It is no secret that pain can put a dent in your lifestyle. Many people make the mistake of relying on medication to provide relief, but meds only mask the symptoms, instead of fixing them. Physical therapy is a natural and non-invasive treatment that works. If you are suffering from either acute or chronic pain, contact Rehab Advantage & Sports Medicine to learn how our physical therapists can get you on a natural path to a pain-free life, free from harmful drugs.
The disadvantages of using meds for pain:
Taking pain-management drugs as a way to rid yourself of pain may seem like a good solution in the short-term, but it has many disadvantages in the long-term. Over-the-counter medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen can lead to undesirable side effects. For example, taking excessive amounts of aspirin can cause your stomach to bleed and can lead to kidney damage. Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen can also both cause both kidney and stomach problems.
However, prescription opioids like codeine, oxycodone, and morphine are perhaps the worst. These are habit-forming drugs that can lead to addiction. They are also responsible for an additional number of side effects, include respiratory depression, constipation, anxiety, and nausea. Several people also overdose on opioids each year, either due to addiction or a gradually increased intake in order to relieve pain. Not only does taking meds for pain just mask the problem, it just may cause you another one.
Physical therapy as a natural treatment:
For many people, even the thought of exercising can make them cringe due to the pain they are feeling. However, PT exercises are one of the absolute best treatments for chronic pain. By participating in a physical therapy routine, you will see just how effective exercise can be for all types of chronic musculoskeletal and neuropathic pain. Just a few of the many conditions that can be treated through physical therapy include:
- Osteoarthritis.
- Fibromyalgia.
- Chronic headaches.
- Neuropathic pain.
- Disc herniation.
- Disc degeneration disease.
A physical therapist has a wide variety of treatment options to offer for pain. Just a few of the common methods and modalities that physical therapists use include manipulation of the joints and bones, movement therapy, massage therapy, microcurrent stimulation, and cold laser therapy. All of these treatments help in relieving pain, reducing inflammation, accelerating healing, and improving daily function.
Designing a treatment plan:
Consulting with a physical therapist can greatly reduce your recovery time. This is because a physical therapist will treat your entire body by identifying the root cause of your pain. A physical therapist will perform an assessment to determine where your pain is coming from and will develop an individualized treatment plan that is designed to target exactly what is causing your pain. At your initial appointment, you will undergo a comprehensive exam process, which includes a full medical history. Selected tests are done to identify movement-related disorders. For a specific diagnosis, all of the collected exam data is carefully reviewed.
Physical therapy entails both active and passive treatment. Passive therapy treatments focus on pain-relieving methods and modalities, such as massage therapy, ice and heat therapies, ultrasound, or electrical stimulation. Active physical therapy treatments focus on regaining function, improving range of motion, and increasing strength and flexibility. Treatments may include targeted motions, exercises, stretches or aquatic therapy. You can feel confident that a physical therapist will develop a treatment plan that is just for you and your needs.
If you’re in pain, there is an effective solution other than pain meds or surgery. All of our physical therapies are seasoned and certified, happy to discuss how our services can benefit you. Our goal is to help you recover and get you back to your optimum levels of function. Contact our office today, and we’ll get you started on a path to help you live your life to the fullest.
