You know how limiting pain can be if you live with it. Chronic pain, defined as pain that lasts three months or longer, usually indicates the presence of an underlying illness that requires treatment.
While medicine can help to conceal discomfort in the short term, it will not provide long-term relief. Non-pharmaceutical pain treatment is preferred over pharmaceutical pain treatment, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and they perform a superior job reducing pain in most circumstances.
If you are looking for a natural and effective method of treatment that will relieve your pain at its root, contact Peak Orthopedic Physical Therapy in Rancho Palos Verdes today!
What’s the difference between chronic and acute pain?
Acute pain can be easily diagnosed in some cases, especially if it is the result of an automobile accident, a sports or job injury, or a surgical procedure. When it comes to acute pain, the discomfort usually lessens as the injured body part recovers.
Chronic pain, on the other hand, is a little different. Chronic pain can be difficult to identify, and it can last for months or even years before a cause is identified and relief is found. Chronic pain can be caused by a variety of factors, including:
- Chronic pain syndromes, such as fibromyalgia, may affect nerves and muscles.
- Chronic overuse injuries, such as tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, or carpal tunnel syndrome.
- General muscle weakness, due to poor posture or an unbalanced body, can cause knots or spasms.
- Areas of internal scar tissue buildup that can restrict neighboring muscles and connective tissues.
- Extended lack of use, such as a lengthy recovery period after a procedure, can cause the affected area to feel stiff or “frozen.”
- Degenerative joint conditions, such as osteoarthritis, produce chronic pain and inflammation.
The problem with drugs
Modern medicine tends to turn to drugs early and often, in an effort to alleviate pain problems. Unfortunately, this approach doesn’t always work in the long run. The drugs may mute the pain while they’re in your system, but the underlying problem that’s causing the pain remains untreated.
Both opioid prescription rates and deaths from opioid overdoses have quadrupled in the last two decades. Given these identical statistics, one can’t escape the obvious conclusion: Reliance on painkillers has gotten out of hand, and the consequences can be literally fatal.
In a study published by the American Physical Therapy Association, titled “Beyond Opioids: How Physical Therapy Can Transform Pain Management and Improve Health,” this issue is exhaustively analyzed. It identifies three important waves of the opioid epidemic:
“1. Increases in deaths involving prescription opioids starting in 1999
2. Increases in deaths involving heroin starting in 2010
3. Increases in deaths involving synthetic opioids since 2013”
Beyond extreme physical risk, over-reliance on prescription painkillers can have other detrimental effects on your health. Withdrawal symptoms can be harrowing. And while you’re still using them, opioids can lead to depression, which sets up a vicious cycle of self-medicating in order to feel better emotionally as well as physically.
As long as that untreated condition persists, so will your long-term pain – meaning an endless cycle of drugs, pain, and then more drugs. This may force you to use more and more medication as your pain continues to linger, which can become problematic as certain drugs can come with harmful side effects and addictive chemicals.
You can find relief through physical therapy
Physical therapy is without a doubt the most effective and secure form of pain management. When you come in for your first session, your physical therapist will perform a thorough examination to evaluate your ailment and create a treatment plan for you. Targeted stretches and exercises, as well as any of the following approaches, are included in treatment plans:
- Ice and heat therapy reduces inflammation and swelling.
- Manual therapy decreases inflammation of your internal tissues.
- Ultrasound therapy enhances blood flow and relaxes tight muscle fibers through sound waves.
- Electrical muscle stimulation (TENS units) stimulates your body’s natural painkillers (endorphins) through tiny amounts of electrical current.
Your treatment plan will address both localized pain and referred pain issues. Physical therapy treats pain where it originates, rather than simply masking the symptoms as painkillers do.
Call our physical therapy clinic today
There are far better options to help you alleviate your pain. If you’ve previously been turning to prescription medication for relief, or you’ve been considering saving up for the hefty price tag of surgery, stop right now.
Give us a call and allow us to show you the wonders of physical therapy! Avoid the risk of pain management drugs by contacting Peak Orthopedic Physical Therapy in Rancho Palos Verdes. We’ll help you relieve your pain the natural, safe way!
