After recovering from a first bout of sciatica, you hope it’s over and that you’ll never experience the excruciating back and leg pain again. Unfortunately, many struggle with the common problem of recurrent sciatica.
Physical therapy is essential for treating sciatica and preventing future flare-ups. Sticking with a tailored exercise regimen can stop recurrent problems. However, your long-term outcomes depend on other variables that may not respond to physical therapy.
Our team at Florida Pain Medicine specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation. We give you the best chance of stopping recurrent sciatica by providing advanced pain management and creating customized physical therapy care plans.
This blog explains the variables affecting sciatica flare-ups and how physical therapy helps.
Physical therapy can help prevent recurrent sciatica, but your results aren’t guaranteed because three other variables influence your long-term success:
Sciatica causes lower back pain and its hallmark symptom: pain that suddenly shoots down one leg. You may also experience tingling, burning, and, in severe cases, leg numbness.
These symptoms appear because one of the following spinal conditions pinches the sciatic nerve, causing irritation and inflammation:
Physical therapy may prevent future episodes by relieving pressure on the nerve, reducing inflammation, and helping to heal underlying causes like a herniated disc. However, it may not have a long-lasting effect if the underlying condition is severe or the nerve is damaged.
Early treatment has a better chance of healing the underlying cause, minimizing tissue damage, and lowering your risk of ongoing sciatica.
The longer you live with the leg and back pain, the more sensitive the nerves become, which increases your pain and makes it harder to overcome with physical therapy.
Whether your sciatica returns depends partly on making specific lifestyle changes. For example, you have a higher chance of recurrent sciatica if you’re overweight, sit for a long time, or have poor posture.
Your physical therapist addresses lifestyle concerns and gives you an exercise plan to follow at home, including recommendations for improving your posture and losing weight.
During a sciatica episode, your pain may stop you from moving, but resting allows the muscles to tighten and increases the pain. It’s vital to keep moving while avoiding activities that aggravate the nerve.
We design a physical therapy and rehabilitation plan that protects your spine and prevents sciatica flare-ups, while improving your ability to bend, lift, and enjoy daily activities.
Physical therapy can:
Physical therapy boosts circulation, ensuring oxygen-rich blood reaches the spinal structures. A healthy blood supply is crucial for reducing inflammation, easing pain, and preventing recurrent episodes by healing the underlying problem (if possible).
You’ll also learn ways to reduce the stress on your lower back, which may include learning to bend and lift using the best form or taking frequent breaks if you must spend a lot of time sitting.
If your pain is so severe you can’t tolerate any movement, including physical therapy, we can recommend medication management and interventional procedures that reduce the pain and allow you to start moving.
Our Florida Pain Medicine Team offers advanced, effective treatments even if your sciatica doesn’t improve with conventional medical care. Call the nearest office, or book online today.
