The Benefits of Physical Therapy for Pain Management
Start your journey to a more comfortable and pain-free life. Call Quantum Physical Therapy & Chiropractic Care today! Whether chronic or from a recent injury, pain can make your daily life a challenge. While pain medications may relieve some immediate issues, they come with side effects and may not be a viable long-term solution. Physical therapy is a safe and effective solution for pain management that has helped numerous patients live a more comfortable life. The physical therapy benefits for many patients include reduced pain, stronger muscles, and less chance of reliance on prescription pain medication. If you have chronic pain or are dealing with a recent injury, contact Quantum Physical Therapy & Chiropractic Care. Call today to schedule physical therapy services, as same-day appointments may be available. Physical Therapy Pain Management If you’ve recently suffered and are recovering from an injury, your healthcare provider may recommend physical therapy. However, even without a recent injury, you may be struggling with lasting pain that you haven’t addressed. In fact, over 50 million adults in the United States report dealing with some type of chronic pain on a daily or near-daily basis. While people often turn to physical therapy following an injury, many Americans choose prescribed medications to ease chronic pain. While some medications are effective in the short term, they offer little long-term relief and can result in misuse. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 21%-29% of patients misuse the opioids that their healthcare providers prescribe for chronic pain. As a rehabilitative treatment, physical therapy eliminates the use of drugs in favor of specialized equipment and movement exercises. According to research by the Health Research and Educational Trust, patients who sought physical therapy early were 89% less likely to receive an opioid prescription. Physical therapy pain management techniques focus on several goals, such as: Further, physical therapy is effective for numerous types of pain. Talk to your doctor about beginning physical therapy if you’re suffering from an injury or chronic condition, such as: Benefits of Physical Therapy There are many benefits of physical therapy. Physical therapy aims to relieve pain and strengthen the body and mind in a safe and effective way. Noninvasive Physical therapy is noninvasive and requires no surgery or injections. Your physical therapist will work to diagnose and address your pain in the most natural way possible. Drug-Free Prescribed medications can come with potential dangers and long-term ineffectiveness. One of the most significant physical therapy benefits is that it’s drug-free. Rather than relying on pharmaceuticals to relieve short-term pain, physical therapists use techniques that address underlying causes of pain. Personalized Experience Each patient has different pain responses to treatment methods. Therefore, it’s essential to have an individual treatment plan based on different factors like the patient’s needs, body, and even daily schedule. Physical therapy is a personalized experience in which therapists find the most effective way to relieve pain and strengthen the body. Always Changing Along with being a personalized experience, physical therapy is always changing. That means that you won’t do the same exercises and treatments during each visit. Physical therapy is more effective when its techniques are updated according to the patient’s progress. Addresses Chronic Pain Physical therapy aims to address the source of chronic pain. It aims to heal and relieve from the inside out rather than mask pain from the outside in. This can be beneficial for a wide variety of physical issues. Promotes Healing One of the most important physical therapy benefits is that it goes beyond pain management and actually seeks to promote full healing. Instead of finding an exterior way to deal with the pain, physical therapists work with patients to find the source and aim to eliminate the pain at the source. Helps Improve Mobility and Strength The unique exercises and motion involved with physical therapy teach the patient how to move and stretch without feeling pain. These movements help improve mobility and flexibility, making the patient more agile and decreasing any other pain associated with physical movement. Physical therapy techniques can also improve the patient’s strength. In healing the area of the body that caused the pain, physical therapists aim to strengthen it simultaneously. Physical therapists can even offer therapeutic exercises to try at home that increase mental strength and the patient’s confidence in their body movement. Reduces the Risk of Future Injury Patients who suffer from musculoskeletal injuries are more likely to suffer another injury in the future. To decrease the risk of future injuries, physical therapists help heal and build strength in the surrounding muscles. Contact Your Trusted Physical Therapist in New York If you want to experience the physical therapy benefits for pain management, contact your Quantum Physical Therapy & Chiropractic Care. We can craft a treatment plan for your situation, such as physical therapy after a car accident, work injury, or lingering chronic pain. Our doctors accept most insurance plans, including workers’ compensation, no-fault, and PIP (personal injury protection). Call us today to start your rehabilitation. Frequently Asked Questions How Long Does Physical Therapy Take? Patients healing soft tissues are in physical therapy for an average of six to eight weeks. The timeline for physical therapy depends on several factors, including the patient’s injury or chronic pain, general health and wellness, and at-home exercises. What Helps Shorten the Recovery Time for Injuries? Patients can shorten the recovery time for injuries with physical therapy, a healthy diet, and daily exercises that don’t exacerbate pain. How Do I Start Physical Therapy if I Have Chronic Pain? If you want to start physical therapy to address chronic pain, the first step is discussing the pain with your primary healthcare provider. Your doctor can run preliminary tests and recommend you to a physical therapist.
