Chronic Pain Treatment Flint Hill, MO | Physical Therapists Near Flint Hill

Chronic Pain Treatment in Flint Hill, MO

Chronic pain treatment in Flint Hill, MO. If you suffer from chronic pain, you know all too well how limiting it can be. Sometimes, 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 completing basic tasks like carrying in groceries, or the activities we love most, whether that be sprinting down the court or playing with your children.

Axes Physical Therapy is a group of provider-owned physical therapy and rehabilitation centers dedicated to helping our Flint Hill, MO patients find meaningful relief through personalized 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 schedule an appointment for safe chronic pain treatment.

What Is Chronic Pain?

Chronic pain is pain that lasts for longer than 12 weeks, which is how long it takes most people and conditions to heal. The pain can be constant or can come and go, can stay in one spot or hit different muscles or joints, and can be anything from stiffness to burning pain.

According to the CDC, in 2019 one out of five U.S. adults suffered from 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,” limits work or life 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 cause significant mental health issues and trouble sleeping.

What’s Behind Chronic Pain?

Pain, generally speaking, occurs when nerves called nociceptors detect damage somewhere in your body, and send a signal from that body part to your brain. In most cases, pain is due to an injury, an infection, or other medical condition. “Acute pain” occurs immediately, usually because of a known, root cause such as falling, dental work, or surgery. The pain lasts for anywhere from a moment to months while the injury heals.

By contrast, the causes of chronic pain aren’t always easily known. In some cases there may be an injury that hurts despite the fact that, structurally, it has healed . Other times, it’s caused by a medical condition, or occurs as our bodies wear down as we age. Sometimes, there is no observable cause for someone’s chronic pain. Common types and causes of chronic pain include:

Arthritis, bursitis, tendinitis, and other conditions that cause joint pain — The cartilage, tendons, and ligaments in our joints can become inflamed or wear down from overuse or overexertion, causing joint pain.
Numerous different conditions that lead to 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 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 bones, your spine, or other tissue.
Fibromyalgia — While experts are still trying to understand the exact cause of fibromyalgia, 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 because there is dysfunction in the nervous system, or because of mental health issues or your personal history.

There are many tips for relieving chronic pain, and while many can help you be more active in your daily life, many of our Flint Hill, MO patients tell us that they have tried everything and still can’t feel better. Often, physical therapy becomes their path toward meaningful pain relief and getting back to a pain-free daily life.

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

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

There are many possible options for chronic pain treatment in Flint Hill, MO, including prescription or over-the-counter drugs, chiropractic adjustments, massage therapy, and consistent exercise. Studies show that incorporating physical therapy into your treatment plan is incredibly effective for relieving chronic pain. You are welcome to come to any of our 15 locations for a free screening to learn why you might be experiencing chronic pain. We’ll ask you questions to better understand how we can help you. 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 design a tailor-made course of treatment 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 achieve optimal movement health eases pain and enhances your daily 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, your age, and the activity level you wish to get back to, your treatment plan in Flint Hill, 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 helps with any psychological stress related to your pain. A qualified Flint Hill, MO physical therapist will help you perform 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 promote healing and relaxation of the surrounding tissues. Your Flint Hill, MO physical therapist will use their hands to safely put pressure on your muscles and joints. Studies have shown that manual therapy combined with guided exercise is more effective than either treatment method used by itself.

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

Dry Needling

Trigger point dry needling is a relatively new treatment method that is becoming more popular among Flint Hill, MO physical therapist. It involves using thin, filiform needles to gently create small tears or rips in inflamed muscles and connective tissue. In doing so, 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 over the body part that’s causing you pain. It delivers low-voltage currents, which releases endorphins and awakens nerve cells that block the transmission of pain messages.

Patient Education

Understanding the cause of your pain and how to deal with it in your daily life can have a considerable positive effect on your chronic pain treatment in Flint Hill, MO. We’ll help you learn appropriate posture and movement techniques, as well as healthy lifestyle suggestions like how to keep a healthy diet.

Other services we offer in Flint Hill, MO include:

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

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

At Axes Physical Therapy in Flint Hill, MO, we do what we do for simple reasons: to deliver positive client experiences and help our patients get back to the activities they love. Whether you miss being 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 Flint Hill, MO today or schedule an appointment online for lasting chronic pain treatment.