You Don’t Have To Rely On Medication To Get Relief
People who suffer from arthritis pain frequently resort to costly surgery, steroid injections, and prescription medications to alleviate their symptoms. These treatments can sometimes help patients with severe arthritis. However, physical therapy and natural treatments are more often than not the better way to go.
Arthritis does not discriminate, and while it is more commonly found in elderly patients, it can affect anyone at any age. According to a JAMA study, “[rheumatoid] arthritis (RA) affects about 5 out of every 1000 people and can cause severe joint damage and disability.” Arthritis is also one of the leading causes of disability in the United States. Patients suffering from arthritis can have extremely painful symptoms for long periods of time if they are not treated by a professional.
Give Excel Physical Therapy a call today to learn more about how physical therapy can help you and reduce your arthritis pain.
How to rebuild your range of motion
Stiff joints are unpleasant for anyone, but for people suffering from arthritis, a stiff joint is synonymous with a painful joint. When a patient with arthritis tries to push their affected joint out of its range of motion, they will undoubtedly experience a slew of unpleasant sensations.
These painful twinges can be excruciating on a daily basis, which is why it is critical to increase flexibility and range of motion. This is possible with physical therapy. Flexibility and strength exercises are typically used in range of motion treatment to gradually allow your joints to become more limber and to strengthen supporting muscles.
What is manual therapy?
Manual therapy is a branch of physical therapy that focuses on hands-on treatment. This type of treatment pampers arthritis patients while also relieving their discomfort. Manual therapy for pain relief is often a large part of a physical therapy session for someone with arthritis. Heating pads, ice packs, massage, and even certain types of machines can all help relieve aching joints.
As previously stated, your physical therapist may alternate between heating pads and ice packs to help you feel better naturally. They may also use ultrasound machines to deliver soothing heat waves deeper into your aching joints. Targeted massage techniques also increase circulation and create a warming sensation in arthritis-affected areas.
Isolating Painful Joints Can Be Beneficial
It is true that bed rest is sometimes the best treatment for arthritic joints. Many of us, however, find it impractical to take long periods of rest in bed or at home away from work. In addition, not getting enough exercise or activity into your daily routine can worsen the condition by weakening your muscles.
Fortunately, there is a solution! Your physical therapist will be able to brace a painful joint to isolate it. Bracing provides natural pain relief for arthritis patients. Depending on the location of your pain, treatment may include wrist splints or neck collars. There is a specialized treatment for your pain no matter where it is.
Learn to avoid the pain with physical therapy
When living with arthritis, it is critical to understand that if you want to avoid pain, you will need to learn new ways to move around. It’s not always clear what movements or actions are causing your painful twinges; for example, standing up too quickly can cause arthritis in your knee joints to tense and twist in an unexpected way. This is why learning new ways to move is beneficial; it can help you avoid these unpleasant symptoms.
Your physical therapist can teach you which motions cause discomfort and how to avoid them in order to protect your joints even more. These joint protection methods can be as simple as carrying a purse with a specific type of strap to relieve pressure on your wrists.
Another example is exiting your car or entering the shower in a different manner. Your physical therapist will ensure that you have a solid understanding of what is and is not acceptable to do at home in terms of keeping your joints healthy.
Physical therapists, on the other hand, aren’t just concerned with the big picture! If you have arthritic fingers, your physical therapist can demonstrate how to carry objects with your palms rather than your fingers. Physical therapy can also provide you with access to new gadgets and technology that will make daily tasks much easier for you.
Call our office today to learn more
Call our office today to learn more about new ways to combat your arthritis. A physical therapist on our team can assess you thoroughly and get you back on track to where you want to be: pain-free.
