Have you got a back injury that causes you pure agony? Maybe you have not just back pain but also other symptoms like a pins and needles sensation in your back, buttocks, or legs. Back pain and the sciatic nerve disorder called sciatica are often connected, and they can come together to make your life absolutely miserable. When symptoms like these occur, it's completely normal to react with worry and frustration -- after all, nobody wants to think about going through invasive, painful, and potentially dangerous surgery to get help, but you may be worried that you'll have to do so. There's good news, though: The majority of back pain and sciatica is very treatable using totally noninvasive and nonsurgical methods like the physical therapy we offer. Contact TheraFit™ Physical Therapy & Fitness Center in Hazel Green, AL, and Fayetteville, TN today to schedule your visit with an experienced physical therapist.

What are back pain and sciatica?

The physical therapy team is often asked to explain more about sciatica and back pain. Even though you may feel pretty well acquainted with the awful pain, you may not know exactly why it happens. This information can be incredibly helpful as you move through your physical therapy program.

Your spine is the most important component of your back. The vertebrae, facet joints, discs, muscles, and connective tissues all work together to give you the support you need to move comfortably and efficiently. However, as your physical therapist can tell you, it doesn't take much for something to go very wrong, leaving you in need of physical therapy right away.

The back pain that leads you to physical therapy may be chronic (lasting for months or even years,) or it may be acute (short-term pain that has some kind of underlying issue like an accident or injury.) No matter what kind of pain you've got, your physical therapist is here to help with a physical therapy program for pain relief.

Sciatica occurs when your sciatic nerve, or the roots of your sciatic nerve, malfunction or sustain damage. Your sciatic nerve is a huge nerve that's responsible for relaying commands and impulses. If your sciatic nerve gets pinched or otherwise damaged, it can't continue to perform its job. The result can be motor control issues in your leg, shooting pain down the leg, numbness in the leg or foot, or a pins and needles feeling in the buttocks, leg, or foot. As you'll learn in physical therapy, relieving the other symptoms is just as important as relieving the sciatica pain.

Causes of back pain and sciatic nerve pain

There are a variety of causes of back pain and sciatic nerve pain. Your physical therapist will review the potential causes of pain with you when you're starting your physical therapy program. By knowing the causes, you can better tailor a physical therapy program for your needs, and your physical therapist can help you make lifestyle changes that may help. Causes may include all of the following.

• Weight gain, including pregnancy-related weight gain.
• Degenerative disc disease that occurs due to aging. This can include osteoarthritis, as well.
• Herniated disc, which can occur after an accident or injury but can also occur over time
• Auto accidents
• Sports injuries

No matter what the reason for the back pain and sciatica, your physical therapist is here to help you feel better.

How physical therapy can help you heal from back pain and sciatica
Studies have demonstrated that physical therapy is clearly effective for back pain, and it's also a great way to alleviate sciatica symptoms. Your physical therapist can do a comprehensive evaluation so they can design a program that really works for you. Your evaluation takes the cause of pain, the type of pain, and your history all into account.

Treatment often includes various effective therapies such as corrective exercises, ice and heat therapy, and customized lifestyle recommendations. You can take control of your pain today simply by contacting our physical therapy team now. Get in touch to take your first step towards freedom from pain at Hazel Green, AL, and Fayetteville, TN centers.