October is National Physical Therapy Month! Each year the American Physical Therapy Association, or #APTA, chooses a theme for the month. This year the theme is #ChoosePT, a movement that is focused on encouraging people and patients to use physical therapy as a method of pain management rather than opioids. With many of us looking for a quick fix for our ailments we have become increasingly reliant on the use of opioids in pain management. While opioids may be beneficial in reducing pain, they also come with long term complications and have addictive properties.
According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, #ASAM, drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in this country. Approximately 1.9 million Americans abuse prescription pain medication. Eighty percent of new heroin users become addicted after abusing prescription pain medication. These numbers are not isolated to the young adult population but can impact older adults as well. For this reason, the APTA and physical therapists are trying to promote the use of therapy in pain management rather than reliance on opioids.
Opioids are often prescribed as a way to address musculoskeletal issues. Physical therapists are experts in the musculoskeletal system and have many techniques to promote healing and manage pain. The use of various types of modalities, manual therapy and massage, and implementation of an exercise program can help to treat a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. These may be the interventions that you need to decrease your reliance on opioids or prevent the use of them altogether. The next time that your shoulder, low back, or any other body part is ailing you remember to #choosePT as a safe and non-addictive method of treating pain and promoting healing.
For more information on this topic head over to choosept.com or Contact WWS Physical Therapy & Vestibular Rehabilitation to set up an appointment!
ASAM: https://www.asam.org/docs/
WWS Physical Therapy and Vestibular Rehabilitation
1456 Ferry Road, Suite 601
Doylestown, PA 18901
P-215-489-3234