Spine Specialist Near Me in West Alton, MO

Spine specialist near me in West Alton, MO. Spine injuries can make basic tasks like walking up the stairs excruciating, and keep us from our best possible movement health. For people who play sports, back problems can keep you from being at the top of their game. For workers, it can impede your ability to provide for your West Alton, MO family. For others, it can prevent 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 you get back to the functional and pain-free life you’re looking for. By creating a custom treatment plan, based on techniques proven to work, Axes Physical Therapy can help you achieve the lifestyle you desire. If you’re ready to at long last be free from the issues holding you back, schedule an evaluation with an Axes West Alton, MO spine specialist, or reach out to the Axes location nearest you.

Pursuant to Missouri Revised Statute §334.506, 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 West Alton, 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

The spine has 33 vertebrae, which are small bones that form the backbone. The spinal cord and nerves run through holes in the middle of each vertebra. 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 first 3 regions allow us to move; 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 flat, round cushions between the vertebrae that absorb shock and prevent the vertebrae from grinding against each other. There is one disc between each vertebra. Discs have a “gel-like” center called the nucleus pulposus, which gives them flexibility and allows them to absorb shock, and a tough, circular exterior known as the annulus fibrosus that surrounds and protects the gel-like center.

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord consists 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 the vertebral column. 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 various types of soft tissue. Ligaments connect bones together 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 factors can make the spine damaged or unhealthy, which can keep you from the activities you love most. If you’re dealing with back pain or spine issues, a spine specialist in West Alton, MO like Axes’ physical therapists can get you back to doing what you love most.

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

The American College of Physicians developed guidelines that include a variety of physical therapy treatments for people living with lower back pain and neck pain. Whether you’re dealing with pain on a daily basis or recently sustained a work injury, Axes’ West Alton, MO spine specialists can help get you feeling great again. Some of the common conditions we help with in West Alton, MO include:

• Disc Injuries — Herniated discs and bulging discs can be caused by either an injury or general degradation as we get older. They put pressure on a nerve which can be painful and limit function. 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 begins in the lower spine. It can cause to debilitating pain, weakness, and tingling 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. Symptoms include pain, balance issues, and numbness or tingling in the extremities.
• Spinal Arthritis — Arthritis describes several different types of joint disease. It onsets as the cushioning between the joints wears down over time or from over-exertion. It can also be caused by autoimmune disorders. 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 known, recognizable 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 muscle strains.

Whatever condition is currently ailing you, our West Alton, MO spine specialists will work with 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 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 what’s ailing you requires surgery, we can work with you in your pre- and post-surgical rehab in West Alton, MO to help get the best results possible.

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

More and more people are turning to physical therapy as a non-invasive treatment plan for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. According to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, physical therapy is just as effective as surgery for certain types of back pain, without the same risk of complications. Early intervention by a licensed West Alton, MO physical therapist is proven to reduce the risk of long-term opioid use.

A spine specialist like those at Axes Physical Therapy will be able to determine what is causing your pain or other issues, and design a treatment plan based on your medical history, how old you are, and your desired activity level. Through numerous different exercises and manual therapy, physical therapy can reduce pain, improve the function of your spine by increasing strength and flexibility, boost flexibility.

Physical Therapy for Spine Problems

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

• Manual Therapy — Our West Alton, MO manual therapists are able to use light manipulations and stretches to alleviate symptoms and improve function due to spinal issues. Manual therapy we may use to help you 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 limiting pain now, certain exercises will allow you to maintain a well-functioning spine while going to work or doing the activities you love most. 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. Injury prevention includes:
  • Patient education
  • Lifting education
  • Activity modification
  • Conditioning

Your treatment plan in West Alton, MO will be exhaustive and focused on getting you to optimal movement health and keeping you there. Whatever your treatment plan includes, it will be based on proven techniques.

Other conditions we help treat in West Alton, MO include:

• 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
• Hip Replacement Physical Therapy

Call Axes For Your Spine Specialist Near Me in West Alton, MO

Don’t let a back injury keep you from living the life you want. At Axes, our West Alton, MO spine specialists strive for positive patient outcomes. You didn’t decide to live with this condition, but you do not have to choose to live with it. For a professional and experienced West Alton, MO spine specialist to help you, schedule an evaluation with Axes Physical Therapy now or reach out to the location most convenient for you