BACK PAIN & SCIATICA
I should first mention a new onset of back pain is rarely serious and typically diminishes over time with continued gentle and confident movement. Rarely should an individual need to rush to their doctor, receive imaging, start on a prescription of steroid medications, undergo a series of injections or manipulations, or consider surgery. That being said, if you are continuing to struggle and are not seeing slow, but gradual improvement after a couple of weeks, I would highly recommend we sit down and talk. Based on a comprehensive evaluation, I will help provide you answers on what I can do to help, what you can do to feel better, and how long your recovery should take. Again, I urge those who struggle with back pain to seek a gentle, but effective active (versus passive) approach to their care. Those that do often experience better outcomes, save time and reduce their healthcare costs.
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If you are experiencing signs and symptoms of sciatica, you'll likely feel pain, numbness, tingling, and sometimes weakness radiating into the leg. To determine if it is true sciatica, we will first have to rule out whether your symptoms may be originating from the sacroiliac joint, hip, thigh, or knee - as each can reproduce symptoms similar to sciatica. That being said, reach out and I can help you get started in the right direction with the appropriate treatment to help you feel and move better.
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As a physical therapist, common diagnoses I evaluate and treat include, but are not limited to: general (non-specific) lower back pain, sciatica, facet joint syndrome, spondylosis, spondylolisthesis, degenerative disc disease, scoliosis, post-partum pain and weakness, osteoarthritis, nerve root compression ("pinched nerves"), disc bulges/herniations ("slipped discs"), lateral shifts, and postural dysfunction.
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