disc or a laminectomy to remove bone spurs or parts of vertebrae putting direct pressure on your sicatic nerve. For best chances of success, surgery should be proceeded and followed by pre- and post-operative physical therapy care.
  You may be a candidate for surgery for your sciatica if:
  • you have loss of bowel or bladder control
  • you have spinal stenosis, where bone spurs are pressing on your sciatic nerve
  • you have severe neurological dysfunction
  • you have not experienced or are no longer experiencing lasting relief or healing with other treatments

Benefits of Dutzow, 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 essential in the treatment of sciatica for anyone in the Dutzow, MO area.

Coincidentally, these are all major elements to any physical therapy care we provide Dutzow, MO area sciatica patients through the Axes Physical Therapy network of physical therapy offices. Your Axes physical therapist near Dutzow, MO will guide you in activities and exercises that strengthen and mobilize tissues in the lower back, pelvis, abdomen, buttocks, and thighs and find true relief from your sciatica.

The goals of physical therapy and exercise in treating sciatica are 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

In order to restore your movement health and deliver you sustainable relief from sciatica pain, your Axes physical therapist in the Dutzow, MO area might include a variety 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 determine the sciatica treatment modalities best for you and work together with 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 Dutzow, MO now to explore your sciatica treatment options, including a quality, tailored physical therapy plan.

Get Relief for your Sciatica in Dutzow, MO Now

When the excruciating pain and alarming limitations of sciatica prevent you from doing the activities that are important to you, get quality care for your sciatica right away. Receiving prompt and proven physical therapy for your sciatica in the Dutzow, MO area can relieve your pain and restore the mobility you depend upon to go about your life.

Axes Physical Therapy offers accessible, convenient, and proven sciatica treatment near Dutzow, MO. Our fifteen Missouri physical therapy locations make it possible for you to get quality care. Find the location nearest you or request an appointment online right now.