Physiotherapy treatment for persistent pain in Cambridge
Changes in your nervous system can cause chronic pain. If you have a chronic pain problem it’s common to feel worried about what it means, how long it might last and how much it’s impacting on your work and home life.
Chronic pain is caused by changes in your nervous system that mean that it’s now much more sensitive than it used to be. These changes began when your pain first started and although your injuries have now healed your nervous system has a memory and is still behaving as though there is something significantly wrong with you.
Avoiding things that hurt isn’t helpful in the long term
Often people who have chronic pain try to avoid doing the things that they think caused the original injury or things they are fearful might make their pain worse.
While this might sound logical it could actually be the worst thing for your body. As long as your original injury has healed there is no reason not to engage in all activities. To not do so means doing less overall and if your body experiences less movement this can actually make your problems worse.
How a physiotherapist can help
At Physiofit we will listen to you really carefully and together work out the steps on your road to recovery. This will almost certainly involve a graded approach to your rehabilitation programme. Put simply this means doing things slowly but surely in a safe and comfortable way… breaking specific activities down into small stages that get progressively more challenging towards your end goal.
Your physiotherapy programme… Your goals
Taking the first step… that’s where a physiotherapist can help
Your rehabilitation programme will be specifically designed with your goals and your own preferences in mind. Essentially this means that you are in control of the process at all times. Your physio might recommend:
- Graded exercises and activity
- Graded exposure - similar to graded activity but dealing with the emotional and psychological aspects of returning to work and activity
- Strength and flexibility training
- Re-educating your movement patterns
- Stress Management
- Postural correction
- Pain management education
- Ergonomic assessment - advice on your workplace equipment and habits
- Clinical pilates on the mat or using our reformer bed
- Acupuncture
Our approach is to make your recovery process safe, steady and focused.
Two of our physiotherapists, Paul Sharma and Rowan Wilson, specialise in the treatment of clients with complex spinal conditions and chronic pain, so if you think we might be able to help you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch