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

Axes Physical Therapy is a network of multiple physical therapy treatment locations positioned near St. George, MO and throughout Missouri. Our clinics specializing in movement health and locally owned and operated are dedicated to providing you with thoughtful, personalized, intelligent care for your sciatica or other movement complaints near St. George, MO. Contact a physical therapist in the St. George area about your sciatica today or book an appointment online now.

Understanding Sciatica

Sciatica is the irritation of the sciatic nerve, the most extensive nerve in the human body. The sciatic nerve begins in the nerve roots located in the lower 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 runs along the path of the sciatic nerve.

The term sciatica is not, in itself, a diagnosis, as many people believe. In fact, sciatica is only a word used to describe a set of symptoms connected to the sciatic nerve that surface when an underlying medical condition results in the irritation, inflammation, pinching, or compression of the sciatic nerve. The symptoms of sciatica range wildly, but frequently consist of pain sensations, 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, hamstrings, calves, and feet and heels.

Symptoms of Sciatica

Each individual experiences sciatica symptoms differently. The presentation of your sciatica depends on where the damage or pressure is along the nerve root. Sciatica typically includes symptoms like pain, loss of sensation, weakness, tingling, and pain that is aggravated by being in certain positions.

The distinguishing marker of sciatica is pain that travels along 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 on both sides. 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 St. George, 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, speak to a medical professional specializing in spine health right away. The physical and occupational therapists of Axes Physical Therapy near St. George, MO will guide you on your journey to a full recovery and craft a care plan with the best chance of success of restoring your mobility and freedom from pain.

Common Causes of 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 resolved with physical therapy in the St. George area designed to target the underlying cause of your sciatica symptoms, and some even resolve 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.

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 St. George, MO area physical therapists have the clinical success and up-to-date evidence-based knowledge you need and deserve from your sciatica treatment professional.

Most Common Sciatica Causes

• 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. You are more likely to suffer from sciatica based on the following risk factors:

• Age. Over the years, 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. Diabetes causes a higher rate of nerve damage in patients, and joint-related diagnoses 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 activities like a “couch potato” daily routine or smoking can cause inflammation and weakness.

What Sciatica Treatment Options Do I Have in St. George, MO?

There are a number of treatments that are commonly used for sciatica patients. These treatments, which run the gamnut from conservative recommendations like cold and heat applications to intensive operations, vary in their accepted level of efficacy. Regardless of their respective disciplines, medical providers who work with sciatica all recognize that being physically active is an essential part 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.

Ultimately, you must 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 St. George, MO area have dedicated our careers providing St. George, MO with access to healthcare that maximizes movement health and quality of life. For you, that means understanding your medical history, sciatica symptoms, and other key factors. Your dedicated Axes Physical Therapy movement healthcare provider near St. George, MO will perform a free screening before treating you so that we can truly understand your condition and develop a personalized treatment plan for you.

In addition to a history of success in the St. George, MO treatment of sciatica, our experienced St. George 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 St. George, MO with many forms of care. Learn more below.

• Shoulder Pain Treatment
• Back Pain Treatment
• 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

Popular Treatments for Sciatica in St. George, MO

Healthcare professionals and especially those who are specialists in spinal care have found the following methods to be helpful in the treatment of sciatica for certain patients. Your primary care doctor, Axes Physical Therapy doctor in St. George, MO, and any other necessary medical professionals 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 medications for any condition, pharmaceuticals come with the risk of side effects, which can be severe. Largely used in reducing 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 method that should be included in most sciatica treatment plans. Your physical therapist will use a number of treatment services that target comprehensive movement health and directly heal the source of your sciatica pain. Working with a physical therapist in the St. George, MO area can help you reach freedom from pain, improve your mobility, become physically healthier, avoid permanent disability and nerve damage, and reduce the risk of future injuries or return of your sciatica. Your St. George, MO physical therapist will treat your sciatica pain with treatment methods that 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 an injection or series of injections to the affected area. If you are considering injections for your sciatica, your options include nerve root blocks, which are used to inject the steroid and anesthetic combination directly to the affected sciatic nerve root, or epidural injections, which aim the steroid and anesthetic to the epidural space enveloping the nerve. As a sciatica sufferer in St. George, MO, you may use injections as a way to temporarily aleviate the irritation of the nerve to provide pain relief and maintain mobility. Injection treatment 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 responded well to more conservative treatment methods. There are a number of surgeries for sciatica depending on the cause of the condition, such as 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. For best chances of success, operations should be proceeded and followed by pre- and post-operative physical therapy care.
  You should consider sciatica surgery if:
  • you have loss of bowel or bladder control
  • imaging shows that you have spinal stenosis, where bone spurs are putting direct pressure on your sciatic nerve
  • you have severe neurological dysfunction
  • you have not experienced or are no longer experiencing permanent relief or healing with other treatments

Benefits of St. George, MO Physical Therapy for Sciatica

The medical community agrees that physical movement is one of the best things for someone with sciatica to do. Keeping an active lifestyle, stretching, and performing exercises designed to help address sciatica are highly effective and critical in the treatment of sciatica for anyone in the St. George, MO area.

The physical therapy we offer to sciatica patients in the St. George, MO area reflects the importance of movement. Your Axes physical therapist near St. George, 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.

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

In order to restore your movement health and deliver you sustainable relief from sciatica pain, your Axes physical therapist in the St. George, 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 identify the sciatica treatment modalities best for you and act as an integral player in 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 physical therapist in St. George, MO now to learn about your sciatica treatment options, including a quality, tailored physical therapy plan.

Get Relief for your Sciatica in St. George, MO Now

When the harrowing pain and insurmountable limitations of sciatica get in the way of 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 St. George, MO area can relieve your pain and return you to optimal mobility.

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