Physical pain has the capacity to interfere with your life and work activities. While prescription medications are the usual method of treating pain, they easily cause dependency and provide no long-term solution for the problem.
Physical therapy (PT), however, is a longer treatment that struggles to find the source of pain. There are both passive and active PT methods, which use different tools and equipment. The benefits of physical therapy are numerous, ranging from no side effects to an improvement of physical activity.
If you’re a resident of Jersey City, make sure you get familiar with how PT can help you.
Types
There are two main types of physical therapy treatments, passive and active. Passive treatments require patients to be still during PT and provide immediate pain relief. Active treatments involve participation on the part of patients and help them for longer periods. The integration of both passive and active physical therapy is helpful in treating conditions such as arthritis, neck, and lower back pain. Read here about the causes and types of arthritis.
Passive PT includes a variety of treatments like the application of heat and cold, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (TENS), iontophoresis, laser therapy, ultrasound, and massage. For instance, the application of heat and ice packs is boasted for their effects in reducing inflammation. Conversely, the TENS unit relies on electrical stimulation to relieve pain by setting aside the pain signals traveling towards the brain. Sensory nerves are those responsible for receiving the electrical impulses.
Additionally, iontophoresis is a treatment that involves placing steroids on the skin exposed to an electrical current. The function of the current is to ensure the steroid is forced beneath the skin to minimize inflammation. Another method for alleviating inflammation and speeding up tissue healing is laser therapy.
In contrast, during an ultrasound, therapists put cold gel on the affected area, which is then affected by sound waves coming from an ultrasound machine. These waves trigger a penetration of the soft tissues. Massages are another form of passive PT, aiding muscle and soft tissue relaxation.
As explained before, active physical therapy requires patients to take part in the treatments by following the guidelines provided by the physical therapist. Active PT includes motion-improvement exercises, the McKenzie approach, dynamic lumbar stabilization, aquatic exercises, general and targeted conditioning, etc.
Let’s start with range-of-motion exercises. These are suitable for individuals who have suffered a stroke, had an injury, or have been bedridden for a longer time. There are various PT clinics providing orthopedic physical therapy, such as physical therapy from libertyptnj.com, creating individualized physiotherapy programs. If your treatment plan includes range-of-motion exercises, the therapist will assist you in improving the range of the injured limb gradually with each session.
Furthermore, the McKenzie approach is applied when a physical therapist provides assistance to the patient while doing exercises, whose goal is to extend the spine and minimize pain. The focus of this approach is to centralize pain and divert it from the limbs to the back, as discomfort is more tolerated in this area.
Dynamic lumbar stabilization puts the focus on stretching for the ultimate goal of relieving back and neck pain. These stretches eliminate tension and improve motion in patients. The most common exercises practiced during dynamic lumbar stabilization include knee to chest and back flexion stretches.
In addition, aquatic exercises, as the name suggests, are performed in water, usually in pools. Spine pressure is relieved by water buoyancy. Patients are capable of working their muscles while feeling a lower amount of pain, especially when the shoulder, back, and neck are affected.
Ultimately, general and targeted conditioning include exercises that treat a certain area, such as the joints, neck, lower back, etc. Anyhow, patients with specific conditions like fibromyalgia could benefit from general conditioning therapy. It’s a combination of endurance, aerobic, strengthening, and stretching exercises.
Tools and equipment
During PT treatments, therapists use different types of equipment and tools. These tools include resistance bands, exercise balls, recumbent bicycles, ankle weights, weighted handballs, treadmills, exercise bikes, Pilates reformers, etc. Go to this URL, https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a19907835/treadmill-exercises/, to check out eight exercises you can do on the treadmill without running.
Some other tools and equipment used in PT involve motion measurement instruments, muscle testing instruments, functional trainers for pneumatic resistance, TRX for suspension training, and others. Every reputable PT clinic is supposed to have the necessary tools and equipment to provide all sorts of treatments.
Benefits of PT
Physical therapy is beneficial for treating physical pain symptoms. It involves little to no side effects, as all treatments are natural, unlike medications and surgery. It treats the core of the pain instead of just masking the symptoms. In contrast, pills provide short-term relieving effects, which last between twelve and twenty-four hours.
Therapists, however, strive to determine the stem of the discomfort and look for long-term relief solutions. The exercise plan prescribed by therapists is tailored to the recovery needs of patients. PT is supported by credible research, illustrating the ways in which it aids pain-related conditions.
The ultimate benefit of physical therapy is the improvement of physical activity. It’s an active process inspiring individuals to acquire a more active role. Sessions usually last between thirty and sixty minutes, during which therapists and patients collaborate closely.
The bottom line
PT is a natural, effective, and long-term solution for your pain-related medical condition!
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