Physiotherapy for pain

Unfortunately we all experience pain at one time or another, whether it’s aches and niggles, joint pain, sports injuries, chronic pain, or the symptoms or side effects of a health condition. You may feel pain in one part of your body or it may be more widespread, and everyone’s experience of pain is different. But while pain medications are often part of a treatment plan, did you know that physiotherapy can also be an effective way of managing pain?

What is pain?

In simple terms, pain protects us from danger and harm. Pain receptors in the body are attached to two main types of nerves that detect the danger. One nerve type relays messages quickly and causes a sharp, sudden pain. The other relays messages slowly and causes a dull, throbbing pain. There are two main types of pain:

• Acute pain – a normal response to an injury or medical condition. It starts suddenly and is usually short-lived.
• Chronic pain – continues beyond the time expected for healing. It generally lasts for longer than three months and can affect mood, sleep and mental health. There’s sometimes no obvious cause for chronic pain[1,2].

How can you manage pain?

Pain management strategies are varied and, just as everyone’s experience of pain is different, pain management that works for someone else won’t necessarily work for you. Common pain management strategies include[3]:

• pain medicines
• physical therapies (such as physiotherapy, heat or cold packs, massage, hydrotherapy and exercise)
• psychological therapies (such as cognitive behavioural therapy, relaxation techniques and meditation)
• mind and body techniques (such as yoga and acupuncture)
• support groups.

Your doctor or other healthcare professional can help guide you through the best treatments for you, which could include physiotherapy.

What is physiotherapy?

Physiotherapy uses physical techniques to help treat conditions and injuries. Physiotherapy can help:

• improve your movement and function (increasing flexibility and strength)
• reduce your pain and/or stiffness
• improve your quality of life (including improving sleep)[4].

Physiotherapists can diagnose and treat a broad range of medical conditions affecting your bones, muscles, nerves, lungs and other parts and systems of the body. Physiotherapists treat people of all ages and in a variety of places (including clinics, hospitals, community health centres, aged care facilities, sports organisations, disability services and rehabilitation clinics).

What can a physiotherapist treat?

While physiotherapists are well known for diagnosing and treating sports injuries, their expertise is far more wide-reaching. Physios focus on the structure and function of your body and how it moves, so they can help treat many conditions, including musculoskeletal problems (like joint pain, sports injuries, arthritis, muscle aches and pains, and sprains and strains) as well other conditions including bladder problems and incontinence, cancer, chronic conditions that affect your heart and lungs, lymphoedema, neurological conditions (like Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis), and support your rehabilitation after surgery or stroke[5].

What techniques do physiotherapists use to relieve pain?

This depends on your medical history and the injury or condition you’re seeing them for, but common techniques include:

• Education – working with you to understand pain
• Exercise prescription – giving you a specific plan of fitness-related activities designed for a specific purpose
• Taping – applying tape to your skin to provide support and stability to either prevent or protect an injury
• Tissue release through massage – using kneading motions and pressure to help treat injured or painful muscles, tendons, ligaments or other connective tissues
• Joint mobilisation – moving your joint in a back-and-forth motion to restore movement
• Joint manipulation – applying force to your joints to help them move better, lessen pain and/or improve your range of motion
• Dry needling – inserting thin, sharp needles through your skin to treat trigger points to help relieve pain and improve your range of motion.

Can a physiotherapist help with chronic pain?

Chronic pain is pain that lasts longer than three months (sometimes called persistent pain)[6]. It’s a common condition that affects one in five Australians over the age of 45 years[7]. Chronic pain is usually best managed using a combination of approaches, including pain-relief medicines and other options such as relaxation techniques, stress management techniques and, you’ve guessed it, physiotherapy.

If you experience chronic pain, it might seem natural to avoid too much standing, bending or moving around. But the less active you are, the more you may start to lose muscle mass, flexibility and strength, which can make it more difficult for you to carry out your normal daily activities. This is where a physio can help by teaching you how to move your body safely and working with you to improve your strength, balance, coordination and overall movement, and enhancing your quality of life long-term by minimising pain.

So whether you need help recovering from a simple sprained ankle or support managing a longer-term health condition, physiotherapy could support you and help to restore function and relieve pain.

Don’t forget to check your Extras cover for benefits towards physiotherapy!

References:
1 Pain and pain management – adults - Better Health Channel
2 Chronic pain - about, causes and management | healthdirect
3 Pain and pain management – adults - Better Health Channel
4 Physiotherapy | healthdirect
5 Physiotherapy | healthdirect
6 Chronic pain - about, causes and management | healthdirect
7 Chronic pain in Australia, Summary - Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (aihw.gov.au)

Sources:
Pain and pain management – adults - Better Health Channel
Physiotherapy | healthdirect
Chronic pain - about, causes and management | healthdirect

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