Living With Pain? Don’t Turn to Opioids

Physical Therapy Can Provide You With Faster, Safer, and More Effective Relief Than Opioids

Long-term opioid consumption is not a good strategy for chronic pain management. In addition to the risk of addiction, opioids simply reduce the pain that comes as a result of a bigger issue, rather than solving the problem at hand.

Physical therapy has been shown to be a much better option than opioids or other pharmaceutical painkillers for very real, measurable improvement of chronic pain. If you are considering opioids but would like to explore other pain relief options first, please contact our office to talk to a physical therapist today!

How physical therapy can help you find long-term relief

Researchers at Stanford University have shown that when turning to physical therapy early on (as soon as a person is diagnosed with musculoskeletal pain), the need for opioid pain prescriptions is greatly reduced. Among patients requiring pain relief opioids, the duration of use of painkillers was reduced by as much as 10%.

Physical therapy helps patients to cure the source of the pain rather than masking the source of the pain. If a patient suffers from arthritis or any other type of chronic pain, a physical therapist may teach a patient how to move and use key muscle groups in such a way that the source of pain does not worsen.

Another goal of physical therapy is to strengthen muscle groups that support aching or painful parts of the body so that real healing can take place. Your physical therapist will design a personalized treatment plan that will produce measurable results in pain relief. Because PT targets the source of pain, you can often eliminate the need for prescription painkillers or opioids with PT alone.

Opioids are not a cure for pain

The opioid epidemic in America has been so severe in recent years that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now recommending that patients explore alternative options for pain relief.

The opioid epidemic is a very real (and very deadly) problem. It’s believed that some 2 million Americans suffer from an opioid use disorder such as addiction. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an average of 130 people die from opioid overdoses every day here in the U.S. Since 1999, the number of opioid-related deaths has multiplied sixfold.

Many people who become addicted to opioids were first prescribed by a medical doctor to treat acute or chronic pain. The problem is, opioid medications:

  • Are associated with an increased risk of uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms and depression
  • Only hide symptoms of pain—they don’t address the underlying causes, which makes opioids less cost-effective over time
  • Can be highly addictive

The CDC recommends that opioids be considered as the “last option” for only the worst cases of pain. Alternative and holistic pain relief methods, including physical therapy, do not pose the extreme risks of addiction and overdose that opioids do.

It is important that anyone suffering from pain should understand that opioids will not solve the underlying physical problem that causes pain. In fact, opioids can actually make the original problem worse.

Suppose, for example, that a person has been dealing with chronic pain several months after surgery to the shoulder. The shoulder may be healed, but the pain persists. If the patient relies on opioids to soften the pain, they can run the risk of re-injuring their shoulder.

Pain is the body’s way of telling us something is wrong. With opioids, the patient may use their shoulder muscles incorrectly and ultimately make the underlying problem worse.

If the same patient had worked with a physical therapist for pain relief, they would have had a much better chance of completely eliminating the pain in the long-term. Through physical therapy, manual therapy, proper exercise, body mechanics, and posture work, you can find the relief you’ve been searching for – all without turning to addictive opioid painkillers.

Schedule a consultation with a physical therapist today!

If you have been living with chronic pain and would like to know more about how physical therapy can help, please call our office today to schedule your first appointment with a licensed physical therapist!

We’ll help you find long-term pain relief so you can live life comfortably.

The Connection Between Nutrition and Pain Relief

Find Relief for Your Aches and Pains with Nutrition Changes

Could you be feeding your chronic aches and pains without even realizing it? If your pain problems have steadily worsened, you may need to look at your nutrition choices.

Certain foods have been known to alleviate inflammation, where some foods can aggravate it. In fact, according to Harvard Health Publishing, “A lot of chronic pain is the result of chronic inflammation, and the evidence is quite strong that your diet can contribute to increased systemic inflammation.”

Eating too much and/or eating the wrong types of foods can trigger your inflammatory reactions that contribute to muscle, nerve, and joint pain. Fortunately, you can reverse this cycle by adopting a healthy nutritional strategy as part of a holistic physical therapy program at GoodLife Physical Therapy.

Physical therapy and nutrition

The good news is that the right foods can fight inflammation just as easily as the wrong foods can exacerbate the issue. Simply switching to a more nutritional diet can help put you on a healthier, less painful path.

This diet highlights fruits, vegetables, fish, whole grains and healthy oils such as olive oil—all delicious choices with high nutritional value and low inflammatory potential! Even your choice of spices can make a huge difference in your comfort. Turmeric, for example, is a powerful natural anti-inflammatory agent. Your physical therapist can point you to the right nutritional changes for your specific needs, in order to help control your pain.

Weight control is another key aspect of pain management. Your physical therapy plan may include recommendations as to how many calories you should consume, what kinds of foods you should eat to avoid additional weight gain, and any other necessary changes to your eating schedule or patterns.

