Non-Pharmaceutical Alternatives to Reduce Your Discomfort
Chronic pain can control your life, making it difficult or impossible to do even the simplest things. When virtually every move hurts, you can be tempted to mask the pain with some type of medication. That won’t make it go away and it can make things worse, particularly if your body develops a tolerance to the painkiller, requiring larger doses to achieve the same effect. There are, however, non-pharmaceutical measures you can take that can help lessen chronic pain.
Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Conditioning
Often, in the aftermath of an injury, your muscles can weaken. As a consequence, things that were painless before can now be a source of discomfort. Rebuilding the strength in those muscles can go a long way toward minimizing chronic pain. A targeted physical therapy or rehab regimen can improve the muscular support around your joints, also leading to less pain. Progressive weight training, resistance band exercises, and stretching can all help your body compensate and alleviate chronic pain.
Medical and Scientific Procedures that Can Effectively Treat Chronic Pain
There are a wide number of tools, some new and some old, which have been shown to reduce chronic pain without the use of drugs:
- Heat and ice—After an injury, your muscles can tighten, as your body goes into protection mode. Heat will stimulate blood flow, relaxing and loosening tissue. The application of ice lessens inflammation.
- Massage—Gentle massage promotes relaxation in your tissues and muscles. If you have access to a whirlpool, use it. It’s really nothing more than a water massage.
- Acupuncture/acupressure—This ancient technique stimulates nerves at precise points, alleviating pain
- Ultrasound—The production of sound waves can be a form of “micro-massage”
- Mechanical traction—This tool gently strengths and relaxes muscles and other connective tissue
- Paraffin treatments—This remedy had been scientifically shown to lessen arthritic pain, particularly at the joints
Contact Us to Set Up an Appointment
At Advantage Healthcare Systems, we have extensive experience working successfully with individuals who suffer any type of concussion, TBI or traumatic brain injury. Call us toll-free at 1-877-487-8289 or fill out the form provided below to schedule an assessment. We offer locations across Texas, including Fort Worth, Dallas and San Antonio