Start your journey to a more comfortable and pain-free life. Call Quantum Physical Therapy & Chiropractic Care today!
Whether chronic or from a recent injury, pain can make your daily life a challenge. While pain medications may relieve some immediate issues, they come with side effects and may not be a viable long-term solution.
Physical therapy is a safe and effective solution for pain management that has helped numerous patients live a more comfortable life. The physical therapy benefits for many patients include reduced pain, stronger muscles, and less chance of reliance on prescription pain medication.
If you have chronic pain or are dealing with a recent injury, contact Quantum Physical Therapy & Chiropractic Care. Call today to schedule physical therapy services, as same-day appointments may be available.
Physical Therapy Pain Management
If you’ve recently suffered and are recovering from an injury, your healthcare provider may recommend physical therapy. However, even without a recent injury, you may be struggling with lasting pain that you haven’t addressed. In fact, over 50 million adults in the United States report dealing with some type of chronic pain on a daily or near-daily basis.
While people often turn to physical therapy following an injury, many Americans choose prescribed medications to ease chronic pain. While some medications are effective in the short term, they offer little long-term relief and can result in misuse. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 21%-29% of patients misuse the opioids that their healthcare providers prescribe for chronic pain.
As a rehabilitative treatment, physical therapy eliminates the use of drugs in favor of specialized equipment and movement exercises. According to research by the Health Research and Educational Trust, patients who sought physical therapy early were 89% less likely to receive an opioid prescription.
Physical therapy pain management techniques focus on several goals, such as:
- Reducing feelings of pain
- Strengthening muscles, tendons, and ligaments
- Restoring balance
- Improving range of motion
- Improving general physical function
- Making all aspects of daily life more comfortable
Further, physical therapy is effective for numerous types of pain. Talk to your doctor about beginning physical therapy if you’re suffering from an injury or chronic condition, such as:
- Sports injuries
- Overuse injuries
- Nerve injuries
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Shoulder, neck, or back pain
- Foot, ankle, or leg pain
- Tendonitis
- Muscle strains
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Arthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Sciatica pain
Benefits of Physical Therapy
There are many benefits of physical therapy. Physical therapy aims to relieve pain and strengthen the body and mind in a safe and effective way.
Noninvasive
Physical therapy is noninvasive and requires no surgery or injections. Your physical therapist will work to diagnose and address your pain in the most natural way possible.
Drug-Free
Prescribed medications can come with potential dangers and long-term ineffectiveness. One of the most significant physical therapy benefits is that it’s drug-free. Rather than relying on pharmaceuticals to relieve short-term pain, physical therapists use techniques that address underlying causes of pain.
Personalized Experience
Each patient has different pain responses to treatment methods. Therefore, it’s essential to have an individual treatment plan based on different factors like the patient’s needs, body, and even daily schedule. Physical therapy is a personalized experience in which therapists find the most effective way to relieve pain and strengthen the body.
Always Changing
Along with being a personalized experience, physical therapy is always changing. That means that you won’t do the same exercises and treatments during each visit. Physical therapy is more effective when its techniques are updated according to the patient’s progress.
Addresses Chronic Pain
Physical therapy aims to address the source of chronic pain. It aims to heal and relieve from the inside out rather than mask pain from the outside in. This can be beneficial for a wide variety of physical issues.
Promotes Healing
One of the most important physical therapy benefits is that it goes beyond pain management and actually seeks to promote full healing. Instead of finding an exterior way to deal with the pain, physical therapists work with patients to find the source and aim to eliminate the pain at the source.
Helps Improve Mobility and Strength
The unique exercises and motion involved with physical therapy teach the patient how to move and stretch without feeling pain. These movements help improve mobility and flexibility, making the patient more agile and decreasing any other pain associated with physical movement.
Physical therapy techniques can also improve the patient’s strength. In healing the area of the body that caused the pain, physical therapists aim to strengthen it simultaneously. Physical therapists can even offer therapeutic exercises to try at home that increase mental strength and the patient’s confidence in their body movement.
Reduces the Risk of Future Injury
Patients who suffer from musculoskeletal injuries are more likely to suffer another injury in the future. To decrease the risk of future injuries, physical therapists help heal and build strength in the surrounding muscles.
Contact Your Trusted Physical Therapist in New York
If you want to experience the physical therapy benefits for pain management, contact your Quantum Physical Therapy & Chiropractic Care. We can craft a treatment plan for your situation, such as physical therapy after a car accident, work injury, or lingering chronic pain.
Our doctors accept most insurance plans, including workers’ compensation, no-fault, and PIP (personal injury protection). Call us today to start your rehabilitation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does Physical Therapy Take?
Patients healing soft tissues are in physical therapy for an average of six to eight weeks. The timeline for physical therapy depends on several factors, including the patient’s injury or chronic pain, general health and wellness, and at-home exercises.
What Helps Shorten the Recovery Time for Injuries?
Patients can shorten the recovery time for injuries with physical therapy, a healthy diet, and daily exercises that don’t exacerbate pain.
How Do I Start Physical Therapy if I Have Chronic Pain?
If you want to start physical therapy to address chronic pain, the first step is discussing the pain with your primary healthcare provider. Your doctor can run preliminary tests and recommend you to a physical therapist.