There are treatment options if you’re one of the millions diagnosed with chronic joint pain, causing your joints to become rigid and painful. Chronic joint pain can make you feel insecure. It can make you feel like you must stop doing what you enjoy. Chronic pain can even make self-reliance challenging because of your pain level.
Physical Therapy Treatments for Chronic Joint Pain
Physical therapy has proven to be effective in treating chronic pain. It’s also one of the safest options for treatment. Many physicians opt for physical therapy before medication or surgery when treating pain. The CDC considers physical therapy one of the most prevalent care options for people who have had joint replacements. Physical therapists provide services that target the underlying cause of your pain. The pain you’re experiencing might be caused by weak muscles or loss of mobility. Not only can they treat your pain, but they can also help you move better.
Physical therapists are just as qualified to treat chronic pain as other physicians. Their training focuses on examining, diagnosing, and treating musculoskeletal conditions. Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, sports injuries, and bursitis are only a few of the conditions they’re trained to treat. The primary treatments your physical therapist uses are:
- Manual therapy: Instead of surgery or medication, your physical therapist might use electrical stimulation, dry needling, diathermy, temperature therapy, or Kinesiotaping. Your therapist is trained to teach you how to perform some of these therapies at home. They can teach you massage techniques to ease tense or painful muscles.
- Explaining joint pain: How you view your pain can influence how much pain you feel and how it affects you. If you understand why you’re in pain, you can address and modify how you react to it. Your physical therapist can help you treat the psychological aspect of treating joint pain.
- Increasing mobility: Your physical therapist is your primary resource when treating mobility-related conditions. They can help you learn how to move more efficiently by recommending rest periods and breaks. They can even suggest modifications to your home with grab bars that help alleviate the strain on your joints. There are ways to move that will help alleviate pain, and your physical therapist can teach you those methods.
- Therapeutic exercises: Exercise can also help you become more robust, flexible, and balanced. Increasing your ability to exercise will help you become more mobile. If you’re not exercising enough, your risk of chronic pain increases. Your physical therapist can teach you to target your mobility issues to reduce joint pain, inflammation, and stiffness. By performing these exercises, your mobility will increase, and you’ll be able to exercise more.
- Medical Consultation: Your physical therapist will consult with your physician to tailor your treatment plan to your needs. Consulting with your medical team lets you know when you can return to work or sports.
Consulting with Dearborn & Associates for Chronic Pain Treatment
Now that you know what a physical therapist can do, it’s time to treat your chronic pain. Physical therapy is an excellent method of treating pain without medications or surgery, and Dearborn & Associates is here to help you become more mobile. Call us at <phone number> to schedule an appointment with our physical therapists.
