Three treatments for sciatica symptoms in Overland Park, KS

The sciatic nerve shares something in common with the Nile River: It’s the longest. In this case, it’s the longest nerve in the body, and it runs from the lower back to the feet. When this nerve is pinched or irritated in some way, people in Overland Park, Kansas, can develop a condition called sciatica. 

Your local physical therapists are one of your biggest assets when you have sciatica. They can help you by building a personalized treatment plan for your sciatica symptoms. Therapy specialists can also help realign your spine to reduce sciatic nerve irritation; they have the ability to reduce the pain this condition causes. 

Three treatment techniques for sciatica symptoms

Helping people reach these treatment goals is something physical therapists strive for. There are several therapy methods these specialists can use for this purpose. However, there are three techniques that are especially common in sciatica treatment plans: 

1. Manual therapy — This treatment method is one the therapist performs with their hands. They’ll use their hands to move and manipulate joints and soft tissue in your back. Manual therapy is useful for releasing tension in muscles that are irritating the sciatic nerve. It can also improve the movement of spinal joints that are pinching this nerve. 

2. Dry needling — This technique is often compared to acupuncture, but it’s based on Western medical science rather than traditional Chinese medicine. It uses thin needles to target trigger points in the muscles. Trigger points are areas of tension that have built up in the muscle over time, and the lack of flexibility they cause can lead to spinal misalignment and sciatica. Most patients have little or no discomfort during dry needling treatments. 

3. Ergonomic education — Educating patients on ergonomics is one of the best ways to treat sciatica and prevent it from returning. Ergonomics is the study of how equipment and furniture can be made so that it’s safer for people to use. Physical therapists can help you learn how to apply ergonomics to your daily life. For instance, they can help you find an ergonomic office chair that better supports your lower back. 

Overland Park residents can get sciatica symptoms treatment at SSOR

Sciatica symptoms aren’t something that you have to deal with on your own. Our SSOR physical therapy team in Overland Park is here to help you treat this lower back issue. We offer complimentary screenings that are designed to help us understand how sciatica is affecting you. Our team will then use this information to build a treatment plan that’s individualized to your needs. 

Contact us today for more information about how we can help you with sciatica or to schedule an initial appointment.