A Tasty Way to Get Pain and Inflammation Under Control

Who says that getting healthy has to be a chore? You’ll be delighted to learn that simply by modifying your diet, you can get chronic pain and inflammation under better control (or possibly even avoid those symptoms entirely). Better yet, the diet you choose doesn’t have to taste like a punishment for previous bad behavior. Washington Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation typically recommends dietary changes alongside exercises and other natural techniques as part of a holistic physical therapy program. Try replacing some of your old, regrettable menu items with this pain-reducing, anti-inflammatory diet.

Lean Protein Choices (Instead of Fatty Fried Meats)

It’s all too easy to settle for hamburgers, fried chicken, deli meats and other convenient protein sources — but they don’t seem so convenient once the pain and inflammation set in. You can easily correct this problem by switching to healthier proteins that include all the nutritional value without the inflammatory properties. Try gracing your table with fish (especially fatty fish such as tuna or salmon, which are high in anti-inflammatory omega-3s), tofu dishes and legumes.

Colorful Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables come in an eye-popping array of colors, from deep purple and brilliant green to neon orange and brilliant yellow. But these colors aren’t just for show; they’re a sign that you really need to be eating more of these foods. The amazing colors are provided by antioxidants, nutrients that posses powerful anti-inflammatory powers. Broccoli and cabbage are loaded with Vitamin K, a notable inflammation fighter. Make fruits and vegetables a cornerstone of your diet, and you’ll be well on your way to feeling better.

Gut-Friendly Yogurt and Fermented Foods

There’s a constant battle going on in your gut between “bad” bacteria (which promote inflammation, chronic pain and digestive discomfort) and “good” bacteria (which support digestive health by crowding out the “bad” bacteria). You can give the good guys an edge by adding plenty of probiotic foods to your diet. Options include low-fat yogurt and fermented products such as kimchi, sauerkraut, miso and pickles.

Health-Enhancing Spices

As delicious as these foods are, you’ll most likely want to add a little spice here and there. Fortunately, mother Nature has provided a whole catalog of herbs and spices that actually help to reduce pain and inflammation. If you enjoy Indian food, for instance, you’ll love the fact that turmeric contains curcumin, a powerful inflammation reducer. Garlic offers high levels of diallyl disulfide, another natural anti-inflammatory. Cayenne pepper is rich in a natural pain reliever called capsaicin. Don’t forget the oregano for a healthy dose of antioxidants.

Naturally Nice Desserts (Instead of Refined Sugar)

Refined sugar is notorious for feeding painful inflammatory disorders and symptoms. In fact, just one sugary soda per day has been shown to increase rheumatoid arthritis symptoms in women by 68 percent. The good news is that you can have a pretty sweet diet without the sugar. Try serving fresh or frozen fruit at the end of a meal for a refreshing change that won’t set off your pain sensors. If you must use a packaged sweetener, a natural option called stevia is probably the next-healthiest choice.

A Tasty Complement to Physical Therapy

As you start to feel the pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory benefits of your new dietary habits, you can get even more benefit from physical therapy and other pain management options. Washington Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation can help you construct an entire lifestyle plan that incorporates diet, exercises, healthy ergonomics, and other strategies for helping you feel great. Contact Washington Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation today!

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Physical Therapy for Non-Pharmaceutical Arthritis Pain Management

Stiffness and discomfort don’t have to be a part of our daily lives — and yet many people assume that they’re doomed to suffer from arthritis pain. If you’ve been losing more and more of your mobility and productivity due to chronic joint inflammation, you may be disappointed by the usefullness of painkilling drugs or even alarmed by the potential dangers of such drugs. Fortunately, you have a safer, more effective path toward arthritis pain management: physical therapy.

