Resolving Aches and Pains Before They Become Severe
Do you think your aches and pains are too mild to be anything that needs therapy? Are you putting off getting the help you need because you feel your condition is just a normal part of getting older? Our physical therapists will resolve your aches and pains at Progressive Rehabilitation Associates before they take over your life!
Pain is a complex topic that confuses a lot of people. Pain is often thought of as an alarm that needs to be listened to, but too often, people pay attention to the intensity of their pain, which is not always the most reliable alarm.
Too often, people use just the intensity of pain to decide whether or not to seek help. There are several other, more objective, and reliable ways to identify the severity of the condition and whether or not help is needed.
Identifying the underlying reason for your aches and pain is where our physical therapists excel. We understand how to identify and interpret the clues your body is giving to choose the most effective pathway for resolution. We encourage everyone to be assessed sooner than later at Progressive Rehabilitation Associates.
Request an appointment today with one of our pain specialists, and let us help resolve your issues once and for all!
What do the clues your body is giving you mean?
Physical therapists are considered experts in musculoskeletal evaluation and treatments in healthcare. This means we specialize in identifying the source of pain and/or injuries to muscles, tendons, cartilage, ligaments, nerves, and bones. We are skilled at helping to clarify the body’s messages and use these clues to identify the most efficient and effective way to resolve your condition(s) thoroughly.
One of the most apparent clues our body gives us is pain. Pain is our body’s way of alerting us to a potential problem or an actual problem. Unfortunately, pain is not always straightforward.
Pain is often divided into two main categories, acute and chronic.
Acute pain: This type of pain begins suddenly and is typically sharp in quality. Acute pain might be caused by many different events or circumstances, like surgical pain or a specific traumatic event like falling and breaking a bone, getting in an accident, or rolling your ankle while playing sports.
Too often, people wait far too long to seek help, hoping it will go away. But the normal healing cycle is typically completed in weeks, so pain that has persisted for months needs to be addressed.
Although the physiologic impulse is similar in most people, interpreting what those impulses mean varies greatly. How we describe this impulse and what that description means are very different. In other words, the nerve sending an impulse in the body is identical among all humans.
In addition, multiple studies have shown that pain intensity is affected by emotions, psychological states, nutrition, sleep (or lack of sleep), culture, and many other factors. For one person, their tolerance to pain is high, and for the other, it is low.
The duration of pain is a more reliable way to identify if the condition warrants an assessment and possibly treatment. Pain that comes and goes and is only present occasionally is not as big of an issue as pain that persists and/or lasts longer than a few days or a couple of weeks.
Chronic Pain: This type of pain lasts beyond the expected recovery period and/or occurs with a chronic health condition (i.e., fibromyalgia, arthritis, etc.). Some people describe their pain as constant, but in reality, most people experience cyclical pain (i.e., hills and valleys).
If you have had pain for more than 10-14 days and/or the pain worsens, it is crucial to get evaluated sooner rather than later. Although pain helps narrow down the tissue(s) involved, several other clues can help direct interventions for healing and recovery.
The other signs and symptoms that need to have an evaluation sooner than later include:
- New and/or persistent swelling
- Regression of function (loss or difficulty with activity and/or mobility previously performed)
- Loss of motion in a joint
- Weakness (new or worsening)
- Limping or inability to bear weight
- New or persistent sleep disturbance related to injury/condition
As physical therapists, we understand the clues the body is telling us and use this information to identify the severity of the condition and how long it will likely take to resolve fully. Waiting to see or hoping it goes away can complicate things and make a small problem become bigger and/or several different problems.
Our goal at Progressive Rehabilitation Associates is to help improve your aches and pain to do what you love without limits!
What to expect at your physical therapy sessions
Understanding the messages your body tells you is essential to ensure optimal recovery. We can help interpret them for you and guide you back to health! Physical therapy should start immediately following most injuries to ensure the fastest recovery possible.
We will start with an injury evaluation and a comprehensive assessment to identify all the factors contributing to your condition. This will consist of a thorough history to understand the type of symptoms you have been experiencing and any previous injuries or pains that affected your health and function.
Our physical therapists will interpret this information to identify the source of your problems and develop a therapeutic program to resolve them. These treatments will include targeted manual techniques, mobility work, strengthening, and other strategies for the fastest possible recovery.
At Progressive Rehabilitation Associates, our team will work with you from start to finish. We can help interpret the clues your body is giving and guide you on resolving your condition once and for all!
Request an appointment today!
At Progressive Rehabilitation Associates, our physical therapists are experts at treating all musculoskeletal-related injuries. We have successfully interpreted the clues your body gives and guided your back to health and well-being!
Call today to request an appointment with one of our specialists, and find the relief you have been looking for!