Back pain is pain localized to your upper, middle, or lower back. It can come on suddenly from an injury or strain, or build gradually over months and years. It may be sharp, dull, aching, or stiff.
Back pain is the most common type of pain in the United States. Most people who come to us have already tried something (rest, medication, another round of PT) and are still stuck.
Sciatica is pain that follows the path of the sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in your body. It starts in the lower back and runs through the buttock, down the leg, and into the foot.
People with sciatica often describe a shooting, burning, or electric sensation that travels down one leg. Some also experience numbness or tingling. It is very treatable with the right approach.
Back pain and sciatica almost always have more than one thing driving them. There is usually a structural component, a muscular component, and sometimes a medical component that has not been properly evaluated. Most providers address one at a time. At Wellspring, your team looks at all of it together.
Evaluates the root cause. Orders imaging or diagnostic testing when appropriate. Ensures your treatment plan has a solid medical foundation before hands-on care begins.
Manual therapy, movement retraining, and targeted exercise to restore function and reduce pain. Your PT team works with you through every exercise. Identifies and corrects the muscle imbalances and movement patterns contributing to your pain.
Targeted, therapeutic work designed to address the soft tissue tension and restriction that contributes to your pain. Coordinated with your PT plan. 60-minute sessions using deep tissue and hot stone techniques.
We listen to your full history: how long it has been going on, what makes it better or worse, what you have already tried. Your care team reviews the findings and explains what they are seeing. You leave with a clear plan.
Most patients start noticing improvement within the first few visits. Appointments are one hour. Your PT works with you hands-on. Your massage therapist coordinates timing. Your NP stays involved with progress check-ins.
The goal is not just to reduce pain today. It is to address what is causing the pain so it does not keep coming back. Many patients who come to us after years of recurring problems find lasting results.
Back pain stays in your back. Sciatica sends pain, tingling, or numbness down through your buttock, leg, or foot, following the path of the sciatic nerve. You can have both at the same time. A thorough evaluation at your first visit will clarify exactly what is going on and what is driving it.
Yes, in most cases. Sciatica is very often caused by compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve, which physical therapy can directly address by correcting the muscle imbalances and movement patterns that create that compression. Many patients experience significant improvement within a few weeks of consistent care.
That is one of the most common things we hear. Recurring back pain usually means the underlying cause has not been fully addressed, only the flare-up. Our team takes a root-cause approach, which means we look at the structural, muscular, and medical contributors together. Many patients who come to us after years of recurring pain find lasting relief with this approach.
No. You do not need imaging before your first visit. If imaging would be helpful to clarify your diagnosis, your nurse practitioner can order it as part of your care.
Some patients notice meaningful improvement within the first few visits. Chronic or more complex cases take longer. At your first visit, your care team will give you a realistic estimate based on your specific situation and history.
Post-surgical back patients are welcome at Wellspring. We work with your surgical team and build a recovery plan appropriate for your procedure and timeline. Many post-surgical patients benefit significantly from hands-on PT and soft tissue work that supports the healing process.
Ready to stop managing your back pain and start resolving it?
A free consultation is the first step. We will listen to your history, explain what we are seeing, and tell you honestly whether we are the right fit.