No Pain, All Gain: Replacing Opioids with Physical Therapy for Pain Management

Opioids, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine and morphine, have been widely used to treat pain. While effective, they can have devastating side effects and lead to a lifetime of addiction.

If you are living with chronic or serious pain, it’s important to know that opioids aren’t your only answer. We’ve asked the Pivot Physical Therapy team at the Mt. Airy Health & Wellness Pavilion about the benefits of replacing opioids with physical therapy for pain management.

Address the symptoms, don’t mask them

Opioids work by mimicking the brain’s natural neurotransmitters and binding to receptors in the brain. This sends signals to the nerves to block pain, but it does not heal or cure the issue that’s causing the pain in the first place.

Specialized exercise and manual therapy techniques prescribed by a physical therapist will get to the root of the problem. These treatments have also been proven effective to reduce and manage pain.

Better side effects

As humans, we all have the potential to react to drugs differently, and almost every medication can come with a range of side effects. With opioids, side effects can include nausea, dizziness, dry mouth, constipation and physical dependence. As with all drugs, these side effects can differ in severity.

Treating pain with physical therapy also has side effects—but in this case, they’re beneficial: increased flexibility, improved mobility, weight loss, positive mood and an overall increase in wellness.

Long-term relief

Pain killers have an obvious appeal for those living with chronic pain: instant relief. But what happens when the drugs wear off, you miss a dose or run out? The pain is back as quickly as it left.

With physical therapy, your therapist will work with you to create a personalized treatment plan using many different techniques—massage, dry needling, joint manipulation, electrical stimulation and others—to get at the source of the pain. While the relief may not be instant, physical therapy provides long-term relief from chronic pain.

Pivot Physical Therapy at the Mt. Airy Health & Wellness Pavilion (504 East Ridgeville Boulevard) offers injury screening, pre- & post-operative care, total joint rehabilitation, vestibular therapy and more. Call 301-829-6811 to make your appointment today.

To explore all of the pavilion’s convenient services—including primary and specialty care providers, lab services, urgent care and diagnostic imaging—go to MtAiryHealth.org now.