Back pain, neck pain, joint pain. We have all been there at one point or another. Maybe it starts as just slight stiffness in the neck, but then over time the pain turns into something more serious. Too many people are walking around with pain and not doing anything to relieve it. But when the pain is happening more often and is preventing you from doing everyday activities, it might be time to seek physical therapy. Physical therapy can help identify the culprit of the pain, help alleviate tension, and lead you in the right direction to living pain free.
Acute pain vs. chronic pain
It is helpful to know whether or not the pain you are experiencing is acute or chronic. Experiencing pain can definitely be an emotional and frustrating experience. Acute pain is most often reflective of an actual tissue injury or damage.1 There is also usually an increase in pain when the injured tissue is stimulated. Acute pain is categorized as pain that is felt for less than 3 months. The time frame is key here. Chronic pain lasts longer than 3 months. The amount of time experiencing the pain is different from acute pain, as well as the root cause of the pain. Rather than being linked to a direct injury like acute pain, chronic pain is more widespread and is linked to other factors like chronic inflammation, changes in nerve sensitivity, emotions, prior traumatic injury, and even changes that occur in the brain.1 Just because you feel pain does not necessarily mean a physical injury has actually occurred. Some conditions that cause chronic pain include arthritis, fibromyalgia, cancer, and joint dysfunction. It is estimated that roughly 100 million people in the United States are living with chronic pain.2
A key thing is to monitor your pain and make sure it does not turn from acute to chronic. The acute pain is a trigger warning of damage and that something is not quite right. There is a higher possibility of your pain preventing you from doing the things you love to do once it transitions from acute pain to chronic pain.1 This is where physical therapy comes in to play with treating and managing pain.
How physical therapy can help
Pain is the biggest way our body knows how to get our attention. Spooner therapist Derrick DeBenedetto, PT, DPT, CAFS says that when you are feeling pain, your body is receiving information that something is wrong and relaying that information to you. This is a cue to do something about it and take action. Often times people ignore these signals, which can ultimately do more harm, both physically and mentally. Regardless if the pain is acute or chronic, a physical therapist has all the tools and knowledge to get you back on track.
Your physical therapist will talk to you about what you are experiencing and ask you an array of questions such as: how long you have been experiencing pain, where do you experience pain, what types of movement and activities cause pain, and how long do you experience pain. Your physical therapist will identify the culprit and create a treatment plan to help you lessen this pain once and for all. Every treatment plan is unique and designed specifically for each patient to help them achieve their movement goals.
Physical therapists do not just focus on the injured tissues though, if in the case of an injury. There are other variables that come into play when it comes to the root cause of pain. They also look at the environment, stress, psychology, and other social considerations that may be influencing the overall amount of pain you are experiencing.1 This allows the physical therapist to bring a mind and body approach to the treatment plan and evaluate the patient as a whole person, rather than just evaluating their pain point.
Derrick says, “One of the things I’ll educate my patients on is to focus on their function, rather than focusing on their pain. I’ll ask them what their goals are and what activities they like to do. I might even have them rethink the activities they used to do but haven’t been able to do because of their pain.” This allows the patients to think about the activities they love and to set goals for what they want to achieve through physical therapy and beyond.
Tracking your activity and listening to your body
Derrick says another key component of pain management is helping patients see that they do not have to be defined by their pain. Rather than thinking about what they are limited by, they focus on what they can do. He says pain can turn into an endless pain loop if we focus all of our attention on it. A change in mindset on how you view pain is a positive step in the right direction toward identifying and managing your pain better each day. He has his patients take time to reflect on how they are spending their days. He encourages them to log their activity based on what they are doing every 30 minutes for about 7 days. What does a typical day look like for them? What is their activity like? How much sleep are they getting? How has their nutrition been? All of these factors play a role in determining how their activity levels are impacting their day to day life. This reflection could even lead to positive changes in their lifestyle and a shift in their relationship with how they view pain.
This has even been the case for Derrick as Director at the Spooner Sunnyslope clinic. He logged his activity and discovered he was spending an insane amount of time looking down at his phone and computer throughout the day. It was no surprise to him when he started to feel the pain build up in his neck. He knew that he could either stay static or do something about it. He says he will typically do a quick stretch or get some movement in to break up his activity. If he wants to take slightly drastic measures, he’ll even adjust how his desk is set up.
In the end, don’t let pain interfere with your daily life. Sometimes the last thing you want to do when you are in pain is to move. However, turning to physical therapy is a crucial component of your pain management and can get you back to doing the things you love. Physical therapy allows patients to receive guidance on how to safely return to their day-to-day activities and be more aware of the positions, movement and activities that result in pain.
Our movement specialists at Spooner Physical Therapy are here to help you get your Health in Motion. Click here to schedule a complimentary movement assessment or appointment today at one of our locations across the valley.
Read more about other signs that might signal it’s time to seek physical therapy.
Resources
- “Physical Therapy Guide to Pain.” American Physical Therapy Association, 16 June 2020, www.choosept.com/symptomsconditionsdetail/physical-therapy-guide-to-understanding-pain.
- Brett Sears, PT. “Take Control of Your Chronic Pain With Physical Therapy.” Verywell Health, 14 Feb. 2020, www.verywellhealth.com/pt-for-chronic-pain-4179087.