“Our strength grows out of our weaknesses.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
People with chronic pain often feel discouraged and let down by the healthcare system. After seeking answers to address their pain and not getting the help they need, individuals with chronic pain sometimes feel like giving up and could even lose hope altogether. They may feel that healthcare providers do not fully believe them when the suggested treatment routes have not helped alleviate symptoms. Their pain may have even had a negative impact on their relationships with family and friends.
At Elite Muscle Recovery, we care deeply about our patients with chronic pain and our first step in the initial evaluation is to listen. We listen to our patients’ stories, their struggles, their history, their fears, their past treatment attempts, and most importantly, their personal goals.
We do a thorough evaluation to assess the patient as a whole person. We recognize that secondary issues have likely arisen as a result of the initial injury or pain, and we make sure we assess whole body movement to get to the heart of the issue. We then come up with a treatment plan that is modeled to address each individual’s impairments and limitations.
When it comes to treating chronic pain, we recognize that humans are all different and each person may respond differently to different treatment approaches or may have their own expectations and values when it comes to treatment. For these reasons, we avoid using a cookie cutter approach when it comes to formulating a treatment approach for our patients.
An important and often overlooked aspect of patient care is education. By educating patients about pain, we can empower them by helping them understand what is happening in their brain and body when they hurt. We can also provide education on anatomy, posture, workstation setup, sleeping positions, and other factors that may be contributing to their pain. We also educate our patients on ways to manage symptoms at home as they continue on their journey of recovery and healing.
When it comes to treatment of chronic pain, we offer a variety of hands-on manual therapy interventions to help reduce pain, stiffness, and inflammation: dry needling, cupping, joint mobilizations, soft tissue mobilization, and more. Once we get symptoms under control and establish better range of motion, we re-enforce the treatment by prescribing specific stretches and exercises catered to our patients’ unique limitations and impairments.
If you have been dealing with chronic pain and feel disheartened by the health care system, please know that we are on your side and are here to advocate for you and cheer you on toward the finish line of less pain and better health and mobility. Give us a call to see if we are a good fit for you! Don’t let pain keep you from doing the things you love.
Kind regards,
Dr. Katelyn Renard PT, DPT, OCS