Living With Arthritis Can Be Painful – Physical Therapy Can Help

1. LIVING WITH ARTHRITIS CAN BE PAINFUL – PHYSICAL THERAPY CAN HELP DON’TTURNTOMEDICATIONFORPAINRELIEF – PHYSICALTHERAPYCANGETYOUMOVINGAGAIN! Stiffnessanddiscomfortdon’thavetobeapartofourdailylives — andyetmanypeopleassumethat they’redoomedtosufferfromarthritis pain.Ifyou’vebeenlosingmoreandmoreofyourmobilityand productivityduetochronicjointinflammation,youmaybedisappointedbytheusefulnessofpainkilling drugsorevenalarmedbythepotentialdangersofsuchdrugs. Fortunately,youhaveasafer,moreeffectivepathtowardarthritispainmanagement:physical therapy. WHYSHOULDISAYNOTOOPIOIDS? Bothopioidprescriptionratesanddeathsfromopioidoverdoseshavequadrupledinthelasttwo decades.Giventheseidenticalstatistics,onecan’tescapetheobviousconclusion:Relianceon painkillershasgottenoutofhand,andtheconsequencescanbeliterallyfatal. Ina study published by the American Physical Therapy Association,titled “BeyondOpioids:How PhysicalTherapyCanTransformPainManagementandImproveHealth,” thisissueisexhaustively analyzed.Itidentifiesthreeimportantwavesoftheopioidepidemic:

2. Increases in deaths involving prescription opioids starting in 1999 Increases in deaths involving heroin starting in 2010 Increases in deaths involving synthetic opioids since 2013 Beyondextremephysicalrisk,over-relianceonprescriptionpainkillerscanhaveotherdetrimental effectsonyourhealth. Withdrawalsymptomscanbeharrowing.Andwhileyou’restillusingthem,opioidscanleadto depression,whichsetsupaviciouscycleofself-medicatinginordertofeelbetteremotionallyaswellas physically. THETWOMOSTCOMMONTYPESOFARTHRITIS Arthritisincludesanentirefamilyofpainfuljointconditions.Forsomeindividuals,itmaytaketheformof painfulgoutinatoejoint; inothers,itcanstrikeduetoabacterialjointinfection.Themajorityofarthritis sufferers,however,sufferfromoneoftwoagonizingconditions: Osteoarthritis – Thismostcommonformofarthritisisusuallyanaturalconsequenceofalifetimeof jointmotion,coupledwithcertainchangesthattakeplaceduringaging.Healthyjointscontainnot onlyalubricatingfluidtokeeptheboneendsmovingsmoothly,butalsoalayerofcartilagethatacts asashockabsorberandanti-frictioncomponent. Rheumatoid arthritis – Thisformofarthritisiscausedbyanauto-immunediseaseordysfunction. Thesameprotectivemechanismsthatnormallyfightoffdiseasegermsdecidetoturnonyourjoints, treatingthemastheenemyandattackingthem.Thisresultsinpainfulinflammationthatmaycome andgo,leavingjointswellinganddeformityinitswake. Manyarthritissufferersnaturallyturntomedicationinthehopesthatitwilleasetheirsymptoms. NSAIDs,steroidsand (andinthemostseverecases) opioiddrugsmayproducesuchrelief,butonly temporarily.Thesedrugscan’taddressthephysicalproblemsthatactuallycauseyoursymptoms; they canonlymutethesymptomsthemselves. What’smore,painkillingandanti-inflammatorydrugscanposesignificantrisksifthey’reused constantly.Opioidscanbeextremelydangerous,notonlybecauseoftheiraddictivepropertiesbutalso becauseoverdosescan (andoftendo) provefatal.

3. SO, HOW CAN PHYSICAL THERAPY HELP? Ifyouwantanarthritispainmanagementplanthatimprovesyourhealthwithoutpresentingyouwith thedangersofdrugs,turntophysicaltherapy.Ourphysical therapistcanexamineyourjointstosee howadvancedyourarthritishasbecomeandhowitmaybeaffectingyourstance,gaitormobility.You’ll thenreceiveacustomizedpainmanagementplanthatmayinclude: Corrective devices – Yourphysicaltherapistcanrecommendspecializedinsolesandtrainyouin theuseofdevicessuchaswalkersorcanes. Lifestyle guidance – Yourphysicaltherapistcanrecommendspecificchangestoyoureveryday ergonomicsorlifestylethatwilleaseyourpain. Exercise –Exercisecanaidarthritissufferersbyboostingcirculation,easinginflammation, strengtheningjointtissuesandincreasingrangeofmotion.Itcanhelpyouimproveyourbalance,if that’sbecomeaproblemforyou. Physiotherapy techniques – Youmaybenefitfrommassagetherapy,cold/heattherapyorlaser therapy. CONTACT US FOR RELIEF Don’tjustnumbyourarthritispain – manageitthesmart,safe,andeffectiveway.Contactourphysical therapyclinicslocatedinPalmyra,MO,andFlorence,today! Original Source: https://prioritypt.net/living-with-arthritis-can- be-painful-physical-therapy-can-help/