Persistent pain
Most tissue injuries heal within three months after the initial injury or episode. In some cases, the pain continues, even after the tissues have healed. We now know that persistent pain changes the brain and the injured nerves, which become more sensitized and are activated more easily. This can make even simple activities difficult. People with persistent pain often end up seeing a number of different healthcare practitioners in search of a solution. If these measures don’t lead to relief, chronic pain patients may become discouraged or experience depression and anxiety.
To manage and eventually relieve this persistent pain, we use Therapeutic Neuroscience Education (TNE) along with our traditional physical approach, which focuses on building strength, increasing joint mobility, adjusting alignment, and learning healthy movements. Recent research supports the use of pain education in combination with exercise and safe movements to treat persistent pain, so physical therapists are well-equipped to treat this population. We incorporate breath work, sleep hygiene, stress management, individualized exercise prescription, and, when appropriate, referrals to complementary treatment approaches, such as counseling, acupuncture, and nutritional therapy.
Chronic pain conditions we treat:
Fibromyalgia
Neck, back, or pelvic pain
Headaches
Endometriosis pain
Cancer pain
Neurogenic pain
More chronic pain resources:
Dr. Catherine Lewan’s blog posts about chronic pain: Part 1 and Part 2
Living Well With Chronic Pain: a booklet by the U.S. Pain Foundation