Chronic Pain Treatment in Mapaville, MO
Chronic pain treatment in Mapaville, MO. Anyone who has suffered from chronic pain knows how limiting it can be. Sometimes, the months or years we’ve dealt with it causes us to forget what it feels like to live a pain-free life. At it’s worse, the pain can keep us from comfortably performing basic activities like walking up the stairs, or the activities we love most, whether that be dominating your local pickleball league or painting bowls of fruit.
Axes Physical Therapy is a group of provider-owned physical and occupational therapy centers devoted to helping our Mapaville, MO patients achieve positive outcomes through custom-tailored and evidence-backed chronic pain treatment. If you’re finally ready to move on from chronic pain, call our location most convenient for you you or contact us online for effective chronic pain treatment.
What Is Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain is pain that lasts for longer than 12 weeks, which is how long it typically takes pain to go away after an injury, surgery, or illness. The pain can occur every day or every few days, can be localized or radiate through your body, and can range from dull soreness to agonizing pain.
Based on research from the CDC, in 2019 one out of five adults nationwide had chronic pain. 7.4% of adults (over a third 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. Chronic pain doesn’t just hurt you physically. Chronic pain reduces quality of life and leads to significant economic costs. 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. Often, pain is due to a specific incident or illness. “Acute pain” occurs at once, usually because of a discernible, underlying cause such as stubbing your toe, dental work, or surgery. It can last for anywhere from a few minutes to several weeks.
By contrast, people can experience chronic pain for several reasons. In some cases there may be an injury that hurts after the tissue is repaired . In other cases, 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 — Almost 9 out of 10 adults suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. Causes can be poor posture or technique, wear and tear at a job that requires physical exertion, 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 widespread muscle pain and tenderness.
- Neurogenic pain and psychogenic pain — In some cases, pain does not occur for a physical reason, 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 lead to greater comfort, many of our Mapaville, 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 the things that are most important to them.
Why Is Physical Therapy in Mapaville, MO a Great Option For Chronic Pain Treatment?
There are many possible options for chronic pain treatment in Mapaville, MO, including prescription or over-the-counter drugs, chiropractic care, massage therapy, and regular exercise. Studies show that incorporating physical therapy into your treatment plan can lead to significant improvement. You can come to any of our 15 locations for a free screening to better understand 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 is limiting you in your daily life? After your screening, we’ll work in concert with you and your doctor to come up with a customized course of treatment aimed at returning you a pain-free daily life.
Physical therapy can relieve pain by increasing your strength, balance, posture, and flexibility. Helping you achieve optimal movement health eases pain and improves your quality of life by allowing your body to work better, and interrupting any signals to your brain that something may be wrong. Depending on you, the nature of your chronic pain, your age, and your desired activity level, your treatment plan in Mapaville, MO may include:
Guided Exercise
Exercise increases endorphins, your body’s natural, feel-good hormone, which not only reduces pain but eases related symptoms like stress and depression. A qualified Mapaville, MO physical therapist can help you perform exercises aimed at improving your mobility without causing more pain or injury. With these exercises, your brain will come to understand that certain movements can be achieved without pain, restoring 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 Mapaville, MO physical therapist will use their hands to safely move soft tissue. Studies have shown that manual therapy and guided exercise together are more effective than either treatment method used alone.
Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization is similar to manual therapy, except that instead of their hands, physical therapists use specialized tools like Astym®.
Dry Needling
Trigger point dry needling is a relatively new tool that is becoming more popular among Mapaville, MO physical therapist. It involves using thin, filiform needles to gently create small tears or rips in inflamed muscles and connective tissue. This eases pain as it encourages the body to start to heal itself and stimulates 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 sends low-voltage electrical currents to release endorphins and stimulates nerve cells that prevent your brain from receiving pain signals.
Patient Education
Understanding why you’re experiencing pain and how to deal with it in your daily life can have a considerable positive effect on your chronic pain treatment in Mapaville, MO. We’ll teach you the best way to sit, stand, and move, in addition to healthy lifestyle tips like how to keep a healthy diet.
Other services we offer in Mapaville, MO include:
- Workers Comp' Physical Therapy
- Sprain and Strain Treatment
- Geriatric Physical Therapy
- Injury Rehabilitation
- Pain Management Services
- TMJ Treatment
- Herniated Disc Treatment
- Rotator Cuff Tear Treatment
- Running Injury
Call Axes Physical Therapy For Your Chronic Pain Treatment in Mapaville, MO
At Axes Physical Therapy in Mapaville, MO, our objectives are clear: to achieve positive client experiences 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 Mapaville, MO today or make an appointment online for lasting chronic pain treatment.