Three Types of Professionals Who Can Help With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain

Issues of chronic musculoskeletal pain present as a major public health concern worldwide, and with such a breadth of different disorders with many intertwined mechanisms at work, it can prove an incredibly stressful problem for people. 

A lot of people feel their plight is unsolvable, and are unfortunately passed between many different doctors and other professionals without being able to find the answers they’re looking for. 

In this article, you’ll learn of the three primary professionals that serve those with chronic pain – that way, you or your loved one can get on the right track to finding the right help as quickly as possible.

Physical Therapists

It’s a physical therapist’s job to design a bespoke stretching and strengthening plan to best help your joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves recover as well as they can. You’ll work alongside them to develop a course of manipulations to slowly acclimate your body to heal itself.

It’s also a PT’s job to offer you advice on how to help yourself; they often provide exercises to do at home as well as walk you through any potential lifestyle factors which may be making your condition worse.

Ultimately, a physical therapist is there to take you through the entire process of getting better – from diagnosis to treatment, and perhaps most importantly, to maintenance of newfound health. 

Pain Management Specialists

Where physical therapists are there to coach you through the process of identifying the issue and healing the problem, pain management specialists work to get to the bottom of how the pain is being caused and how to offer immediate relief. 

It’s their job to look at the bigger picture, working holistically with GPs, physical therapists, chiropractors, and other professional medical staff to build an overarching plan that transcends each discipline. With their advanced training in the diagnosis of chronic pain conditions, they can determine what sort of medication is required, which scans are needed for an accurate assessment, and what other specialists to involve to make sure that the recovery process keeps the patient as pain-free as possible. 

Resolving the pain once and for all is the overall goal, but it’s the job of a pain management specialist to ensure you’re comfortable on your journey there. 

Chiropractor 

Chiropractors are healthcare professionals who specialize specifically in musculoskeletal disorders.

Their primary method for helping remedy the issue is through spinal manipulation: this is achieved through the application of controlled force to any problem areas along the vertebrae, be they in the neck, shoulders, or middle to lower back. Like physical therapists, they can also utilize massage to supplement the main methods of treatment. 

They have a deep understanding of how the spine and nervous system interact to bring about relife from chronic pain in that area, so it’s often the case that a person sees both a PT and chiropractor as a first line of treatment if they’re having any spine-related musculoskeletal issues. 

Wrapping Up

Dealing with chronic musculoskeletal flair-ups can be an extremely difficult challenge to go through – but there are always knowledgeable, talented professionals available to help you through it. Gather a team comprised of the three disciplines above, and you’ll be on your way to a speedy recovery.