According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine, at least 100 million Americans are living with chronic pain (pain lasting longer than three months). As if this isn’t a troubling enough trend, in recent years, physicians have been prescribing more and more prescription pain medications, including opioids. In the year 2013 alone, physicians prescribed nearly
Physical therapy as an industry has been talking about the link between core strength and better balance for years. When the “core” muscles around your trunk are strong, they prevent chronic lower back pain and many other injuries, but they also keep you from losing your balance and falling down. A stronger core will help
A herniated disc is a condition that occurs along the spine. Most often, it is found in the lower back. The spine is comprised of 24 bones, and five of them are found in the lower back. There are also nerves and intervertebral discs in the spine. With a herniated disc, the jelly-like nucleus begins
Looking for a Drug-Free Pain Solution? Look Into Physical Therapy Pain can be a helpful messenger, an alert that something in your body needs fixing ‒ but it can also be an agonizing annoyance that ruins your quality of life. To make matters worse, many pain problems are rooted in deep-set underlying conditions, often originating
Everyone wakes up feeling some pain in their joints or muscles from time to time. But if you find yourself consistently waking up stiff and achy, it might be time for pain-relief work with a physical therapist. Aching or stiff joints may be a minor problem that is easily remedied; in other cases, your doctor
Arthritis is a joint disorder, which features inflammation, pain and stiffness. There is also often a loss in movement with arthritis, as the joints are too inflamed to move. When only a single joint is involved it’s known as monoarthritis. If two or three joints are involved it’s referred to as oligoarthritis. To date there
Headaches are the third most common pain complaint throughout the world. They are debilitating and can greatly impact a person’s quality of life. Fortunately, relief is possible. By working with a trained physical therapist, you can experience immediate pain relief from stress-related headaches and other ailments that may be contributing to your suffering. In this
Too many of us have an all-or-nothing attitude when it comes to staying fit. We’re too “slammed” at work for the gym, or our kids’ activities are keeping us in the car — and off the track — for long hours. Yet, there are a few basic elements you can add into your daily life
Arthritis is a catch-all term used to describe more than 100 different kinds of joint pain and joint disease. While it’s commonly believed to be a condition that afflicts the elderly, the reality is that it can strike people in early middle age. In fact, elite male athletes are more likely to develop it than
Low back pain is the nemesis of many. That familiar ache can limit time spent working, relaxing, and enjoying life. It can lead to irritability and a whole host of other health problems. And, yet, it’s surprisingly common. The World Health Organization estimates that in the United States, 149 million days of work are lost