Spine Specialist Near Me in Wildwood, MO

Spine specialist near me in Wildwood, MO. Spinal conditions can make normal tasks like laying down painful, and disturb how our bodies function. For people who play sports, back issues can prevent you from being at the top of their game. For workers, it can prevent you from providing for your Wildwood, MO loved ones. For others, it can prevent us from going on bike ride or playing with our children as we’d like to. Physical therapists with a spine specialty can help return 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 live your best life. If you’re ready to at long last be free from a crippling back condition, request an evaluation with an Axes Wildwood, MO spine specialist, or reach out to the Axes location most convenient for you.

Pursuant to Missouri Revised Statute §334.506, a doctor needs to prescribe physical therapy. If you’re dealing with a recent injury or living with chronic pain, ask your doctor if physical therapy with a spine specialist in Wildwood, MO is right for you. You can also visit one of our offices for one of Axes’ no-obligation injury screenings.

The Anatomy of the Spine

The spine is our central support structure, and plays a fundamental role in most movements and how the body communicates with itself. It starts at the base of your skull and ends at your tailbone. There are several different parts of your spine:

Vertebrae

The spine consists of 33 vertebrae, which are small bones that stack on top of each other to form the spinal canal. 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 are the only ones that can move; the others are immobile.

Facet Joints

Facet joints connect the vertebrae. They allow your back and neck to extend, bend, twist, and rotate. Between the joints and bones are cartilage and synovial fluid, allowing the bones to move without grinding against each other.

Intervertebral Discs

Discs are the circular cushions between the vertebrae that absorb the stress and shock the body incurs when moving. Every two vertebrae have one disc between them. Discs have a softer middle known as the nucleus pulposus, which allows for mobility and absorption, and an outer ring of tough fibers known as the annulus fibrosus that prevent the gel-like center from leaking out.

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord consists of nerves that travel through the vertebrae, from your brain to your tailbone, where the nerves extend into the lower part of your body. The spinal cord is protected by spinal fluid and a membrane called dura mater. The neural foramen are openings in the vertebrae where 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. Tendons attach muscles to the vertebrae, and the muscles are what powers the spine’s movement.

Living 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. If you’re living with back pain or spine issues, a spine specialist in Wildwood, MO like Axes’ physical therapists can get you back to the lifestyle you desire.

What Conditions Can a Spine Specialist in Wildwood, MO Treat Me For?

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

• Disc Injuries — Herniated discs and bulging discs can be caused by either an injury or wear and tear 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 greatly decreases flexibility.
• Sciatica — Sciatica refers to a variety of conditions which irritate the sciatic nerve, which is the largest nerve in the body and begins in the lumbar region. It can lead to crippling pain, weakness, and tingling down one side of your body.
• Spinal Stenosis — Stenosis occurs when the spinal cavity becomes too narrow and puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. Symptoms include pain, balance problems, and numbness or tingling 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. Obesity, autoimmune disorders, and other conditions can also lead to arthritis. There are over 100 types of arthritis, most of which can affect the facet joints of 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 can also help with soft tissue injuries such as whiplash.

Whatever condition is currently ailing you, our Wildwood, 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 activities you love and a more comfortable life. While some conditions, like arthritis, won’t ever fully go away, physical therapy is an effective part of a comprehensive wellness routine that reduces pain and other symptoms and regains optimal mobility.

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

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

Physical therapy is becoming an increasingly popular non-surgical option for a variety of issues affecting our musculoskeletal system. 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 recovery time or risk of adverse side-effects. Early intervention by a licensed Wildwood, MO physical therapist is proven to limit the risk of long-term opioid use.

A spine specialist like those at Axes Physical Therapy will be able to find the root cause of your back problems, and develop a treatment plan based on your injures, how old you are, and the lifestyle you wish to achieve or get back to. Through a variety of exercises and techniques, physical therapy can reduce pain, help your spine and nervous system function better, increase flexibility.

Physical Therapy for Spine Problems

Depending on what is causing your back pain or other symptoms, your Wildwood, 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 Wildwood, MO manual therapists are able to use subtle manipulations and stretches to decrease back pain due to spinal issues. Manual therapy we may use to help you include:
  • Trigger point 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. Beyond reducing pain now, guided exercise will allow you to maintain a healthy 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 beyond frustrating to believe you’ve overcome an injury, only to aggravate it. 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. Our injury prevention program includes:
  • Patient education
  • Lifting education
  • Activity modification
  • Conditioning

Your treatment plan in Wildwood, MO will be based not on just recovery or pain relief, but on getting you to optimal function and helping you stay there. Whatever your treatment plan includes, it will be based on proven techniques.

Other conditions we help treat in Wildwood, MO include:

• Stroke Rehabilitation
• Hip Replacement Physical Therapy
• Workers Comp' Physical Therapy
• Migraine Relief
• Sprain and Strain Treatment
• Geriatric Physical Therapy
• Injury Rehabilitation
• Pain Management Services
• TMJ Treatment
• Herniated Disc Treatment

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

Don’t allow a spine condition keep you from what you love doing most. At Axes, our Wildwood, MO spine specialists are dedicated to positive patient outcomes. Your pain may not have been your choice, but you do not have to decide to live with it. For a licensed and qualified Wildwood, MO spine specialist to help you, request an evaluation with Axes Physical Therapy now or reach out to the location nearest you