How and Why Arthritis Causes Pain and Stiffness

Arthritis includes an entire family of painful joint conditions. For some individuals, it may take the form of painful gout in a toe joint; in others, it can strike due to a bacterial joint infection. The majority of arthritis suffers, however, suffer from one of two agonizing conditions:

  • Osteoarthritis – This most common form of arthritis is usually a natural consequence of a lifetime of joint motion, coupled with certain changes that take place during aging. Healthy joints contain not only a lubricating fluid to keep the bone ends moving smoothly, but also a layer of cartilage that acts as a shock absorber and anti-friction component. Over time, however, the production of lubricating fluid can start to dry up, while the cartilage becomes thinner and more worn until it finally breaks down completely. This leaves you with pain, stiffness, and inflammation that usually feels worse whenever you try to move or put weight on the joint.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis – This form of arthritis is caused by an auto-immune disease or dysfunction. The same protective mechanisms that normally fight off disease germs decide to turn on your joints, treating them as the enemy and attacking them. This results in painful inflammation that may come and go, leaving joint swelling and deformity in its wake.

Many arthritis sufferers naturally turn to medication in the hopes that it will ease their symptoms. NSAIDs, steroids and (and in the most severe cases) opioid drugs may produce such relief, but only temporarily. These drugs can’t address the physical problems that actually cause your symptoms; they can only mute the symptoms themselves. What’s more, painkilling and anti-inflammatory drugs can pose significant risks if they’re used constantly. NSAIDs can damage the internal organs, while steroids may contribute to everything from cataracts to osteoporosis. Opioids can be extremely dangerous, not only because of their addictive properties but also because overdoses can (and often do) prove fatal.

Our Physical Therapist Can Develop Customized Pain Management Plans

If you want an arthritis pain management plan that improves your health without presenting you with the dangers of drugs, turn to physical therapy. Our physical therapist can examine your joints to see how advanced your arthritis has become and how it may be affecting your stance, gait or mobility. You’ll then receive a customized pain management plan that may include:

  • Exercise – Exercise can aid arthritis sufferers by boosting circulation, easing inflammation, strengthening joint tissues and increasing range of motion. It can help you improve your balance, if that’s become a problem for you.
  • Physiotherapy techniques – You may benefit from massage therapy, cold/heat therapy or laser therapy.
  • Corrective devices – Your physical therapist can recommend specialized insoles and train you in the use of devices such as walkers or canes.
  • Lifestyle guidance – Your physical therapist can recommend specific changes to your everyday ergonomics or lifestyle that will ease your pain.

Don’t just numb your arthritis pain — manage it the smart, safe, effective way. Contact our physical therapy clinic today!

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The Best Treatment Method for Solving All of Your Aches and Pains

Whether you have recently started waking up with generalized aches and pains, or suffering from chronic pain for a long time, physical therapy has been proven to be the best possible treatment method for you. A sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise, poor nutrition or an injury can all contribute to aches and pains. The bad news is that the pain is probably not going to go away on its own. The good news is that a physical therapist can put you back on the right track and help get rid of those aches and pains.

Sources of Aches and Pains

If you suffer from generalized aches and pains when you wake up in the morning, here is what your physical therapist will tell you. Our bodies build up inflammation in the tissues throughout the day. This can be extremely subtle and you may not notice it, even by the end of the day. But when we lie down and go to sleep, the inflammation can thicken and settle into your muscles. This in turn immobilizes your joints and can lead to aches and pains when you wake up. That same process repeats, day after day.

Eventually, chronic pain can set in if you do not make any lifestyle changes to correct the problem. This is why it is a great idea to contact our office for a consultation, before the pain leads to more serious health problems.

Diagnosing Aches & Pains with a Physical Therapist

Your first visit with a physical therapist will involve a conversation about your symptoms and medical history, as well as some simple tests. Be prepared to answer questions about past injuries that may be contributing to your current aches and pains. Your diet, exercise routine and daily activities will also be discussed. This is to give your therapist an idea of the possible cause or causes of your aches and pains.

You will then be given a series of tests, based on your description of your symptoms. These will involve posture and range of motion exercises, and possibly some strength and resistance tests. When your therapist knows where you are experiencing aches and pains and has determined the likely causes, your personalized physical therapy treatment plan will be drawn up.

Physical Therapy for Aches and Pains

Physical therapy has a wide range of tactics and techniques that can be deployed to help with pain management. Here are just a few:

  • Tissue massage
  • Joint and bone manipulation
  • Movement therapy and exercise
  • Cold laser therapy to release endorphins
  • Microcurrent stimulation to release serotonin
  • Manual therapy

Within each of those categories, your physical therapist has a lot of tools and techniques at their disposal. For example, movement therapy and exercise might mean running on a treadmill, or working in a swimming pool. It all depends on your physical condition, the source of your aches and pains, and the treatment methods that are most likely to meet with results.

