Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Often, when you think of physical therapy, you may think "Oh, I see them when I sprain my ankle or after I had knee surgery." But physical therapists also work with people suffering from chronic pain. Chronic pain can be very limiting and debilitating to people who would like to live "normal" lives. You may think you just have to live with it or take medication.
When chronic pain keeps you from doing what you would like to do-travel, work, play with your kids, workout, etc., it can also lead to weight gain and other secondary health problems including cardiovascular issues, diabetes or arthritis, which can also lead to feeling depressed. A physical therapist can work with you and your primary doctor or pain specialist to decrease your chronic pain, which can allow you to enjoy moving again and live a more fulfilling life. Physical therapists will assess your movements and impairments contributing to your pain and use hands-on manual therapy skills to help correct issues contributing to your pain. They are also specially trained to help modify activities for you to perform safely and with decreased pain.
After months or years of pain, the pathway between our brain and the painful area becomes wired differently and your brain continues to communicate "pain" to that area, sometimes even after surgery to correct the problem that was "fixed"! That area may have become sensitized by your highly complex nervous system. Physical therapists can help decrease the sensitivity to that painful area by your nervous system with gentle manual therapy and desensitization techniques. As the pain decreases and people are able to move more easily, they are able to return a healthier lifestyle regimen and are able to break the vicious cycle chronic pain can create.
People with chronic pain should consider physical therapy treatment with their doctor and call to set up an appointment at Northern Rehab Physical Therapy Specialists. Northern Rehab has four locations in DeKalb, Rochelle, and Genoa. Please contact 815.756.8524 to schedule an appointment or for more information.
Should I ask my doctor to refer me if I think I may need therapy?
Definitely. When you have a problem you think may be helped by physical therapy ask your doctor or give us a call and we will help you to determine if this is a problem that may be helped by physical therapy.
freedom to move
Your Right to Choose
The decision of where you go to receive treatment is
yours. If you have a specific therapist or practice you
would like to go to, you should let your doctor or
insurance company know this. Not all physical
therapists or practices are the same and the choice
of your provider is yours.
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