Pain is an unpleasant experience but is an important alarm system in the human body. The purpose of pain is to alert us to potential tissue damage or injury, so that we can react and protect ourselves to prevent further damage. However, pain often persists after the initial cause has been resolved. In comparison to acute, short lasting pain in response to injury, long lasting pain loses its protective function and can greatly affect a person’s quality of life.
Chronic pain can be extremely difficult to get on top of and is something we deal with every day in practice at Regenerate Chiropractic and Pingelly Chiropractic.
Pain-relieving medication can be useful and important in managing acute injuries and acute pain, but when it comes to ongoing or persistent pain, there are other options to consider.
Non-pharmacological and conservative approaches for pain management such as Chiropractic care, exercise, and Remedial massage are front line treatments and can be used as an effective, & healthy means of relief from aches and pains
CHIROPRACTIC CARE
Our Chiropractors are experts at helping reduce pain and improve function in people with chronic pain in a way that does not involve drugs or medication. Chiropractic care has many benefits including:
- Restoration of proper motion of joints
- Increasing range of motion in the spine and extremities
- Improving overall function
- Reducing pain levels
- Decreasing feelings of stiffness
- Reduction in muscle tension
- Reduction in some types of headache symptoms
On top of this our Chiropractors aim to educate patients about chronic pain and come up with a management plan on how to best tackle pain. This will include not only passive care (adjustments, soft tissue work & dry needling) but active care including at home rehab and corrective care exercises as well as advice on what exercise can be done to decrease pain and improve function.
EXERCISE
It is a well-known fact that exercise is beneficial in the promotion of health and cure of diseases. What is less well-known is that exercise has been proven to have a pain-relieving effect.
Exercise is so beneficial for health and wellbeing that some researchers even suggest it should be considered a drug! When exercising at a sufficient intensity, for a sufficient period, our bodies release a substance called beta-endorphin. This increase in beta-endorphin has been linked to numerous physiological and psychological responses including an improved mood state, an altered response to stress hormones, and perhaps most interestingly, altered perception of pain
In considering exercise, it is vital to consider the exact dosing of exercise, as it is noted that over or under exercising may have unfavourable side effects. This is where our Chiropractors come in, if you unsure of where to start, was type of exercise to do and how much our Chiropractors can assist you in creating a plan specific to your needs.
REMEDIAL MASSAGE
Another non-pharmacological pain management strategy is massage, the effects of which have been studied in relation to many types of pain, including low back pain, neck and shoulder pain. Through reducing stress and anxiety, relaxation of sore and tight muscles and increased blood flow, massage can be effective in the management of pain
Depending on your individual presentation, different types of massage may be suitable to help with your pain. Deep tissue massage is helpful for those with chronic muscular pain and inflammation-related pain, such as that caused by arthritis and tendinitis. Myofascial release helps to relieve muscular tension, while trigger point therapy is effective in the treatment of specific myofascial pain.
It is no surprise that we look for a quick escape from the unpleasant experience of pain. If you are finding that pain is affecting your day-to-day life, we are here to help you discover new options and coping mechanisms. Through detailed assessment, we will help you to devise a plan specific to your needs, to ensure that pain and medication do not take over your life.
If you are ready to book a session to smash your goals, reach out to us at 0476 252 599 or book in online, and we will work together to make a plan to help relieve your pain and improve your function getting you back to your best!
