Pills vs. Practice: Why Physical Therapy Trumps All

People don’t like pain.  I don’t like it.  You don’t like it.  Nobody likes pain.

But pain is part of life.  And when it happens to us; when we’re in pain, we look for the fastest way out.

And that means pills.  Lots and lots of pills.  The pharmaceutical industry knows about our fear of pain and so, there are myriad ways out of pain in the form of muscle relaxants, pain relievers and anti-inflammatories.

And sometimes, these medications are useful.  But there’s a better way to deal with pain, permanently and proactively.  Without pills, pain can be put in its place with the support of a skilled physical therapist.

This post is about pills vs. practice:  why physical therapy trumps all.

Masking Pain

The problem with pills is that they’re a short-term solution.  They do nothing to address the root cause of the pain.  They mask it.  And when pain is masked, people too often push themselves too hard, making matters worse.

Long-term use of pills may also result in permanent damage to internal organs.  In some cases, it can also lead to addiction (opioids, which I’ve talked about in another blog here).

But physical therapy is a practice designed to address pain.  With skillful, knowledgeable hands, a physical therapist partners with patients, getting to the underlying reason for pain and addressing it.

Rebuilding Your Body

A physical therapist doesn’t just work on you, but with you.  You play an important role in recovery.  Part of a physical therapist’s job is to identify biomechanical issues which may have contributed to the problem and to correct them.

Physical therapists also give you much-needed homework in the form of strengthening exercises.  If you’ve been in pain for a while, your body’s been out of commission, so it hasn’t been getting the exercise it needs for optimum function.

Working with your physical therapist, you can rebuild your body, making it more resistant to injuries and pain.  In addition, you’ll gain a more intimate understanding of how your body works and what it needs to keep you moving.

Without Side Effects

Probably the best part of physical therapy is that it involves no side effects.  Instead of feeling lousy and in a cloud of drug-induced lethargy, you’ll be getting your body moving again and re-discovering the joy of mobility with a trained professional who cares about your recovery.

Pills can’t do that.  All they can do it temporarily mask pain which will still be there when the pills wear off.

In addition, you get the benefit of a stronger body that’s ready for life and whatever it can possibly throw at you.

Back & Body Medical

Back & Body is a multi-disciplinarian pain relief clinic in the heart of Manhattan.  As a chiropractor, I’m grateful to work with a team of physical therapists, sports medicine professionals and acupuncturists.  Together, we find tailored solutions to pain that put the patient at the center of all we do.

Don’t let the pain win.  Discover multi-disciplinarian pain relief at Back & Body.