5 Reasons to Undergo Physical Therapy After a Car Accident
Recover your strength and restore your comfortable daily life. Call (516) 469-3607 today to learn more about the benefits of physical therapy after car accidents. Car accidents are tragic incidents that have affected most Americans in some way. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were, on average, over 6 million police-reported car accidents each year from 2010 to 2020. For those fortunate enough to survive the crashes, recovery can be a long road. Auto accidents can result in immediate injuries and long-lasting chronic pain. While some turn to prescribed pharmaceuticals to heal their bodies and ease the pain, medication is typically a poor long-term solution that can result in opioid abuse. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that 21% to 29% of patients misuse physician-prescribed opioids for chronic pain. For various reasons, of which we’ll cover five of the most essential, physical therapy after a car accident is the wiser, healthier, and more effective path. If you want to heal your injury or chronic pain, contact our medical professionals at Quantum Physical Therapy & Chiropractic Care today. As your trusted physical therapist in New York, our doctors accept most insurance plans, including workers’ compensation, no-fault, and PIP (personal injury protection), and same-day appointments may be available. What to Know About Auto Accident Physical Therapy Auto accidents can result in numerous types of injuries and chronic pain. Physical therapists work to create personalized treatment plans for patients to diagnose and address the source of the injury and pain. Some common injuries and chronic conditions that auto accident physical therapy can help treat include: Auto accident physical therapy aims to provide comprehensive treatment for patients’ physical problems. It is an all-encompassing and ever-changing healing process with goals that include decreasing pain and inflammation, improving strength and range of motion, and restoring balance. Physical therapy assists patients in returning to their daily activities without constant pain and discomfort. Patients experience better work and home life as a result of physical therapy, making it the ideal option following car accidents. Why Choose Car Accident Physical Therapy? There are numerous reasons to undergo physical therapy after a car accident. Along with it being a safe and drug-free treatment method, it is also highly effective at addressing a wide range of post-accident concerns. Let’s take a look at five crucial reasons why physical therapy after a car accident is the best choice. Reason 1: Reduce Immediate and Lasting Pain Survivors of car accidents may deal with several injuries and chronic conditions that cause immediate and lasting pain. As we mentioned, though prescribed pain medications can help address current issues, they simply mask the pain rather than find and heal the cause. As the pain returns, patients often build up a reliance on opioids, leading to dangerous levels of abuse. Physical therapy helps reduce both injury-related and chronic pain without the use of medication. Physical therapists utilize specific exercises, stretching, and other therapeutic methods to heal the root of the pain and increase long-term relief. Reason 2: Promote a Quick and Effective Recovery Process The recovery process following a car accident can be long and challenging. It can take a while to realize what different injuries you’ve suffered, and your body may move awkwardly as it compensates for newfound injuries. Physical therapy promotes a quicker and more effective recovery process. Different stretches and exercises help prevent your body from compensating for different bodily injuries by improving your strength and mobility. Through physical therapy, you’ll likely shorten recovery times and heal the body more completely. Reason 3: Prevent Long-Term Damage and Pain If you fail to address them properly, post-accident injuries, chronic pain, and other issues like migraines can persist for a lifetime. While you may still be able to heal your pain and injuries further down the road, the needed recovery time and effort will only increase the longer you wait. The sooner you undergo physical therapy after a car accident, the more likely you’ll be to prevent long-term damage and pain. Physical therapy can also help reduce the risk of secondary injuries. Those who suffer musculoskeletal injuries have higher chances of future injuries to the same area of the body. Physical therapy helps strengthen the affected area to reduce these chances. Reason 4: Avoid Surgery Another vital reason to undergo physical therapy after a car accident is to avoid surgery for a non-life-threatening injury. Progress made during physical therapy can, in some cases, render surgery unnecessary. This helps patients save money and prevents invasive procedures. Reason 5: Restore Function and Mobility The injuries from a car accident may reduce your function and mobility, making work and daily activities a struggle. Car accident physical therapy can help restore range of motion and general bodily functions to help you return to a more comfortable life. Contact Quantum Physical Therapy & Chiropractic Care for Quality New York Physical Therapy Consider undergoing physical therapy after a car accident if you want the best way to heal injuries, promote pain management, and strengthen your body and functions. Contact our team at Quantum Physical Therapy & Chiropractic Care today for quality physical therapy in New York. Frequently Asked Questions How Long Does It Take for Muscles to Heal After a Car Accident? Generally, car accident victims usually heal their muscles around six weeks after the accident. However, this timeline can vary significantly based on the type of injury and the amount of physical therapy the victim does following the accident. How Long Is Physical Therapy After Whiplash? After suffering whiplash, you may need around two weeks of physical therapy before you can resume daily activities. You may need to continue physical therapy as you ease back into your daily routine. How Soon After an Injury Should You Start Physical Therapy? Most physical therapists recommend waiting around 72 hours to begin physical therapy after a car accident.