Pain Management Physiotherapy: What It Is and How It Helps

An effective and safe choice for pain management is physiotherapy. Physiotherapy, also known as physical therapy, mostly uses manual therapy to help with or treat conditions or injuries that limit a person’s movement and functionality. It is basically a rehabilitative treatment method that helps significantly with pain relief. A physiotherapist or pain management specialist will use special equipment along with tailored, specialized exercises and techniques with the goal of:

• Reducing the pain
• Strengthening your muscles, tendons, and ligaments
• Helping you restore balance and improve your range of motion
• Improving your overall flexibility and functioning
• Increasing your endurance
• Enhancing stability in the joints
• Improving flexibility of both muscles and joints
• Enhancing your quality of life

Through physical therapy, it is also possible to tackle and treat inflammation, stiffness, and soreness through exercise, manipulation, and massage. Over and above this, physiotherapy also helps with increasing the production of pain-relieving chemicals in the body.

In most cases, if you’ve been in pain for a long time, or are recovering post-surgery, your doctor will recommend physiotherapy and refer you to a pain management specialist. You can benefit from pain management physiotherapy if you’re suffering from or dealing with the following:

• Lower back pain
• Shoulder pain
• Neck pain
• Bursitis or tendonitis
• Foot and ankle dysfunction
• Lumbar stabilization
• Muscle strains
• Post-surgical rehabilitation
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Herniated discs
• Leg pain
• Rotator cuff injuries
• Sciatica pain
• Fractures
• Arthritis
• Overuse injuries
• Tennis/Golfer elbow
• Nerve injuries
• Sports injuries
• Fibromyalgia
• Diseases like Parkinson’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis
• Osteoarthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic headaches
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Neuropathic pain

There are different kinds of physiotherapy, but the main pain management physiotherapy techniques can be classified into the following: Active Physical Therapy: In this type of therapy, the patient is actively involved and participates in the exercises and techniques. Active Physical Therapy might have a longer lasting impact. Passive Physical Therapy: This type refers to the patient remaining still, while treatment or techniques are applied by the physiotherapist to help with the pain. The effect of this type of therapy may be short term and it is generally used to provide immediate pain relief.

Pain management specialists don’t just help with treating the pain, but they also help identify the source of the same. Their diagnosis and treatment involve looking for areas in your body that are weak and stiff and that may be adding more stress to the parts that hurt. They will work with you and guide you through exercises that will help ease the pain and that will enable you to move better.

Physiotherapy helps relieve pain through soft tissues’ massage and stretching that helps relieve muscle tension and spasm. Over and above this, it also includes joint mobilizations, acupuncture, electrotherapy, corrective and other exercises, and posture awareness. A pain management specialist will offer suggestions on how to manage or reduce pain in day-to-day activities.

The different types of pain management methods include:

• Manipulation of joints and bones
• Manual therapy using hands or tools
• Movement therapy and exercise

Massage: Sometimes, massages on areas that are hurting or sore or injured may not be calming or relaxing. But these are required to help your muscles relax. The pain management specialist will make sure to use massage therapy in ways that are helpful and safe for you. Low-impact aerobic training: These exercises are done before strengthening exercises and are meant to increase your heart rate while still not putting a burden on your joints. For example, you may be required to walk fast or use a stationary bike for a warm-up session. Strengthening Exercises: As a part of strengthening exercises, you may use equipment or resistance bands to strengthen your muscles. You may also use your own body weight for the same by exercises such as squats, pushups, lunges. The pain management specialist will also work on strengthening your belly, glutes, back along with other body parts. Pain Relief Exercises: There are specific exercises only meant to give you relief from the pain since they target areas where you specifically have pain. Stretching Exercises: Stretching exercises are simple, gentle, and smooth but important. Your physiotherapist or pain management specialist may also prescribe exercises for you to do at home before and after your physiotherapy session. Use of Heat and Ice Packs: Ice packs are used to reduce inflammation while heat is used to warm up your muscles to enable them to move better. Both these techniques help reduce pain. Use of TENS and Ultrasound: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is a device that sends low voltage electric current to the skin, where you have the pain. Ultrasound, on the other hand, sends sound waves to the areas of pain. Both these techniques are meant to block the pain messages sent to your brain and thus help reduce the pain.

Because physiotherapy focuses on areas that are injured or have chronic pain, physiotherapy can sometimes prove to be challenging, painful and hard. There’s a possibility that you might feel sore after massages or stretching exercises. The tough training and exercises might push your limits, but in the long run, it will all prove to be extremely beneficial. Every individual responds to therapy differently, but if you stick to the plan created by your physiotherapist, you will see positive shifts soon.

