What is Chronic Pain?
Pain is the number one reason people seek healthcare treatment in the United States. Medical treatment for chronic pain is one of the top healthcare expenses in the U.S. The CDC reports in 2016 around 20.4% of U.S. adults had chronic pain and 8% had severe chronic pain. People with higher rates are those living in poverty, without a high school education, and adults with public health insurance.
Simply put, chronic pain lasts three months or more, beyond the expected recovery period from an injury or condition. It can also occur as a part of a disorder associated with pain, such as arthritis and fibromyalgia. Chronic pain is a problem with the brain’s processing ability around pain. After an injury, such as a torn ligament or a bone break, your body will send pain signals to your brain through pain receptors where the injury was. With chronic pain, your body continues to send these pain signals and your brain interprets this as a threat to the body. This causes people with chronic pain to rest this area of the body, take pain medications, and live in constant discomfort.
Other factors can worsen the experience of chronic pain. It can take a serious toll on mental, physical, and emotional health. People often get stuck in a cycle of chronic pain in which their recreation, work, or family life is affected. Depression and anxiety are common experiences as people often feel hopeless. Research shows that there is even a link from days struggling with mental health to days where chronic pain is the most intense. Chronic pain can lead to other health problems, like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes, due to fear of being active and making their pain worse. They also may not be able to work, which can add even more stress with financial troubles.
Physical Therapy for Pain Treatment
Physical therapy for chronic pain can help people manage and thrive after their pain levels go down. Also, PT is one of the most effective and conservative measures in handling back pain. Your physical therapist will determine the source of your chronic pain and help you work on the surrounding muscle imbalances or movement patterns related to your condition. Many people develop chronic neck and back pain, which may have started from an injury or gradually over time.
It is likely that there are things you are doing on a daily basis, such as posture, activities, and sedentary lifestyle, that are worsening your pain levels. Physical therapy will involve overcoming your pain with slow and steady changes, such as posture improvements, avoiding activities that heighten your pain, and working on improving your movement so you can return to your normal life.
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