What is chronic pain?
Chronic pain is a complex problem requiring a comprehensive approach to its treatment. Pain is physiological, that is, tissues may be irritated, inflamed or damaged but is also emotional and psychological when one’s thoughts, beliefs and past experiences affect our perception of pain. Our physical therapists have received specialized training in the management and treatment of pain. Physical therapy is involved in chronic pain through evaluation of tissues involved, manual intervention, movement analysis, education and exercise.
How is chronic pain treated?
At DMU, patients will receive a comprehensive evaluation including a medical history, an interview discussing pain perception, functional assessment, and full body movement examination. Treatment will focus on the patient’s specific functional goals. Treatment may include aerobic activity, graded movement, stress reduction techniques, manual therapy and exercise. Patients will be educated on the pain experience, that is, what occurs in the tissues and brain with continuing pain. We understand pain affects every aspect of a patient’s life and control of pain is difficult. We work in conjunction with your other health care providers to help you achieve your goals.
| Appointments | 515-271-1717 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday - Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Location | 3200 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312 |
You are more than your imaging
If you are like most people, you’ve likely experienced pain at some point in your life. Maybe that pain lasted only for a day or two, or perhaps you have pain now and it has been lasting for a while. […]
How does pain work? Understanding the truth behind the hurt
When you take a second to think about it, pain is truly quite the concept to wrap your brain around. Why does my shoulder hurt? Why can’t I move my back? When will this go away? As a third year […]
How to reduce stress and tension at home
Winter is a tedious season for many people in a normal year, let alone amid the coronavirus pandemic. Living and working indoors in the same space day after day can be difficult, and especially around the holidays we may find […]
Know pain, know gain: Chronic pain management
Every injury comes with a typical timeline for pain and recovery. When pain continues beyond that timeframe, it’s considered chronic. Also, if you’ve had pain on most days for more than three months, you suffer from chronic pain. But there […]
The opioid epidemic: information and resources for health care providers
Sarah Wilson, wife and mother of four, became addicted to opioid pain medications after she suffered severe injuries from getting hit by an intoxicated driver about eight years ago. She was nearly three years into her recovery from addiction to […]
“Climate change”: how the opioid prescribing environment has changed in 20 years
I have been in family medicine long enough to see cycles of change in management of several conditions: diabetes, heart attacks, even tonsillectomies. But none of them seems to compare with the changes I’ve seen in the last 20 years […]
Aaron Shoskes, D.O.’18, explores link between chronic stress and gut bacteria
Aaron Shoskes, D.O.’18, gave a platform presentation titled “A possible link between chronic stress and the microbiome: a metagenomic analysis” at the Society for Infection and Inflammation in Urology as part of the American Urological Association Annual Meeting in New Orleans May 15-19. […]
A world of pain
We are in a world of pain. From the prick of our first booster to the aches of arthritis, we experience pain at all ages in a variety of ways. Pain can range from irritating to excruciating, but it always serves a […]