Physical Therapy
One non-narcotic pain management treatment we offer at Space City Pain Specialists is physical therapy. It may seem counterintuitive, but light exercise conducted under the supervision of a skilled physical therapist can help patients manage pain for the long-term. Unlike narcotics that mask extreme pain for a short period of time, physical therapy helps patients gradually build muscle mass, regain strength, and enjoy long-term relief from pain.
Physical Therapy: What to Expect
If your pain specialist recommends physical therapy, you’ll be partnered with a physical therapist who will guide you as you carry out a series of light exercises selected specifically to target the source of your chronic or injury-induced pain. Some exercises that you might expect to perform during physical therapy include:
- Planks
- Exercises to improve your posture
- Stretches
- Squats
Your physical therapist will serve as your personal trainer, so to speak. He or she will be there to demonstrate the exercises you’re assigned, make sure you’re using proper form and technique so you don’t injure or re-injure yourself, and motivate you to keep going even when you may feel like quitting. Physical therapy can be an incredibly helpful pain management tool – as long as you take your sessions seriously and put full effort into your exercise routine.
How Long Does Physical Therapy Last?
The number and length of your physical therapy sessions will depend on the severity of your pain and the cause of your pain. If you’re suffering from major pain in multiple areas of your body, you can expect a prolonged physical therapy regimen. Usually, the makeup of physical therapy sessions changes as patients progress.
Space City Pain Specialists treats serious pain problems with advanced therapeutic treatments designed to allow our patients to get back to doing what they love to do as soon as possible. Our pain specialists carefully monitor every aspect of patients’ physical therapy regimens.
Benefits of Physical Therapy
Even when the reason you’re participating in physical therapy is to alleviate extreme pain, you’ll also gain other benefits. Regular exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Physical therapy is a concentrated form of exercise designed to improve your severe pain and your health. Especially if you have avoided physical activity due to pain, you may find physical therapy difficult at first. Just keep reminding yourself that if you stick with it, you may be able to achieve relief from chronic pain without surgery or prescription drugs. Patients who do undergo surgery may also be assigned physical therapy to help them recover more quickly. Physical therapy also may eliminate the need for narcotic treatments, strengthens the body, improves balance and mobility, and boosts mood (exercise is a natural antidepressant.)
Post-Physical Therapy Follow-Up
Once patients have demonstrated significant improvements from sessions with their physical therapists, they may transition to at-home physical therapy. They’re given a schedule of at-home exercises to follow. This is much more convenient, but requires dedication! Physical therapy can help patients become stronger and pain-free. The more seriously patients take their exercise sessions, the better the results will be.
