Millions of people in the United State are suffering from chronic pain. This could involve back pain, headaches as well as those recovering from sports injuries, accidents, surgery, and more. This has resulted in millions of people getting prescriptions for pain medications. These are often powerful opioids that cause serious side effects and can lead to addiction. There are many successful non-opioid treatments available to treat those who suffer from chronic pain.
Soft Tissue Therapy
This treatment is designed to relax and treat a person’s muscles that are sore and hurting. There are many different ways to provide relief to a person’s muscles when they are the source of their pain.
*Manual Release Therapy – This involves stretching a person’s muscles as pressure is gently applied.
*Trigger Point Therapy – This is applying direct pressure on the area of a muscle that is holding the most tension.
*Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Therapy – A tool is utilized to apply just the right amount of pressure as it is moved over the affected area of a person’s body.
Manual Therapy
This is effective when the source of someone’s chronic pain is located in one of their joints that are not moving properly. This is a treatment technique designed to help a person regain a full range of motion within the affected joint. Manual joint mobilization is often effective. This is the gentle and slow stretching of the affected joint. There is also manipulation, and it is often effective. This is the gentle but quick movement of the joint done to stretch it.
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
This can provide pain relief for various types of muscle pain. It works by using a device to send low-voltage electrical signals to the area of a person’s body experiencing pain. The electrical signals are applied using pads attached to a person’s skin. It is believed this works because it may interrupt the pain nerve signals being sent to the brain. It is also possible it stimulates the body’s production of endorphins designed to make a person feel good. This is part of the body’s natural painkilling response.
Biofeedback
This is a technique that enables a person to learn to control certain functions of their body. This could involve their heart rate, breathing, sweat glands and more. During this treatment, a person is connected to electrical sensors that enable them to receive information about how their body is working. Watching this feedback enables a person to make subtle changes and discover what they can do to decrease or eliminate pain. They can intentionally relax certain muscles and more. It is a way to improve a person’s health and improve their ability to deal with chronic pain.
Meditation
This has been successful in giving people a break from the cycle of chronic pain they are experiencing. It has enabled individuals to rewire their brain on how they respond to pain. It involves a variety of relaxation techniques. People can learn how to breathe so they can lower their feeling of pressure. It has been successful in decreasing a person’s fight-or-flight response to pain. Meditation has been shown to soothe the circuits that amplify a person’s pain. It enables people to decrease their pain and eliminate the stress, anxiety, and depression that go with it.
Exercise
This usually involves combining various forms of exercise to treat chronic pain.
*Cardiovascular exercises – This can involve bike riding, walking, swimming and more. It enables a person to work past their chronic pain and move toward healing.
*Stretching Exercises – People should do this at least once a day. It will loosen muscles that are tight and stiff. This is also an effective way for a person to increase their flexibility. It will improve a person’s range of motion as well as ease their everyday movements.
*Strengthening Exercises – This could involve bicep curls, squats, wall push-ups and more. The goal is to build stronger muscles.
Spinal Manipulation
This type of therapy has a high rate of success. It combines jolting as well as moving a person’s joints or spine with physical therapy and massage. There are 100 different types of spinal manipulations. Some situations require using force and others involve a gentle approach. This procedure is usually done on a table that is padded and adjustable. Chiropractors use it to improve a body’s nerve function, decrease inflammation and more.
Do you suffer from chronic pain? Are you ready to explore your options when it comes to decreasing or eliminating the pain? We have the knowledge and experience to help you. Call us today at 205-637-1363.
