Have you ever gone to an appointment with your doctor and were prescribed pain pills instead of a real solution? Pain is merely a symptom, and it will persist without addressing the root cause of an injury. Medication is used to alleviate symptoms and may give brief relief, but it is only masking the deeper issue while also causing potential side effects.

The unfortunate part about this is that many people believe that there is nothing else that can be done. They were never offered any other options besides prescription medications, injections, and expensive surgeries. In certain cases, these options are warranted, but what if they can be avoided? One of the biggest reasons for this trend is that many are never told or educated that there are other options. 

Physical therapy addresses the root cause of symptoms so that there is less of a chance that symptoms return in the future. For instance, if someone has radiating pain and tingling down their leg, they may be given gabapentin, which is popular medication that is prescribed to alleviate neuropathy. I have treated many clients who have been on this medication for a good portion of their lives. This is a sad reality because a patient can feel relief from their chronic symptoms in just a few sessions of physical therapy with proper stretching and strengthening. If someone suffering from this type of condition was offered the right solution sooner, it could have had them living a much more independent life for a longer period of time.

Kyle S. Kasman, PT, DPT
Board-Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist
484-781-5341
[email protected]