Fifty-million people in the United States suffer from chronic pain, according to a recent government estimate. This national epidemic is linked to several other maladies and quality of life issues.
A lack of mobility, opioid dependence, reduced quality of life, and depression can all be attributed to the long-term effects of chronic pain.
But many suffers have found that physiotherapy is the answer to treat pain all over the body. A physiotherapist is a trained medical professional who uses various techniques to help you carry out a variety of daily tasks. You’ll likely be referred by a doctor to a physiotherapist to manage pain or help with mobility or balance functions.
And while stretching and massage are typical ways that physiotherapists achieve results, these professionals also use several innovative techniques to ameliorate chronic pain.
In the following article, we’ll look at 3 innovative ways physiotherapists help pain sufferers and others.
Who Needs Physical Therapy?
Before we discuss these interesting pain-reducing techniques, let’s briefly discuss which injuries can benefit from physiotherapy.
Generally, people with an injury or inflammation to their joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons benefit the most from physical therapy.
Among the maladies that physical therapists treat are:
- Hip pain
- Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome
- Back tightness or stiffness
- Heel spurs
- Post-surgery recuperation
- Insertional pain
- Tennis elbow
- Jumper’s knee
- And painful shoulder
A physical therapist’s job is to address the root cause of your pain and discomfort.
1. Shockwave Therapy to Treat Pain
One of the most innovative technologies on how to treat shoulder pain or how to treat knee pain is shockwave therapy. In fact, it can be used for the entire host of maladies listed above.
Shockwave therapy uses a handheld device to send “acoustic pressure shockwaves” into the injured part of the body. This causes a microtrauma in the area’s soft tissue.
The microtrauma, in turn, forces the body to initiate a healing response in the pain-afflicted area, breaking down calcification and scar tissue. At first, the suffer will feel mild discomfort, but the pain and chronic pain subsides as the body heals after treatment.
2. Aerobic Training
Low-impact aerobic training has been around for almost as long as physiotherapy itself, but new exercises and techniques make this approach one of the most innovative and consistently effective ways to treat chronic pain.
The use of technologically advanced aerobic equipment like ellipticals, treadmills, stationary bikes, and cross-training machines has contributed to the prevalence of more variety in aerobic training in the physiotherapist setting.
3. Medical Laser Application
This technique is often called cold-laser therapy. This low-level laser therapy sends visible light radiation through the skin and onto the inflamed muscle or ligament tissues.
The light penetrates the skin without causing pain, but the injured area still absorbers the laser’s energy, sparking a photochemical reaction. This reaction leads to a rush of healing in the afflicted area.
Laser exposure may only last a few minutes at a time, but the sufferer may need to return for multiple treatments. If you are asking how to treat arthritis pain, then this is one of the more likely new technologies out there.
A Positive Mental State
As you inquire your physical therapist about these innovative ways to treat pain, keep your mental health in mind. Depression and anxiety is a major side effect of chronic pain.
Tell your doctor or your physical therapists about any feelings of depression or severe anxiety that you have. Talking to someone, even if it’s a friend or family member, about your feelings is a great way to keep your mental state and body on the path to recovery.
Are you interested in finding out more about shockwave therapy? Contact a customer representative now.