Pain Affects Your Life
Get ahead of pain and take your pain meds before pain sets in.
Persistent pain saps energy and disrupts sleep. It can interfere with work and leisure activities and worsen other medical conditions.
Pain is often under-reported because of fear of addiction. Your pain may not be addressed successfully by your primary doctor. You may have a specific type of pain. You may have a new pain or new symptoms such as numbness or tingling. In these cases you should seek out a specialist. Pain specialists identify the causes of pain and treat acute pain aggressively to prevent the onset of chronic pain most often with non-invasive treatments.
Physical Therapy: Treating Pain Without Drugs
Physical Therapy can help people with long-term, or chronic pain. The therapist may look for areas of weakness or stiffness that adds stress to the places that hurt. Specific exercises are prescribed to ease pain. These may include a combination of stretching and strengthening exercises.
Some therapists are trained in massage techniques to help with pain. Some massage may not feel too comfortable, But the therapist takes great care to make sure it is safe and helpful for you.
With physical therapy, pain can be treated without drugs.
In addition, your therapist may use heat and/or cold treatments to also help with pain.
Tens (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) uses a device to send low-voltage electric current to the skin over the painful area. Ultrasound sends sound waves to the area that hurts. Both these offer relief by blocking the pain messages to the brain.
Exercise Therapy/Lifestyle Changes
You may be recommended to keep to a regular exercise routine to maintain your pain-free life. Therapy can be hard. Stick with it because you will reap the benefits.
AW Health Care can help! We can provide therapy in your home after a fall, injury or hospital stay. Call us for more information. (314) 330-7992
Take you pain medicines as prescribed.
Pain After Surgery
Don’t wait to take your pain medication until your pain becomes severe. Take your pain meds as prescribed. As you feel better, you can extend the time between doses till you are able to quit altogether.
If your pain is not too severe, try over-the-counter medication like ibuprophen or acetomenophin for relief. In the meantime get enough sleep. Increase physical activity slowly. Don’t sit too long. Take a stretch break.
Did You Know?
Medicaid Beneficiaries Can Now Get Outpatient Physical Therapy.
You may be eligible for Missouri Medicaid Alternative Pain Management Physical Therapy.
That’s right! Missouri Medicaid (MO HealthNet) now pays for outpatient physical therapy, called Medicaid Alternative Pain Management Physical Therapy. To qualify, you must not be homebound and:
- Be 21 years of age or older
- Be MO HealthNet eligible
- Have a chronic neck or back pain diagnosis
- Have a chronic pain post traumatic injury diagnosis
Questions? Call Ken McNeese at AW Health Care (314) 319-7041
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