Surgery May Make Your Pain Worse. Try Physical Therapy Instead
Do you suffer from constant aches and pains for reasons you just can’t put your finger on that cause you to feel the need to turn down fun plans and opportunities? Have you gotten used to feeling a spasm here or there, but summed it up to getting older? Dealing with a chronic pain problem can really suck the fun out of aging.
Maybe you’ve delayed seeking medical treatment for your problem because you’re afraid of one particular solution: surgery. You have no reason to worry because there’s another option! Physical therapy could make surgery unnecessary for you. Just contact MMA & Sports Rehab to find out more about the non-invasive world of conservative pain management!
Chronic pain defined
If you’ve ever felt pain after being in a car accident or sustaining a work-related injury, you most likely weren’t surprised. After all, acute pain is part of the healing process…to an extent.
Chronic pain is different from acute pain. Unlike acute pain, it offers no reassurance of dissipating once you’ve healed. This type of pain is ongoing and lasts longer than 3 months. It may even last a lifetime if the underlying cause is unable to be cured. The pain could appear and disappear unexpectedly, or it might be a continuous issue. Mild annoyance or debilitating problem – chronic pain isn’t fun for anyone.
If you’re saying no to doing things you want to do or find yourself facing movement restrictions where you used to be flexible and limber, chances are you have a chronic pain problem on your hands and you need to seek help for it, ASAP.
Causes of chronic pain
Chronic pain doesn’t happen overnight, although it may feel like you woke up one day and things were never the same. Chronic pain forms over time and can be brought about as an effect of an illness or an injury that never healed correctly. Take, for example, an internal soft tissue injury might form lumps of scar tissue that make it painful for you to move.
Chronic aches and pains can also be caused by the following issues:
- Musculoskeletal imbalances or weaknesses
- Sports-related injuries that healed improperly
- Herniated/bulging discs that pinched spinal nerve roots or your spinal cord
- Osteoarthritis, a degenerative condition causing joints to become painfully inflamed
- Exertion of specific tissues, causing them to experience strain and constant inflammation
- Trigger points, which are tight muscle knots that can spasm and refer pain to various parts of the body
- Systemic problems, such as fibromyalgia
You might face movement limitations and find yourself unable to walk around comfortably and freely. The same goes for performing simple everyday tasks or getting a restful night’s sleep. Some chronic pain conditions like sciatica may actually trick you into thinking that they’ve disappeared, only to come back over and over.
Your entire life can be impacted and limited by chronic pain. However, you’re not alone in your struggle! Did you know that almost 116 million Americans suffer from chronic pain? It’s true. Thankfully, there are multiple helpful solutions to managing this issue.
Could physical therapy make your pain disappear?
Over-the-counter medication only provides temporary relief from chronic aches and pains. The crazy thing is, this is one of the most common solutions people turn to when they’re hurting because these medications work so quickly to block the perception of pain. There’s a catch though: over-the-counter prescription medications only mask the pain. They don’t actually relieve it.
One might assume that the only true, long-term option for pain relief is expensive surgery. However, surgeries that fuse joints or remove pieces of vertebral discs can actually do you more harm than good, and you should also take into account the time it’ll take you to recover! This is where physical therapy comes in.
Physical therapy is a safe, effective, non-invasive, drug-free answer. Physical therapists can decrease and control your chronic aches and pains in the following ways.
- Ultrasound therapy to block pain signals and promote healing
- Loosening tight muscles with heat therapy
- Increasing your flexibility with stretching exercises
- Teaching you exercises that target specific joints or muscles
- Massage therapy, which will loosen/break down adhesions and trigger points while calming inflamed tissues
- Prescribing strengthening exercises to help your body support itself more easily
- Reducing swelling and inflammatory pain with cold therapy
You have nothing to fear when it comes to allowing a trained movement specialist to take your condition into their hands. Physical therapists know how to find and target the source of your chronic pain, relieve symptoms, help you manage recurring ones, and also teach you how to avoid injuring yourself in the future. So what are you waiting for?
Let a physical therapist work their magic…
Are you sick of letting chronic pain dictate your day? Then it’s time to say “No more!” You deserve to achieve the comfortable life you seek without spending thousands on surgery. Call MMA & Sports Rehab to schedule your consultation with one of our therapists and receive a personalized treatment program!