Sciatica in Warrenton, MO. If you have ever known the pain associated with sciatica, you know how difficult it is to find words powerful enough to convey the caliber of pain that accompanies it 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, get the care you need right away.

Axes Physical Therapy is a group of multiple physical therapy treatment locations positioned near Warrenton, 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, intelligent care for your sciatica or other movement complaints near Warrenton, MO. Speak to a physical therapist in the Warrenton area about sciatica care for you today or request 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 begins in the nerve roots located in the low end of the spine to the pelvis, where it then reaches back 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.

Sciatica itself is not a diagnosis, as many people believe. In fact, sciatica is only a word used to describe conditions connected 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 greatly, but often include 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 buttock, legs, or feet.

Am I Suffering from Sciatica?

The type and severity of sciatica symptoms vary from case to case. The presentation of your sciatica depends on where the damage or pressure is along the nerve root. Symptoms that accompany sciatica include pain, loss of sensation, weakness, tingling, and pain that is aggravated by being 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. 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 on both sides. This is determined by where on the sciatic nerve the irritation or compression occurs.

Pain is such a significant component of the sciatica experience for Warrenton, MO sciatica sufferers. Sciatica pain can range from:

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

If debilitating sciatica pain is degrading your quality of life, contact a medical professional with spine health expertise as soon as possible. The physical and occupational therapists of Axes Physical Therapy near Warrenton, MO will guide you in your recovery and craft a plan of action 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. Sciatic nerve inflammation is easily resolved with physical therapy in the Warrenton area designed to target the underlying cause of your sciatica symptoms, or may even heal on their own 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.

A lot of times, 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 Warrenton, 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

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

You may be at a higher risk of developing sciatica and other physical and neurological conditions based on your background and activities. Risk factors tied to sciatica include:

• Age. As we age, 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 conditions like osteoarthritis can result in pain and pressure on your spine and sciatic nerve.
• Occupation/Daily activities. Jobs 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 sedentary lifestyle or use of nicotine can cause inflammation and weakness.

What Sciatica Treatments in Warrenton, MO Are Right for Me?

There are numerous treatments that are commonly used for sciatica patients. Different treatment solutions, ranging from conservative recommendations like cold and heat applications to surgical operations, vary in their accepted level of 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 is not effective in addressing disabiity or pain in patients.

Remember that it is your responsibility to turn to a licensed medical professional prior to taking any actions related to your medical care. The physical and occupational therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in the Warrenton, MO area are committed to to guiding individuals of all types in the Warrenton, MO area to optimal movement health. In your case, that means studying your medical history, sciatica symptoms, and other critical information. Your Axes medical professional specializing in movement health in Warrenton, MO will perform a complimentary screening before treating you so that we can truly 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 Warrenton, MO treatment of sciatica, our seasoned Warrenton area practitioners 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 Warrenton, MO with many forms of care. 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

Popular Treatments for Sciatica in Warrenton, 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, Warrenton, MO Axes physical therapist, 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 disagreement about which drugs are effective for patients with sciatica, but as with any medications for any condition, every medication comes with risk. Drugs for sciatica are most often used to quell symptoms, including the following types of medications:
  • Anti-inflammatories
  • Muscle relaxers
  • Antidepressants
  • Corticosteroids
  • Anticonvulsants
  • Opiod pain medications
• Physical therapy. Physical therapy is a powerful treatment for sciatica that should be included in most sciatica treatment plans. Your physical therapy will involve a number of treatment methods that target comprehensive movement health and repair the root cause of your sciatica pain. Working with a physical therapist in the Warrenton, MO area can help you enjoy freedom from pain, improve your range of motion, heal stronger, avoid permanent damage and disability, and protect against future injuries or sciatica flair-ups. Your Warrenton, MO physical therapist will provide care that works to improve your posture, restore balance, increase flexibility, improve strength, and release pressure.
• Injections. In some cases, your doctor might try administering 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 administer the steroid and anesthetic to the epidural space enveloping the nerve. Injections for Warrenton, MO area sciatica patients are often used to temporarily supress the irritation of the nerve for the purposes of pain relief and potentially preserve movement abilities needed for daily living. Injection treatment effects can wear off in weeks or months.
• Surgery. Due to its risk and inherent invasive nature, a surgical operation is usually reserved for patients with the most severe symptoms or those who have not successfully healed with more conservative treatment methods. There are different surgical procedures for sciatica depending on the cause of the condition, 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 paired with pre- and post-operative physical therapy care.
  You should consider sciatica surgery if:
  • you lose control of your bowel and/or bladder
  • you have spinal stenosis, where bone spurs are 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 Warrenton, MO Physical Therapy for Sciatica

The primary directive for sciatica patients is to stay active. Staying active, stretching, and performing exercises designed to help address sciatica are essential in the treatment of sciatica for anyone in the Warrenton, MO area.

The physical therapy we offer to sciatica patients in the Warrenton, MO area reflects the importance of movement. Your Axes physical therapist near Warrenton, 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 Warrenton, 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 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 medical provider in Warrenton, MO now to discuss your sciatica treatment options, including a quality, tailored physical therapy plan.

Get Relief for your Sciatica in Warrenton, MO Now

When the harrowing pain and infuriating limitations of sciatica prevent you from doing the activities that are important to you, find a trustworthy sciatica treatment provider right away. Timely and personalized physical therapy for your sciatica in the Warrenton, 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 Warrenton, MO. Our fifteen Missouri physical therapy locations make it simple for you to get quality care. Find the location nearest you or request an appointment online right now.