Nobody likes to be in pain, especially pain that just won’t quit. Physical therapists in NJ often work with people who are experiencing pain, either as a side effect, or as a primary concern. Today, we’ll discuss those people whose biggest problem is the pain itself. Physical therapy can be an important part of your pain management toolkit.
Reduce the Risk of Addiction (And Think More Clearly)
One of the biggest reasons why more doctors are suggesting physical therapy for pain relief is the new push away from opioid medications. These pose an addiction and dependence risk, even when taken as prescribed, and many users report some “medicine brain” after taking them. What’s worse? As your body processes pain medicine, it stops working, which means you have to take more and more to control the pain. Using alternative methods of pain management, such as physical therapy, can reduce the need for pain medications, reducing your risk of addiction and potentially clearing up some of that brain fog.
Expand Your Range of Motion with Physical Therapy in Bergen County
When you are in pain, movement is hard. You may find that you don’t feel as energetic as usual, that you don’t get out as much, and that you’ve put on some weight—even if your injury isn’t completely keeping you from activity, the pain is! When you visit physical therapy in Bergen County, we work to get you moving! This may involve exercises and activities for the injured area, such as stretches to relieve back pain or to improve leg mobility, or may be more “conditioning” activities that get your heart pumping and blood flowing with other activity. Physical activity boosts mood, improves overall health, and can even reduce pain. When you do it with a trained physical therapist in NJ, you know that your exercises will always be safe.
Train Your Brain To Live With Pain
Is pain in the body, or the brain? That’s like trying to decide if a bad cell phone connection is on your end, or the caller’s. Sometimes, it’s both! For many people with chronic pain, the original site of injury has healed, but the brain is still sending out pain signals. Part of re-training your brain and body to work together is to continue to move and be active, even if there is pain. Your physical therapist can work with you to differentiate between important warning signs and “misfires,” increasing your confidence and ability.
No two cases of chronic pain are the same, and no two courses of physical therapy services in NJ will look the same. If you’ve suffered an injury or illness and struggle with changes in mobility or ongoing pain, talk to your medical team about adding physical therapy to your recovery!