Hands-On Pain Relief
Take pain management a step further with massage, physical therapy, and other hands-on treatments.
Living with chronic pain isn't easy. It's even harder if you try to tough it out on your own. So, why not ask for a helping hand trained in massage therapy, acupuncture, physical therapy, or chiropractic services? These treatments have ache-easing potential and are becoming increasingly popular among chronic pain sufferers. They've caught the eye of researchers, too. Here's how they may help:
Massage therapy: Findings are mixed regarding this feel-good therapy as a tool for lasting pain relief, but it has provided comfort for many. There are different forms of massage, from gentle Swedish to vigorous shiatsu, so ask your doctor which type is safest for you. Try this do-it-yourself massage technique to stymie stress.
Acupuncture: A branch of ancient Chinese medicine, acupuncture entails inserting ultra-thin needles into certain points of the body to unblock the flow of energy (or chi) as a way to treat pain and disease. Wonder how needles can relieve pain? Here's how acupuncture works on chronic pain and other ailments.
Physical therapy: Besides prescribing in-home exercises to patients, physical therapists typically use a combination of hands-on massage, stretching, strengthening, and range-of-motion treatments to relieve pain and improve the conditions that cause it. Therapists also use ice, heat, ultrasound, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENs) to curb pain and promote healing.
Chiropractic therapy: Highly popular for back and headache pain, chiropractic is a form of spinal manipulation aimed at correcting pain-inducing misalignments between the vertebrae. The jury's still out on whether it works, but if you're thinking of trying it, ask your doctor if it's safe for your particular condition, and if x-rays or MRI scans should be done first. Learn how to get a referral to a licensed chiropractor.
