How Physical Therapy Can Help Manage Chronic Pain

Chronic pain can be absolutely debilitating and change a person’s overall quality of life. Whether you are living with back, neck, knee, or some other type of pain, it may seem as though there is no light at the end of the tunnel. However, both physical and aquatics therapy have been proven to help those suffering from chronic pain get their life back. While the last thing most of us want to do when in pain is move, that is exactly what you should be doing, in some cases. Physical therapy can be an impactful part of pain management, as long as it is done right and with the help of a knowledgeable and experienced physical therapist. Chronic pain can make you want to curl up into a ball and hide under the covers for the foreseeable future, but what your body actually needs is quite the opposite. Even though doing exercise of any kind may sound like absolute torture, it can be one of the best pain management options out there.

Physical therapy can be quite effective when treating a wide range of chronic musculoskeletal and neuropathic types of pain. When you work with a physical therapist, a personalized treatment plan will be developed based on your specific body and needs. This is one of the main reasons why physical therapy is such a wonderful pain management tool. When used as the first line of treatment, physical therapy can actually prevent patients from needing surgery, which is a huge relief in many instances. Today physical and aquatics therapy are perhaps the most mainstream of all non-surgical treatments for many types of chronic pain, including both back and neck pain.

Let’s now look at a few steps that will help you get relief from chronic pain with physical therapy:

• Find the right treatment and help for your specific needs. Every body is different, which means individuals will likely require different treatment modalities. When it comes to chronic pain management, it is important to find the right type of help for you. We encourage you to meet with one of our physical therapists and aquatics therapists to go over the issues you are experiencing. In doing so, we will be able to come up with a customized treatment plan that is specific to your needs and body.
• Address any acute pain first. While it is true that you should exercise in order to get rid of chronic pain, it is important that any acute pain is alleviated before you do so. This can be done through aquatics therapy, heat and/or cold therapy, massage, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, or manual manipulation. If you aren’t sure where to start, please feel free to contact our Bedford physical therapy clinic today.
• Pace yourself. When it comes to managing chronic pain, it is important that you set goals but not expectations. Depending on the type of pain you are living with and how long you have been in pain, it may take weeks, months, or longer for you to notice relief. Pace yourself, be patient, and remember that we have your best interests in mind and will do everything we can to help you recover.

If you are living with chronic pain and aren’t sure where to start, consider contacting Classic Rehab and speaking to one of our talented Arlington physical therapists. We know how daunting it can be not only live with chronic pain, but figure out a way to achieve relief. We are happy to answer any questions you may have and get started with you today.