Chronic Pain Doesn’t Have to Define Your Life – Physical Therapy Can Help
Relieve Your Chronic Pains and Reclaim Your Life Today
Do you have a chronic condition that’s limiting your ability to live life comfortably? If so, physical therapy is the answer for you. At Austin Manual Therapy Associates, our advanced methods of treatment can help you find relief as quickly as possible.
Pain doesn’t always disappear on its own. For some underlying conditions, pain can linger for days, weeks, or even months. Pain is considered chronic when it persists for three months or longer.
If you have been living with pain you can’t seem to shake, don’t hesitate to request an appointment at our Austin, TX physical therapy office today. We’ll get you set up with a treatment plan that will manage your chronic pain the right way.
Understanding the difference between acute and chronic pain
Acute pain can be defined as pain that goes away on its own in a few hours, days, or weeks. The example of a minor ankle sprain would be considered acute pain, as the pain will subside shortly within a few days.
Chronic pain is a constant discomfort that lasts for 3-6 months or longer. There are several reasons why people may experience chronic pain, and it is the most common reason for seeking medical help. It can greatly hinder your quality of life by limiting your mobility, creating a dependence on prescription drugs, or even causing anxiety and depression.
However, this can all be avoided with the help of physical therapy.
So, what’s causing my chronic pain?
Most cases of chronic pain stem from a neurophysiological origin. Chronic injury, illness, anxiety, and feeling depressed are intertwined in a complicated web, which leads your neurological system to always be on high alert.
Chronic pain can appear in the form of back pain, joint pain, nerve pain, or headaches. It most commonly occurs due to one of the following causes:
Overuse Injuries
Overuse injuries are very common, and they can occur in any part of the body that is used repetitively in your day-to-day life. For example, the way you stand, walk, work, and exercise can all take a toll on your body. It results in overuse injuries if you are not using proper techniques. This can result in damage to your joints and muscles, thus causing chronic pain. For example, if you perform heavy lifting at work many times a day, with improper techniques, this can lead to chronic back pain. Physical therapy can help you learn how to properly move your body in your everyday life, in order to avoid these issues.
Disease
There are many diseases that can lead to chronic pain, including arthritis, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, shingles, neuropathy as a result of diabetes, and more. These can all result in chronic pain, which can be alleviated through physical therapy treatments in Austin, TX.
Surgery
Surgical procedures are sometimes unavoidable. While they may be necessary for alleviating certain conditions you are facing, the recovery period can be just as painful. Surgical repair of an area of the body is enough to correct a structural problem, but we often compensate in our movement for the pain we experience. Weeks, months, or even years of compensatory movement often causes additional pain after surgery if the movement is not corrected. Physical therapy offers post-surgical rehabilitation services that can help speed up recovery time, relieve pain, and reduce the risk of chronic pain in the future.
Accidents
Any accident can lead to chronic pain, whether it occurs in an automobile, workplace, or even in your own home. According to a 2016 statistic found by OSHA, workplace injuries happen to approximately 2.9 out of every 100 employees. Additionally, a study published in a journal called Pain determined that 21% of people involved in motor vehicle accidents develop chronic widespread pain in the weeks following their accident. This pain does not go away on its own, but seeking the help of a Austin, TX physical therapist can help alleviate it.
How can physical therapy help my chronic pain?
Our physical therapists are highly-trained movement experts who diagnose physical problems and treat underlying structural causes surrounding those problems. If your condition is posing limitations to your life, our Austin, TX physical therapists can assess the best ways to manage those. One of the main goals of physical therapy is pain relief, and discovering the root cause of the pain to treat it, rather than mask symptoms with medication.
At Austin Manual Therapy Associates, we perform physical evaluations to analyze weak areas of the body, focus on places with limited range of motion, and look for any imbalances in gait or standing. All of this helps to identify the underlying causes of your chronic pain.
Once the evaluation is complete, our physical therapist will create a treatment plan unique to your specific needs. Your treatment plan will incorporate in-clinic treatments, as well as an at-home program to ensure that you are remaining healthy and active at all times.
Treatment plans will likely also include specialized, soothing manual therapy techniques to help restore soft tissue and joint movement, pain-relieving modalities, and gentle targeted exercises to improve your strength.
Get started on a treatment plan today
Are you ready to take your life back? If so, request an appointment with Austin Manual Therapy Associates in Austin, TX today. We’ll help you beat your chronic pain so you can get back to living life comfortably.