What is the difference between Acute and Chronic Pain?
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke:
"Acute pain is a normal sensation triggered in the nervous system to alert you to possible injury and the need to take care of yourself, chronic pain is different. Chronic pain persists.
Pain signals keep firing in the nervous system for weeks, months, even years. There may have been an initial mishap -- sprained back, serious infection, or there may be an ongoing cause of pain -- arthritis, cancer, ear infection, but some people suffer chronic pain in the absence of any past injury or evidence of body damage.
Many chronic pain conditions affect older adults. Common chronic pain complaints include headache, low back pain, arthritis pain, neurogenic pain (pain resulting from damage to the peripheral nerves or to the central nervous system itself), psychogenic pain (pain not due to past disease or injury or any visible sign of damage inside or outside the nervous system)."
How Physical Therapy Helps Chronic Pain
Our team will help educate you about your chronic pain and find solutions to help improve your quality of life. A physical therapist will evaluate your clinical examination and create an individualized treatment program that targets the root problem. Our goal is to help reduce pain and increase movement.
In order to achieve these objectives, your plan of care may include:
- Manual therapy, including massage, active release technique (ART), Myofascial Decompression, and spinal traction
- Non-invasive modalities, including electrical stimulation, Ice, and therapeutic ultrasound
- BEMER/PEMF Therapy
- Deep Tissue Laser Therapy
- Therapeutic exercises, stretches, and evidence-based pain-relieving protocols instructed by your Therapist