Physical Therapy for Restful Nights and Pain Free Days
The use of physical therapy to alleviate pain and obtain restful sleep has a history reaching into antiquity. Hippocrates is believed to have been the first physical therapy practitioner. He developed treatments for gout, arthritic joints, and advocated manual therapy, massage and hydrotherapy treatments – all of which are still used today. The treatments he pioneered were later adopted by early Olympians.
There are more than 150 conditions that cause inflammation and pain to joints and the body’s neurological system, along with current and prior injuries that can result in pain long after the initial injury has healed. Conditions run the gamut from rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis to migraine headaches and fibromyalgia.
More than 116 million individuals suffer with pain from accidents, injuries and chronic conditions that result in sleep disturbances, lack of mobility, and curtail lifestyles. A physical therapist can assist patients understand the underlying cause of their pain and how it affects their body. Patients will learn new ways of performing everyday tasks for ease and convenience, along with ergonomic and adaptive strategies to lessen stress and pain on the body.
7 Ways Physical Therapy Can Help
Physical therapy treatments can be applied to any part of the body. The methods employed by a physical therapist will focus on relieving pain and inflammation, obtaining the restful sleep you need, and help you retain mobility.
Physical therapy will help you:
Relieve pain
Sleep better
Increase stability, endurance and balance
Improve flexibility and mobility
Strengthen the body
Improve neurological function
Aid in preventing disability
Physical therapy treatments work with the body’s own healing abilities to release endorphins, the body’s natural pain relieving chemical. It’s one of the reasons that physical therapy is so effective. Treatments are equally beneficial for residual pain from a previous injury or surgery.
It’s a holistic approach that will be part of a multi-faceted treatment program that may also include nutritional and supplement recommendations. A variety of foods can result in an increased level of inflammation, along with medications and other substances.
Sleep and Pain Relief is Within Your Grasp
One of the most important strategies for relieving your pain is a customized exercise program. Your physical therapist will create a program that factor in your strengths, areas that need improvement, any chronic conditions, and your fitness level.
Physical therapy will help ease pain, allow you to move better, and promotes restorative sleep necessary for the body to repair and rejuvenate itself. It’s beneficial for preventing and mitigating the severity of recurrences and relapses. A neck and spinal alignment relieves pressure on joints and the neurological system.
Your physical therapist may incorporate a number of complementary techniques into your treatment. Exercise can include aerobic movements, clinical Pilates and yoga. Manual manipulation is available if your movement is limited or you’re unable to participate in a traditional exercise program. The individualized plan will be adjusted to accommodate your progress.
Heat and cryogenic therapies may be utilized, along with ultrasound, electrical stimulation, acupuncture and dry needling. Water-based therapy is particularly beneficial if you have mobility limitations. You’ll be buoyed by the water, thereby reducing the effects of weight and gravity on your body by approximately one-third. It’s a gentle form of resistance training that can prepare you for more strenuous activities.
Your treatment may include therapeutic massage to ease pain, increase circulation, and maintain movement and flexibility. It stimulates the immune system, aids in detoxifying the body, stimulating the immune system, and relieves stress and inflammation.
Your physical therapy will alleviate pain during the day and promote restful sleep during the night. You don’t have to suffer with pain and sleepless nights when relief through physical therapy is so close at hand.