When most people think about physical therapy, they think about recovery from an injury or surgery like a broken leg or knee replacement. However, physical therapy can be effective in treating a condition more than three million Americans live with every day: chronic pain.
鈥淧hysical therapy is such an important part of treating chronic pain,鈥 says Tamara Dangerfield, MPT, a physical therapist at 香蕉视频 of Utah Health. 鈥淭he more we learn about it, the more we realize that movement is a critical part of retraining pain pathways.鈥
With practice, movement-based therapies become more and more effective for pain control. The side effects of exercise include improved mood, blood pressure, weight control, bone density, endurance, strength, and sleep.
The mind and the body
Pain relief through physical therapy is based on the knowledge that pain is the brain鈥檚 interpretation of the signals it receives from all structures in the body. Those signals can be altered by the body鈥檚 own protective mechanisms.
鈥淢any people do not realize that the nerves and blood vessels travel through muscle and fascia tissue,鈥 Dangerfield explains. 鈥淧oor movement of these tissues can influence pain and nerve signals anywhere in the body.鈥
Physical therapists like Dangerfield work to restore the balance of coordination, flexibility, and strength so that movement, blood, and nerve flow are not hindered.
Unlike other methods of reducing pain, physical therapy aims to improve pain control for the long run. This is why it鈥檚 perfect for patients who want to avoid taking opioid painkillers, which are often thought of as a long-term solution.
鈥淥pioids are only effective at treating pain for short periods of time,鈥 Dangerfield says. 鈥淏ut with chronic pain, they become less and less effective and have large risks and side effects."
"Taking a pill may seem like a great option for people when they hurt and just want the pain to go away. But they can cause a lot of problems and actually make people more sensitive to pain over time.鈥
Receiving Help Through Physical Therapy
Physical therapy encompasses a variety of treatments, which means patients who do not respond to one method may find relief in another.
In addition to restorative exercises and education, interventions may include:
- Myofascial release: The use of hands-on pressure to restore normal movement to muscle and fascia.
- Joint mobilization: The use of hands-on pressure to restore normal movement to joints.
- Dry needling: The insertion of a very small, flexible needle into myofascial tissue to restore normal movement.
- Electrical stimulation: The use of an electrical impulse to interrupt pain signals.
鈥淛ust because something doesn't work the first time鈥攐r even if it worsens pain鈥攖hat doesn鈥檛 mean that a person has failed physical therapy,鈥 Dangerfield says. 鈥淭here are infinite possibilities to modify a person鈥檚 program to keep it comfortable and allow them to keep making progress.鈥