Nerve Pain Management: Is Physical Therapy the Answer to Nerve Pain?
It's believed that 1 in 20 people in the Western World suffer from neuropathic pain. Many people will experience this at some point due to injury or other health-related issues.
Nerve pain can be very difficult to live with and have a good quality of life. That is why nerve pain management is so important if you suffer from this condition.
Physical therapy for nerve damage is something that many people find helpful. If you have tried other options, physio for nerve pain treatment options may be a good path to take.
Keep reading to find out more about nerve pain management with physical therapy.
What Is Physical Therapy?
Physical therapy is a treatment option used to restore functional movements. It is often used to help patients with standing, walking, and moving limbs freely.
This is something that will often be prescribed by a doctor if you have injured yourself. It can be used to treat medical conditions like movement dysfunction, limited mobility, and pain.
It is very useful for therapy for nerve pain that many find it useful. A physical therapist will evaluate your condition and create a plan to help you recover.
One unique thing about physical therapy is that it is used collectively and preventatively. It can be used as a corrective treatment if you already suffer from nerve pain.
But it is also a preventative measure that can help you to prevent these kinds of side effects. This is especially important if you are very active or you have sustained an injury in the past.
Can Physical Therapy Treat Nerve Pain?
If you are looking for nerve damage treatments, you may not know where to start. Physical therapy for nerve pain is a great option that benefits your entire body.
This is something that can be helpful whether you have nerve pain from an injury or a health condition. Physical therapy can help to reduce nerve pain and sustained damage.
It is especially good at reducing pain from nerves that are being pinched in some way. Many insurance companies also cover physical therapy as a medical necessity.
This allows you to have as many sessions as you need for nerve pain management. You can also take what you learned during the sessions and practice them at home.
Strengthening Exercises
There are many different aspects of physical therapy that you may experience. Strengthening exercises are very common and target specific muscle groups to solve the problem.
For instance, if you have nerve pain from a nerve being pinched, these exercises may help. They can help you to have better posture and more natural movement.
Stretching
Another option for nerve pain management is manual stretching. This is a form of physical therapy that targets pain caused by muscles and joints being too tight.
Your physical therapist will usually manually help you stretch to reduce this pain. You can also practice these stretches at home by yourself if necessary.
Soft Tissue Manipulation
Some physical therapy plans include soft tissue manipulation. This is often used for minor injuries like sprains, stress injuries, and tendinitis.
Different manipulation techniques will be used in these areas to provide pain relief. It may or may not be used for nerve damage, depending on your particular situation.
Range of Motion Exercises
If you need to target a specific joint, range of motion exercises will be used. This will help to improve your range of motion and reduce pain from tight joints.
This can be helpful for nerve pain if a tight joint is pinching a nerve. This is particularly common around the shoulders or hips, where you can experience pinched nerves.
Traction
A physical therapist may also use traction for certain parts of your body. Certain areas of your body are stretched using weights, pulleys, or harnesses.
It's a form of decompression therapy that helps to reduce pressure in those painful areas. This also helps to promote faster healing.
Traction is often used for sciatica and pinched nerves, both conditions that cause nerve pain.
When Should You Start Physical Therapy?
If you are suffering from nerve pain, you may be wondering when to get physio for nerve pain. The reality is that you should seek out physical therapy as soon as possible.
With any kind of injury or pain, it is best to treat it sooner rather than later. If this is due to an injury, it is especially important to seek medical care.
You can usually walk right into a physical therapy office to get help. But depending on your insurance, you may need to get a prescription from your doctor first.
The longer you wait to get care, the worse the issue may become. If you have sustained nerve damage, the nerve will continue to get worse if left untreated.
You should also consider going to a physical therapist if you are at a high chance of having nerve pain. This can happen if you have past injuries or medical history.
Physical therapy can be a great preventative tool to keep you feeling better and healthier.
Nerve Pain Management With Physical Therapy
If you are struggling with nerve pain, you may not know what to do. Nerve pain management can be quite difficult, depending on your situation.
The good news is that physiotherapy for nerve pain has a long track record of being useful for most patients.
Do you want to try physical therapy to relieve your nerve pain? Contact us today at Colorado Pain Experts to schedule an appointment with one of our experts.