When you or someone you love suffer with chronic pain it is not only physically debilitating but physically exhausting. You sit over your computer searching for anything that may take the pain away. At first you would never expect to find a long lasting or permanent solution and are willing to settle for a solution that could give just a moment away from the pain or even a reduction of the level you are experiencing.
Slowly you type back pain, shoulder pain, pain relief for back pain and quickly get lost in a mountain of search results. Unfortunately many of us do not know the simple answer may begin in these simple keystrokes, c-h-i-r-o-p-r-a-c-t-o-r .
Understanding Chronic Injury Rehabilitation
Chronic injuries require rehabilitation programs that cater for the specific needs of the injury and a long-term approach. Patience is required for these rehabilitation programs and it is essential to remember that the problem has developed over a period of years and will not be fixed in a matter of weeks or months. Progress should be reached in the short-term, but such situations usually require consistent, ongoing attention to achieve the long-term solution.
Applying the appropriate rehabilitation program to chronic injuries is critically important and chiropractic care can be of great assistance in achieving the maximum rewards out of your rehabilitation. Regular chiropractic care can improve the mobility of your spinal column and remove nerve interference which may cause tight, inflamed muscles. The end result is an optimized body for good health and full function. By enabling the maximum mobility of the spine and maximum function of your nerve system, regular chiropractic care can help to maximize your body’s ability to recover from chronic injury.
Wear and Tear with Age
As we get older, years of mechanical stress can lead to the deterioration of joints, ligaments, and tendons. This degenerative process, more commonly known as arthritis, primarily affects the weight-bearing joints in the body such as the hips and knees and those found in the lumbar spine. The shoulder, too, is also prone to undergo arthritic changes due to its extreme mobility. The extensive range of motion at the shoulder is built-in to the design of this structure, but the sacrifice for this is major instability which ultimately leads to the two prominent symptoms of pain and restricted range of motion.
Rehabilitation Pathways
An entire orthopedic sub-specialty focuses on treatment of chronic pain and includes long-term use of anti-inflammatory medication where eventually surgical repair could be recommended.
The good news is that in many of these cases, a more optimal approach is available, one that utilizes the body’s own natural recuperative powers. For many people, chronic pain can be reduced and chronic loss of mobility can be improved by engaging in certain activities and by applying a specific rehabilitative program. The goals of these rehabilitation programs are to increase the range of motion and build up strength in not only the affected area but the entire body that supports the region. As these goals are accomplished, the likely results are a reduction of intensity and frequency of occurrence of in pain.
A Rehabilitation Program For You
Engaging in an overall strength training program is an important approach to managing chronic pain. Strength training should be completed progressively, starting with light exercises and progressing to a higher level at a recommended and monitored rate . If a person has experienced an acute injury, early correction and rehabilitation should precede rehabilitative strength training.
Your chiropractor and physical therapist are experienced in injury rehabilitation and will be able to help you design an effective flexibility and strengthening program for improved function. Their goal is not to only reduce the pain but to rehabilitate your body to avoid further or more frequent episodes.
For Wellness,
Dr. Shannan McCormick