Pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical treatment and is something we have all dealt with or will deal with at some point in our lives. National surveys have found that chronic pain—which is most commonly defined as pain lasting longer than 3 months—is a major health issue that affects approximately 100 million American adults and costs around $635 billion a year.
Dealing with chronic pain can make us feel frustrated, depressed, and just plain “broken” and the obvious thing we all want the most is to get rid of the pain as fast as possible. However, with so many options out there in the medical world, and the cost of healthcare only increasing, the question becomes which By Timothy Brown, PT, DPT method is the most effective and provides the greatest value? For many, medication is the first option to which people turn, whether it be something that can be picked up at a local pharmacy or something that is prescribed by a doctor.
Why? It provides fast pain relief and is readily available. However, in most instances, the pain relief is only temporary and the source of the pain is never really addressed but only masked for a short period of time. Aside from offering only temporary relief, the risks and side-effects associated with pain medications can be just as bad, if not worse, than the symptoms they are meant to alleviate, with chronic use increasing the risk of secondary problems such as GI distress, internal organ stress, and addiction or dependency issues.
This isn’t to say that pain medication doesn’t have its uses, but limiting our exposure to this kind of temporary pain relief and seeking out alternative methods of treatment that have less risk and more permanent results may be an effective and, ultimately, more optimal solution. Physical Therapy is largely regarded as one of the top alternatives for pain relief, being recognized in 2016 by the CDC as an alternative form of pain relief over prescription painkillers³.
The physical therapists at Excel Physical Therapy are experts in human movement, with their expertise resulting from their exposure to extensive education through accredited doctoral programs, challenging clinical experience, and use of the latest research-based medical literature. They are able to combine all of this to thoroughly assess and treat people of all ages and abilities in order to provide long term pain relief to their patients while restoring their functional movement and quality of life. This includes, but is not limited to, a wide variety of orthopedic ailments including low back pain, neck pain, knee pain, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and shoulder pain.
Excel Physical Therapy also offers treatment options with PT’s specializing in Pelvic Health and Vestibular/Post-Concussion Therapy to create a wide pallet of treatment options for all sorts of different needs. Excel Physical Therapy takes a patient-centered approach that is designed around a heavy focus on hands-on techniques and direct interaction between the patient and the PT, with no interference from aides or Physical Therapy Assistants.
If you are a person who feels limited by pain and is looking for a longer-lasting and healthier form of pain relief, please don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment at one of our many clinics located for a one-on-one evaluation.
Visit us to get control over your pain and your life!
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