Chronic Pain
Chronic pain, or persistent pain, is pain that last for weeks, months or years.
For some, chronic pain is the result of an injury, like a sprained back, or an ongoing problem like arthritis. For others, chronic pain occurs in the absence of a past injury. Many chronic pain conditions affect older adults. Common chronic pain complaints include headache, low back pain, arthritis pain, or neurogenic pain (pain resulting from damage to the peripheral nerves or to the central nervous system itself.)
A 2011 Global Industry Analysts, Inc. report estimates that over 1.5 billion people worldwide suffer from chronic pain, with the incidence rate increasing with age. Most chronic pain conditions affect older adults. Common chronic pain complaints include headache, low back pain, arthritis pain, or neurogenic pain (pain resulting from damage to the peripheral nerves or to the central nervous system itself).
At SporTherapy Physical Therapy, we are dedicated to overcoming these disabling disorders so our patients can get back to the life they love. We focus on two key elements in treating pain: education and movement. The combination of therapeutic neuroscience education (TNE) and movement has shown significant evidence in helping people with persistent pain.
Check out this video for more information on Chronic/Persistent Pain:
Virtual Reality
The newest weapon in the fight against opioid addiction is virtual reality (VR) technology that can help ease patients’ chronic pain and provide alternatives to popping pills. SporTherapy Physical Therapy is piloting the use of a groundbreaking new VR platform, developed by BehaVR, which is drastically improving patient’s results and experience with persistent pain. Not only does using a virtual reality headset as part of an integrated PT therapy session provide a visual and engaging experience for the patient, but the psychologically powerful medium also helps patients learn and retain new research about chronic pain and how to deal with it.
A little excerpt from inside our VR headset (Please note these videos are a sample of a session.):
