Chronic Pain Treatment in Dutzow, MO

Chronic pain treatment in Dutzow, MO. If you suffer from chronic pain, you know all too well how hard it is to express the effects it has on your daily life. For some of us, it goes on so long that we forget what it feels like to live a pain-free life. At it’s worse, the pain can keep us from comfortably completing daily activities like doing household chores, or the activities we love best, whether that be dominating your local softball league or picking up your kids.

Axes Physical Therapy is a collection of 15 physical therapy and rehabilitation centers dedicated to helping our Dutzow, MO patients find lasting relief through personalized and evidence-backed chronic pain treatment. If you’re finally ready to move on from chronic pain, reach out to our location nearest you or contact us online for effective chronic pain treatment.

What Type of Pain is Considered “Chronic”?

Chronic pain is pain that lasts for longer than 12 weeks, which is generally considered to be the “normal” healing period. The pain can be constant or can come and go, can be localized or hit different muscles or joints, and can range from dull soreness to stinging pain.

Based on research from the CDC, in 2019 20.4% of American adults had chronic pain. 7.4% of adults (or 36.4% of those with chronic pain) suffered from “high-impact” chronic pain, defined as pain that, on “most days” or “every day,” affects how somebody can work or enjoy other activities. Anyone who suffers from frequent pain symptoms will tell you that it causes far more than just physical discomfort. Chronic pain impacts quality of life and leads to significant economic costs. It can also lead to anxiety, depression, and trouble sleeping.

Why Do I Have Chronic Pain?

Pain, generally speaking, occurs when nerves called nociceptors perceive damaged tissue, and send a signal from that body part to your brain. Often, pain is caused by an injury, an infection, or other medical condition. “Acute pain” occurs suddenly, usually because of a known, underlying cause such as an injury, 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 identifiable. In some cases there may be an injury that hurts after the tissue is repaired . Other times, it’s caused by an illness, 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 damaged or wear down over time or due to an injury, causing joint pain.
• Numerous different conditions that cause lower back pain — Up to 84% of adults suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. Causes can be poor posture or technique, wear and tear at a physically demanding job, sciatica, or disc injuries that impinge on the nerves in the spinal column.
• Cancer pain — Tumors can cause pain when they grow and touch bones, your spine, or other tissue.
• Fibromyalgia — While an exact cause isn’t yet known, this refers to widespread muscle pain and tenderness.
• Neurogenic pain and psychogenic pain — Sometimes, pain does not occur for a physical reason, but because there is an issue in the nervous system, or because of mental health issues or your personal history.

You can read our pointers for easing chronic pain, and while many can lead to greater comfort, many of our Dutzow, MO patients have felt like they 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 Dutzow, MO a Great Option For Chronic Pain Treatment?

Chronic pain can be treated through a variety of methods in Dutzow, MO, including medication, spinal adjustments by a chiropractor, massage therapy, and consistent exercise. Studies show that including physical therapy into your treatment plan can lead to considerable improvement. You can visit any of our 15 locations for a free screening to learn why you might be suffering from chronic pain. We’ll get to know you and your pain better. Do you experience pain every day? Most days? Does anything make it better or worse? How is limiting you in your daily life? From there, we’ll form a team with you and your physician to design a tailor-made treatment plan aimed at returning you a pain-free daily life.

Physical therapy can relieve pain by increasing your strength, balance, posture, and range of motion. Collectively improving those aspects of optimal mobility eases pain and improves your quality of life by allowing your body to work better, and breaking up certain nerves from sending pain messages to your brain. 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 Dutzow, MO may include:

Guided Exercise

Exercise boosts your body’s production of endorphins, your body’s natural, feel-good hormone, which not only reduces pain but eases related symptoms like stress and depression. A qualified Dutzow, MO physical therapist will lead you through exercises aimed at improving your mobility without causing further pain or injury. With guided exercise, your brain will come to understand that certain movements can be performed without pain, rebuilding how your brain processes messages. We’ll also show you light exercises you can do at home.

Manual Therapy and Soft Tissue Mobilization

Manual therapy involves therapeutic touch to promote healing and relaxation of the surrounding tissues. Your Dutzow, MO physical therapist will use their hands to safely put pressure on your muscles and joints. Studies have shown that manual therapy and guided exercise together are more effective than either technique used by itself.

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

Dry Needling

Trigger point dry needling is a relatively new technique that increasingly more Dutzow, MO physical therapists are incorporating into their treatment plans. It involves using thin, filiform needles to gently create small tears or rips in irritated muscles, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. In doing so, it encourages the body to start to heal itself and encourages the nutrient-rich blood flow to the region.

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)

TENS works by placing electrodes over the body part that’s causing you pain. It sends low-level electrical currents to release endorphins and stimulates nerve cells that stop your brain from receiving pain messages.

Patient Education

Understanding why you’re experiencing pain and how to deal with it in your daily life can do wonders for your chronic pain treatment in Dutzow, MO. We’ll help you learn appropriate posture and movement practices, as well as healthy lifestyle tips like how to keep a healthy diet.

Other services we offer in Dutzow, 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 Dutzow, MO

At Axes Physical Therapy in Dutzow, MO, our goals are clear: to achieve positive client experiences and help our patients get back to the things they love doing most. Whether you want to be able to hit a breakaway layup like you used to, or just want to walk up the stairs without discomfort, speak to a physical therapist in Dutzow, MO today or make an appointment online for meaningful chronic pain treatment.