Back Pain & Sciatica in Jacksonville, IL

Struggling with sharp back pain, radiating nerve discomfort, or relentless stiffness? Don’t wait for it to get worse—these symptoms often signal underlying spinal issues that can escalate into serious, long-term conditions.

At Netherine’s Physical Therapy Pelvic Floor and Wellness in Jacksonville, IL, our expert team identifies the root cause of your pain and delivers targeted, hands-on treatment to restore mobility and eliminate discomfort. Our proven, personalized approach ensures you get the fastest, most effective relief possible.

What’s Causing Your Back & Nerve Pain?

Your spine is a complex system of discs, joints, and nerves—when even one component is out of balance, pain and dysfunction can occur. Herniated or bulging discs happen when gel-like material leaks through protective rings, pressing on nerves. This often causes radiating pain, numbness, and weakness, with treatment options including physical therapy, decompression, or, in severe cases, surgery.

Sciatic nerve compression occurs when the nerve running from the lower spine down the legs becomes pinched or irritated, leading to sharp, shooting pain, tingling, or numbness. Targeted stretching, nerve gliding exercises, and therapy help relieve this pressure. Facet joint dysfunction results from stiffness or inflammation in the small joints linking the vertebrae, causing localized pain, restricted movement, and difficulty twisting or bending. Treatment typically includes physical therapy, posture correction, and in some cases, injections.

Muscular trigger points are tight, spasming muscle bands that lead to localized pain, stiffness, and tension radiating to surrounding areas. Techniques like massage therapy, trigger point release, and mobility drills help restore movement and relieve discomfort. Since every case of back and nerve pain is unique, our specialists conduct comprehensive evaluations to pinpoint all contributing factors. This allows us to create a personalized recovery plan that targets the root cause of your pain—helping you achieve lasting relief.

Comprehensive Evaluations – Precision Diagnosis for Faster Relief

Before jumping into treatment, we perform a detailed assessment to ensure every aspect of your condition is properly addressed:

• Range of Motion Testing – Identify movement limitations that signal deeper issues.
• Nerve Tension Tests – Detect compression or irritation affecting nerve pathways.
• Postural & Gait Analysis – Discover hidden misalignments that cause pain.
• Advanced Imaging Review – Examine spinal health and disc integrity when necessary.

Once we’ve identified exactly what’s causing your pain, we develop a personalized treatment plan designed for maximum, long-term relief.

Cutting-Edge Treatment That Delivers Results

At Netherine’s Physical Therapy Pelvic Floor and Wellness, we integrate advanced therapy techniques to correct spinal imbalances, strengthen weak areas, and prevent future pain recurrences. Your individualized treatment may include:

• Physical Therapy: Expert-led exercises to stabilize the spine, increase mobility, and eliminate nerve pressure.
• Manual Therapy & Massage: Hands-on techniques to release muscle knots, break up scar tissue, and restore function.
• Lifestyle & Ergonomic Coaching: Proven strategies to reduce strain, improve posture, and prevent re-injury.

Patients often experience noticeable pain reduction within just a few sessions—with continued improvements in flexibility, strength, and overall function.

FAQs: Back Pain & Sciatica in Jacksonville, IL

What’s the fastest way to relieve sciatica?
Decompression therapy and targeted mobility exercises can provide relief in just a few visits. Long-term relief requires strengthening the spine and improving movement patterns.

How do I know if my pain is from the sciatic nerve?
Sciatica pain often shoots down your leg, past your knee, and into your foot, unlike muscle pain, which is localized. Special tests like the Straight Leg Raise confirm sciatic involvement.

What makes sciatica worse?
Sitting too long, bending improperly, or carrying objects that put pressure on your spine can intensify symptoms. Proper stretching and ergonomic adjustments help prevent flare-ups.

How can I relieve back pain at home?
Cold therapy, nerve gliding exercises, core strengthening, and frequent movement are key to managing back pain between visits. However, untreated pain can lead to chronic problems—get checked by a specialist.

What caused my back pain or sciatica?

General back pain typically develops as the result of an injury. This can be due to repetitive straining motions, such as leaning down multiple times throughout the day to pick up a toddler, or a more serious, sudden trauma, such as a motor vehicle accident. Underlying conditions, such as herniated discs, can also cause immense pain, and cause radiculopathy pain to the thigh, leg, or foot. Degenerative disc disease is a common condition as we age, which can result in back pain. Those with this condition typically report dull, aching pains in their lower back, and have difficulty with prolonged standing or walking.

Sciatica’s technical name is “lumbar radiculopathy.” People who develop this condition are generally between the ages of 30 and 50. Many different types of injuries can cause the development of sciatica, including arthritis, bone spurs, or any other injury that impacts the sciatic nerve. Most commonly, we find that people lose their flexibility in the hips and pelvis, which causes the gluteus and hip muscles to become tightened. This in turn, alters the mechanics of the spine, and compression to the sciatic nerve as it travels through these tissues.

Back Pain Relief in Jacksonville

Our physical therapist can help to manage low back pain and sciatica symptoms through the use of targeted physical therapy treatment. This safe and prescription drug-free treatment option is non-invasive and designed to promote faster natural healing while providing fast pain relief. Instead of simply treating your symptoms, physical therapy is designed to alleviate pressure on the sciatic nerve for long-lasting relief. Want to learn more about the benefits of physical therapy for lower back pain and sciatica? Contact our physical therapist today for more information and be sure to schedule an initial consultation.