Managing Chronic Pain: The Power of Manual Therapy
If you’re living with chronic pain, then you know it can feel absolutely relentless. It can impact every aspect of your day-to-day life and make it difficult for you to stay active and independent. While you may feel as if you’ve tried everything to address your discomfort, manual therapy for chronic pain is an often overlooked option.
Manual therapy is a group of hands-on techniques that directly address pain by targeting tight muscles, stiff joints, and restricted movement. During treatment, the Boulet Physical Therapy and Wellness therapists focus on the specific areas causing discomfort, boosting blood flow to the area and helping you find relief.
We understand how challenging chronic pain can be–but our team is here to help. Keep reading to learn more.
Understanding Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is persistent pain that lasts at least three months, longer than it would take for an injury to heal. Unlike acute pain, which stems from an injury and goes away once the injury has healed, chronic pain lingers and can affect both physical and mental well-being.
Determining the reason you’re experiencing chronic pain can be tricky. True chronic pain, such as the pain experienced by those with fibromyalgia, doesn’t have an obvious underlying cause. One theory is that people with this condition have heightened pain receptors that make the brain interpret typical sensations as painful–which is why chronic pain can be difficult to treat.
Of course, some people experiencing long-term pain can trace their discomfort to an underlying cause. Arthritis, a condition that causes pain and inflammation in the joints, is an obvious example. Sometimes, long-term pain stems from overuse injuries or poor posture that will continue to cause discomfort if left unaddressed.
The good news is that manual therapy can help with all manner of chronic or long-term pain!
What Is Manual Therapy and How Does It Help?
Manual therapy for chronic pain involves physical therapists mobilizing and manipulating muscles, joints, and soft tissues with their hands. This approach addresses pain directly at its source and is particularly effective for people with chronic pain.
Three Manual Therapy Techniques for Chronic Pain
Joint Mobilization
Joint mobilization involves one of our physical therapists carefully guiding a restricted joint through its current range of motion. The goal is to gradually increase the joint’s mobility so you can move normally.
This technique can significantly reduce pain caused by joint stiffness and encourage smoother, pain-free movement, making it easier for you to exercise and stay active.
Trigger Point Therapy
Trigger points are sensitive knots within the muscles and connective tissue that can cause pain both locally and in other parts of the body. Trigger point therapy targets these areas with direct pressure, using sustained force to release the tension in the muscle.
For chronic pain sufferers, releasing these trigger points can provide immediate pain relief and reduce muscle tightness in the surrounding area.
Myofascial Release
Myofascial release is a technique that targets the myofascia—a network of connective tissue surrounding muscles. Tight myofascia can restrict movement and cause pain. This technique involves applying gentle, sustained pressure to release these tight areas, allowing the tissue to stretch and relax.
Myofascial release is especially helpful for people with chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia, as it reduces tension and improves mobility throughout the body.
Schedule an Appointment to Get Started
At Boulet Physical Therapy and Wellness, we tailor your treatment programs to suit your unique needs. Manual therapy for chronic pain is usually the first step in a comprehensive treatment program that also includes therapeutic exercises, postural corrections, and self-management strategies.
Ready to take the next step toward relief? Call our clinic today to learn how manual therapy can help you manage chronic pain.