Sciatica in Winchester, 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 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 network of fifteen Winchester, MO area physical therapy treatment clinics. Our clinics specializing in movement health and locally owned and operated are dedicated to providing you with thoughtful, individualized, intelligent care for your sciatica or other conditions near Winchester, MO. Talk to a physical therapist in the Winchester area about your sciatica today or request an appointment online now.

Understanding Sciatica

Sciatica describes the irritation of the sciatic nerve, which happens to be the largest nerve in the human body. The sciatic nerve begins in the nerve roots 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. 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 is only a word used to describe conditions tied to the sciatic nerve that surface when an underlying medical condition results in the irritation, inflammation, pinching, or compression of the sciatic nerve. Sciatica patients’ symptoms vary wildly, but commonly include pain sensations, weakness, numbness, or tingling down the buttock and leg. Unlike low back pain, people with sciatica experience symptoms down into the glute area, legs, or feet and heels.

Am I Suffering from Sciatica?

Each individual experiences sciatica symptoms differently. Your sciatica’s exact presentation depends on where the damage or pressure is along the nerve root. Symptoms that accompany sciatica include pain, numbness, weakness, 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. 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 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 Winchester, 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, reach out to a medical professional specializing in spine health right away. The physical and occupational therapists of Axes Physical Therapy near Winchester, MO will lead you on your journey to a full recovery and craft a treatment approach 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. Sciatic nerve inflammation is easily cured with physical therapy in the Winchester area designed to target the underlying cause of your sciatica symptoms, and some 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.

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 Winchester, MO area physical therapists are equipped to provide you with accessible, epirically-supported restorative care.

Common Causes of Sciatica Pain

• Herniated disc
• Slipped disc
• Bone spur
• Spinal stenosis
• Piriformis syndrome
• Degenerative disc disease
• Spondylolisthesis
• Pregnancy
• Vertebral fracture

Major Risk Factors for Sciatica

Certain activities and conditions could put you at a higher risk of developing painful, restrictive, debilitating conditions like sciatica. Risk factors associated with sciatica include:

• Age. As we age, 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. 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 activities like a “couch potato” daily routine or smoking can lead to inflammation and weakness.

What Sciatica Treatment Options Do I Have in Winchester, MO?

There are numerous approaches that are commonly used to treat sciatica patients. Different treatment solutions, ranging from conservative recommendations like cold and heat applications to surgical procedures, vary in their accepted level of efficacy. The one thing that medical professionals agree on when it comes to sciatica treatment is 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 turn to a licensed medical professional prior to taking any actions related to your medical care. Our Winchester, MO area physical and occupational therapists with Axes Physical Therapy have dedicated our careers to guiding individuals of all types in the Winchester, MO area to optimal movement health. In your case, that includes studying your medical history, sciatica symptoms, and other critical factors. Your Axes medical professional specializing in movement health in Winchester, MO will perform a free screening prior to beginning any treatment so that we can best understand your condition and formulate a personalized treatment plan for your needs.

In addition to a history of success in treating Winchester, MO area sciatica patients, our experienced Winchester 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 Winchester, 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

Treatments Options for Sciatica in Winchester, 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, Winchester, MO Axes physical therapist, and all other members of your treatment team will collaborate to lay forth and carry out the most promising sciatica treatment plan for you.

• Medications. There is some conflicting information about which drugs are recommended 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 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 sciatica care approach that should be included in most sciatica treatment plans. Your physical therapy will involve a wide range of treatment modalities that address the body as a whole and repair the root cause of your sciatica pain. Working with a physical therapist in the Winchester, MO area can help you enjoy freedom from pain, improve your mobility, heal stronger, avoid permanent damage and disability, and protect against future injuries or sciatica flair-ups. Your Winchester, MO physical therapist will provide care that works to improve your posture, restore balance, increase flexibility, improve strength, and release pressure.
• Injections. For some patients with sciatica, a health care professional might try administering 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 a steroid and local anesthetic directly to the root of the irritated nerve, or epidural injections, which deposit the steroid and anesthetic to the epidural space surrounding the nerve. Injections in Winchester, MO area sciatica patients are often used to temporarily supress the irritation of the nerve to provide pain relief and maintain movement abilities needed for daily living. The effects can wear off in weeks or months.
• Surgery. Because of the risk involved, surgical treatment is usually not considered unless you have severe symptoms or your condition has not successfully healed with more conservative treatment methods. There are a number of operations that can be used to address sciatic, 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. To optimize your ability to be successful in your surgery, any procedures 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 bone spurs, known as spinal stenosis, pressing on your sciatic nerve
  • you have severe neurological dysfunction
  • you have not experienced or are no longer experiencing lasting relief or healing with other treatments

Benefits of Winchester, MO Physical Therapy for Sciatica

The primary directive for sciatica patients is to stay active. Practicing physical activity, stretching, and performing exercises designed to help address sciatica are proven, necessary in the treatment of sciatica for anyone in the Winchester, MO area.

The physical therapy we offer to sciatica patients in the Winchester, MO area reflects the importance of movement. Your Axes physical therapist near Winchester, 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 Winchester, 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 determine the sciatica treatment modalities best for you and act as an integral player in your full medical 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 Winchester, MO now to learn about your sciatica treatment options, including a quality, tailored physical therapy plan.

Get Relief for your Sciatica in Winchester, MO Now

When the excruciating pain and insurmountable limitations of sciatica get in the way of the life you want and the activities you enjoy, seek quality care for your sciatica right away. Timely and thoughtful physical therapy for your sciatica in the Winchester, MO area can relieve your pain and restore the movement you require to go about your life.

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