The United States is a highly medicated society. We have hundreds of over-the-counter pain-management drugs at our disposal, and doctors routinely write prescriptions for heavier pain relievers, including the opioid drugs that have recently become a national epidemic.
Fortunately, there is an alternative solution: physical therapy. If you’re tired of suffering from chronic pain and you don’t want to risk the side-effects of harmful drugs, we can help you achieve safe, healthy, and long-lasting pain relief. For more information, contact our office today.
The safer alternative:
We’ve all seen it broadcasted over the media: the serious dangers of opioid medications. These narcotics, which include both prescription medicines and illicit drugs, take the lives of approximately 115 American every day via overdose. Opioids are not only tremendously powerful, but they also have the potential for dangerous interactions with other drugs and they are commonly known for their addictive nature.
Steroids, which are another class of prescription painkillers, also pose serious risks and dangers. Epidural steroid injections are used to relieve pain, but they can also lead to undesirable conditions, such as cataracts, arthritis in the hips, elevated blood sugar, stomach ulcers, and nerve damage. Even ordinary NSAIDs such as ibuprofen can cause stomach bleeding and liver problems. Additionally, pain management drugs only allow for temporary pain relief – meaning you’ll have to take larger amounts for longer periods of time, if you don’t get sufficient treatment for your condition.
With physical therapy treatments, you can sweep all of those risks, worries, and unpleasant side effects aside. While some cases of severe pain might still require some pharmaceutical intervention, physical therapy can help many patients greatly reduce their reliance on painkilling medications, and in many cases, the need for these drugs may be eliminated altogether.
Our highly-trained physical therapists use a combination of techniques to treat a wide range of painful problems, from acute injuries and post-operative wounds to chronic pain syndromes and conditions. Whatever the case may be, you can find relief through physical therapy.
How does physical therapy relieve pain?
Our dedicated physical therapists create individualized treatment plans based on the specific needs of each patient. Your treatment plan will vary based on the nature of your condition; for example, if you are suffering from a recent acute injury, we may use massage therapy, ice and heat therapies, ultrasound, and other techniques to ease your pain and jump-start the healing process.
Once you’re safely able to move to exercises without pain, your physical therapist will prescribe gentle stretches, walking, cycling, swimming, or other motions, in order to help mobilize your body. This is done to help your soft tissues move around easier and with more comfort, in addition to helping stiff or arthritic joints stay mobile and lubricated. Strengthening exercises can rehabilitate damaged muscles so they can perform without pain, and they can also help you maintain a straighter posture in order to ease pain from spinal nerve compression.
Physical therapy methods and modalities have been proven to work. In fact, an 11-year study of chronic pain sufferers demonstrated that regular exercise resulted in decreased pain. Effective physical therapy isn’t just the work of the physical therapist — it also depends on the efforts of the patient. We will take the time to educate you about the nature of your pain and the importance of strictly following your routine. All of this will give you the resources you need to live a pain-free life and prevent future injuries from occurring.
Contact us today:
If you are looking for pain relief, drugs are not the only option – try a natural, safer alternative with physical therapy. Contact our office today to schedule a consultation and get started on your path toward long-lasting relief, free from the risks of harmful drugs.
Sources:
- http://www.apta.org/PTinMotion/2018/10/Feature/Opioid/
- http://policy.apta.org/NationalIssues/OpioidEpidemic/
