Pain is one of the main reasons people seek out a physical therapist.

Whether the pain is from an injury, an accident, a chronic condition or an illness, a physical therapist can help with many types of pain – and get you back to feeling more like yourself.

But we all live with some degree of pain and sometimes it’s hard to know when we need to seek help for it. Pain is a part of life, of aging and of working – or working out, isn’t it? The answer is yes; and no. If you are dealing with pain and are wondering if a physical therapist might be helpful, here are some things that might help you to make an informed decision.

Defining pain

Pain is an interpretation of threat, or concern, and it’s not always directly correlated to injury. It can have many causes but it generally means your brain is messaging your nerves to pay attention. Pain is unique to the person experiencing it, as well. Which is why it can be hard to describe pain – and get treatment for it. 

Pain can also be qualified in many different ways: Stabbing, sharp, throbbing, aching, burning etc., and those words can help us find out what’s wrong – and how to help.

Working with your doctor

If you are experiencing new pain, or pain in general, physical therapists can be a really good place to start.  Physical therapists are doctors, but we’re not MDs, which means we don’t prescribe medication. However, physical therapists are experts not only with the muscular and skeletal systems, but also the nervous system, which means we can very effectively help you with pain. We can treat pain, and help you to manage and heal from it, but we are also trained to know when to refer you to your doctor should you need further medical care.

Injuries and conditions

There are two types of pain: (1) acute pain, which is usually caused by an injury or accident and (2) chronic pain, which can be caused by any number of things, including grief, prior injury, or poor alignment. And acute pain, if not treated, or treated properly or fully, can often become chronic pain.

Acute pain is generally pain you’ve only felt for a short time – a few weeks or months. And it is usually in one area – the injured area. An example of this is when you sprain your ankle. The pain is immediate, and your ankle may be pretty sore for a few days up to several weeks or even months before the pain completely goes away. 

Chronic pain, however, has been going on for some time and may or may not have been caused by an event or injury. 

What can a physical therapist do?

Your physical therapist will meet with you and set up a treatment plan. Depending on your issue, they will obtain a verbal history of your condition, and perform a physical/functional assessment to identify any movement dysfunctions and painful patterns you may have. They will also perform manual therapy, which mobilizes your muscles, bones, fascia, organs, and/or nerves that may have restrictions that are causing your pain. You will learn exercises that will help to hold those mobilizations and re-educate and correct painful and dysfunctional movement patterns. You will also learn how to strengthen targeted muscles that may have become weak or unused. 

For both acute and chronic pain, your physical therapist can be a detective who can help to both identify and treat factors that might be causing you pain. 

Bottom line, you don’t have to live with pain – acute or chronic. Help is available.

Beacon Physical Therapy

At Beacon Physical Therapy, we can help you reduce or even eliminate pain. If you have questions, make an appointment today. We’d love to meet you and get you back to doing what you love.