Are you struggling with chronic back pain or the shooting pain of sciatica? Our expert physical therapy team specializes in diagnosing and treating the root causes of back pain and sciatic nerve pain to help you find long-term relief.
Back pain can range from a dull ache to sharp, debilitating discomfort, often caused by muscle strain, disc issues, poor posture, or spinal conditions. Sciatica is a specific type of pain that radiates from the lower back down through the buttocks and into one or both legs, typically caused by compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve.
Getting proper care at Gold Coast Physical Therapy is your first step in the right direction.
in hopes they will resolve on their own with time – this is typically combined with a decrease in activity to avoid discomfort, which weakens the musculature and exacerbates the mechanical issue that originally caused the pain.
If you are dealing with chronic low back pain, ask yourself the following questions:
Are my symptoms returning more frequently?
Are my symptoms more intense than they used to be?
with anti-inflammatories, pain medication, or injections without an attempt to fix the root of the problem.
GCPT treatment programs on average are about 10 treatment sessions, some less some more depending on the history and extent of your condition.
No more ignoring it or trying to alter your pain or discomfort. Learn more from clinicians who manage this condition for a living.
A disc herniation happened when the disc material has broken through the exterior wall of the annulus fibrosis and is sitting on the neural canal. If it is sitting on the nerve, there will be constant pain as the disc is herniated and does not have the ability to bulge back in. Disc herniations typically will respond to an exercise program being careful not to overstretch this structure to create more symptoms.
A bulging disc, the disc material begins to creep backwards and put pressure in the posterior aspect of the spine. The posterior aspect of the disc is highly sensitive and pressure on this nerve is painful. Progression of this leads to sciatica symptoms. Disc bulges will typically respond to an exercise program as well.
Over time, we all experience some degenerative changes throughout our body. In our spine, these changes can be labeled as degenerative disc disease (DDD), stenosis. Or arthritis. All of these diagnoses are usually made by diagnostic test (X-ray or MRI). People with these conditions are most comfortable in a seated or bent forward position because it opens their spine into flexion alleviating discomfort.
The sacroiliac (SI) joint sits between your two pelvis bones. It does not move much; however, it CAN move and create pain and inflammation. SI joint problems will resolve or minimize with pelvic mobilizations and to spinal stabilization exercises.
Although hip symptoms tend to present in the groin area rather than down the back of the leg, it can occasionally mimic low back and sciatica symptoms. Hip pain can cause you to modify how you walk, or how much pressure you put on your leg which can in turn cause low back pain. Your therapist will be able to develop a treatment plan to address both concerns if this is the case.
Sciatica, by definition from the Mayo clinic, is pain radiating along the sciatic nerve, which runs down one or both legs from the lower back. This typically happens when a disc bulge puts pressure on the nerve. It is also known as sciatica neuritis or lumbar radiculitis. More than 3 million cases are reported in the US every year.
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Sciatica is one of the most common conditions Gold Coast Physical Therapy sees in our clinics and it is treated most effectively by formal physical therapy. It affects most people between the ages of 19-70 years old. Lab tests and imaging are rarely needed. Treatment can take 2-8 weeks to resolve. Most clients have a full recovery from these episodes.
A Gold Coast Physical Therapy examination consists of detailed history, evaluation, assessment, and treatment determined by research that has been proven to be most effective. Treatment can consist of active range of motion (ROM) exercises, therapist mobilization, reassessment, functional training, and most importantly how to move forward with your home exercise program. Guidance is given on when to return to previous exercise programs, and when it might be a good idea to stop exercising.
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