Chronic Pain Treatment in Holstein, MO

Chronic pain treatment in Holstein, 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’re capable of feeling. At it’s worse, the pain can keep us from comfortably completing basic activities like carrying in groceries, or the things we love most, whether that be dominating your local pickleball league or working in the garden.

Axes Physical Therapy is a group of 15 physical and occupational therapy centers devoted to helping our Holstein, MO patients achieve positive outcomes through personalized and evidence-backed chronic pain treatment. To get back to a pain-free daily life, reach out to our location nearest you or schedule an appointment for safe chronic pain treatment.

What Type of Pain is Considered “Chronic”?

Chronic pain is pain that doesn’t go away after 12 weeks, 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 radiate through your body, and can range from dull soreness to stinging pain.

According to the CDC, in 2019 20.4% of American adults suffered from chronic pain. 7.4% of adults (or 36.4% of those who experienced chronic pain) had “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.

What Causes Chronic Pain?

Pain, generally speaking, is your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong. In most cases, pain is caused by a specific incident or illness. “Acute pain” occurs immediately, usually because of a known, root cause such as burns, cuts, broken bones, dental work, or surgery. The pain lasts for anywhere from a few minutes to months while the injury heals.

By contrast, people can experience chronic pain for several reasons. Sometimes an injury continues to cause pain 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, 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 soft tissue in our joints can become inflamed or wear down from overuse or overexertion, causing joint pain.
• A variety of conditions that lead to low back pain — Up to 84% of adults will deal with back pain eventually. 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 cause pain when they bother 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 — Sometimes, there is no underlying musculoskeletal cause, but rather it’s caused by the nervous system, or because of mental health issues or your personal history.

There are many tips for managing chronic pain, and while many can help you be more active in your daily life, many of our Holstein, MO patients tell us that they have tried everything and still can’t feel better. Often, physical therapy is the treatment that finally gets them relief and returns them to the activities they love.

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

Chronic pain can be treated through a variety of means in Holstein, MO, including medication, chiropractic adjustments, yoga, and regular exercise. Studies show that incorporating physical therapy into your treatment plan can lead to considerable improvement. You are welcome to come to any Axes location in the Holstein area for a free screening to learn why you might be suffering from chronic pain. We’ll ask you questions to better understand how we can help you. Do you experience pain every day? Most days? What makes it worse? What makes it better? How is limiting you in your daily life? After your screening, we’ll work in tandem with you and your physician to come up with a personalized course of treatment aimed at getting you back to the things you love most.

Physical therapy helps by stretching and strengthening your body. Collectively improving those aspects of the best possible movement health relieves pain and enhances your daily life by allowing your body to work better, and breaking up any signals to your brain that something may be wrong. Depending on you, the nature of your chronic pain, how old you are, and the activity level you wish to get back to, your treatment plan in Holstein, MO may include:

Guided Exercise

Exercise boosts your body’s production of endorphins, your body’s natural, feel-good chemical messengers, which not only reduces pain but eases any psychological stress related to your pain. A professional Holstein, MO physical therapist will guide through exercises aimed at improving your mobility without causing more pain or injury. With guided exercise, we can re-train your brain to accept certain movements and positions without pain, restoring your brain’s trust in the rest of your body. We’ll also show you light exercises you can do at home.

Manual Therapy and Soft Tissue Mobilization

Manual therapy incorporates therapeutic touch to encourage your body’s natural healing process and relaxation of muscles and joints. Your Holstein, MO physical therapist will use their hands to safely move soft tissue. Research demonstrates that manual therapy and guided exercise together are better at treating pain than either technique used alone.

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

Dry Needling

Trigger point dry needling is a relatively new technique that increasingly more Holstein, MO physical therapists are incorporating into their treatment plans. It involves using thin, filiform needles to gently create small tears or rips in inflamed muscles, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. In doing so, it stimulates the body’s “healing mode” and encourages the flow of nutrients to the region.

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)

TENS works by placing electrodes where the pain is located. It sends low-level electrical currents to release endorphins and awakens nerve cells that block the transmission of pain signals.

Patient Education

Understanding the cause of your pain and how to deal with it in your daily life can have a significant positive effect on your chronic pain treatment in Holstein, MO. We’ll teach you the best way to sit, stand, and move, in addition to healthy lifestyle suggestions like how to keep a healthy diet.

Other services we offer in Holstein, MO include:

• 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
• Geriatric Physical Therapy
• Injury Rehabilitation

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

At Axes Physical Therapy in Holstein, MO, we do what we do for simple reasons: to deliver positive patient experiences and help our patients get back to their best life. Whether you want to be able to run across the pickleball court like you used to, or just want to carry the groceries in pain-free, speak to a physical therapist in Holstein, MO today or request an appointment online for lasting chronic pain treatment.