Playing with your children or grandchildren. Dusting your home. Taking your dog for a walk. These and many other normal daily activities can be harder to do when you have fibromyalgia.
Unfortunately, far too many Americans know exactly how difficult living with fibromyalgia can be. The 2012 National Health Institute Survey reveals that almost 4 million Americans are living with this condition. If you live in or near Las Cruces, New Mexico, and have fibromyalgia pain, you should consider seeking physical therapy. A physical therapist can help you find an effective and personalized treatment plan for your fibromyalgia pain.
Types of physical therapy that can be used to treat fibromyalgia pain
There are many different techniques physical therapists have at their disposal; many of them are effective at treating fibromyalgia pain. However, physical therapists know that your condition is unique, which is why they’ll tailor the methods they use to fit your needs.
A few of the therapy techniques your physical therapist could include in your treatment plan are:
- Aquatic therapy — This type of therapy takes place in a heated pool. One goal of aquatic therapy is to help you complete therapeutic movements more safely. It can also help reduce fibromyalgia symptoms. One medical study reveals that patients who had aquatic therapy experienced a seven-point reduction in their pain scores.
- Manual therapy — This is a category of therapy that includes techniques performed by the physical therapist’s hands. Often, manual therapy methods are used to manipulate joints. They can also be used to apply therapeutic pressure to areas of tension. The second of these applications can be especially helpful for fibromyalgia patients. Medical researchers report that 20 weeks of manual therapy helped reduce pain and tension significantly in 13 of the 18 tender points patients had.
Other therapy techniques that your physical therapist may also use include:
- Low-impact cardiovascular exercises to improve your blood flow
- Muscle-strengthening activities to improve your posture
- Range-of-movement techniques that may help reduce your levels of pain
Border Therapy Services in Las Cruces can help treat your fibromyalgia pain
Our physical therapists at Border Therapy Services in Las Cruces want to help you get started with a treatment plan for fibromyalgia pain. The first step that you’ll take in this process is to come into our office for a free screening of your condition. This screening allows your physical therapist to determine the nature of your condition. We’ll then create a personalized treatment plan for you that’s intended to reduce your symptoms and decrease flare-ups.
Are you living with fibromyalgia pain? Would you like to know more about our physical therapy options? Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment at one of our two Las Cruces clinics.