Chronic Pain Treatment in Kinloch, MO

Chronic pain treatment in Kinloch, MO. If you suffer from chronic pain, you know all too well how hard it is to express how much it limits you. Sometimes, the months or years we’ve dealt with it leads us to 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 things we love best, whether that be dominating your local flag football league or playing with your grandchildren.

Axes Physical Therapy is a collection of provider-owned physical and occupational therapy locations committed to helping our Kinloch, MO patients find lasting relief through customized and evidence-backed chronic pain treatment. To get back to the activities you love most, call our location most convenient for you 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 three months, which is how long it typically takes pain to go away after an injury, surgery, or illness. The pain can be constant or can come and go, can be localized or radiate through your body, and can range from dull soreness to searing, intense pain.

Based on research from the CDC, in 2019 20.4% of U.S. adults suffered from chronic pain. 7.4% of adults (or 36.4% of those who experienced chronic pain) had “high-impact” chronic pain, which is pain that occurs on more days than not that 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 cause significant mental health issues and trouble sleeping.

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 caused by trauma, an infection, or other medical condition. “Acute pain” occurs immediately, usually because of a known, underlying cause such as being hit with something, dental work, or surgery. The pain lasts for anywhere from a few minutes 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 even after it’s healed . In other cases, it’s caused by a medical condition, or occurs as our bodies weaken with age. Sometimes, there is no discernible 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 soft tissue in our joints can become damaged or wear down over time or due to an injury, causing chronic pain in the affected joint.
• A variety of conditions that cause lower back pain — Up to 84% of adults suffer from back pain eventually. Causes can be poor posture or technique, wear and tear at work, sciatica, or disc injuries that impinge on the nerves in the spinal column.
• Cancer pain — Tumors can cause pain when they grow and touch tissue, nerves, or organs.
• 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, pain does not occur for a physical reason, but because there is dysfunction in the nervous system, or because of psychological stress.

You can check out our suggestions for relieving chronic pain, and while many can lead to greater comfort, many people we see in Kinloch, MO have felt like they tried everything and still can’t find relief. Often, physical therapy becomes their path toward meaningful pain relief and getting back to the activities they love.

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

There are many possible options for chronic pain treatment in Kinloch, MO, including prescription or over-the-counter medications, chiropractic adjustments, yoga, and consistent exercise. Research demonstrates that including physical therapy into your treatment plan is incredibly effective for relieving chronic pain. You are welcome to visit any Axes location in the Kinloch area for a free screening to better understand 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? When does it come on? When does it get better? How is limiting you in your daily life? After your screening, we’ll work in concert with you and your physician to develop a tailor-made treatment plan aimed at getting you back a pain-free daily life.

Physical therapy can relieve pain by increasing your strength, balance, posture, and range of motion. Helping you reach the best possible mobility eases pain and enhances your daily life by allowing your body to function 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 Kinloch, MO may include:

Guided Exercise

Exercise boosts your body’s production of endorphins, your body’s homegrown, feel-good chemical messengers, which not only reduces pain but helps with any psychological stress caused by your pain. A licensed Kinloch, MO physical therapist will guide through exercises aimed at improving your mobility without causing more pain or injury. With these exercises, we can re-train your brain to accept certain movements and positions without pain, rebuilding your brain’s trust in the rest of your body. 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 muscles and joints. Your Kinloch, MO physical therapist will use their hands to gently put pressure on your muscles and joints. Research demonstrates 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 HawkGrips®.

Dry Needling

Trigger point dry needling is a relatively new treatment method that is becoming more popular among Kinloch, MO physical therapist. It involves using thin, filiform needles to penetrate damaged muscles and connective tissue. This eases pain as it stimulates the body’s “healing mode” and encourages the flow of nutrients 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 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 Kinloch, MO. We’ll help you learn appropriate posture and movement practices, as well as healthy lifestyle tips like diet recommendations.

Other services we offer in Kinloch, MO include:

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment
• Sciatica Treatment
• 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

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

At Axes Physical Therapy in Kinloch, MO, our objectives are clear: to achieve positive patient outcomes and help our patients return to to their best life. 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 Kinloch, MO today or schedule an appointment online for meaningful chronic pain treatment.