Chronic Pain

Chronic pain, or persistent pain, is pain that last for weeks, months or years.

For some, chronic pain is the result of an injury, like a sprained back, or an ongoing problem like arthritis. For others, chronic pain occurs in the absence of a past injury.

A 2011 Global Industry Analysts, Inc. report estimates that over 1.5 billion people worldwide suffer from chronic pain, with the incidence rate increasing with age. Most chronic pain conditions affect older adults. Common chronic pain complaints include headache, low back pain, arthritis pain, or neurogenic pain (pain resulting from damage to the peripheral nerves or to the central nervous system itself).

At Physical Therapy Central, we are dedicated to overcoming these disabling disorders so our patients can get back to the life they love. We focus on two key elements in treating pain: education and movement. The combination of therapeutic neuroscience education (TNE) and movement has shown significant evidence in helping people with persistent pain.

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Frequently Asked Questions

A physical therapy visit lasts about 40-60 minutes. The actual contents of the visit vary based on your diagnosis/need, but typically what happens is:
1. You check in with the receptionist, make any appointments necessary, and we discuss your health insurance benefits with you.
2. You go into the gym. You can change clothes if you need to, then begin therapy.
3. You perform 6-8 various exercises and stretches. These can include therapeutic band exercises, light body weight exercises, or minimal weights. The stretches will promote strength, stability, improved range of motion, and pain relief.
4. We can initiate other techniques to include manual work, taping, cupping, and dry needling as needed.
5. The therapist makes recommendations based on your progress. These can include altering the frequency of visits, making additions/alterations to your home exercise plan, or things to do before your next visit.
We recommend budgeting 40-60 minutes for a typical therapy session. The only exception to this will be your first visit, which can take about 20 minutes longer due to the physical therapy evaluation your therapist will provide. We also recommend showing up about 10-15 minutes early to your first visit. This way, you can complete the paperwork before your visit time and streamline the process.
If we are asking you to do something that is hurting too much, let us know! Physical therapy should not be severely painful. It is not common to be so sore that patients are in pain or it affects their daily life. If this ever happens during or after an appointment, let us know and we will adapt your program.
During your initial evaluation, your therapist may ask you a number of questions to determine what the cause of your pain is. This can include questions about your sleep habits, activity level, and work environment. They will also ask for a medical history, and then typically ask direct questions about where and when you experience pain.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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