Alleviating Pain
Posted on 27. Dec, 2011 by admin in Uncategorized
With the new year coming up why not alleviate pain that has been bothering you this year? Physical therapy includes the treatment, curing and avoidance of injuries and disabilities. A physical therapist can decrease your pain through passive or active therapy. Heating/ice packs, electrical stimulation (TENS unit) and/or an ultrasound can help manage the pain. Using ice and heat can help warm up and cool off the muscles. This method can also stimulate blood flow and decrease swelling. Ultra sound uses high frequency sound waves to stimulate the deep tissue within the body. Lastly, electrical stimulation uses electrical current to diminish pain.
If you are looking for a more active approach, a physical therapist can construct specific exercises to lessen your pain. This can include stretching, strengthening and pain relief exercises or low-impact aerobic conditioning. Stretching is extremely important in maintaining good range of motion with joints and flexibility of muscles. If you have stiffness in your muscles, normal activities such as moving of the arms or climbing stairs can be affected. However, with proper stretching there daily functions can be conserved. Strengthening exercises also improves the function of your muscles by increasing endurance.
Citations:
http://orthopedics.about.com/od/physicaltherapy/p/therapy.htm
http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/physical-therapy
