Sciatica in Old Monroe, MO. Anyone who has ever experienced sciatica will struggle to capture in words the severity of pain it causes and just how disabling it can become. If you have been diagnosed with or believe you suffer from sciatica, or a condition that affects the sciatic nerve, seek the care of a medical professional right away.

Axes Physical Therapy is a network of multiple physical therapy treatment locations positioned near Old Monroe, MO and throughout Missouri. These provider-owned and operated movement wellness offices bring you sound, individualized, strategic care for your sciatica or other movement complaints near Old Monroe, MO. Speak to a physical therapist in the Old Monroe area about sciatica care for you today or request an appointment online now.

What You Should Know About Sciatica

Sciatica is the irritation of the sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in the human body. The sciatic nerve begins in the nerve roots in the low end of the spine, then from the pelvis it branches out to each buttock and runs down and through the back of each leg. Sciatica can be distinguished from general low back pain or other conditions because the pain from sciatica radiates from this precise nerve path.

The term sciatica is not, in itself, a diagnosis, as many people believe. In fact, sciatica describes a number of symptoms related 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 vary greatly, but often consist of pain, 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, hamstrings, calves, and feet and heels.

Symptoms of Sciatica

Each sciatica patient experiences symptoms differently. The presentation of your sciatica is dictated by the positioning of the pressure or damage to 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 the sensation of 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. Most of the time, symptoms appear 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 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 Old Monroe, MO. This nerve-related pain is described by patients as:

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

If debilitating sciatica pain is degrading your quality of life, reach out to a medical professional with spine health expertise right away. The physical and occupational therapists of Axes Physical Therapy near Old Monroe, MO will lead you in your recovery and craft a care plan with the best chance of success of restoring your mobility and freedom from pain.

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. Sciatic nerve inflammation is easily repaired with physical therapy in the Old Monroe 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.

A lot of times, 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 Old Monroe, 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 Old Monroe, 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, the tissues in 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. 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. Jobs 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 “couch potato” daily routine or smoking can lead to weakness and eventual irritation related to sciatica.

What Sciatica Treatments in Old Monroe, MO Are Right for Me?

There are a variety of treatments that are commonly used for sciatica patients. Different treatment solutions, ranging 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 all recognize that physical activity is a critical 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 seek the advice of a licensed medical professional before making any decisions about your own medical care. Our Old Monroe, MO area physical and occupational therapists with Axes Physical Therapy are committed to providing Old Monroe, MO with access to healthcare that maximizes movement health and quality of life. For you, that means studying your medical history, sciatica symptoms, and other critical factors. Your Axes medical professional specializing in movement health in Old Monroe, MO will provide a free screening before treating you so that we can truly grasp the big picture of your physical condition and formulate a personalized treatment plan for your needs.

In addition to a history of success in the Old Monroe, MO treatment of sciatica, our skilled Old Monroe area providers 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, including the following

• 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

Types of Treatments for Sciatica in Old Monroe, 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 primary care physician, Old Monroe, MO Axes physical therapist, and any other necessary medical professionals will collectively to provide you with the sciatica care that is right for you.

• Medications. There is some conflicting information surrounding which drugs are effective for patients with sciatica, but just like with any medications for any condition, every medication comes 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 an impactful treatment for sciatica that should be included in most sciatica treatment plans. Your physical therapy will involve a number of treatment services that address the body as a whole and directly heal the root cause of your sciatica pain. With the help of a qualified Old Monroe, MO physical therapist and participating in your care can allow you to obtain freedom from pain, improve your range of motion, heal stronger, halt or prevent permanent disability and nerve damage, and reduce the risk of future injuries or return of your sciatica. Your Old Monroe, MO physical therapist will provide care that works to improve your posture, restore balance, increase flexibility, improve strength, and relieve pressure.
• Injections. For some patients with sciatica, a doctor might recommend an injection or series of 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 affected sciatic nerve root, or epidural injections, which deliver the steroid and anesthetic to the epidural space surrounding the nerve. As a sciatica sufferer in Old Monroe, MO, you may use injections as a way to temporarily supress inflammation around the irritated 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. Due to its risk and inherent invasive nature, surgical treatment is usually reserved for patients with the most severe symptoms or those who have not responded well to more conservative treatment methods. There are a number of operations that can be used to address sciatic, including 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 maximize your chances of success, operations should be proceeded and followed by pre- and post-operative physical therapy care.
  You should consider surgery for your sciatica if:
  • you have loss of bowel or bladder control
  • imaging shows that you have bone spurs, known as spinal stenosis, putting direct pressure on your sciatic nerve
  • you have severe neurological dysfunction
  • other treatment methods have not helped or are no longer effective

Benefits of Old Monroe, MO Physical Therapy for Sciatica

The primary directive for sciatica patients is to stay active. Practicing physical activity, stretching, and practicing exercises designed to help address sciatica are highly effective and critical in the treatment of sciatica for anyone in the Old Monroe, MO area.

The physical therapy we offer to sciatica patients in the Old Monroe, MO area reflects the importance of movement. By working with a physical therapist near Old Monroe, MO, you can strengthen and mobilize tissues in the lower back, pelvis, abdomen, buttocks, and thighs and heal the source of 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 Old Monroe, MO area might include 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 best for you. Your Old Monroe, MO physical therapist will work together with 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 Old Monroe, MO now to explore your sciatica treatment options, including a quality, tailored physical therapy plan.

Get Relief for your Sciatica in Old Monroe, MO Now

When the agonizing pain and infuriating limitations of sciatica prevent you from doing the activities that are important to you, get quality care for your sciatica right away. Timely and strategic physical therapy for your sciatica in the Old Monroe, MO area can relieve your pain and restore the movement you depend upon to live your life.

Access convenient, effective sciatica treatment from Axes Physical Therapy near Old Monroe, MO today. 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.