Increasing your physical activity will also help you get the most out of your new nutrition routine. For example, muscle building through strength training boosts your metabolic rate, helping your body burn calories more easily. Other physical therapy techniques to ease chronic aches and pain will help you become much more mobile—allowing you to boost your workout regimen, lose more weight, and take more strain off of your joints and tissues.

What should I know about pain and a nutritional diet?

How many times have you heard the old expression, “You are what you eat?” Certain kinds of foods are known to cause or aggravate inflammatory responses and chronic pain. You may be doing yourself more harm than good if you regularly consume:

  • Foods heavy in processed sugars and/or trans fats (including cookies, donuts and margarine)
  • Potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, and other members of the nightshade family
  • Caffeinated foods and drinks
  • White bread or other highly-processed carbs
  • Alcohol
  • Red meat

These foods can make you feel painful in various ways. Sugar and aspartame, for instance, raise both your insulin levels and your pain sensitivity. Caffeine and tomatoes both raise your body’s acidity levels, promoting inflammatory pain. But for all these foods (and several others), the bottom line is the same: an increase in your aches and pains.
Additionally, fatty and sugary foods can lead to extra weight, which can accelerate joint degeneration and aggravate pain. It can also place undue strain on your muscles and may even encourage the development of bulging or herniated discs, leading to neurological issues such as sciatica.

Nutritional changes can help with…

  • Obesity: Pain related to obesity can become a vicious cycle. Being overweight causes a patient pain, so they become more sedentary. Becoming more sedentary causes them to gain more weight, which leads to more pain. Nutritional diets can help shed unwanted weight and decrease pain on the joints.
  • Osteoarthritis: Once a person has been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, managing their pain becomes the most important key to leading a comfortable life. Certain foods can decrease inflammation, easing arthritis pains.
  • Inflammation: American diets tend to have a lot of vegetable oils and other inflammatory foods in them. This can make the pain from inflammation even worse. In many cases, a physical therapist will prescribe a diet with more antioxidants and anti-inflammatory foods to help manage pain.
  • Autoimmune Disorders: The combined total of various autoimmune disorder patients (such as Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis) now outnumber cancer patients in America by a wide margin. Autoimmune disorders are frequently linked directly to deficiencies in a patient’s diet.
  • Diabetes: Diabetes and pre-diabetes pave the way for more serious conditions such as heart disease, kidney disease and blindness. More than 90 percent of patients with diabetes also experience neuropathic pain. Diet and nutrition will play a key role in managing these conditions.

Discover how nutrition can help you find relief

Eating for health can include eating for pain management. Contact our physical therapy center or visit us in IL to make this strategy work for you!

Stay Away From the Dangers of Opioids – Instead, Opt for Physical Therapy

Did You Know Physical Therapy Could Provide You With the Relief You Need?

Do you take opioids to manage your pain? Well, you’re not alone. Health care providers in the US write over 200 million prescriptions for opioid pain medication every year. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has even issued guidelines about this and urged safe non-drug alternatives, such as physical therapy.

A recent study published in Health Services Research found that people who saw a physical therapist prior to other treatments were 89% in less need of an opioid prescription.

Before you take another pill for your pain, call our office to schedule an appointment with a physical therapist. We want you to know that relief from arthritis pain is possible with the help of physical therapy.

Physical therapy can help you govern your pain without drugs, giving you a chance to break away from your reliance on opioids.

If you’re suffering from pain, be sure to call us to schedule an appointment with one of our physical therapists.

Opioids – what are they and why are they dangerous?

Opioids are strong pain-killing drugs that are often prescribed to combat severe chronic pain. They are traditionally derived from substances in the poppy plant.

Prescription opioids are painkillers often prescribed to block pain signals and prescribed to treat moderate to severe pain. These drugs can also be addictive.

Opioids such as morphine, codeine, hydrocodone, and oxycodone can often deaden the pain when milder drugs cannot, making them a common prescription for cancer pain, acute injuries, and severe neurological or musculoskeletal pain. They can also produce euphoria or unconsciousness, making them a highly abused substance in both legal and illegal forms (such as heroin).

Opioids work by binding to opioid receptors in the brain and other structures of the body. As the opioids occupy these receptors, they prevent the receptors from receiving pain signals. At the same time, the opioids trigger the release of large amounts of dopamine, a substance that evokes feelings of pleasure.

Regular usage can increase your dependence and make you need higher and more frequent doses. Opioids can restrict your ability to breathe and can lead to a fatal overdose.

Opioids are not in the same category as over-the-counter drugs like Tylenol and aspirin. The most common ones prescribed are Oxycontin and Vicodin.

Are you experiencing these symptoms?

Opioid use disorder is a medical condition used when one is not able to not stop taking opioids.

When one is physically dependent on opioids, they typically have withdrawal symptoms like sweating and cravings.

Other signs include drowsiness, weight loss, change in sleep habits, flu-like symptoms, changes in exercise habits, and isolation.

