PHYSICAL THERAPY & WELLNESS NEWSLETTER
2019
GET TO THE SOURCE OF YOUR PAIN WITHOUT MEDICATION WHY OPIOID OVERUSE MATTERS Beyond extreme physical risk, over-reliance on prescription painkillers can have other detrimental effects on your health. Withdrawal symptoms can be harrowing. And while you’re still using them, opioids can lead to depression, which sets up a vicious cycle of self-medicating in order to feel better emotionally as well as physically. The Centers for Disease Control offers some frightening statistics from opioid overuse in 2011: “1. Sales of prescription painkillers to pharmacies and providers had increased 300% since 1999 2. In 2010, 12 million people ages 12 and older reported using prescription painkillers “non-medically” 3. More than 40 people were dying each day from overdoses involving prescription opioids” Fortunately, as the APTA study concludes, there is a safer alternative to opioid use: physical therapy. If you have been struggling with pain or discomfort, contact Orthopedic Physical Therapy, Inc. today to find out how we can resolve your issues the natural way. HOW PHYSICAL THERAPY CAN COUNTER THE PROBLEM. According to the aforementioned study, “affirms that physical therapist interventions are an essential component of the multidisciplinary undertaking that will be required to improve patient outcomes and alter the trajectory of [the opioid] crisis.” It’s important to get real about the reason people seek prescription painkillers in the first place - the pain. These patients are not to be condemned for seeking relief for injuries, arthritis and other degenerative conditions, or for post-surgical discomfort. However, at the same time, it’s becoming increasingly obvious that medications like Percocet, Vicodin, Opana, and OxyContin are extremely addictive. Physical therapy, on the other hand, is extremely effective because it provides a multi-pronged attack to pain relief. Our physical therapists at Orthopedic Physical Therapy, Inc.are experts inmanual techniques, exercise instruction, and trigger point dry needling. We identify the source of your pain and use our tools and expertise to help get you back to your life! WHY PT OVER OPIOIDS? As you may now understand, physical therapy plays a large role in natural and effective pain relief. As easy as it may be to pop a pill in your mouth and wait for the pain to dissipate, the results are short-lived – pain medication simply masks the pain while physical therapy works to resolve the issue altogether. You may be wondering, “Will physical therapy help my specific pain or condition?” The short answer is – yes. All physical therapy treatment plans are built around the needs of the individual, in order to best achieve pain relief as
quickly as possible. When you arrive for your initial appointment, you will undergo a comprehensive exam that will determine the best methods of treatment for your needs. From there, your physical therapist will begin designing your treatment plan with two specific goals in mind: pain relief and improved function. While physical therapy has been known to treat a vast array of conditions, the APTA study outlines three common conditions that physical therapy has been proven to effectively treat: “1. Low back pain. A review of more than 60 randomized controlled trials evaluating exercise therapy for adults with low back pain found that such treatment can decrease pain, improve function, and help people return to work.39 The American College of Physicians states that “non-pharmacologic interventions are considered first-line options in patients with chronic low back pain because fewer harms are associated with these types of therapies than with pharmacologic options.” 2. Before and after surgery. A review of 35 randomized controlled studies with a total of nearly 3,000 patients found that in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty, preoperative exercise and education led to significant reductions in pain, shorter lengths of stay postoperatively, and improvements in function. 3. Arthritis. Studies have shown that therapeutic exercise programs can reduce pain and improve physical function among individuals with hip and knee osteoarthritis.” With physical therapy treatments, pain no longer has to control your life. Instead of opting for potentially harmful drugs, give Orthopedic Physical Therapy, Inc. a call. Our dedicated physical therapists will provide you with the necessary treatment for getting you back to your normal life – so you can say goodbye to your pain. Get to the CAUSE of your problem for the SOURCE of your pain to be treated, not the symptoms. Source: https://www.apta.org/uploadedFiles/APTAorg/Advocacy/Federal/Legislative_Issues/ Opioid/APTAOpioidWhitePaper.pdf
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