Daily tasks that used to be simple are more difficult when you’re suffering from pain in your joints related to arthritis. Unfortunately, there is no cure for arthritis, but there are treatments that can help manage the symptoms and slow its progression.

Many people turn to pain medications for treatment, but there are other alternatives like physical therapy that can provide assistance and help lessen your reliance on pain medications.

Benefits of treating arthritis without pain medication

Reducing your dependency on pain medications to treat your arthritis is beneficial for a number of reasons, including:

• Reduced side effects — Pain medication can cause unwanted side effects like drowsiness, high blood pressure, fluid retention and more. Treating your arthritis with physical therapy instead can help reduce your pain and improve your range of motion so you don’t need to rely on as much medication or, in some cases, any medication at all.

• Lower chance of addiction — Certain pain medications, such as opioids, are addictive. Over time, you’ll need higher doses to continue coping with the pain, and once you’re addicted, if you stop taking the medication you will suffer from withdrawals. Treating the pain with physical therapy can help keep you from having to face this struggle.

• Treatment at the source — Pain medications mainly help to soothe pain and help reduce inflammation. However, treating your pain with physical therapy targets the source. You develop better support for your muscles and joints, so you can move more freely and with less pain. Pain medication alone cannot provide this kind of support.

Treating arthritis with physical therapy at Franklin Rehabilitation

The goals of physical therapy for arthritis treatment usually include preserving your range of motion, increasing strength to reduce stress on the joints and other natural treatment options. Here are some of the benefits of working with our physical therapists at Franklin Rehabilitation:

• Your physical therapist will work with you to control your weight through exercise and diet. Controlling your weight helps to prevent added stress on weight-bearing joints.
• Posture work will help to reduce stress on your joints.
• Light exercises and stretching will help to increase range of motion in the affected areas.
• Your physical therapist may also recommend a schedule for rest and sleep to complement your exercises. This helps the body to heal and hopefully reduce arthritic inflammation and pain.

Every treatment regimen is different based on your body’s needs and your particular type of arthritis. The best way to get started on a med-free treatment through physical therapy is to contact us today with any questions or schedule an appointment with one of our therapists. In addition, you can begin physical therapy without the need for a doctor’s referral.