When To Choose Physiotherapy For Pain Management

While prescription opioids are appropriate and necessary in certain cases including palliative care, cancer treatment, and end of life care, some conditions require the attention of a physical therapist Philadelphia in The United States of America. Opioids have been associated with negative side effects and that is why physiotherapy is recommended when:

The risks of using opioid outweigh the benefits

Some of the potential side effects of using opioids include overdose, depression and addiction. There are also withdrawal symptoms when you stop using opioid. Because of these risks, medical experts recommend not considering the opioid first line. Even in cases when evidence on the use of non-opioid therapies benefits is limited, risk are lower with physiotherapy.

Patients don’t want to mask their pain

People use opioids to reduce the pain sensation by interrupting with the signals of pain to the brain. In a physical therapy clinic, pain is treated through movement while partnering with patients to relieve pain and improve their mobility.

Function or pain problems are related to back, hip or knee pain

When a patient has functional problems related to hip, knee or back pain, physiotherapy is recommended.

Opioids have been prescribed for pain

There are certain situations when opioids are prescribed. In such situations, medical experts still recommend that patients should get the lowest dosage that is effective. Physiotherapy should be combined with opioids.

Pain lasts for 90 days

The pain is considered chronic when it lasts for more than 90 days. The risks for prolonged use of opioid will increase in this case. Nonopioid therapies such as physiotherapy are preferred for chronic pain. Clinicians need to consider opioid only if the expected benefits for both function and pain are anticipated to outweigh the risks. If otherwise, it is better to see a physical therapist Philadelphia because physiotherapy has no negative side effects.