Chronic Pain Treatment in Berkeley, MO

Chronic pain treatment in Berkeley, MO. If you suffer from chronic pain, you know all too well the debilitating consequences it can have on your life. For some of us, it goes on so long that we lose sight of how good we’re capable of feeling. At it’s worse, the pain can keep us from comfortably performing basic tasks like walking up the stairs, or the things we love doing the most, whether that be dominating your local pickleball league or working in the garden.

Axes Physical Therapy is a group of provider-owned physical and occupational therapy centers committed to helping our Berkeley, MO patients achieve positive outcomes through custom-tailored chronic pain treatment plans, built on techniques that have been demonstrated to work. If you’re finally ready to move on from chronic pain, reach out to the location nearest you or schedule an appointment for successful chronic pain treatment.

What Type of Pain is Considered “Chronic”?

Chronic pain is pain that doesn’t go away after 12 weeks, which is how long it typically takes pain to go away after an injury, surgery, or illness. The pain can occur every day or every few days, can be localized or radiate through your body, and can change in severity from aching to searing, intense pain.

According to the CDC, in 2019 one out of five U.S. adults suffered from chronic pain. 7.4% of adults (over a third of those with chronic pain) suffered from “high-impact” chronic pain, which is persistent pain affects how somebody can work or perform other activities. Chronic pain doesn’t just hurt you physically. Chronic pain reduces quality of life and leads to significant economic costs. It can also cause significant mental health issues and insomnia.

Why Do People Experience Chronic Pain?

Pain, in general, is your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong. Often, pain is caused by a specific incident or medical condition. “Acute pain” occurs at once, usually because of a discernible, underlying cause such as falling, dental work, or surgery. The pain lasts for anywhere from a few minutes to several weeks.

By contrast, the causes of chronic pain aren’t always easily known. Sometimes an injury continues to cause pain even after it’s healed . Other times, it’s caused by a medical condition, or degenerative disease. Sometimes, the pain isn’t caused by a specific condition, but rather from things like poor posture, obesity, or overexertion. Common types and causes of chronic pain include:

• Arthritis, bursitis, tendinitis, and other conditions that cause joint pain — The soft tissue in our joints can become irritated or wear down over time or due to an injury, causing chronic pain in the affected joint.
• Numerous different conditions that cause lower back pain — Up to 84% of adults will deal with back pain at some point in their lives. Causes can be poor posture or technique, wear and tear at work, sciatica, or disc injuries that affect the nerves in the spinal column.
• Cancer pain — Tumors can lead to pain when they push up against other parts inside your body.
• Fibromyalgia — While experts are still trying to understand the exact cause of fibromyalgia, this refers to pain that affects your muscles and joints throughout your body.
• Neurogenic pain and psychogenic pain — In some cases, there is no underlying musculoskeletal cause, but because there is dysfunction in the nervous system, or because of psychological stress.

There are many tips for relieving chronic pain, and while many are effective, many people we see in Berkeley, MO tell us that they have tried all of them and more and still can’t feel better. Often, physical therapy is the treatment that finally gets them relief and returns them to the things that are most important to them.

Why Is Physical Therapy in Berkeley, MO a Great Option For Chronic Pain Treatment?

Chronic pain can be treated through a variety of means in Berkeley, MO, including medication, chiropractic adjustments, yoga, and regular exercise. Studies show that including physical therapy into your treatment plan is incredibly effective for relieving chronic pain. You are welcome to visit any of our 15 locations for a free screening to better understand why you might be suffering from chronic pain. We’ll ask you questions to better understand how we can help you. How often do you have pain? What makes it worse? What makes it better? How is limiting you in your daily life? After your screening, we’ll form a team with you and your doctor to design a tailor-made treatment plan aimed at returning you to the things you love most.

Physical therapy helps by increasing your strength, balance, posture, and range of motion. Helping you reach optimal movement health eases pain and enhances your daily life by making your body work better, and disrupting certain nerves from sending pain messages to your brain. Depending on you, the causes of your chronic pain, how old you are, and your desired activity level, your treatment plan in Berkeley, MO may include:

Guided Exercise

Exercise boosts your body’s production of endorphins, your body’s homegrown, feel-good chemical messengers, which not only alleviates pain but helps with related symptoms like stress and depression. A qualified Berkeley, MO physical therapist can lead you through exercises aimed at improving your mobility without causing further pain or injury. With guided exercise, we can re-train your brain to accept certain movements and positions without pain, rebuilding how your brain processes messages. We’ll also show you light exercises you can do outside of our sessions.

Manual Therapy and Soft Tissue Mobilization

Manual therapy incorporates therapeutic touch to encourage your body’s natural healing process and relaxation of the surrounding tissues. Your Berkeley, MO physical therapist will use their hands to safely move your muscles and joints. Studies have shown that manual therapy combined with guided exercise is more effective than either treatment method used alone.

With instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, physical therapists use specialized tools, like Graston®, instead of their hands, to smooth out tissue and locate degenerative tissue and soft tissue restrictions.

Dry Needling

Trigger point dry needling is a relatively new treatment method that more and more Berkeley, MO physical therapists are incorporating into their treatment plans. It involves using thin, filiform needles to gently create small tears or rips in inflamed soft tissue. This eases pain as it stimulates the body’s “healing mode” and encourages the nutrient-rich blood flow to the affected body part.

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)

TENS works by placing electrodes on the skin near where you are experiencing pain. It delivers low-voltage currents, which releases endorphins and stimulates nerve cells that stop your brain from receiving pain signals.

Patient Education

Understanding the cause of your pain and how to cope with it can do wonders for your chronic pain treatment in Berkeley, MO. We’ll teach you appropriate posture and movement practices, as well as healthy lifestyle tips like diet recommendations.

Other services we offer in Berkeley, MO include:

• Sports Medicine
• Hand Pain Physical Therapy
• Foot & Ankle Pain Treatment
• Hip Pain Treatment
• Plantar Fasciitis Treatment
• Stroke Rehabilitation
• Hip Replacement Physical Therapy
• Workers Comp' Physical Therapy
• Migraine Relief
• Sprain and Strain Treatment

Call Axes Physical Therapy For Your Chronic Pain Treatment in Berkeley, MO

At Axes Physical Therapy in Berkeley, MO, our goals are clear: to deliver positive client experiences and help people return to to their best life. Whether you miss being able to run across the pickleball court like you used to, or just want to carry the groceries in without discomfort, speak to a physical therapist in Berkeley, MO today or schedule an appointment online for meaningful chronic pain treatment.