How Physical Therapy Can Help with Chronic Pain

By: Ashley Kenny, PT, DPT

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Pain is a part of life and, even though it may not seem like it, it can be a good thing. For example, if you accidentally touch a hot stove, you feel pain as our brain’s defense mechanism tells you to take your hand off before you get burned. Unfortunately, pain can stick around for longer than it’s useful. Chronic pain is typically defined as pain that lasts three to six months or longer and can take a toll on our physical and mental health.

Pain can be caused by a threat to our body such as a fracture or a muscle strain. However, pain can also be caused by a perceived threat to our body. Our brain can learn from past experiences and comes to expect pain even if there is no threat or harm. Oftentimes, we can start to compensate for the pain with poor body mechanics, which can cause even more pain in different areas leading to quite a vicious cycle. Luckily, physical therapists are specially trained to assess and treat pain and function to help you break that cycle.

In physical therapy, your therapist can help address some of the complexities of chronic pain. Treatment can involve various approaches depending on your unique situation, including strengthening or stretching exercises, brain games to help your body better understand pain, and much more. Physical therapists are also experts at busting pain myths. For example, did you know that:

  • There are no “pain nerves” in your body.
  • Your brain has a map of your body that can get “smudged” with chronic pain.
  • Poor sleep can increase the pain you experience the next day.
  • Smoking can increase your pain levels over time.
  • 40% of people without pain already have a disc herniation, commonly known as a slipped or bulging disc.

Chronic pain can be a scary and confusing experience. The good news is that you can make improvements with the help of your physical therapist. To learn more about how we can help with your chronic pain, visit https://shelteringarmsinstitute.com/conditions-and-services/chronic-pain-therapy/.

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