Chronic Pain Treatment Cedar Hill, MO

Chronic Pain Treatment in Cedar Hill, MO

Chronic pain treatment in Cedar Hill, MO. Anyone who has had to deal with chronic pain knows how limiting it can be. For some of us, it goes on so long that we forget how good we used to feel. At it’s worse, the pain can keep us from comfortably performing basic tasks like carrying in groceries, or the activities we love most, whether that be flying down the court or painting bowls of fruit.

Axes Physical Therapy is a group of 15 physical therapy treatment centers devoted to helping our Cedar Hill, MO patients find lasting relief through customized and evidence-backed chronic pain treatment. If you’re finally ready to move on from chronic pain, call the location most convenient for you you or contact us online for safe chronic pain treatment.

What Is Chronic Pain?

Chronic pain is pain that lasts for longer than three months, which is generally considered to be the “normal” healing period. The pain can be constant or can come and go, can stay in one spot or hit different body parts, and can be anything from aching to stinging pain.

Based on research from the CDC, in 2019 almost a quarter of U.S. adults dealt with chronic pain. 7.4% of adults (or 36.4% of those who experienced chronic pain) suffered from “high-impact” chronic pain, defined as pain that, on “most days” or “every day,” limits work or life activities. Anyone who suffers from pain frequently will tell you that it causes far more than just physical discomfort. Chronic pain affects quality of life and leads to higher medical expenses. It can also lead to anxiety, depression, and insomnia.

Why Do I Have Chronic Pain?

Pain, in general, is your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong. In most cases, pain is due to an injury, an infection, or other medical condition. “Acute pain” occurs at once, usually because of a discernible, root cause such as being hit with something, dental work, or surgery. It can last for anywhere from a few minutes to months while the injury heals.

By contrast, the causes of chronic pain aren’t always easily known. Sometimes an injury continues to cause pain despite the fact that, structurally, it has healed . In other cases, it’s caused by an illness, or occurs as our bodies wear down as we age. 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 and other diseases that cause joint pain — The cartilage, tendons, and ligaments in our joints can become damaged or wear down over time or due to an injury, causing chronic pain in the affected joint.
Numerous different conditions that lead to lower back pain — Up to 84% of adults suffer from back pain eventually. Causes can be poor posture or technique, repetitive motions at work, sciatica, or a variety of disc injuries.
Cancer pain — Tumors can lead to pain when they bother other parts inside your body.
Fibromyalgia — While an exact cause isn’t yet known, this refers to widespread muscle pain and tenderness.
Neurogenic pain and psychogenic pain — In some cases, pain does not occur for a physical reason, but rather it’s caused by the nervous system, or because of psychological stress.

There are many pointers for easing chronic pain, and while many are effective, many people we see in Cedar Hill, MO have felt like they tried everything and still can’t feel better. Often, physical therapy is the strategy that finally gets them relief and returns them to a pain-free daily life.

Chronic Pain Treatment Cedar Hill, MO | Pain Management | Physical Therapist Near Cedar Hill

How Do Physical Therapists in Cedar Hill, MO Help With Chronic Pain Treatment?

There are many possible options for chronic pain treatment in Cedar Hill, MO, including prescription or over-the-counter drugs, chiropractic adjustments, massage therapy, and consistent exercise. Research demonstrates that including physical therapy into your treatment plan can lead to considerable improvement. You are welcome to visit any Axes location in the Cedar Hill area for a free screening to learn what might be causing your chronic pain. We’ll get to know you and your pain better. How often do you have pain? When does it come on? When does it get better? How does your chronic pain affect you in your daily life? After your screening, we’ll form a team with you and your physician to come up with a customized course of treatment aimed at returning you a comfortable daily life.

Physical therapy helps by stretching and strengthening your body. Collectively improving those aspects of optimal mobility eases pain and enhances your daily life by allowing your body to work better, and disrupting any signals to your brain that something may be wrong. Depending on you, the causes of your chronic pain, how old you are, and the activity level you wish to get back to, your treatment plan in Cedar Hill, MO may include:

Guided Exercise

Exercise boosts your body’s production of endorphins, your body’s natural, feel-good hormone, which not only alleviates pain but helps with any depression, stress, and/or anxiety caused by your pain. A qualified Cedar Hill, MO physical therapist will help you perform exercises aimed at improving your mobility without causing further pain or injury. With these exercises, your brain will come to understand that certain movements can be carried out without pain, rebuilding how your brain processes messages. Through guided exercise, we’ll be able to teach you safe exercises you can do on your own.

Manual Therapy and Soft Tissue Mobilization

Manual therapy incorporates therapeutic touch to promote healing and relaxation of muscles and joints. Your Cedar Hill, MO physical therapist will use their hands to safely move soft tissue. Studies have shown that manual therapy combined with guided exercise is more effective than either technique used alone.

Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization is a form of manual therapy, except that instead of their hands, physical therapists use specialized tools like Astym®.

Dry Needling

Trigger point dry needling is a relatively new tool that increasingly more Cedar Hill, MO physical therapists are incorporating into their treatment plans. It involves using thin, filiform needles to penetrate irritated soft tissue. In doing so, it encourages the body to start to heal itself and encourages the flow of blood 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 sends low-voltage electrical currents to release endorphins and awakens nerve cells that stop your brain from receiving pain messages.

Patient Education

Understanding why you’re experiencing pain and how to cope with it can do wonders for your chronic pain treatment in Cedar Hill, MO. We’ll teach you the best way to sit, stand, and move, as well as healthy lifestyle tips like diet recommendations.

Other conditions we treat in Cedar Hill, MO include:

Chronic Pain Treatment Cedar Hill, MO | Physical Therapy | Pain Management Near Cedar Hill

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

At Axes Physical Therapy in Cedar Hill, MO, our goals are clear: to deliver positive patient experiences and help people get back to the things they love doing most. Whether you miss being able to run across the tennis court like you used to, or just want to walk up the stairs without discomfort, speak to a physical therapist in Cedar Hill, MO today or schedule an appointment online for meaningful chronic pain treatment.