Spine Specialist Near Me in Cedar Hill, MO

Spine specialist near me in Cedar Hill, MO. Spinal conditions can make everyday activities like laying down excruciating, and disrupt how our bodies function. For people who play sports, back problems can keep you from being at peak performance. For breadwinners, it can prevent you from putting food on the table for your Cedar Hill, MO loved ones. For others, it can keep us from taking the dog for a walk or other physical activities. Physical therapists with a spine specialty can help you get back to the functional and pain-free life you’re seeking. Through safe and proven exercises and treatment plans, Axes Physical Therapy can help you live your best life. If you’re prepared to at long last be free from the issues holding you back, request an evaluation with an Axes Cedar Hill, MO spine specialist, or reach out to the Axes location most convenient for you.

According to Missouri law, a doctor needs to prescribe physical therapy. If you’re dealing with a recent injury or living with chronic pain, consult with your physician about if physical therapy with a spine specialist in Cedar Hill, MO is what you need. You can also visit one of our locations for one of our free injury screenings.

The Anatomy of the Spine

The spine supports both our physical bodies, and how our bodies communicate. It extends from the base of your brain to your pelvis. The spine consists of:

Vertebrae

The spine has 33 vertebrae, which are small bones that stack on top of each other to form the spinal canal. Every vertebra has a hole in the center to protect the spinal cord and its nerves. The vertebrae are grouped into five regions. There are:

• 7 vertebrae in the cervical region (your neck)
• 12 vertebrae in the thoracic region (your middle back)
• 5 vertebrae in the lumbar region (your lower back)
• 5 vertebrae in the sacrum region (the triangle shaped bone that connects to the hips)
• 4 vertebrae in the coccyx region (your tailbone)

The 24 vertebrae in the first 3 regions provide mobility; the others are immobile.

Facet Joints

Each vertebra is connected to two facet joints which connect the bones to each other. They allow your back and neck to perform a variety of movements. They are lined with cartilage and lubricated with synovial fluid, allowing healthy bones and joints to safely glide and slide during movement.

Intervertebral Discs

Discs are the circular cushions between the vertebrae that act as shock absorbers. There is one disc between each vertebra. Discs have a softer middle known as the nucleus pulposus, which gives them flexibility and allows them to absorb shock, and an outer ring of tough fibers called the annulus fibrosus that prevent the gel-like center from leaking out.

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular collection of nerves, extending from the brain to your lumbar region, where the nerves go into the lower part of your body. The spinal cord is protected by the vertebral column. The nerves branch out to other parts of the body through holes in the vertebrae known as the neural foramen. The spinal cord carries messages between our brain and other parts of our body.

Soft Tissue

Surrounding and within the spine are also various types of soft tissue. Ligaments attach vertebrae and holds them in the correct structure. Tendons attach muscles to the vertebrae, and the muscles are what powers the spine’s movement.

Achieving the lifestyle we want depends on all of these parts working together and functioning properly. A variety of conditions can make the spine damaged or unhealthy, which can keep you from the things you love doing. When that happens, a spine specialist in Cedar Hill, MO like Axes’ physical therapists can provide safe and effective relief.

What Injuries Can a Spine Specialist in Cedar Hill, MO Treat Me For?

The American College of Physicians recommends a variety of physical therapy treatments for lower back pain and neck pain. Whether you’re dealing with pain on a everyday basis or recently suffered a work injury, Axes’ Cedar Hill, MO spine specialists can help you live your best life. Some of the common conditions we treat in Cedar Hill, MO include:

• Disc Injuries — Herniated discs and bulging discs can be due to either acute trauma or general degradation from aging. They put pressure on a nerve which can cause severe pain along your neck and back and limit strength. Degenerative disc disease occurs as a natural result of aging, and can have symptoms similar to herniated discs.
• Sciatica — Sciatica is an umbrella term for irritation of the sciatic nerve, which is the largest nerve in the body and begins in the lower spine. Symptoms include crippling pain, weakness, and tingling from your buttocks all the way down to your foot.
• Spinal Stenosis — Stenosis occurs when the vertebral column is too small. It can cause pain, issues with walking or other movements, and numbness or tingling in the extremities.
• Spinal Arthritis — Arthritis describes several different types of joint disease. It onsets as the cartilage between the joints wears down over time or from overuse. Obesity, autoimmune disorders, and other conditions can also lead to arthritis. The term “arthritis” describes over a hundred conditions, most of which are possible in the spine.
• Axial Back Pain — Also called nonspecific back pain, this refers to pain that doesn’t have a clear, diagnosable cause. Nonspecific back pain can be caused by obesity or poor posture.

Physical therapy is also an effective treatment option for soft tissue injuries such as whiplash.

Whatever condition is currently ailing you, our Cedar Hill, MO spine specialists will work alongside you and your doctor to develop a treatment plan, based on proven strategies, and aimed at getting you back to the things you love doing most and a more comfortable life. While some conditions, like degenerative disc disease, won’t ever fully go away, physical therapy is an effective part of a comprehensive wellness routine that reduces pain and other symptoms and achieves optimal mobility.

If you need surgery on your spine, we offer pre- and post-surgical rehab in Cedar Hill, MO to help attain the best results possible.

What a Physical Therapy Spine Specialist Can Do For You in Cedar Hill, MO

Physical therapy is becoming an increasingly popular non-invasive treatment plan for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. According to a paper published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, physical therapy is just as effective as surgery for certain types of back pain, without the same recovery time or risk of adverse side-effects. Early intervention by a licensed Cedar Hill, MO physical therapist is proven to limit long-term opioid dependence.

A spine specialist like those at Axes Physical Therapy will be able to find the root cause of your back problems, and design a treatment plan based on your medical history, your age, and your desired activity level. Through a variety of exercises and techniques, physical therapy can limit symptoms, help your spine and nervous system function better, enhance flexibility.

Physical Therapy for Spine Issues

Depending on your specific condition, your Cedar Hill, MO spine specialist at Axes may implement some of the following practices to help get you back to what you love doing most:

• Manual Therapy — Our Cedar Hill, MO manual therapists are experts at using light manipulations and stretches to alleviate symptoms and improve function due to spinal issues. Manual therapy we may incorporate into your treatment plan include:
  • Trigger point dry needling
  • Soft tissue mobilization
  • Joint mobilization and manipulation
  • Trigger point massage
• Guided Exercise — Safe exercises are essential for helping you build up strength, flexibility, and balance. In addition to decreasing pain now, guided exercise will also help overall function and improve movement health. Effective exercises for spine conditions include:
  • Core stabilization
  • Postural retraining
  • Flexibility
  • Cardio conditioning
  • Strength training
  • Home exercise
• Injury Prevention — There’s nothing worse than believing you’ve gotten past an injury, only to suffer another injury in the future. We’ll educate you about your injury and how it affects your body’s function, so you’ll know how to protect your spine while being active. Injury prevention includes:
  • Patient education
  • Lifting education
  • Activity modification
  • Conditioning

Your treatment plan in Cedar Hill, MO will be holistic and focused on getting you to optimal movement health and helping you stay there. Whatever your treatment plan includes, it will be based on proven techniques.

Other services we offer in Cedar Hill, MO include:

• 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

Count on Axes For Your Spine Specialist Near Me in Cedar Hill, MO

Don’t allow a spine condition keep you from the activities you love. At Axes, our Cedar Hill, MO spine specialists strive for positive patient outcomes. Your pain may not have been your choice, but you do not have to choose to live with it. For a licensed and knowledgeable Cedar Hill, MO spine specialist to help you, schedule an evaluation with Axes Physical Therapy now or find the location most convenient for you