Physical Therapy

A non-invasive approach, physical therapy is a treatment method that combines repeated exercises with what we know about the way the body works. There are many different conditions that can be helped with physical therapy, and the treatment method is also useful for recovering from:

• Injuries
• Surgery
• Long-term immobility

The Focus of Physical Therapy

Physical therapy isn’t a quick fix, because it works by training your body to be stronger. Many patients with back or neck pain find that physical therapy works by strengthening and supporting the spine and all of its muscles and joints.

Based on the condition or injury that results in your doctor suggesting physical therapy, your main goal for the treatment could be:

• Strengthening muscles
• Reducing pain
• Reducing inflammation
• Speeding up healing
• Improving flexibility and mobility in muscles and joints
• Improving range of motion in your spine

During a physical therapy session, you can expect your therapist to work with you on repeated exercises that have been carefully selected to increase your strength and improve healing. During these sessions, your therapist monitors your progress to make sure that you are performing the exercises safely, and to see if any modifications need to be made. The purpose of the physical therapy sessions is to help you effectively return to daily activities without discomfort.

Injections

A combination of a powerful anti-inflammatory medication (corticosteroid) and a local anesthetic may be delivered to the affected area with an epidural injection. It’s a direct form of pain management that’s sometimes used for diagnostic purposes to determine if a specific nerve is the source of a patient’s pain. Injections also come in the form of nerve blocks.

Taking it Home

The second aspect of physical therapy is training you on the exercises you need to do at home in order to continue your progress. This specialized knowledge can also help you to prevent future problems from worsening if they begin to surface later. For example, if you feel a flare-up of pain in your back, you will know which exercises you need to perform to find relief rather than waiting until the pain has worsened to seek help.

Your physical therapist can also help you understand the correct ways to lift heavy items, and how to best sit or stand for your posture in order to reduce stiffness.

This non-invasive treatment method helps millions of patients find relief from pain without the need for long-term medications or surgical intervention.