Spine Specialist Near Me in Warrenton, MO

Spine specialist near me in Warrenton, MO. Spine injuries can make everyday activities like bending over excruciating, and disturb how our bodies function. For people who play sports, back problems can prevent you from being at the top of their game. For workers, it can impede your ability to provide for your Warrenton, MO family. For others, it can prevent us from going on bike ride or other physical activities. Physical therapists with a spine specialty can help you get back to the functional and pain-free life you’re looking for. By developing a personalized treatment plan, based on techniques proven to work, Axes Physical Therapy can help you achieve the mobility and pain relief your body needs to function, and that you need to 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 Warrenton, MO spine specialist, or call the Axes location nearest you.

Missouri law requires a prescription for physical therapy. If you’re dealing with a recent injury or find that back pain is disrupting your daily life, ask your doctor if physical therapy with a spine specialist in Warrenton, MO is what you need. You can also take advantage of one of Axes’ free injury screenings.

The Human Spine

The spine supports both our physical bodies, and how our bodies communicate. It extends from the base of your skull to your pelvis. The spine is made up of:

Vertebrae

There are 33 vertebrae stacked along the spine, which are small bones that form the backbone. The spinal cord and nerves run through holes in the middle of each vertebra. 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 allow us to 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. 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 flat, round cushions between the vertebrae that absorb the stress and shock the body is put under 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 called the annulus fibrosus that protect the disc and connect the vertebrae.

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord is a collection of nerves running up the bones in your spine, from your brain to your tailbone, where the nerves continue into your lower extremities. 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

Surrounding and within the spine are also various types of soft tissue. Ligaments attach vertebrae, hold them in place, and give them 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. Numerous different 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 Warrenton, MO like Axes’ physical therapists can get you back to doing what you love most.

What Conditions Can a Spine Specialist in Warrenton, MO Help With?

The American College of Physicians developed guidelines that include certain physical therapy treatments for people living with lower back pain and neck pain. Whether you’re living with chronic pain or recently sustained a sports injury, Axes’ Warrenton, MO spine specialists can help you live your best life. Some of the common conditions we help with in Warrenton, MO are:

• Disc Injuries — Herniated discs and bulging discs can be caused by either acute trauma 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 greatly decreases flexibility.
• Sciatica — Sciatica is an umbrella term for irritation of the sciatic nerve, which is our bodies’ longest nerves and originates near your tailbone. Symptoms include crippling pain, weakness, and numbness 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 loss of sensation in the extremities.
• Spinal Arthritis — Arthritis is the inflammation of the facet joints. It onsets as the cartilage between the joints wears down over time or from repeated injuries. It can also be caused by autoimmune disorders. There are over 100 types of arthritis, most of which can affect the facet joints of the spine.
• Axial Back Pain — Also called nonspecific back pain, this refers to pain isn’t brought on by a clear, diagnosable cause. Axial 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 condition is currently ailing you, our Warrenton, MO spine specialists will work alongside you and your doctor to develop an evidence-backed treatment plan to get you back to the activities you love and a pain-free life. While some conditions, like degenerative disc disease, can’t be “cured,” physical therapy can be 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 Warrenton, MO to help attain the best results possible.

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

More and more people are turning to physical therapy as a non-surgical option for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. According to a study 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 recovery time or risk of adverse side-effects. Early intervention by a licensed Warrenton, MO physical therapist has been demonstrated to reduce long-term opioid dependence.

A knowledgeable and experienced spine specialist will be able to determine what is causing your pain or other issues, and create a treatment plan based on your injures, your age, and your desired activity level. Through numerous different exercises and techniques, physical therapy can limit symptoms, help your spine and nervous system function better, enhance flexibility.

Physical Therapy for Spine Problems

Depending on your specific condition, your Warrenton, MO spine specialist at Axes may include some of the following in your treatment plan:

• Hands-On Care — Our Warrenton, MO manual therapists are experts at using light pressures and stretches to decrease back pain caused by muscle or joint dysfunction. Manual therapy 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 helping you build up strength, flexibility, and balance. Beyond decreasing pain now, certain exercises will allow you to maintain a well-functioning spine when you’re on the move. Exercises we might assign include:
  • Core stabilization
  • Postural retraining
  • Flexibility
  • Cardio conditioning
  • Strength training
  • Home exercise
• Injury Prevention — It’s incredibly frustrating to believe you’re moving on from 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 Warrenton, MO will be based not on just recovery or pain relief, but on getting you to your best possible function and keeping you there. However we recommend treating your spine condition or back pain, it will be based on time-tested techniques.

Other services we offer in Warrenton, 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 Warrenton, MO

Don’t let a spine condition keep you from living the life you want. At Axes, our Warrenton, MO spine specialists are dedicated to positive patient outcomes. Your pain may not have been your choice, but you do not have to choose to live with it. For a professional and knowledgeable Warrenton, MO spine specialist to help you, request an evaluation with Axes Physical Therapy today or contact the location closest to you