Chronic pain is an unfortunate reality for millions of Americans today. It’s so pervasive that many take it for granted.
Whether it’s neck stiffness or a hip that flares up multiple times per week, this chronic issue will only get worse. Waiting for your health problems to just go away on their own paves the way for your symptoms to get more severe, increasing your chances of hospitalization and even disability years down the line. All is not lost, however. Reaching out to a physical therapist and asking them for a consultation will help immensely with putting your problem in perspective. From there you can sign up for physical therapy or minimally invasive surgery to turn your chronic pain into a detail of the past.
The first thing you need to do is learn about chronic pain and all the ways it manifests.
Most People Today Deal With Some Form Of Chronic Pain
You’re not alone in your struggles. Chronic pain is a common sight these days, due in no small part to all the different forms it can take. Today over 80% of the population will experience back pain at some point in their lifetime, with symptoms often flaring up later in adulthood. Around the world some one and a half billion people live with stiffness, aching, burning, itching, and limited mobility. If any of these describe you, a pain management center will be your first step on the road to recovery.
Your Mental Health Will Be Negatively Impacted
It’s not just physical pain you have to contend with, but reduced mental wellness. A recent study asking chronic pain sufferers about their emotional well-being saw nearly 60% stating their chronic pain has impacted their enjoyment of life. When you’re unable to enjoy your daily hobbies or find basic chores too tasking, it’s not hard to see the rest of your life follow suit. A pain management center will do more than just keep your symptoms from getting worse. They’ll give you the freedom and reduced stress you’ve been craving for months.
Work Is A Major Contributor To Chronic Issues
What causes so many American adults to suffer from chronic pain? Work is a huge factor, whether it’s a taxing construction job or a sedentary job with long hours. Lifting heavy objects on a regular basis — such as groceries, boxes, or equipment — can cause lower back problems down the road, particularly if they’re moved using the arms more than the legs. Even lifting safely, though, constant stress on your body will eventually take its toll. Standing, hunching, sitting for long periods, pulling muscles without your knowing, and chronic stress all result in an issue that needs medical attention.
Age And Lifestyle Habits Can Exacerbate Your Health Problems
If you’re an older adult, or live a sedentary lifestyle, you’ll find more reasons to visit a pain management center. Complex regional pain, hip pain, and knee pain are all able to be made worse when your body isn’t given the materials to heal itself. Exercise is a good way to push back against chronic pain by relaxing the muscles and stimulating blood flow, both difficult when you have a job that requires you sit for long periods of time. As we age we also lose the ability to recover quickly. A pain management center can provide you the fallback you’ve been waiting for.
Physical Therapy Will Increase Your Quality Of Life
While some severe cases may require surgery to reverse, many forms of lower back pain and hip pain are able to be mitigated through consistent physical therapy. A study asking about the most common types of pain found lower back pain to be the most common, followed close behind by severe headache, neck pain, and facial ache. One out of four Americans have suffered from pain that lasts longer than a day at a time. A pain management center will ask about your symptoms and your work history to get a better picture on how to help you.
Give your life some perspective. See how your arthritis or lower back pain can finally be managed.