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Ways Physical Therapy Can Potentially Provide Headache Relief


April 3, 2019

At North Platte Physical therapy, we’re proud to be one of the region’s most trusted resources when it comes to helping patients mitigate pain from accident, surgery, or sports injury. We’re also proud of the fact that our team strives to stay on the cutting edge of new developments in physical therapy. If you’re a sufferer of migraine headaches who is living in the North Platte, Casper East or Torrington region, you might be surprised to learn about a variety of fledgling physical therapy techniques that have helped patients deal with their headache pain drug free. While every patient is different and a consultation is required for each individual case, these new methods may be an interesting option when it comes to finding new avenues of pain relief for your headache symptoms.

If you suffer throughout the day from serious headache pain, your primary care provider may recommend medications, including powerful opioid medications. Nearly a third of adults ages 50 to 80 report filing an opioid medication prescription since the year 2016, according to a July 2018 study from the University of Michigan. Such prescriptions can have serious, if no life-threatening consequences. As many as a quarter of people taking opioids long-term end up battling addiction to the drug. As such, many healthcare professionals including those in the physical therapy field have begun to explore drug-free options for care.  

According to studies released by the UCLA Medical Center, about seventeen percent of adults older than 65 have suffer from headaches more than twice a month. For people prone to ­migraines, the first method of treatment provided by primary care providers is usually a class of drugs called triptans, which have been proving reduce inflammation and constrict blood vessels. However, there are a variety of other treatment methods you can try with a certified, trained physical therapist that may ease your symptoms without drugs.

New research has illuminated the fact that for those who suffer from frequent headaches, whether they be minor in nature or serious migraines, there may be a wide range of treatment options available in the realm of physical therapy. Therapies, such as acupuncture, massage and biofeedback are often proven to be effective. 

At North Platte Physical Therapy, we offer clients from across the North Platte and Casper region a wide variety of treatment methods to help them deal with chronic pain. In fact, what many new patients don’t realize until their very first visit is that physical therapy has, since its inception, been part of a multidisciplinary team that can help you overcome the limitations of chronic pain. Contact the North Platte Physical Therapy team today to set up an appointment and to learn how our new pain relief methods might be able to help you. 
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