Is Physical Therapy Worth It?

Is Physical Therapy Worth It? - Depositphotos 3987780 l 2015

Physical Therapy

Are you thinking about booking a session with a physical therapist but you’re not sure whether it’s worth it?

We get it.

When you’re in pain, you want immediate relief.

You want to be the person you were before chronic pain – to work, perform and socialize again. Like you did before. 

You want to get back on the track/field/court, like yesterday.

So, understandably, you want to be sure that the type of therapy you choose will provide the best bang for your buck and get you out of pain as quickly as possible.

But is physical therapy worth it?

You’ve probably already tried DIY remedies: ice packs, heat wraps, hot baths and showers, and over-the-counter pain pills—new pillows, mattresses, and weird neck traction devices you bought on Amazon. You’ve done the YouTube exercise videos, changed your diet, started a daily yoga practice. You popped countless expensive vitamin and mineral supplements and herbal concoctions that all promised to be “anti-inflammatory” and helpful for chronic pain.

However, you’re still in pain.

You wanted to fix yourself – but you can’t.

So, what’s next?

Family Physician? Sports massage? Acupuncture?

CBD Oil?

It’s hard to know what to do for the best, right?

For us, it’s a no-brainer. 

(Unless you have a sudden onset, acute pain. For example, you have pain that is severe enough to stop you from performing your daily tasks, you’ve been involved in an accident, or you have any cuts or breaks that require immediate attention. In that case, you may need to contact your family physician or visit the Emergency Room).

Physical Therapy – How It Can Help 

Physical Therapy - How It Can Help

However, when you have a more long-term problem with your physical function and mobility, such as neck pain, low back pain, or sore knees – a Doctor of Physical Therapy is the most sensible and worthwhile first call. They specialize in the movement and function of the human body – helping you move and manage pain.

You could go and see your physician first. But they’re likely to either recommend a physical therapist or prescribe strong painkillers with adverse, long-term health effects and cost you money for the consultation in the process. That’s why you might as well cut out the middleman and the unnecessary drugs.

Instead, go straight to a specialist – and consult with a physical therapist. For most patients, this is likely to be the fastest, most effective treatment for pain relief. 

Acupuncture, for instance, can be great for pain relief – although it’s still not fully known why. It is thought to help with inflammation and blood flow. It also has a body-wide relaxation effect that can be helpful for pain too. But used in isolation, acupuncture cannot correct physical imbalances, misaligned joints, or restore function and mobility.

The same is valid for a sports massage and other types of massage. They’re helpful for complementary treatment, temporary pain relief, and relaxation. But massage alone – however good it is, doesn’t offer long-term pain relief, help with posture correction, or strengthen weak or spastic muscles.

You can expect to pay between $50 – $90 per session for acupuncture, totaling around $1000 based on the typically recommended ten sessions. For sports massage, you’re looking at between $75 – $100 per 45-minute treatment. As we’ve mentioned, neither of these treatments offer permanent results.

However, they are beneficial and enjoyable as add-on treatments, which’s undeniable. But are they worth it for chronic pain if you’re on a budget when you compare to Physical Therapy?

Probably not.

Especially as they’re unlikely, in most cases, to be covered by insurance. 

Physical Therapy and Health Insurance

Many patients try CBD Oil to help with joint pain, arthritis, and insomnia associated with pain. This type of treatment too can be helpful to reduce some of the inflammation and reduce your pain levels. However, what it can’t do is help you find the source of your pain and take steps to eliminate it. So it’s not that clever.

Plus, it’s not for everyone – some people experience side effects or no effect at all. And it can be expensive – depending on the strength, purity, and whether it contains fillers and other ingredients that you don’t want to ingest. 

As Physical Therapists, we specialize in helping patients get out of pain fast. We also help you prevent future injuries and stop pain from returning by providing targeted exercises that you can do at home. We also formulate a customized plan for your treatment sessions that uses various effective pain relief methods.

