Spine Specialist Near Me in Dellwood, MO

Spine specialist near me in Dellwood, MO. Lower back issues can make everyday tasks like laying down difficult, and disturb how our bodies function. For athletes, back issues can keep you from being at the top of their game. For workers, it can prevent you from providing for your Dellwood, MO family. 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 return to what you love doing most. Through safe and proven exercises and treatment plans, Axes Physical Therapy can help you achieve the mobility and pain relief your body needs to be at its best, and that you need to live your best life. If you’re prepared to at long last move on from debilitating back pain, request an appointment with an Axes Dellwood, MO spine specialist, or reach out to the Axes location nearest you.

According to Missouri Revised Statute §334.506, a doctor needs to prescribe physical therapy. If you’re recovering from a back or neck injury, or are living with chronic pain, ask your doctor if physical therapy with a spine specialist in Dellwood, MO can be safe and effective for you. You can also visit one of our locations for one of Axes’ no-obligation injury screenings.

The Human Spine

The spine supports both our physical bodies, and how our bodies communicate. It starts at the base of your skull and ends at your pelvis. There are several different parts of your spine:

Vertebrae

There are 33 vertebrae stacked along the spine, which are small bones that form the backbone. Every vertebra has a hole in the center to protect the spinal cord and its nerves. There are five vertebral groups. 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 cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions allow us to move; the others are immobile.

Facet Joints

Facet joints are the small joints that connect the bony tips of vertebrae on the back of the spine. They allow your back and neck to extend, bend, twist, and rotate. Between the joints and bones are cartilage and 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 absorb the stress and shock the body incurs when moving. There is one disc between each vertebra. Discs have a “gel-like” middle known as the nucleus pulposus, which allows for mobility and absorption, and a tough, circular exterior known as the annulus fibrosus that surrounds and protects the nucleus pulposus.

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord is made up of of nerves that travel through the vertebrae, from your brain to your pelvis, where the nerves continue into your legs. The spinal cord is protected by spinal fluid and a membrane called dura mater. The neural foramen are openings in the vertebrae that allow the nerves to go into other parts of the body. The spinal cord is how our bodies and brains communicate.

Soft Tissue

The spine also has muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Ligaments attach vertebrae and holds them in the correct structure. Muscles are attached to bones by tendons, and power their movement.

A well-functioning spine relies on all of these systems to function properly and in unison to achieve optimal movement health and a pain free life. A variety of conditions can interfere with the spine and keep you from the activities you love most. If you’re living with back pain or spine issues, a spine specialist in Dellwood, MO like Axes’ physical therapists can provide safe and effective relief.

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

The American College of Physicians recommends certain physical therapy treatments for lower back pain and neck pain. Whether you’re dealing with pain on a daily basis or recently sustained a work injury, Axes’ Dellwood, MO spine specialists can help get you feeling great again. Some of the common conditions we provide relief and improved function for in Dellwood, MO are:

• Disc Injuries — Herniated discs and bulging discs can be the result of either an injury or general degradation as we get older. They can impinge on a nerve which can be painful and limit mobility. Degenerative disc disease occurs as the cushioning in your spine wears away, and can have symptoms similar to herniated discs.
• Sciatica — Sciatica is a general term for irritation of the sciatic nerve, which is our bodies’ longest nerves and originates near your tailbone. Symptoms include immense pain, weakness, and tingling from your buttocks all the way down to your foot.
• Spinal Stenosis — Stenosis occurs when the space inside your backbone is too small. It can cause pain, balance problems, and loss of sensation in the extremities.
• Spinal Arthritis — Arthritis describes several different types of joint disease. It occurs as the cushioning between the joints wears down over time or from overuse. It can also be caused by autoimmune disorders. There are over 100 types of arthritis, most of which can affect the spine.
• Axial Back Pain — Also referred to as nonspecific back pain, this refers to pain that doesn’t have a known, recognizable cause. Nonspecific back pain can be caused by obesity or poor posture.

Physical therapy is also an effective treatment option for muscle strains, whiplash, and other more acute injuries.

Whatever is causing your back pain or injury, our Dellwood, MO spine specialists will work alongside you and your physician to come up with a treatment plan, based on proven strategies, and aimed at getting you back to the things you love doing most and a pain-free life. While some conditions, like stenosis, can’t be “cured,” physical therapy is an effective part of a holistic wellness routine that reduces pain and other symptoms and returns optimal mobility.

If your spine condition requires surgery, we offer pre- and post-surgical rehab in Dellwood, MO to help get the best results possible.

What a Physical Therapy Spine Specialist Can Do For Me in Dellwood, MO

Physical therapy is becoming an increasingly popular non-invasive treatment plan for a variety of issues affecting our musculoskeletal system. According to a paper published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, physical therapy can get the same relief and results for some back pain as surgery, without the same risk of complications. Early intervention by a licensed Dellwood, MO physical therapist has been demonstrated to limit long-term opioid dependence.

A licensed spine specialist will be able to determine what is causing your pain or other issues, and design a treatment plan based on your medical history, your age, and the lifestyle you wish to achieve or get back to. Through a variety of exercises and manual therapy, physical therapy can limit symptoms, help your spine and nervous system function better, enhance flexibility.

Physical Therapy for Spine Conditions

Depending on your specific condition, your Dellwood, MO spine specialist at Axes may implement some of the following practices to help get you back to the activities you love:

• Manual Therapy — Our Dellwood, MO manual therapists are experts at using light pressures and stretches to decrease back pain due to spinal issues. Manual therapy we may incorporate into your treatment plan include:
  • Dry needling
  • Soft tissue mobilization
  • Joint mobilization and manipulation
  • Trigger point massage
• Guided Exercise — Safe exercises are crucial for getting your soft tissue, joints, and bones stronger and more flexible. In addition to limiting pain now, certain exercises will also help overall function and improve movement health. Exercises we might assign include:
  • Core stabilization
  • Postural retraining
  • Flexibility
  • Cardio conditioning
  • Strength training
  • Home exercise
• Injury Prevention — It’s incredibly frustrating to feel like you’ve gotten past an injury, only to aggravate it. We help you understand the musculoskeletal system and how yours is being affected, so you can learn how to be active safely. Injury prevention includes:
  • Patient education
  • Lifting education
  • Activity modification
  • Conditioning

Your treatment plan in Dellwood, MO will be based not on just recovery or pain relief, but on getting you to your best possible function and helping you stay there. However we recommend treating your spine condition or back pain, it will be based on peer-reviewed studies that those techniques have been proven to work.

Other services we offer in Dellwood, 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

Call Axes For Your Spine Specialist Near Me in Dellwood, MO

Don’t allow a spine condition keep you from living the life you want. At Axes, our Dellwood, MO spine specialists are dedicated to positive patient outcomes. You didn’t decide to live with back pain, but you do not have to choose to live with it. For a licensed and qualified Dellwood, MO spine specialist to help you, request an evaluation with Axes Physical Therapy now or find the location most convenient for you