Physical Therapy and Pain Management

Sometimes pain relief can be accomplished through physical therapy. Physical therapy (PT) involves treatment that focuses on prevention of injuries or disabilities. PT helps to relieve pain, promote healing, and restore function and movement.

PT is practiced by a professionally trained physical therapist under the referral of a doctor. A physical therapist is a specialist skilled and educated specifically in proper rehabilitation.

How Is Physical Therapy Used to Treat Pain?

A therapist may focus on decreasing pain with either passive or active therapy. Examples of passive physical therapy include:

• Heat/ice packs
• TENS units
• Ultrasound

Examples of active physical therapy include:

• Stretching and range of motion exercises
• Strengthening exercises
• Pain relief exercises
• Low-impact aerobic conditioning

Points to Consider About Physical Therapy and Pain

An important aspect to keep in mind about physical therapy and pain relief is that each individual may respond differently to therapy. People have different types of bodies, different patterns of movement, different alignments, and different habits. Physical therapists and their trained staff can monitor each individual and attempt to correct improper habits, alignments, and movement patterns.

Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.