Why #ChoosePT for Pain Management

If you’re ever in pain, what do you do?

Do you take a few pills, ignore the issue, or consult with a physical therapist? At Progressive Spine & Sports Medicine in Ramsey, New Jersey, we strongly encourage you to choose the latter! Our experienced and highly trained physical therapy team offers plenty of non-invasive and drug-free pain solutions that can help you get back to your activities of daily life as soon as possible with greater ease and comfort.

Why Should I #ChoosePT If I’m In Pain?

To combat the harrowing epidemic of opioid drug abuse in the United States, the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) has recently launched a national campaign called #ChoosePT. This campaign aims to raise awareness about physical therapy as an effective pain management solution instead of or in addition to pain medication. Our Ramsey pain management team, led by Dr. Steven Ferrer and Dr. Kevin McElroy, strongly support this campaign. We’ve seen firsthand just how beneficial physical therapy can be for people suffering from a variety of conditions, including osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, back pain, and more.

To be clear, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does rightly note that opioids and other medications are indicated in some cases. In particularly, people living with cancer, terminal illnesses, and certain acute conditions may benefit from properly prescribed pain-relieving drugs. However, the potential benefits should always be carefully weighed against the potential risks, and the decision to use medications should never be taken lightly. To this end, consulting with a physical therapist can be a much safer and preferred method of pain management.

Here are a few situations when both the APTA and CDC recommend utilizing physical therapy prior to, instead of, or concurrently with prescription medication:

• You have chronic pain, or pain lasting 3 months or longer
• You have a personal or family history of addiction
• You want the underlying cause of your pain to be addressed, and not to have your pain simply masked
• You want to learn ways to prevent your pain from coming back

Physical therapy is safe for people of all ages, is backed by evidence-based research and data, and is completely customizable to meet the unique needs of each individual patient.

How Can a Physical Therapist Help Me?

There are several scientifically-supported ways that a physical therapist can help you find relief from your pain, including:

• Manual therapy, which includes joint mobilizations, soft tissue mobilizations, and massage
• Therapeutic exercises and stretches
• Body mechanics, ergonomics re-training, and relaxation and breathing techniques
• Modalities, including electrical stimulation, dry needling, ultrasound, and kinesiotaping

Together, these services decreased pain, accelerated tissue healing, increased circulation, decreased swelling and inflammation, restored function, increased movement efficiency and safety, and increased strength, endurance, and flexibility of the involved connective tissues.

Are you or a family member in need of effective pain relief, but you don’t want to become reliant on medications? Do you want to get to the bottom of your symptoms, and not simply cover the symptoms up? Call (201) 962-9199 today to schedule an appointment with a Ramsey physical therapist here at Progressive Spine & Sports Medicine. When you call, be sure to ask about our other services, too. We are confident that our staff can be of service to your whole family—call today!