Chronic Pain Relief

Curing Chronic Pains: Finding Relief with Physical Therapy

Are you experiencing chronic pain that’s keeping you from doing the things you love? If so, physical therapy can help.

Our bodies experience pain as a physical response to something harmful going on in our bodies. For example, if you accidentally touch a hot stove top, your immediate reaction is to pull your hand away. Your brain recognizes the pain that the hot stove top causes, sometimes even before you realize it yourself. The messages being sent back and forth between your brain and your hand understand that if your hand is kept on the hot stove for a prolonged amount of time, you will sustain a serious injury.

However, pain can sometimes occur for underlying reasons that we cannot control. Pain may linger for hours, days, weeks, months, or even years. Pain is considered chronic when it lasts for three months or longer. If you have been suffering from chronic pain and you are seeking relief, contact Grelot Physical Therapy today to consult with one of our licensed Mobile physical therapists. We will do all we can to get you back to doing the things you love again.

The difference between acute and chronic pain:

Acute pain can be defined as a temporary pain that usually goes away on its own within a few hours, days, or weeks. The example we used of touching the hot stove and then immediately pulling your hand away would be considered an example of acute pain due to the fact that the pain would likely subside shortly after your hand is pulled away. Another example of acute pain would be an accidental ankle sprain, as pain would likely last for a couple of weeks until it is healed.

Chronic pain can be defined as any pain that persists for three months or longer. It is the most common reason why people seek medical help, and there are a large number of reasons why it may occur. Additional symptoms commonly experienced with chronic pain include decreased mobility, depression, anxiety, prescription drug dependence, and an overall decline in quality of life. This can cause frustration and debilitating results; however, physical therapy can help alleviate your chronic pain.

Why am I experiencing chronic pain?

Chronic pain typically starts in the musculoskeletal system, which is comprised of your bones, muscles, joints, and connective tissues. However, recent understanding of chronic pain also includes the role of the brain and how it interprets – or misinterprets the different signals it gets from the peripheral body.  The pain seems to alter the neurons in the brain, making them hypersensitive to messages they receive from the body.

Some common conditions that may lead to chronic pain include:

• Osteoarthritis: The wear and tear of joints.
• Rheumatoid arthritis: From a disease process that attacks your joints.
• Injuries: Back and neck injuries are notorious for developing into chronic problems.
• Accidents: Work injuries and car accidents, as well as falls and lifting injuries, often cause sustained pain, long after the initial tissue damage should have healed
• Overuse Injuries:  These are conditions that develop when part of the body is used in excessive repetitive motions over a period of time.  Often overuse injuries occur when improper techniques are used, causing an abnormal strain on the affected body part. When this happens, your joints and muscles can become damaged, resulting in chronic pain.
• Fibromyalgia.  A condition that results in widespread pain in muscles and bones, severe tenderness to palpation and feeling of fatigue and “fibro fog” (difficulties focusing and thinking clearly).
• Surgical trauma. Post-surgical pain may linger on for weeks, months or even years.
• Disease. There are a large variety of diseases that can lead to chronic pain, including multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, neuropathy, arthritis, diabetes, and cancer. The chronic pain experienced from these conditions can range from dull to severe, but it can be managed or even alleviated completely with physical therapy.

How can I find relief with physical therapy?

Fortunately, physical therapy can be very helpful in dealing with chronic pain.  It is safe and often times can reduce or even eliminate the needs for pain medications such as opioids. 

Physical therapists are movement experts, and the dedicated staff at our Mobile physical therapy office is equipped in both diagnosing and treating chronic pain conditions. Our physical therapists will examine the affected area(s) of your body in order to gauge any imbalances, weaknesses, or limited ranges of motion.  They will also educate you on the possible mechanism of the pain and the role that your brain plays in delaying or stalling your recovery. By doing this, our physical therapist can determine what the best course of treatment will be for your specific needs.

Many treatment plans for chronic pain will include some form of manual therapy, in order to alleviate pain, increase mobility, and decrease scar tissue. It will also include targeted exercises and stretches, in order to improve your flexibility, strength and balance, and overall agility. Finally, and maybe most importantly, we will offer you support and encouragement along with education on how to manage your program after therapy is over. 

If you are looking for chronic pain relief, contact Grelot Physical Therapy today to schedule your initial appointment. We can help get you started on the right track toward long-lasting pain relief!