Spine Specialist Near Me in Union, MO

Spine specialist near me in Union, MO. Spinal conditions can make basic tasks like bending over excruciating, and interrupt how our bodies function. For people who play sports, back issues can prevent you from being at peak performance. For workers, it can impede your ability to provide for your Union, MO loved ones. For others, it can keep us from taking the dog for a walk or playing with our children like we love doing. Physical therapists with a spine specialty can help return to what you love doing most. By creating a personalized treatment plan, based on techniques proven to work, Axes Physical Therapy can help you live your best life. If you’re ready to at long last be free from a crippling back condition, request an appointment with an Axes Union, MO spine specialist, or reach out to the Axes location nearest you.

Under Missouri law, a doctor needs to prescribe physical therapy. If you’re dealing with a recent injury or find that back pain is disrupting your daily life, consult with your physician about if physical therapy with a spine specialist in Union, MO is what you need. In the meantime, take advantage of one of our complimentary injury screenings.

The Anatomy of the Spine

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

Vertebrae

There are 33 vertebrae from the top to bottom of the spine, which are small bones that form the backbone. Every vertebra has a hole in the center to safeguard the spinal cord and its nerves. There are five vertebral 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 cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions are the only ones that can move; the others are fused when we’re babies.

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 flat, round cushions between the vertebrae that absorb shock and prevent the vertebrae from grinding against each other. Every two vertebrae have one disc between them. Discs have a softer middle called the nucleus pulposus, which gives them flexibility and allows them to absorb impact, and a tough, circular exterior called the annulus fibrosus that surrounds and protects the gel-like center.

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular structure, from your brain to your tailbone, where the nerves continue into your lower body. The spinal cord is protected by the vertebrae and other tissue. The nerves extend to other parts of the body through holes in the vertebrae known as the neural foramen. The spinal cord is how our bodies and brains communicate.

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.

A healthy spine relies on all of these different structures to to work together to achieve optimal movement health and a pain free life. Numerous different conditions can interfere with the spine and keep you from the things you love doing. When that happens, a spine specialist in Union, MO like Axes’ physical therapists can provide safe and effective relief.

What Conditions Can a Spine Specialist in Union, 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’ Union, MO spine specialists can help you live your best life. Some of the common conditions we provide relief and improved function for in Union, MO are:

• Disc Injuries — Herniated discs and bulging discs can be due to either an injury or wear and tear as we get older. They put pressure on a nerve which can cause severe pain along your neck and back and limit strength. Degenerative disc disease occurs as the cushioning in your spine wears away, and can have symptoms similar to herniated discs.
• Sciatica — Sciatica refers to a variety of conditions which irritate the sciatic nerve, which is our bodies’ longest nerves and begins in the lower spine. Symptoms include immense pain, weakness, and numbness through your buttock and leg.
• Spinal Stenosis — Stenosis occurs when the spinal cavity becomes too narrow and puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. It can cause pain, issues with walking or other movements, and loss of sensation in your hands or feet.
• Spinal Arthritis — Arthritis describes several different types of joint disease. It occurs as the cartilage between the joints degrades over time or from repeated injuries. Obesity, autoimmune disorders, and other conditions can also lead to arthritis. The term “arthritis” describes over a hundred conditions, 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 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 is causing your back pain or injury, our Union, MO spine specialists will work with you and your doctor to design a treatment plan, based on proven strategies, and aimed at getting you back to the activities you love and a more comfortable life. While some conditions, like stenosis, won’t ever fully go away, physical therapy is an effective part of a holistic wellness routine that eases symptoms and achieves optimal mobility.

If you need surgery on your spine, we offer pre- and post-surgical rehab in Union, MO to help you be healthy for surgery and recovery quickly and safely.

Benefits of Working With a Physical Therapy Spine Specialist in Union, MO

Physical therapy is becoming an increasingly popular non-invasive treatment plan for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. According to research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, physical therapy is just as effective as surgery for certain types of back pain, and doesn’t involve the same risk of complications. Early intervention by a licensed Union, MO physical therapist has been demonstrated to limit long-term opioid dependence.

A qualified spine specialist will be able to find the root cause of your back problems, and develop a treatment plan based on your injures, your age, and your desired activity level. Through numerous different exercises and manual manipulations, physical therapy can reduce pain, improve the function of your spine by increasing strength and flexibility, increase flexibility.

Physical Therapy for Spine Conditions

Depending on what is causing your back pain or other symptoms, your Union, MO spine specialist at Axes may implement some of the following practices to help return you to the activities you love:

• Hands-On Care — Our Union, MO manual therapists are able to use subtle manipulations and stretches to decrease back pain due to spinal issues. Hand-on services we may include in your treatment plan include:
  • Dry needling
  • Soft tissue mobilization
  • Joint mobilization and manipulation
  • Trigger point massage
• Guided Exercise — Safe exercises are essential for getting your soft tissue, joints, and bones stronger and more flexible. In addition to decreasing pain now, certain exercises will allow you to maintain a healthy spine when you’re on the move. 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 overcome an injury, only to suffer another injury in the future. We help you understand the musculoskeletal system and how yours is being affected, so you can learn how to be active safely. Our injury prevention program includes:
  • Patient education
  • Lifting education
  • Activity modification
  • Conditioning

Your treatment plan in Union, 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 designed based on time-tested techniques.

Other services we offer in Union, 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 Union, MO

Don’t let a spine condition prevent you from what you love doing most. At Axes, our Union, MO spine specialists are dedicated to positive patient outcomes. Your pain may not have been your choice, but you can choose to do something about it. For a licensed and qualified Union, MO spine specialist to treat you, schedule an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy now or find the location most convenient for you