According to experts, physiotherapy for pain management is most effective for chronic pain when you use a combination approach to tackle the pain. In other words, this means that physiotherapy is a part of other techniques and treatment used to help improve the pain. For example, nutritional supplements, heat and cold therapy or TENS therapy combined with physiotherapy can give great results much faster. While you work with a physiotherapist, it is also important to work with a doctor for any medications that you might need through the course of recovery and pain management. Similarly, a clinical psychologist and pharmacist are also important members of the pain management team. All these aspects and factors combined can help you create an effective treatment plan for chronic pain.

You might be referred to a pain management specialist or physiotherapist through a doctor or you might have approached one on your own; whichever may be the case, the pain management specialist will make sure to provide his aid and guidance through the different stages and phases of healing – may it be the initial diagnosis or treatment or the restorative, preventive stages of recovery. As a part of your physiotherapy treatment, you can expect the following: You will be first required to go through a physical exam and evaluation. Along with this, they will also take your health history, make you undergo some tests and will evaluate your posture, movement, flexibility and the overall performance of your muscles and joints. Post this, you will receive a clinical diagnosis and prognosis. Along with this, the physiotherapist will give you a care plan as well as your short-term and long-term goals. This is the right time to ask the physiotherapist any questions that you might have or to let them know your concerns and expectations, to make sure that you and they are on the same page. Post this, the physical therapy treatment will start wherein you’ll be required to attend your sessions regularly and sincerely for better results. The pain management specialist will also give you tips and suggestions for a preventive self-care plan and will teach you some exercises that you can do at home on your own.

Going to a hospital or clinic for physiotherapy may not be possible or convenient for everyone, and that’s why First Response Healthcare provides specialized service of home physiotherapy in Dubai. If going to a hospital or physiotherapy center frequently is not possible for you because of your busy schedule or because of the pain or any other reason, you can choose to go for physiotherapy at home. Also, if your condition is severe, you might need to depend on a friend or family member to take you to the hospital or clinic. All this can be avoided through the service of home physiotherapy, wherein an experienced physiotherapist will visit you in the comfort of your home at a time that suits you best. First Response Healthcare (FRH) provides specialized doctor on call in Dubai. Through our ‘Physiotherapy on Call’ service, we provide in-home physiotherapy at a location of your choice, which could be your home, office or hotel. FRH provides high-quality, patient centered and comprehensive care through services that are prompt and reliable. We have received the Gold Seal of Approval by Joint Commission International Standards for Home Healthcare for maintaining high quality standards in our services. All our physiotherapists have commendable clinical experience and are licensed by the Dubai Health Authority. The physiotherapist will create a customized and personalized physiotherapy plan for you that will fit exactly with your needs and requirements, and they will work with you to help improve your mobility, enhance your strength, and help you achieve independent functioning.

Our physiotherapists will use the following techniques based on your condition and requirement:

• Corrective techniques to improve heart and lung function
• Electrical modalities
• Manual therapy to reduce pain and stiffness
• Posture and gait retraining
• Techniques to correct muscle imbalances and postural alignment
• Techniques to improve movement coordination and balance
• Techniques and modalities that reduce pain
• Therapeutic exercises to improve strength, flexibility, and mobility

Flexible Appointments: We adapt to your schedule and visit you at a time that works best for you. Quick Services: We can reach your home, hotel, or office within 30* minutes after you book an appointment Locations Covered: Entire Emirate of Dubai Place of Your Convenience: Our team can offer services at your home, hotel, or office

Customized Services – Services that are customized keeping your comfort and convenience in mind. One-on-One Attention – We take the time to listen and understand your needs, requirements and expectations. In the Privacy & Comfort of Your Own Home – We come to you, wherever you need us to. Our home physiotherapy Dubai program is customized to meet your needs and requirements and includes the following:

• Strength Training
• Balance Training
• Therapeutic Massage and Exercises
• Muscle Imbalance Correction
• Posture Correction
• Neuro-developmental Therapy

If you or anyone you know can benefit from pain management physiotherapy, it is important that you reach out to a doctor to seek advice. To avail our physiotherapy services at home in Dubai, all you need to do is call on 0505050387 or 800DIALDOC. You can also book an appointment online by visiting https://firstresponsehealthcare.com/ae/dubai