3 Conditions You May Not Realize Physical Therapists Treat

National Physical Therapy Month is celebrated every year in October. There are lots of individuals that have seen a physical therapist for common reasons such as low back pain or knee pain. There are many different conditions, however, that Physical therapists may treat that you may not be aware of. In order to sustain their professional license, PTs are required to take continuing education courses. These courses give a therapist a special set of skills for treating a certain condition. Here is a list of conditions you may not realize a physical therapist treat:

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• Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Or Jaw Pain: Jaw pain can occur because of  many different problems, but one of the main includes poor posture. Poor posture leads to increased stress on the joint. A physical therapist can address postural issues, assess and improve the joint mobility to reduce pain.

• Massage for Headaches : There are many different kinds of headaches such as migraines, tension headaches,  and cluster headaches to name a few. Often times, headaches can become a very common occurrence that affects a person’s ability to function on a regular basis. Poor posture, muscle tightness, stress, or a neck injury are the major reasons to cause the most common type of headaches. A physical therapist is able to determine the type of headaches and what the best treatments may be to help eradicate symptoms. A PT can perform manual massage to help loosen up stiff muscles and can educate the patient about proper posture of the neck and upper body to reduce stress and anxiety through this area that might be the cause  behind headaches.

• Lymphedema : Lymphedema is swelling that may occur in the arms and legs that is arising from your lymphatic system. This is extremely common after certain types of cancer treatments including breast cancer, where lymph nodes may be removed. A trained physical therapist in Hammond  can perform different types of lymphatic drainage massage or use certain wrapping techniques to help reduce swelling in a limb.

If you have experienced, or currently are experiencing any of these symptoms, consider to look for a trained PT who can help with your symptom management. You can browse online to find a PT in your area that is trained or credentialed to treat these certain conditions.

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