Chronic Pain Treatment Mackenzie, MO | Physical Therapists Near Mackenzie

Chronic Pain Treatment in Mackenzie, MO

Chronic pain treatment in Mackenzie, MO. Anyone who has suffered from chronic pain knows how limiting it can be. Sometimes, it goes on so long that we lose sight of 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 walking up the stairs, or the activities we love most, whether that be sprinting down the field or picking up your grandchildren.

Axes Physical Therapy is a collection of provider-owned physical and occupational therapy centers dedicated to helping our Mackenzie, MO patients achieve positive outcomes 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 request 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 occur every day or every few days, can be localized or radiate through your body, and can change in severity from stiffness to burning pain.

Based on research from the CDC, in 2019 20.4% of American adults had chronic pain. 7.4% of adults (over a third 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 pain frequently will tell you that it causes far more than just physical discomfort. Chronic pain reduces quality of life and leads to significant economic costs. It can also lead to anxiety, depression, and trouble sleeping.

Why Do People Experience Chronic Pain?

Pain, in general, is your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong. Often, pain is due to an injury, an infection, or other medical condition. “Acute pain” occurs suddenly, usually because of a discernible, underlying cause such as being hit with something, dental work, or surgery. The pain lasts for anywhere from a few minutes to several weeks.

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 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 cartilage, tendons, and ligaments in our joints can become irritated or wear down over time or due to an injury, causing chronic pain in the affected joint.
Numerous different conditions that cause low back pain — Almost 9 out of 10 adults suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. Causes can be poor posture or technique, repetitive motions at work, sciatica, or a variety of disc injuries.
Cancer pain — Tumors can cause pain when they push up against bones, your spine, or other tissue.
Fibromyalgia — While an exact cause isn’t yet known, this refers to pain you feel in your muscles all over your body.
Neurogenic pain and psychogenic pain — In some cases, there is no underlying musculoskeletal cause, but because there is an issue in the nervous system, or because of depression, anxiety, and/or stress.

There are many suggestions for managing chronic pain, and while many can help you be more active in your daily life, many people we see in Mackenzie, MO have felt like they tried everything and still can’t feel better. Often, physical therapy is the treatment that finally gets them relief and returns them to a pain-free daily life.

Chronic Pain Treatment Mackenzie, MO | Pain Management | Physical Therapist Near Mackenzie

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

Chronic pain can be treated through a variety of means in Mackenzie, MO, including medication, spinal adjustments by a chiropractor, massage therapy, and regular exercise. Research demonstrates that including physical therapy into your treatment plan can lead to considerable improvement. You are welcome to visit any of our 15 locations for a free screening to learn why you might be experiencing 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? After our evaluation, we’ll work in tandem with you and your physician to come up with a tailor-made course of treatment aimed at returning you to the activities you love most.

Physical therapy helps by increasing your strength, balance, posture, and range of motion. Helping you reach the best possible movement health relieves pain and enhances your daily life by making your body function better, and breaking up 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 Mackenzie, MO may include:

Guided Exercise

Exercise increases endorphins, your body’s homegrown, feel-good chemical messengers, which not only eases pain but eases related symptoms like stress and depression. A professional Mackenzie, MO physical therapist will guide through exercises that will safely and effectively improve your mobility. 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 at home.

Manual Therapy and Soft Tissue Mobilization

Manual therapy incorporates therapeutic touch to promote healing and relaxation of the surrounding tissues. Your Mackenzie, MO physical therapist will use their hands to gently move your muscles and joints. Studies have shown that manual therapy and guided exercise together are more effective than either treatment method used by itself.

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

Dry Needling

Trigger point dry needling is a relatively new tool that is becoming more popular among Mackenzie, MO physical therapist. It involves using thin, filiform needles to penetrate irritated muscles and connective tissue. This eases pain as 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 on the skin near where you are experiencing 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 cope with it can do wonders for your chronic pain treatment in Mackenzie, MO. We’ll help you learn the best way to sit, stand, and move, as well as healthy lifestyle tips like how to keep a healthy diet.

Other services we offer in Mackenzie, MO include:

Chronic Pain Treatment Mackenzie, MO | Physical Therapy | Pain Management Near Mackenzie

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

At Axes Physical Therapy in Mackenzie, MO, our objectives are simple: to deliver positive client experiences and help our patients get back to the things they love doing most. Whether you want to be 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 Mackenzie, MO today or schedule an appointment online for lasting chronic pain treatment.