Sciatica in Ozark View, MO. Anyone who has ever experienced sciatica will struggle to find words powerful enough to convey the ferocity 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 physical therapy treatment locations positioned near Ozark View, MO and throughout Missouri. Our clinics specializing in movement health and owned and operated by our treating doctors are dedicated to providing you with thoughtful, personalized, intelligent care for your sciatica or other movement complaints near Ozark View, MO. Contact a physical therapist in the Ozark View area about sciatica care for you today or request an appointment online now.

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica describes the irritation of the sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in the human body. The sciatic nerve originates from the nerve roots in the lower spine, then from the pelvis it splits off 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 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 related to the sciatic nerve that arise when an underlying medical condition causes the sciatic nerve to be irritated, inflamed, pinched, or compressed. Sciatica symptoms range wildly, but frequently include various forms 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 glute area, legs, or feet and heels.

Symptoms of 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. Symptoms that accompany sciatica include pain, numbness, loss of muscle function, tingling, and pain that is aggravated by being in certain positions.

The hallmark 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. Most of the time, symptoms appear only on one side — either down the right buttock and leg or the left buttock and leg. There are, however, exceptions, and some sciatica patients are affected 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 Ozark View, 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, reach out to a medical professional with spine health expertise immediately. Axes Physical Therapy’s Ozark View, MO area physical and occupational therapists will lead you on your journey to a full recovery and design a plan of action to return you to the life you want to live.

What Causes Sciatica?

For most individuals, their sciatica is caused by some form of irritation to or inflammation of the sciatic nerve. These cases are nearly always successfully cured with physical therapy in the Ozark View area targeted specifically to the source of nerve inflammation, and some even heal naturally 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.

In most cases, patients with conditions such as sciatica pain do not know what caused their pain to begin with. You may have sustained trauma or developed nerve irritation over time. Whatever the case may be, our Ozark View, MO area physical therapists have the clinical success and up-to-date evidence-based knowledge you need and deserve from your sciatica treatment professional.

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 Ozark View, 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. As we age, the tissues in our bodies degrade over time.
• 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. Occupations 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 choices like a “couch potato” daily routine or smoking can lead to inflammation and weakness.

Finding the Right Ozark View, MO Area Sciatica Treatment

There are a number of treatments that are often used for sciatica patients. Different treatment solutions, which run the gamnut from conservative recommendations like cold and heat applications to surgical procedures, vary in proven efficacy. The one thing that medical professionals agree on when it comes to sciatica treatment is that physical activity is an essential component 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 turn to a licensed medical professional before making any decisions about your own medical care. The physical and occupational therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in the Ozark View, MO area have dedicated our careers to guiding individuals of all types in the Ozark View, MO area to optimal movement health. In your case, that means understanding your medical history, sciatica symptoms, and other key details. Your dedicated Axes Physical Therapy treatment provider near Ozark View, MO will provide a free screening prior to beginning any treatment so that we can best grasp the big picture of your physical condition and formulate a personalized treatment plan for you.

In addition to specializing in treating Ozark View, MO area sciatica patients, our seasoned Ozark View 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. 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

Types of Treatments for Sciatica in Ozark View, MO

Healthcare professionals and especially those who are specialists in spinal care recommend some of the following as treatment of sciatica for certain patients. Your primary care doctor, Ozark View, MO Axes physical therapist, and any other necessary medical professionals will work together as a team to lay forth and carry out the most promising sciatica treatment plan for you.

• Medications. There is some conflicting information regarding which drugs are effective for patients with sciatica, but just like with any medications for any condition, every medication comes with risk. Drugs for sciatica are most often used to aleviate symptoms, including the following types of medications:
  • Anti-inflammatories
  • Muscle relaxers
  • Antidepressants
  • Corticosteroids
  • Anticonvulsants
  • Opiod pain medications
• Physical therapy. Physical therapy is an impactful treatment for sciatica that is recommended for most patients with sciatica. Your physical therapist will use a number of treatment services that address the body as a whole and directly heal the source of your sciatica pain. Working with a physical therapist in the Ozark View, MO area can help you enjoy pain relief, improve your ability to move, heal stronger, halt or prevent permanent damage and disability, and prevent future injuries or sciatica flair-ups. Your Ozark View, 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. In some cases, your doctor 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 deliver the steroid and anesthetic to the epidural space enveloping the nerve. Injections for Ozark View, MO area sciatica patients are often used to temporarily aleviate nerve inflammation for the purposes of pain relief and potentially preserve movement abilities needed for daily living. The effects can wear off in weeks or months.
• Surgery. Due to its risk and inherent invasive nature, a surgical operation is usually not considered unless you have severe symptoms or your condition has not successfully healed with more conservative treatment methods. There are different operations 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. To maximize your chances of success, operations should be paired with pre- and post-operative physical therapy care.
  You may be a candidate for sciatica surgery if:
  • you have loss of bowel or bladder control
  • imaging shows that you have spinal stenosis, where bone spurs are pressing on your sciatic nerve
  • you have severe neurological dysfunction
  • other treatment methods have not helped or are no longer effective

Benefits of Ozark View, MO Physical Therapy for Sciatica

The medical community agrees that physical movement is one of the best things for someone with sciatica to do. Practicing physical activity, stretching, and performing exercises designed to help address sciatica are proven, necessary in the treatment of sciatica for anyone in the Ozark View, MO area.

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

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 Ozark View, MO physical therapist will design a plan incorporating 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 movement health care team at Axes Physical Therapy to determine the sciatica treatment modalities best for you. Your Ozark View, 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 Ozark View, MO now to learn about your sciatica treatment options, including a quality, tailored physical therapy plan.

Get Relief for your Sciatica in Ozark View, 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. Timely and personalized physical therapy for your sciatica in the Ozark View, MO area can relieve your pain and restore the mobility you require to go about your life.

Axes Physical Therapy offers accessible, convenient, and proven sciatica treatment near Ozark View, 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.