Tips for Ongoing Pain Relief

Your physical therapist will also work to educate you on ways to keep aches and pains at bay, by living a healthier lifestyle. This can range from advice on staying hydrated and enjoying better nutrition, to exercises and stretches you can do at home. The goal is to get you to the point where you are motivated to stay healthy without the need for regular physical therapy sessions. All of this will contribute to solving your aches and pains.

If aches and pains are starting to lower your quality of life, it’s time to take that first positive step by calling our office. Contact us today to schedule your first appointment with a trained and licensed physical therapist.

Find Help for Your Arthritis Pains Today

If you have arthritis pain, then you know all about the difficulties with moving and functioning in daily life that it can present. What you might not know, however, is that physical therapy can help you find relief from your arthritis pain. There is no cure for arthritis, but by using the exercises and techniques that your physical therapist can teach you, the onset of arthritis can be slowed and you will experience less pain overall. Those are some great reasons to schedule a physical therapy appointment today.

How Physical Therapy Can Help with Arthritis

Arthritis attacks the joints of the body, so the goal of physical therapy will be to restore the use of those joints and improve your ability to move around and engage in daily activities. This will be achieved through a combination of exercise to strengthen the support structures around the joints and teaching you how to move and engage in activities without worsening your symptoms. The exact course of treatment that your physical therapist will prescribe will depend on how advanced your arthritis is and which parts of the body are impacted.

The physical exercises your therapist will teach you will be directed toward improving your mobility, range of motion, flexibility and coordination. Additional treatments for your arthritis may include:

  • Posture: Your therapist will teach you various body mechanic techniques that will improve joint function and reduce pain. You will also be taught ways to use your strongest muscles and joints to relieve pressure on arthritic joints.
  • Education: Sometimes arthritis in the hip or knee will require the use of assistive mobility devices, such as a cane or walker. Your physical therapist will teach you the proper way to use these devices.
  • Treatments: Modern physical therapy has a broad range of treatment options available to assist with arthritis pain. Hot and cold therapy can relieve the pain and stiffness in joints; braces or splints can help to stabilize and support arthritic joints; shoe inserts can relieve arthritis pain in the lower extremities; and so on.
  • Environment Modifications: Your physical therapist can make specific recommendations for additional therapeutic aids based on your type of arthritis. These can include ergonomic furniture or cushioned mats in areas of your home or at work where you tend to stand on your feet for long periods of time.

Here’s What a Physical Therapy Session Looks Like

Physical therapy visits are often short in duration. Your therapist will be focused on spotting problems with your physical function that are related to the arthritis, and teaching you methods you can employ at home to relieve pain. The way to actually achieve pain relief from your arthritis is to keep up with the teachings for the long term. The improvement will be gradual, so it’s important that you follow your physical therapist’s instructions.

In order to help your physical therapist to provide you with the best advice possible, think carefully about different physical goals that you might have. For example, you might want to be able to do your daily job without straining your hips or knees, to reach things high up on a kitchen shelf, or to simply get in and out of your car without pain. Expressing these goals to your therapist will aid in ensuring that your treatments are as specific to your goals as possible.

Your physical therapy sessions probably won’t need to be done on a weekly basis. Once every few weeks to monitor your condition and progress should be sufficient. If you are ready for relief from arthritis pain, call our office to schedule your first appointment with a physical therapist.

The Best Treatment Method for Solving all of Your Aches and Pains

The older you get, the more aches and pains are bound to become an issue in your life. A rough day at work, a long day outside with the family, an unexpected injury—anyone of these factors could contribute to aches and pains throughout the body that may seem to never really give you a break. The body has an increasingly difficult time coping with injuries as you age. Something that you may have easily bounced back from in the course of a day or two as a child or teenager may take weeks or even longer to overcome once you pass the age of 40.

So many people are tempted to turn to pain medication as a means of coping with the discomfort, but there are a lot of drawbacks to relying solely on medication to address your pain. To begin, medication does not actually provide a solution to the pain, it merely lessens the pain for a brief period of time. Furthermore, many forms of pain medication are highly addictive and have painful health consequences. This is why the best treatment for solving all of your aches and pains is physical therapy at Washington Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation in Kirkland, WA.

