Sciatica in Leslie, MO. If you have ever known the pain associated with sciatica, you know how difficult it is to adequately express the severity of pain it causes 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 the care of a medical professional right away.

Axes Physical Therapy is a network of multiple physical therapy treatment locations positioned near Leslie, MO and throughout Missouri. Our clinics specializing in movement health and owned and operated by our treating doctors are dedicated to providing you with sound, individualized, strategic care for your sciatica or other movement complaints near Leslie, MO. Speak to a physical therapist in the Leslie area about your sciatica today or make an appointment online now.

What You Should Know About Sciatica

Sciatica describes the irritation of the sciatic nerve, which happens to be the most extensive nerve in the human body. The sciatic nerve originates from the nerve roots located in the lower 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 the path of the sciatic nerve.

Sciatica itself is not a diagnosisas people commonly assume. In fact, sciatica describes a set of symptoms tied to the sciatic nerve that surface when an existing medical condition causes the sciatic nerve to be irritated, inflamed, pinched, or compressed. Sciatica symptoms vary wildly, but generally include pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling down the buttock and 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 buttock, legs, or feet.

Am I Suffering from Sciatica?

The type and severity of sciatica symptoms vary from case to case. 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 hallmark 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 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 simply depends on where on the sciatic nerve the irritation or compression occurs.

With sciatica comes undeniable pain for anyone with the condition in Leslie, 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, get in touch with a medical professional specializing in spine health as soon as possible. The physical and occupational therapists of Axes Physical Therapy near Leslie, MO will lead you on your journey to a full recovery and craft a treatment approach with the best chance of success of restoring your mobility and freedom from pain.

What Causes 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 Leslie area targeted specifically to the source of nerve inflammation, and some even resolve naturally as time passes and you practice safe exercise and home 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.

Usually, people with sciatica do not know what caused their pain to begin with. You may have been in an accident or developed nerve irritation over time. Whatever the case may be, our Leslie, 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

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

Certain activities and conditions could put you at a higher risk of developing painful, restrictive, debilitating conditions like sciatica. You are more likely to suffer from sciatica based on the following risk factors:

• Age. Over the years, our bodies undergo natural wear and tear and the bone and soft tissue in joints including the spine can wear away and increase your risk of sciatica.
• Weight. The back muscles in heavier individuals are forced to work harder to keep the body upright, and their spinal discs and other joints are under more pressure.
• Other medical conditions. Diabetes causes a higher rate of nerve damage in patients, and joint-related diagnoses like osteoarthritis can result in pain and pressure on your spine and sciatic nerve.
• Occupation/Daily activities. Occupations 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 habits like a “couch potato” daily routine or tobacco use can lead to inflammation and weakness.

Finding the Right Leslie, MO Area Sciatica Treatment

There are numerous treatments that are often used for sciatica patients. These treatments, which run the gamnut from conservative recommendations like cold and heat applications to intensive operations, vary in proven efficacy. The one thing that medical professionals agree on when it comes to sciatica treatment is that being physically active is an essential component of managing and treating sciatica. This directly contradicts previous advice to confine patients to bed rest, which we now know does not improve disabiity or pain in patients.

Remember that it is your responsibility to consult with a licensed medical professional before making any decisions about your own medical care. The physical and occupational therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in the Leslie, MO area are committed to providing Leslie, MO with access to healthcare that maximizes movement health and quality of life. For you, that includes understanding your medical history, sciatica symptoms, and other key information. Your Axes medical professional specializing in movement health in Leslie, 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 formulate an individualized treatment plan for you.

In addition to a history of success in treating Leslie, MO area sciatica patients, our skilled Leslie area providers have what it takes to give you the care you need. We apply our knowledge and experience working with kinesiology and the musculoskeletal system toward providing people like you in Leslie, MO with many forms of care. Learn more below.

• 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 Leslie, MO

Healthcare professionals and especially those specializing in spine health and neurology recommend some of the following as treatment of sciatica for certain patients. Your physician, Leslie, MO Axes physical therapist, and all other members of your treatment team will work in tandem to provide you with the sciatica care that is right for you.

• Medications. There is some conflicting information regarding which drugs are recommended for patients with sciatica, but as with any other drug, pharmaceuticals come with risk. 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 treatment for sciatica that is recommended for most patients with sciatica. Your physical therapy will involve a number of treatment services that address the body as a whole and repair the source of your sciatica pain. With the help of a qualified Leslie, MO physical therapist and participating in your care can allow you to reach freedom from pain, improve your mobility, heal stronger, avoid permanent disability and nerve damage, and prevent future injuries or sciatica flair-ups. Your Leslie, MO physical therapist will treat your sciatica pain with treatment methods that improve your posture, restore balance, increase flexibility, improve strength, and release pressure.
• Injections. In some cases, your doctor might recommend one more more injections to the affected area. Common injection treatments for sciata are nerve root blocks, which apply the steroid and anesthetic combination directly to the root of the irritated nerve, or epidural injections, which administer the steroid and anesthetic to the epidural space surrounding the nerve. Injections for Leslie, MO area sciatica patients are often used to temporarily aleviate nerve inflammation to provide pain relief and potentially preserve movement abilities needed for daily living. The effects can wear off in weeks or months.
• Surgery. Because of how invasive and high risk it often is, a surgical operation is usually not considered unless you have severe symptoms or your condition has not successfully healed with more conservative approaches. There are a number of surgeries for sciatica depending on the cause of the condition, including a microdiscectomy to remove a 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, operations should be paired with 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
  • imaging shows that 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 Leslie, MO Physical Therapy for Sciatica

The medical community agrees that physical movement is one of the best things for someone with sciatica to do. Staying active, stretching, and practicing exercises designed to help address sciatica are proven, necessary in the treatment of sciatica for anyone in the Leslie, MO area.

Coincidentally, these are all major elements to any physical therapy care we provide Leslie, MO area sciatica patients through the Axes Physical Therapy network of physical therapy offices. Your Axes physical therapist near Leslie, 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.

Physical therapy for sciatica and other conditions is meant 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 Leslie, 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 and work together with your larger 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 medical provider in Leslie, MO now to explore your sciatica treatment options, including a quality, tailored physical therapy plan.

Get Relief for your Sciatica in Leslie, MO Now

When the agonizing pain and insurmountable limitations of sciatica prevent you from doing the activities that are important to you, seek quality care for your sciatica right away. Receiving prompt and personalized physical therapy for your sciatica in the Leslie, MO area can free you from the pain and return you to optimal mobility.

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