Pain is universal. You can trace its trail through time-from toothache evident in fossil remains of a human jawbone to today’s drugstore shelves stacked with pain relievers. Almost half of all Americans seek treatment for pain each year, 7 million from newly diagnosed back pain alone.
Pain is also complex. There are times when it’s beneficial, such as when you grasp a hot iron skillet with a bare hand or stub your toe on an oak dresser at full stride. Like a blaring alarm, pain screams its urgent warning that something is terribly wrong. But other pain-the day after-day ache of arthritis or constant throbbing of a headache-serve no useful purpose. And its relentlessness can be overwhelming. Above all, pain is unique. The discomfort it can cause is as varied as those who experience it. Your degree of pain and how you react to it are the results of your own biological, psychological and cultural makeup.
These insights into the many components involved in the pain process are improving people’s understanding of pain and its treatment.
No longer is pain viewed as just a symptom of another disease. It can become an illness unto itself. Strategies on how best to manage pain are also evolving. For persistent pain, called chronic pain, medication alone often isn’t the best form of treatment. A comprehensive approach that includes exercise, relaxation skills and behavioral changes can help control pain, but without risk of serious side effects.
If you are experiencing pain and are looking for a safe, cost-effective treatment, then physical therapy may be right for you.
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