Physical Therapy for all the Aches and Pains

Physical therapy is a comprehensive treatment method that is specialized to address pain wherever it develops within the body. Working with a licensed and trained physical therapist means working with someone who can diagnose the cause of the pain, rather than merely address the symptomology. Physical therapists use a combination of stretching, massage, and chiropractic adjustment to target the source of the pain and ultimately reduce both the severity and frequency of the discomfort.

As you are working with your physical therapist to overcome chronic pain, there are also tactics that you can use at home for added relief.

These top pain-relief tips include:

  • Hot & Cold Therapy: Using a hot compress or an ice pack, interchangeably, can help to alleviate pain as a result of fatigue and overuse. Taking warm or cold baths can also be helpful for this purpose. Different types of pain will benefit from different ratios of hot versus cold therapeutic support, and you should always consult with your physical therapist for specific guidelines.
  • Acupuncture & Acupressure: While acupuncture is a type of therapy that you would need to see a professional in order to undergo treatment, acupressure can be done at home with simple supplies. Foam rollers with pressure points are a great example of at-home acupressure care.
  • Yoga & Regular Stretching: As part of your physical therapy treatment you are going to be guided through basic stretches and exercises that can help to alleviate pain, and your physical therapist will provide you with guidelines regarding practicing those activities at home. Engaging in a regular yoga routine or spending time everyday stretching can help to alleviate tension and pain.

In addition to these helpful home-therapies, it cannot be understated how essential it is to provide your body with much-needed rest when you have experienced an injury. The best way to overcome pain is to provide your body with the time it needs to heal, and all therapies should be accompanied with plenty of rest and hydration. For support in overcoming your aches and pains, contact Washington Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation in Kirkland, WA to set up a consultation.

Find Help for Your Arthritis Pains Today

Do you feel like the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz, barely able to move thanks to stiff, painful joints? Does arthritis pain prevent you from going about your daily activities and living the life you want to live? Believe it or not, those painful joints may bother you less once you start using them more. Physical therapy can provide a number of benefits, from wider range of motion to greater joint strength and stability — without the risks and side effects of anti-inflammatory medications. Our physical therapist will be happy to help you conquer your arthritis pain, so contact Washington Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation in Kirkland, WA today!

What Is Arthritis?

Arthritis can prove as confusing as it is painful, partly because there are so many possible causes of joint pain and inflammation — over 100 of them, according to the CDC. Conditions ranging from uric acid accumulation to bacterial infection can inflame and damage the body’s various joints. The usual symptoms include swollen, stiff joints that cause pain either constantly or with joint motion.

Causes and Symptoms of Arthritis

The two chief types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis typically occurs as the end result of many years of ordinary joint usage, although it can also develop more quickly in association with an injury or extreme joint wear. The cartilage that normally permits smooth, friction-free motion within the joint grows thin and breaks up, while at the same time, the joint may start producing less and less of its own natural lubricant fluid. Rheumatoid arthritis tends to occur in periodic flare-ups instead of causing constant pain and deterioration. In this form of arthritis, an immune system reaction attacks the joint components as if they were foreign invaders.

The classic symptoms of arthritis vary according to what type of arthritis you have. Both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis can cause joint pain, swelling, redness and deformation. But rheumatoid arthritis may be accompanied by additional symptoms such as fever, weight loss, weakness and fatigue. It also tends to come and go in acute episodes, while osteoarthritis is more of a constant, progressively worsening presence in your life.

How Physical Therapy Helps Arthritis Pain

If you’re struggling to use your hands, turn your head, or walk even short distances without pain, you might be understandably hesitant to use those arthritis-ridden joints at all. But the truth is that regularly flexing your joints and exercising your body can help you feel and move better. Research indicates that exercise can reduce the pain experienced by arthritis suffers. Based on your particular condition and type of arthritis, our physical therapist may recommend the following kinds of physical therapy exercises:

  • Flexibility exercises – These exercises are designed to help you increase your pain-free range of motion. They can be as simple as arm raises or shoulder rolls.
  • Strength-building exercises – Gentle, careful weight training, as prescribed by our physical therapist, can lend extra stability to your joints, helping your muscles and connective tissues assume more of the joints’ burden.
  • Aerobic exercises – Aerobic exercises boost your circulation. This increase in circulation supports joint tissue health while helping inflammatory substances and excess fluids to exit the joints.

