Do you suffer from a back injury or ailment that makes every little movement or jolt an agonizing experience? Does your lower back, buttock, leg, and/or foot keep blindsiding you with pain and other bizarre sensations? Back pain and the nerve problem known as sciatica may occur either together or as a disabling package deal. When these symptoms strike, it’s natural to respond not only with frustration but also with fear — fear that relief might depend on extensive, invasive, risky surgery. But we have some good news for you: Most back pain and sciatica causes respond well to nonsurgical methods, including the physical therapy techniques we offer at our Tucson clinic.
What Are Back Pain And Sciatica?
You may not feel that you need a definition of back pain if you’re living with it every day. But there are many varieties of back pain, which is no surprise when you consider the number of complex moving parts that make up the back. The center of this structure is the spinal column. This stack of articulated vertebrae is articulated by facet joints, cushioned by cartilaginous discs, and supported/mobilized by strong muscles and connective tissues. It doesn’t take much to go wrong with this assembly for back pain to result. You can experience back pain in your upper and middle back (the thoracic spine) or the lower back (the lumbar and sacral spine). Your pain may also be either acute, resolving itself once an underlying problem heals up, or chronic, with recurring or constant pain over months or years.
Sciatica is a dysfunction of the sciatic nerve or its nerve roots. The sciatic nerve is an enormous nerve that relays all the motor commands and sensory impulses to and from either leg. When this nerve tissue becomes pinched for any reason, the flow of information along its length is disrupted. Sciatica is notorious for causing pain, tingling sensations, numbness, and loss of strength or motor control in the buttock, leg or foot. It can also cause lower back pain.
Causes Of Back Pain And Sciatica
As noted above, sciatic nerve impingement can cause low back pain. But you can also experience back pain and/or sciatica due to:
- Weight gain and postural problems: Pregnancy, obesity, and weak muscles in the back can cause postural changes that strain your back muscles.
- Degenerative disc disease: Facet joint arthritis, bulging discs, and other degenerative changes in the spine can pinch the sciatic nerve and cause back pain.
- Herniated discs: A herniated disc can push against the nerve roots that tether the sciatic nerve to the spine while also spilling inflammatory substances onto them.
- Acute injuries: An auto accident, work accident, or sports injury can tear the back muscles and connective tissues.
- Repetitive motion injuries: If you’re constantly twisting, stooping or making other stressful back motions at work or in sports, you could be straining your back and giving yourself a repetitive motion injury.
How Physical Therapy Helps Relieve Back Pain And Sciatica
Don’t frighten yourself by reading about major surgical procedures that treat back pain and sciatica by removing discs or fusing joints. Studies show that for most patients, physical therapy can treat these issues just as effectively as surgery.
Our Tucson physical therapists will perform detailed evaluations to determine exactly what the underlying cause is, from a strained muscle to compression of a specific nerve root. We can then administer the right mix of therapies to restore your comfort. Your treatment regimen may include corrective exercises to lend strength and flexibility to your back, ice packs and water exercises to ease sciatica, and lifestyle recommendations to help you avoid repetitive motion injuries.
You have more control over your back pain and sciatica symptoms than you might think — especially when you have access to a skilled, experienced physical therapist. Are you ready to give your back and legs the nonsurgical relief they need? Get sciatica pain relief with physical therapy. Contact our Tucson, AZ clinic today to schedule an evaluation and find out how physical therapy can help you feel like yourself again.
FAQs
How Do I Know If My Back Pain is Serious?
The pain you experience in your back may either be acute or chronic, depending on how it was sustained. Acute pain means that it lasts for a short time and is usually severe. Chronic pain means that it lasts generally three months or longer and it can either cause dull or severe persistent pain. The pain you experience is typically either rooted in your back muscles or the bones in your spine. If your pain is severe enough to hinder you from doing daily tasks, if it suddenly worsens, or if it has lasted longer than three months, then it is time to seek the help of a physical therapist.
How Do I Get Relief From Back Pain?
You can treat your back pain with physical therapy. Physical therapy can address back pain by helping to improve your range of motion, strengthening the muscles in the affected areas, and using targeted massage to reduce tension. In many situations, working with a physical therapist to improve can significantly reduce the severity of your back pain, and may even help you avoid more invasive procedures, such as surgery.
What Is The Best Physical Therapy Treatment For Back Pain?
Your physical therapist will design a treatment plan based on your specific needs. Your individualized treatment plan will incorporate the best methods possible for relieving your pain, facilitating the healing process, and restoring function and movement to the affected area(s) of your back. Your initial appointment will consist of a comprehensive evaluation, which will help your physical therapist discover which forms of treatment will be best for the orthopedic, neurologic, or cardiovascular condition you are experiencing. The main stages of your plan will focus on pain relief, which may include any combination of ice and heat therapies, manual therapy, posture improvement, targeted stretches and exercises, or any other treatment that your physical therapist may deem fit. While there is no singular method for relieving back pain, your physical therapist will make sure you receive the best treatments for your needs.
How Do You Relieve Back Pain Without Drugs?
While medication is easy, it only helps your pain subside for a short amount of time. Over time, certain drugs can cause some unfavorable side effects, and in some cases, they can be habit-forming. With NSAIDs, you run the risk of blood clots, heart attack, or stroke. With corticosteroids, you run the risk of cataracts, high blood sugar levels, and bone loss. Luckily, there is a much safer and healthier alternative to treating persistent back pain: physical therapy. At your initial consultation, your physical therapist will ask you several questions regarding your medical history, lifestyle, and painful area(s). This information will assist your physical therapist in creating the best treatment plan for you and your specific needs, so you can be provided with long-term results.
