For a long list of medical issues, seeing your family doctor or a physician in an urgent care environment is your best approach. However, if you're dealing with some physical health issues, a physical therapist can be better suited to treat you. In many cases, doctors will refer their patients for physical therapy, but if you have a good idea of what issue you're experiencing, you can skip this step and go right to scheduling an appointment at your local physical therapy clinic. Here are some benefits of receiving this type of care instead of that of a doctor.
The Physical Therapist Won't Use Pain Medication
When you visit your family doctor complaining of pain, he or she may take the simple approach of giving you pain medication. This could come in the form of an on-the-spot injection of a mild local anesthetic to reduce your discomfort, or a prescription for pain medication. These approaches can indeed make you feel better, but only by masking the symptoms — and not by actually addressing the physical issue. When you seek the care of a physical therapist, he or she will not rely on pain medication. Instead, this expert will use physical manipulation, stretching, strengthening exercises, and more to address the root cause of your discomfort.
You'll Get Sent Away With Homework
Because doctors have to treat patients with a wide range of ailments, they're not necessarily experts in how patients can manage their own pain. While a doctor might advocate something simple such as going for a walk to help you relieve soreness, a physical therapist is trained in giving patients specific exercise regimens — and exercises to avoid — when a patient is dealing with a certain type of pain. When you seek the care of a physical therapist, you'll be excited because you'll be empowered to play a proactive role in your health by exercising and stretching at home.
Many Physical Therapists View Surgery As A Last Resort
Some physicians are extremely keen on surgery and may recommend it early on. If you'd like to consider surgery as a last resort, you'll often find that physical therapists are in agreement with this concept. Instead of rushing to suggest that you seek surgical intervention, your physical therapist will do all that he or she can, as well as refer you to complementary therapists, to keep you from going under the knife.
Contact a clinic like Physical Therapy Institute to find out more about physical therapy treatments.
Share20 July 2017
After watching my mother navigate treatment for breast cancer in my early teens, I knew pretty much what to expect from my dad's diagnosis with prostate cancer. What I didn't know was how different chemotherapy and radiation can affect different people. My mother became very ill while my dad seemed to weather the treatments with few ill effects. I spent a long time researching the differences in treatments, types of chemotherapy, and how each one can react differently with the body. I created this blog to help others understand the same things, because I knew I couldn't be the only one unfamiliar with it. I hope it helps you if someone you love is facing treatment for any type of cancer.