According to Thervo, The average cost of physical therapy can range from $20 to $350 per session with most paying $30 with insurance, and $125 per session without insurance. Physical therapy fees include the initial assessment, use of any special equipment and depend on the type of injury and treatment received. Also, the number of sessions prescribed will determine your total costs”.

If you compare these costs to adding the price of a doctor’s office visit on top too, as per these figures provided by Consumer Health Ratings:

 “An initial consultation with a doctor will cost in the range of $100 – $200. Visits to specialty care providers (specialists) are typically more expensive depending on their specialty and the nature of your visit. Specialists will charge $250 or more for a consultation”.

You can see it’s much more cost-effective to go straight to a Physical Therapist. Physical Therapists are much more likely to solve your problem with long-term results and no adverse health effects from painkillers. The one type of appointment saves you time too.

Still not convinced?

Here are a few more compelling reasons why Physical Therapy is worth it.

The Benefits of Physical Therapy

Physical Therapy

Physical Therapy is helpful for a range of medical conditions. It helps with arthritis, frozen shoulder, and plantar fasciitis to lymphedema, chronic constipation, and urinary stress incontinence.  It’s hugely beneficial for sports performance and rehab. It offers a multitude of benefits, such as:

 

Get relief from pain – without painkillers or steroid injections

Painkillers and opioids only mask the pain. As soon as you stop taking them, as many patients do because of the long-term health effects, the pain returns – usually with a vengeance.  But the manual therapy, corrective exercises, and targeted therapies performed by physical therapists make sure the pain is resolved and gone for good – without pills, pain patches, or other potentially damaging medications. 

Find and treat the root cause of chronic pain.

Until you find the root cause, you cannot fix the problem and get rid of the pain. Until then, you’re just treating the symptoms. Physical Therapists use their many years of education and experience to quickly locate and treat the root cause of chronic pain conditions even if you’ve suffered for years.

Eliminate back pain, knee pain, headaches, migraine, or foot & ankle pain

Physical Therapists perform manual therapy to mobilize your joints and soft tissues. They also work with you to perform corrective exercises to treat the cause of your pain – and get rid of it, wherever it is in your body. 

Non-invasive, preventive treatment, instead of dangerous surgeries

Chronic pain is usually a warning sign from your body that something needs your attention. If it’s Ignored and left to get worse, you may need surgery further down the line, so Physical Therapy works as a preventative treatment to stop you from needing invasive and dangerous surgery in the future, especially in the case of back and neck problems that involve the spine.

Better joint mobility, movement, and flexibility

No matter your age, if you’re struggling to stand, walk or move properly because of chronic pain or dysfunction. Physical Therapists help you restore function and mobility in your joints and muscles and get back to moving well. 

Fast, effective rehabilitation after injury, illness, or traumatic accident

If you’re recovering from an illness or injury and experienced a loss of function or movement. Such as after a stroke or traumatic brain injury, Physical Therapy helps you get your strength back. In addition, a customized treatment plan will help you or your loved one attain improved outcomes in gait, balance, dexterity, and quality of life. 

Stay active and fit and prevent age-related physical problems 

Physical Therapists don’t just treat problems – they also prevent them. They specialize in preventing age-related issues with flexibility, mobility, and joint health so that you can stay fit, active, and healthy long into old age.

We think you’ll agree, Physical Therapy is well worth your time and investment – especially if you’re in pain now. But if you’re still not convinced, this video by explains how the physical therapists at Intecore Physical Therapy help people just like you.

We also have a free guide that answers the 51 Most Asked Questions About Physical Therapy. And we offer all new patients the opportunity to jump on a complimentary 30-minute call with one of our PTs. Talk to us directly about your issues, and we’ll help you decide whether Physical Therapy is the right option for you. This option is also available as a 20-minute face-to-face Discovery Visit at the clinic.

The choice is yours.

However, we’d be delighted to help. Get in touch with us anytime!

Andrew Vertson

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