To avoid opioid addiction, #Choose PT for safer pain management. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the sales of prescription opioids have quadrupled in the United States even though there have not been an reported change in the amount of pain.
Five guidelines of when to choose physical therapy over opioids are when;
- The risk of taking the prescription outweighs the rewards.- This includes when there are potential side effects including depression and addiction and there are no proven long term benefits.
- Patients want to cure the pain rather than temporarily hide it.- Opioids will temporarily reduce the pain sensation but will not improve your long term mobility.
- If your pain is related to lower back, hip or knee osteoarthritis, or fibromyalgia.- For these conditions it is reported that only exercise as a part of a physical therapy plan will benefit.
- If the pain lasts more than 90 days.- After 90 days, pain is considered chronic and opioids can no longer treat. Non opioid treatments are preferred for chronic pain.
- Opioids are prescribed for pain- In situations where opioids are prescribed, it is recommended patients take the lowests recommended dosage. They are also to be combined with non-opioid therapies, like physical therapy.
At Physical Therapy Experience in Smithtown and Oceanside we treat the highest level of pain and we are urging patients to #Choose PT over any other forms of treatment. Through personalized care and treatments from our highly specialized therapist you will be able to find a pain management solution and eliminate overall symptoms.