September is Pain Awareness Month
We want to help you take control of your pain, chronic or acute. Over the next month, we will have a series of blogs that will teach you more about what is going on in your body and how physical therapy can help you "Tame the Beast".
What is Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain can be a debilitating condition, limiting your mobility and impacting your daily life. The CDC estimates that around 50 million Americans experience chronic pain, and 17 million have substantial reductions in activity because of pain. Beyond limiting activity or your ability to work, chronic pain has been linked to depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and substance abuse.
Chronic pain is complex. There’s no single intervention to treat it, but physical therapy should be part of the mix. Here’s why:
How PT Approaches Pain:
Physical therapist are movemetn experts who are trained to treat pain and improve quality of life through our hands-on care, education, and prescribed exercises. Physical Therapy often provides relief that’s just as effective as medication but without the potential side effects. PT's have been recommended as an alternative to addictive opiod medications. Here's a breakdown of how PT tackles pain and its effectiveness:
Identify the Root Cause: PT goes a step further than medication that masks pain. Therapists assess your posture, muscle strength, flexibility, and joint mechanics to pinpoint the source of your discomfort.
Address the Underlying Issues: Based on the evaluation, PT focuses on strengthening weak muscles that support your joints, improving flexibility for a better range of motion, and correcting any imbalances or postural problems that might contribute to pain.
Use A Multi-Faceted Approach: A PT treatment plan will be customized based on the evaluation. In addition to therapeutic exercise, a PT might use various techniques. Examples include:
- Movements and Exercise: Studies have found that those who exercise regularly will experience less pain. Your PT will help identify specific movements to reduce your symptoms.
- Graded Exposure: Emotions are often connected with pain. Often certain activities lead to pain and cause fear. Your PT will work with you to slowly and safely get you back to your previous activities and learn to move in ways that are pain free.
- Manual Therapy: PTs use massage, joint mobilization, and trigger point therapy to address muscle tension, improve circulation, and alleviate pain.
- Modalities: Techniques like ultrasound, heat therapy, or electrical stimulation can reduce inflammation, promote healing, and manage pain.
- Aquatic Therapy: A warm, therapeutic pool supports your body and joints while offering gentle resistance. This can often make it easier to start moving again after being in pain for an extended time.
Educate and Empower Patients: PTs equip you with the knowledge and tools to manage your pain independently. This might include learning a new exercise routine, how to modify activities, or how to modify your daily schedule when you’re feeling better (or worse) than normal.
It’s also becoming increasingly likely that you’ll learn how pain works. Research shows that combining pain education with physical therapy is an effective treatment.
If you're struggling with chronic pain, call your physical therapist. They might have the key that will unlock a pain-free life. If you are local in Virginia to the Falls Church, Arlington, or Annandale region, give us a call to set up your appointment!
References
2. The impact of combining pain education strategies with physical therapy interventions for patients with chronic pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 37:4, 461-472 DOI: 10.1080/09593985.2019.1633714
4. The Influence of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Pain, Quality of Life, and Depression in Patients Receiving Physical Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1016/j.pmrj.2018.09.029
About The Private Practice Section of the American Physical Therapy Association
Founded in 1956, the Private Practice Section of the American Physical Therapy Association champions the success of physical therapist-owned businesses. Our members are leaders and innovators in the healthcare system. The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) represents more than 85,000 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and physical therapy students nationwide. For more information, please visit www.ppsapta.org.
Author
Alana Hamilton
Alana Hamilton is a physical therapist at Advantage Physical Therapy in Falls Church, Virginia. She is a proud Hokie from Virginia Tech with a major in Biology and a minor in psychology and sociology. Following graduation, she immediately got her doctorate in Physical Therapy from Radford University. She is an avid fan of Pilates, running, and hiking. On the weekends, she can be found hanging out with her family and baby as well as doing Spartan races with her old physical therapy classmates and friends. She is a big believer that during rehabilitation, "Motion is the Lotion" and that staying active is key to remaining healthy.
