Can Physical Therapy Help Relieve Pain?

Chronic pain can be caused by a number of issues, including injury, physical trauma, or specific illnesses or conditions. Regardless of the cause of your pain, effective pain management is a vital part of living a happy, healthy life. For many people, pain medication alone cannot manage chronic pain.

In these situations, a pain management specialist can and should find alternatives for treating pain. Oftentimes, these alternatives include non-medicinal treatments like physical therapy, massage, and specific exercise.

Pain Treatment Centers of America specializes in physical therapy programs to address chronic pain caused by a number of conditions.

Here are some of the surprising ways that physical therapy can be a vital part of your pain management plan.

Oftentimes, chronic pain is worsened by weakened, stiff or rigid muscles.

For instance, a person with knee arthritis may experience worse pain if they have weak quadriceps muscles. As the knee pain gets worse, the person may decrease physical activity even more, leading to even weaker quads. The cycle continues, often until the knee pain is unbearable.

Physical therapy can help individuals with chronic joint pain strengthen the important muscles that help protect their joints. Strong musculoskeletal structures help cushion joints and provide stability during movement.

Stretching is an important part of most physical therapy programs. Stretching elongates the muscles and increases blood flow. This helps reduce muscle tension, which can in turn reduce pain. Stretching can also increase range of motion, allowing more efficient and natural body movement.

It’s extremely important to stretch under the guidance and training of a physical therapist. Stretching cold muscles can lead to injury or strain pain points that already exist.

Chronic pain that doesn’t respond to traditional treatments can seem like a prison sentence. Over time, prescription medications like opioids or over-the-counter medications like NSAIDs may stop providing adequate pain relief. For people with progressive pain conditions like osteoarthritis or ankylosing spondylitis, the pain may get worse over time.

Back pain is a particularly stubborn condition. It can be difficult to diagnose and can cause pain that radiates from the back to other parts of the body. It is also one of the leading causes of disability and lost time at work in the United States. Fortunately, physical therapy has been shown to provide back pain relief through a number of modalities.

Physical therapy combines passive treatment, like ice or heat application or electrical stimulation, with active treatment like massage, stretching and customized exercise. Research shows that continuous movement -- not rest --is more beneficial for relieving various types of chronic pain.

Are you experiencing chronic pain? PTCOA offers a variety of diagnostic and treatment measures for a range of pain conditions.

We are proud to specialize in physical therapy for pain management and injury healing. Learn more about physical therapy at PTCOA or call us today to schedule an appointment at one of our twelve Arkansas pain clinics: (844) 215-0731.