Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is often described as pain that interferes with daily activity and has persisted for longer than three months. A survey from 2023 estimates that 1 in 4 Americans are living with chronic pain.
At Mission Valley Physical Therapy, I offer a different approach to treating chronic pain. I believe that the body rarely, if ever, makes mistakes. Your pain is there for a reason, and we need to find that reason.
No matter how long your pain has been present, or how diffuse your pain is, or what diagnosis you have been given, you deserve a thorough physical exam. During the physical exam, I will look for signs of inflammation and distinguish how your pain is affected by mechanical forces. No one should ever assume that there is nothing noteworthy to find in your physical exam because you have already been looked at before or because your pain has been present for a long time.
We may also discuss how the autonomic nervous system influences pain. You may be prescribed lifestyle modifications for your diet, sleep, movement, and stress to act as signals of safety to your nervous system.