If your weight-bearing joints make walking too painful to contemplate, our physical therapist may prescribe water walking instead. Standing in a water-filled pool reduces the amount of weight your joints must support, allowing you to exercise more easily and comfortably.

Looking for a powerful, drug-free way to ease your arthritis pain? Contact Washington Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation in Kirkland, WA to schedule an appointment!

Don’t Join the Opioid Epidemic. How Physical Therapy Can Help Ditch the Pain Meds.

It seems like every time you turn on the news there is another story about the opioid epidemic gripping the country. There is good reason for the panic. In 2016 alone, 116 people died each day from opioid-related drug overdoses. Some 11.5 million Americans misused prescription painkillers in some way, costing an estimated $504 million in economic costs. Some researchers even feel that many people who would otherwise be able to work are sidelined because they would fail a drug test. As mind-blowing as these numbers are, to a person who uses prescription pain medication for pain relief, opioids may seem like the only option. Fortunately, there is another way to manage your pain. Call Washington Physical Therapy & Rehab today to find out more about how physical therapy can help you ditch the pain meds for good.

Pain & Opioids

To understand why opioids are so dangerous, you first have to understand how your brain processes pain. Let’s say you bang your knee on the doorjamb. Pain receptors in your skin register that something happened to your knee. Those receptors send signals to your brain and spinal cord. There, your brain processes those signals as pain, and your body produces natural opioids to stop them. These chemicals slow your breathing, create a feeling of well-being and block pain signals so you can return to a pain-free state.

When you have chronic pain, severe injury, surgery or significant trauma, your brain cannot produce enough opioids to keep up with the demand. Prescription medication mimics the chemicals your body naturally produces, relieving pain, but they do not help your body heal.

Physical Therapy: A Natural Treatment

Since opioids mask the pain without treating its underlying cause, many people are choosing to forgo pain meds altogether in favor of a more natural treatment. Fortunately, physical therapy not only helps relieve pain, it addresses what is causing the pain in the first place. A physical therapist is a highly trained medical professional, but he or she also is an expert in the science of movement. Through advanced diagnostic procedures, your physical therapist can uncover the source of your pain and find ways to address it for long-term health and mobility. Best of all, physical therapy is a drug-free way to manage chronic pain.

Unintended Benefits of Physical Therapy

A physical therapist’s job is not only to manage pain, but also to improve function. Your physical therapy program may include stretches, ultrasound, manual therapies and a combination of ice and heat for pain relief, but it will not stop there. Your physical therapist will begin to address mobility, flexibility and strength as they apply to the activities of your daily life. If you are one of the more than 116 million people who struggle with chronic pain, chances are you are also limited in your ability to walk, stand, run, move, work, play and perform daily activities. Physical therapists address all of these functions and more as they work with you to strengthen your body, improve your balance and stability and enhance your quality of life.

The unintended benefits of physical therapy don’t stop with the body. They reach your brain as well. Chronic pain and prescription pain medication use can lead to anxiety, depression, and isolation. Working with a physical therapist gives you a partner in your pain relief journey. This sense of community can help address the mental toll pain takes on a person in a way that opioids cannot.

Don’t join the opioid epidemic. Contact our Kirkland, WA physical therapists today and find out how physical therapy can help you live a full, pain-free, functional life.

Don’t Let Pain Stop You From Getting Back in the Game!

Get rid of the pain by partnering up with a physical therapist. Give Washington Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation a call today to learn more about how our physical therapists can get you on the path to a pain-free life.

Physical Therapy for Pain Relief

According to WebMD, “Physical therapy is often one of the best choices you can make when you have long-term pain (also called chronic pain) or an injury. It can make you stronger and help you move and feel better.” The goal of physical therapy is to reduce and eliminate pain while improving mobility and function.

During a physical therapy session, you may engage in low-impact aerobic training, strengthening exercises, pain-relief exercises and stretching. Low-impact exercises go easy on the joints and pump up your heart rate. You might be asked to use a stationary bike or to walk fast. You’ll likely be given exercises to work on your core muscles. Using your own body weight with pushups and lunges may be part of the treatment plan. Pain relief exercises designed to target the areas where you have pain will also be done. And with stretching exercises, you’ll be relaxing those muscles.

