You don’t have to live in pain!
Pain is by far one of the major reasons people seek Physical Therapy. This form of treatment is one of the most non-invasive answers to pain. Patients may choose this path on their own or they may be following their physicians’ recommendation. In many cases, Physical Therapy is their last resource before considering more invasive answers such as surgery.
What is pain?
Our bodies are infinitely wise. Pain is the mayday call or stress signal that our nervous system sends to indicate that something is wrong and needs our attention. Pain takes many forms. It can be sharp or dull. It can come and go for days, months or years. It can be chronic (a pain that is persistent during a period of time and an indication of a serious condition); or it can be acute (a pain that comes all of the sudden as response to something that has happened.)
Whether severe or mild, pain is an unpleasant sensation. It may feel as a burn, a prick, a tingle, a sting, or an ache. It can be generalized or localized and it can range from a mild irritation to a disabling condition. In many instances, pain leads the body to compensation which can create more disfunction and intensify the discomfort.
What are the causes of pain?
Pain is the result of inflammation, which in simple terms, is the interruption of the flow of life force in one or multiple systems of the body and caused by external or internal hurdles. Pain can be triggered by physical, mental, or emotional trauma or injury, stress, incorrect posture, excessive weight, infection, environmental stimulus, and surgery, among others causes.
The body is a complex collection of interdependent systems. It follows its own natural rules. For example, it always seeks balance (homeostasis) across all systems. It works without us thinking about it or willing it to do its job. The body has wisdom beyond human knowledge and an infinite capacity to heal itself. Every system in the body moves and has a unique rhythm. In the face of any kind of obstacle that interferes with this flow, the body immediately reacts, and the immune system creates a series of symptoms called inflammation. Inflammation can be evident by redness of the tissue, swelling of the area, heat, loss of function or mobility, and PAIN.
How do people deal with pain?
In the face of pain, people seek relief. Initially the answer may be found in over the counter pain and inflammation medication. As pain continues and intensifies people may seek the advice of their doctors or may opt for holistic healing treatments such as acupuncture or chiropractic treatments. Physical Therapy is also an option that patients may choose.
What is Physical Therapy?
Physical Therapy is defined as a form of diagnosis and treatment to ease pain and improve the way the body functions and moves. Its objectives include:
- Pain relief
- Restore and improve function, mobility, and balance
- Prevent injury
- Recover from injury
- Prevent surgery
- Avoid medication
- Rehabilitate from an injury, a surgery, an accident, or other trauma
- Prevent or recover from a sports injury
- Manage chronic illness such as arthritis
- Improve overall health and quality of life
Physical Therapists can diagnose and treat many different kinds of conditions and all kinds of people, from infants to the elderly. The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) describes Physical Therapists as “movement experts who improve quality of life through prescribed exercise, hands-on care, and patient education.” The APTA further suggest that “Physical Therapists examine each person and then develop a treatment plan to improve their ability to move, reduce or manage pain, restore function, and prevent disability.”
In order to relief pain and restore function, Physical Therapists come up with their treatment plans from traditional off-hands methods of exercise sometimes using equipment to many different kinds of manual (hands-on) care protocols and healing modalities. More traditional Physical Therapy treatments provide patients with a set of exercises for them to do or perform during the appointment or afterwards. These exercises are aimed at stretching and strengthening muscles to increase mobility and relief pain. On the other hand, Manual Manipulations Therapy uses soft tissue mobilization and myofascial release techniques towards a similar aim as traditional approaches.
There are many different healing techniques; however, the latest ones take a more holistic approach to treatment. They go beyond pain relief and function improvement to additionally aim at the restoration of optimal health of all bodily systems.
The bottom line is that you don’t have to live with pain. Check our clients’ testimonials to learn the difference Physical Therapy can have in your life!
