Pain Relief: Physiotherapy Versus Medication

If you suffer from occasional or chronic pain, you’re probably used to popping pain pills to find relief. While this works for many, others might want or need to consider an alternate way to feel better. Visiting your nearby physiotherapy clinic might be a way to achieve this. It’s an effective way of treating pain experienced as a result of injury, a medical procedure, stress or health issue. Opting for physiotherapy over medication for pain relief offers numerous short-term and long-term benefits, some of which are detailed below.

Reduced Side Effects

Taking medication often results in side effects, especially if taken regularly. These could range from mild headaches or digestive problems to severe (in some cases, life-threatening) ailments such as kidney and liver failure. Physiotherapy can reduce or even eliminate the need for potentially harmful medication.

Long Term Relief

Medication treats the symptom but not the origin of pain. Physiotherapists aim to find the underlying cause and treat it. The goal is for long term relief, as opposed to just treating the symptoms in the short term or temporarily masking the pain.

Specialist Treatment

When you take a pill for pain, you can’t choose which part of your body it will target. Physiotherapy can improve muscle tone and elasticity in a specific area. This is crucial for proper healing and recovery, especially after injury or surgery. Even in cases where medication is prescribed, physiotherapy is still required for physical rehabilitation.

Decreased Drug Dependency

There is always a risk of drug dependency with certain medications, particularly if a person has chronic pain. A mental or emotional reliance on the medicine may persist even after the pain has subsided. Physiotherapy decreases the risk of this occurring.

Treating The Entire Body

Physiotherapists not only find the actual root causes of your pain; they may identify other health problems that you were unaware of and that you may need treatment for. You might visit because your head continually hurts when in reality it’s your back that’s causing the pain.

If you’re based in or around Mount Eden, Newmarket or Epsom, Cairnhill Physiotherapy can assist with finding pain relief. Contact us today to find out how we can help you.