Physical Therapy Can Help You Live Comfortably Once Again
Chronic pain is defined as any pain that lasts more than three months. When people experience chronic pain for an extended period of time, it can lead to a downward spiral. As a result of the pain, they become more inactive and sedentary, and their health deteriorates.
As stated by the APTA Website, “The White House has announced that APTA is among the organizations that have joined a public-private partnership to combat opioid usage and prescription drug abuse, and that the association will reach out to the public and its members to deliver the message that pain can be effectively managed through conservative, non drug approaches.
Physical therapists can help individuals manage pain, and greater use of physical therapy could make a real impact on the tragic levels of drug abuse in this country—abuse that often begins with a prescription for pain medication.”
People living with chronic pain may resort to extreme measures such as surgery or addictive painkillers in order to find relief. If you have chronic pain and want a non-invasive, non-addictive option for relief, contact our office to speak with a physical therapist today!
Common signs of chronic pain
Chronic pain affects every person differently. In many cases, the pain continues long after the body should have healed from an injury or surgery. The good news is that physical therapy is not a one-size-fits-all approach to pain relief. Your physical therapist has many tools and techniques at their disposal to help alleviate and conquer chronic pain.
Chronic pain has a number of symptoms associated with it, aside from the fact that the pain has lasted longer than three months. Here are some of the associated symptoms of chronic aches and pains:
- Weight Gain and Additional Problems: People with chronic pain may put on too much weight, which can lead to a host of added problems, from diabetes to heart disease.
- Activity Avoidance: People with chronic pain become fearful of normal activities. The fear of additional pain can cause people to withdraw from normal physical activities that they enjoy.
- Stiffness: Muscles and joints may feel stiffer when suffering from chronic pain.
- Reduced Fitness: Inactivity due to chronic pain can cause your muscles to weaken and shrink. This can have profound physical effects over time, such as impacting your sense of balance.
- Reduced Circulation: Remaining inactive due to chronic pain reduces your circulation, which means your cells are not receiving a healthy amount of blood and oxygen. This can cause tissues to degenerate and leads to feelings of constant fatigue.
What to do if pain becomes chronic
If you are living with chronic pain, you should contact a physical therapist. Your physical therapist will work with you to educate you on how to live a healthier lifestyle in order to keep aches and pains at bay. This can include anything from tips on staying hydrated and eating healthier to exercises and stretches you can do at home.
All of this will help to alleviate your aches and pains. The goal is to get you to the point where you are motivated to stay healthy without needing to go to physical therapy on a regular basis.
How can PT help with chronic pain?
Your physical therapist will recommend a treatment plan that is tailored to your specific needs and goals. Following an initial consultation and examination, your therapist will immediately begin working with you on methods to begin overcoming your chronic aches and pains.
Education will be the first step. Your therapist will explain why you are in pain and what you can do to relieve it. The initial goal will be pain management so that you can eventually return to your normal routine.
Physical therapy will include exercises, stretching, and flexibility. Over time, you will become stronger and more flexible, allowing you to move around more freely and with less pain. These exercises will be designed to improve your strength and flexibility, steadily and gradually.
Manual therapy is another type of treatment that your physical therapist may perform. It is a type of massage that only physical therapists are trained to perform. These techniques will be used to mobilize stiff joints that are causing aches and pains, as well as to manipulate soft tissues for pain relief. When dealing with chronic pain, this technique can be extremely beneficial.
Finally, posture and body mechanics training will likely be an important component of your physical therapy. Learning how to practice proper posture at home, work, and while resting can help to relieve pain and prevent it from recurring. All of these treatment options will assist you in returning to a normal life without the need for invasive surgery or painkillers.
Physical therapy can help relieve your pain – contact us to get started
If you’ve been living with chronic aches and pains, take the first step toward recovery today. To make an appointment with a physical therapist, please contact Preferred Physical Therapy!
