Back pain and sciatica treatment in Flagstaff.

Usually not, and it’s rarely the first step. Most back pain gets better without imaging. Plenty of people with no pain at all have disc bulges and wear and tear on their scans, so a picture doesn’t always name the cause. We start with a hands-on evaluation to find what’s actually driving your symptoms, and if imaging turns out to be necessary, we’ll help you get there. One more thing worth knowing: in Arizona you don’t need a physician referral to start physical therapy. Medicare, Medicaid, and a few other plans do require one, and we’ll tell you straight if yours is one of them.

In most cases yes, and movement usually helps more than rest. Hurt doesn’t always mean harm. Total rest tends to leave a back stiffer and weaker, which sets up the next flare-up. The trick is dosing the right movement for your back specifically. That’s what a licensed physical therapist sorts out at your evaluation, then progresses as you get stronger. You will not be handed a sheet and left to guess.

You’ll get an honest answer at your evaluation, once someone has actually examined your back. What we won’t do is leave it open-ended. Your plan runs through four phases, Pain, Prime, Perform, and Prevent, and each one has a job and a way to know you’ve earned the next. You’ll always know which phase you’re in and what’s left. That’s a plan with an endpoint, not an open tab of appointments.