Physical therapists also use other modalities to achieve pain relief for the patient. Heat packs or ice packs may be applied to the affected area to reduce pain and inflammation. Massage therapy is a gentle therapy that helps reduce muscle spasms and helps your body to relax. Soft-tissue mobilization is used to increase mobility by addressing fibrous areas of muscle tissue. Direct manipulation of the joints can be done to improve functioning and maintain proper alignment. Electric stimulation therapy sends an electric current to the affected area to reduce pain. Ultrasound therapy sends sound waves to the affected area and blocks pain messages that are sent to the brain.

In addition, a physical therapist can educate you about sensory re-education for chronic pain. Even after an injury has healed, the nervous system may still send pain signals. Sensory re-education helps desensitize the nervous system and decrease sensitivity to the affected area.

All around, physical therapy is a noninvasive and holistic approach to pain management. You can avoid having to go under the knife or getting addicted to those pain meds with physical therapy. A physical therapist will do a comprehensive evaluation to determine the root cause of your pain and develop an individualized treatment plan that targets the root cause.

Some Stats on the Efficacy of Physical Therapy for Pain

According to the APTA, “Studies have established the efficacy of physical therapy in treating and reducing pain as well as preventing chronic pain.

  • Low back pain: A review of more than 60 randomized controlled trials evaluating exercise therapy for adults with low back pain found that such treatment can decrease pain, improve function and help people return to work. The American College of Physicians states that “non-pharmacologic interventions are considered first-line options in patients with chronic low back pain because fewer harms are associated with these types of therapies than with pharmacologic options.”
  • Before and after surgery: A review of 35 randomized controlled studies with a total of nearly 3,000 patients found that in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty, preoperative exercise and education led to significant reductions in pain, shorter lengths of stay postoperatively and improvements in function.
  • Arthritis: Studies have shown that therapeutic exercise programs can reduce pain and improve physical function among individuals with hip and knee osteoarthritis.

Are you in pain? Be sure to contact our Kirkland, WA office and discover how our physical therapists can help.  

Finding Effective Pain Relief – Without the Risks of Harmful Drugs

Are you in constant or recurring pain that won’t let you enjoy your everyday life? Do you suffer from the effects of an old injury, a degenerative condition, or some other situation that calls for ongoing pain management? If so, then your first instinct might be to reach for medication — but hold that thought, because drugs can pose their own threats to your health. Physical therapy can provide safer, more satisfying pain relief, which is why you should contact our team of expert physical therapists at Washington Physical Therapy & Rehab in Kirkland, WA, to explore this form of care.

What Is Pain?

Pain is your body’s natural warning system — which makes it a very important and useful asset under the right circumstances. These nerve signals alert you to a problem that requires attention, from an infected area or traumatic injury to joint or overuse of a particular muscle group. This is especially true of acute pain. Sensations of pain and stiffness discourage you from using an injured body part while it’s healing; once the condition resolves, the pain goes away.

But sometimes pain out lives its usefulness, lingering on for months or even years after your body has done all it can to address the underlying problem. This is chronic pain, and it afflicts some 116 million people in the U.S. alone. The pain may plague you constantly, or it may come and go in bouts that last for weeks at a time.

Common Causes of Chronic Pain

Chronic pain can develop for a variety of reasons. The most common causes and types of chronic pain include:

  • Post-injury/surgery pain – Internal scar tissue formation can interfere painfully with normal muscle and connective tissue motion.
  • Neuropathy – Nerve damage, disease, or impingement can cause pain as well as numbness, tingling, and other unpleasant symptoms.
  • Joint disorders – Arthritis and other degenerative conditions can cause chronic pain.
  • Chronic strain – Overuse can damage your tissues faster than they can repair themselves, causing chronic strain and inflammation.
  • Muscle knots and spasms – Chronic tension due to a physical imbalance or systemic disorder can leave you with painful muscle knots known as trigger points.
  • Stress – Chronic emotional stress can lead to unremitting physical tension and pain.