How can physical therapy decrease the need for opioid use?

According to a study published in JAMA, most people see a physical therapist for musculoskeletal conditions that result in back, neck, knee, and shoulder pain.

Researchers found that when a person saw a physical therapist, they were less likely to be prescribed opioids. “This study provides early evidence that the CDC guidelines may help decrease long-term opioid use,” said Steven George, PT, Ph.D., one of the study’s contributing researchers. “The biggest takeaway is that early physical therapy may be a viable option for several musculoskeletal conditions, especially if preventing long-term opioid use is a treatment goal.”

You should consider physical therapy if:

  • You’re experiencing issues such as addiction, depression, or physical side effects from opioid usage – or you’re determined to avoid such issues
  • You suffer from a chronic, incurable pain condition that might otherwise require a lifetime on opioids
  • Your pain is musculoskeletal or neuromuscular in origin (as opposed to cancer pain, for instance)
  • You’re interested in actually treating the underlying cause of the pain, instead of simply numbing the pain itself

A physical therapist is a healthcare movement expert who helps patients decrease their pain and increase their quality of life through specific exercises, hands-on care, and education.

A physical therapist does a complete evaluation of the patient and develops an individualized treatment targeted to the root cause of pain. Patients experience pain relief, increased mobility, and regain the ability to perform daily tasks.

There’s a lot involved in a physical therapy treatment plan. It often includes both active and passive modalities. Active modalities may include targeted exercises and stretching.

Passive modalities typically include ice and heat therapy, electric stimulation, ultrasound, massage therapy, and stabilization methods.

Ready to say goodbye to opioids?

If you’re suffering in pain, stay away from opioid prescriptions. The risks outweigh the rewards. Instead, see a physical therapist.

Be sure to give our office a call to schedule a one-on-one consultation and evaluation.

Our physical therapists are certified and experienced. They’ve helped many others and can help you, too.

Are You Experiencing One of These 5 Common Shoulder Injuries? Find Relief With PT

Physical therapy is used to treat any sports injury, workplace injury, shoulder injury, or musculoskeletal condition you may be experiencing. It is a natural, safe, and effective way to treat both acute and chronic pain.

One of the most common reasons people seek the help of a physical therapist is to manage chronic shoulder pain. There are a number of different reasons why shoulder pain may occur, and it can greatly limit your everyday life. If you have been experiencing shoulder pain or decreased function within your shoulder, don’t hesitate to contact our office today.

5 of the most common shoulder injuries:

The average person probably doesn’t give much thought to their shoulders as they go about their day. However, your shoulders actually do quite a lot of work to help you complete everyday tasks, and if they become strained or injured, you could be left to experience severe shoulder pain. Some of the most common causes of shoulder pain include:

1. Tendon tears.

The tendons in your shoulder can tear as the result of an acute injury or certain degenerative conditions. The natural aging process, sudden injuries, and overuse often cause the tendons to split or tear. Whether a patient is experiencing a partial or a full tendon tear, the pain can be extremely intense and it may require regular appointments with a skilled physical therapist.

2. Bursitis.

The shoulder is a complicated joint that is made up of an intricate network of moving parts. One of the key components that make up the shoulder is called a bursa. The bursa contains tiny sacs of fluid that work to keep the shoulder joint lubricated. If the bursa becomes irritated or inflamed, you can develop bursitis, and you will need to schedule a physical therapy appointment as soon as possible.

3. Tendinitis.

Tendinitis is a common condition that causes inflammation in the shoulder area, and it has been known to send many people straight to a physical therapist in order to find relief. The condition typically affects those who are physically active or people who work at a job that requires them to complete repetitive motions. For example, if you’re an athlete who plays tennis, or if you work as a professional painter, you could be at risk of developing tendinitis in your shoulder. If you are at a high risk of developing tendinitis, it is important to remember that along with physical therapy, resting your shoulders regularly can help to prevent chronic pain.

4. Frozen shoulder.

Frozen shoulder typically occurs after an injury or alongside another shoulder condition. Most physical therapists recommend that patients with frozen shoulders get plenty of rest in between physical therapy appointments, in order to avoid developing scar tissue in the shoulder. If the scar tissue does develop, the muscles surrounding the shoulder could eventually freeze up as well, restricting your full range of motion and resulting in chronic pain.

5. Impingement.

Shoulder impingement can occur when the top part of the shoulder blade puts excessive pressure on the underlying soft tissues in the arm when it is lifted away from the body. As the arm lifts, the shoulder blade rubs against the tendons and bursa. If left untreated, an impingement in the shoulder can result in bursitis and/or tendinitis.

Schedule a consultation with us today:

If you have sustained one of the injuries above, or if you’re looking for assistance with a different shoulder pain condition, contact us today to schedule a consultation. Physical therapy is the ideal way to treat shoulder pain in people of all ages. Our dedicated physical therapists will address your condition and design the best treatment plan for your specific needs!