How Physical Therapy Eases Pain

Drugs promise quick (if only temporary) relief from many kinds of pain. Unfortunately, they can harm as well as help. The most glaring example is the addictive potential of opioid drugs. Opioid dependence and abuse has become a national nightmare in recent years, especially since overdosing on these drugs can cause death. Even over-the-counter pain relievers can pose dangers. Aspirin can promote internal bleeding, while other popular drugs such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen can cause severe organ damage.

Physical therapy can provide the pain relief you’re looking for without forcing you to risk drug dependence or side effects. One of the great advantages of physical therapy is its ability to address, not just your pain, but the underlying cause of the pain. Our physical therapist can perform a careful evaluation to understand your current condition in detail. We can then provide a mix of therapeutic techniques such as:

  • Physical therapy exercises to loosen tight muscles, strengthen weakened areas, and increase your range of motion
  • Manual therapies such as massage to release internal scar tissue or painful muscle knots
  • Postural corrections and exercises to reduce nerve impingement problems and symptoms
  • Stress management recommendations to help you avoid unnecessary physical tension

Are you ready for a pain management solution that doesn’t come from a pill bottle? Make an appointment today!

Feeling Stiff and Achy? Physical Therapy Can Help!

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 Washington Physical Therapy & Rehab physical therapist. Aching or stiff joints may be a minor problem that is easily remedied; in other cases, your doctor may have diagnosed a condition or ailment that will benefit from physical therapy. We’ve worked with a wide range of patients who struggle with aches and pains, and we would be happy to work with you to help you enjoy a better quality of life as well!

Why Am I Stiff and Achy When I Wake Up?

Joint tissues become irritated throughout the day and by the evening, when your mind is tired, you might not even notice it. When you fall asleep and remain mostly immobile overnight, that allows the inflammation to grow thicker and irritate the joints even more. The result is that when you wake up in the morning, your joints are stiff and achy. After you start moving around, the inflammation becomes more liquid-like and the pain will lessen. One common remedy for this, which your physical therapist is likely to recommend, is that you stay properly hydrated throughout the day. Staying hydrated allows your body’s tissues to function at their normal pace, whereas dehydration slows down your chemical processes.

More Serious Medical Conditions

If your doctor has diagnosed you with a more serious medical condition that impacts your joints and tissues, physical therapy can probably help. Here are some of the most common ailments that can be relieved with the guidance of a physical therapist:

  • Rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Osteoarthritis.
  • Lupus.
  • Bursitis.
  • Gout.
  • Bone cancer.

All of these conditions can cause aching, stiffness and joint pain. A physical therapist will work with you to help you try to achieve a greater range of motion with affected limbs or joints, and to relieve the pain so you can enjoy a better quality of life.

Tips for Stiff and Aching Joints

Your physical therapy regimen will largely depend on your specific symptoms or diagnosis. However, there are a lot of common recommendations that work hand-in-hand with physical therapy. Here are some tips that your physical therapist will likely share with you on your journey to wellness.

  • Get Good Sleep. Getting enough sleep at night creates a circular benefit with physical therapy exercises. When you get enough sleep, it increases your ability to effectively exercise. When you exercise regularly, it helps you to get better sleep. Better sleep habits and physical exercise are a powerful “one-two punch” for keeping aches and stiffness away.
  • Use Better Posture. If your work requires you to sit at a desk for long hours, or if you stay sedentary for long periods every day, try to get up every half hour for some light stretches. Move around to keep your circulation going, which helps to relieve joint pain. Proper posture when sitting or standing will help your joints to function properly. When we use bad posture, it puts strain on areas of the body that weren’t meant to be stressed.
  • Improve Your Diet. Be sure to consume lots of brightly colored fruits and vegetables. These healthy foods have more antioxidants and vitamins, which fight off the inflammation that can lead to joint pain. A better diet also helps you to get better sleep and helps your body receive more benefit from exercise.

Physical Therapy Exercises

You don’t have to be a bodybuilder or an Olympic-class athlete to work with a physical therapist. Most of the exercises and stretches that your therapist will recommend are simple to perform and don’t require any special equipment — and most of our patients are just regular people (not super athletes).

Contact us today at our Kirkland, WA office to schedule a consultation on how physical therapy can help you relieve those aches and pains!

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