​As one year ends and a new year begins, we tend to reflect on the time that has passed and look forward to a “fresh start” as we move into a new year.  This is also a time when many of us set goals, including things like improving different aspects of our health.  For some it’s weight loss, decreasing stress or sleeping better.  For others it might be improving diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol.  

​This is also a time many people decide it’s time to FINALLY do something about that nagging lingering pain they’ve been dealing with for months or years.  If you’ve been in pain for any length of time you know how much it can affect your life and impact your health.  Pain can affect your sleep and your ability to move and stay active, which leads to weight gain and many other health problems.

Today I want to continue my discussion from last week about a “popular trend” that is very concerning.  It’s not necessarily a new problem, but it is something that for whatever reason I’ve been acutely aware of over the past few weeks or months. 
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So, what is this “popular trend”?

​I am hearing from more and more people who are suffering in pain or poor health who have fallen victim to one or more FALSE BELIEFS about their health.  FALSE BELIEFS that are holding them back from enjoying the healthy, active and vibrant lifestyle they want and deserve.  

As a Physical Therapist and Health Coach conversations about health are a big part of my everyday life…and I absolutely love it!  I love sharing my knowledge and experiences and helping others on their health journey. 

So, today I want to talk about something that has been coming up a lot lately that has me concerned.  It’s this idea that persistent aches, pains or poor health is somehow accepted as “just a normal part of aging”.           

​I hear from so many people who are NOT living the life they envisioned for themselves because of one or more health problems.  And sadly, the most common health problems affecting people’s lives today are conditions that can prevented, significantly improved and in many cases even reversed with proper treatment and advice.  

A very common complaint I hear from my patients who have been dealing with persistent aches, pains and injuries is that they have “GAINED WEIGHT”.

It takes a lot of them by complete SURPRISE!

I see so many people that have been dealing with some kind or ache or pain for weeks, months…and often years!
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Many of them have come to believe that “it’s just a normal part of aging” or “something they have to live with”…maybe that is true in some circumstances, but for the most part it’s simply not true.   

Most of the time there is a reason for a persistent ache or pain.  If we can find the cause, generally there is something that can be done to correct the problem, get rid of the ache or pain and then prevent it from coming back.

So why do so many people, live in pain?  I’m pretty sure it’s not because they like it. 

Maybe you’ve wondered about this yourself.  It’s a question I get asked frequently, so I felt like it would be a good topic to cover here. 

Heat and ice both have some very good benefits when it comes to managing injuries or pain.  Aside from pain relief, heat can help increase blood flow, increase tissue flexibility, decrease joint stiffness or muscle spasm.  Ice can also help with pain relief, decrease muscle spasm and assist in resolving inflammation. 

So, which is better...Heat or Ice?

We have a lot of choices when it comes to choosing a health care provider, including a Physical Therapist.  When we have so many choices it can be very difficult to decide what to do, let alone feel confident we are making the best decision.  Unfortunately, this leads to a lot of people who simply don’t make a decision and continue to suffer with pain for weeks, months and even years.  Not only are these people suffering with pain, they struggle to do the activities they need or want to do. 
    
I hear so many stories from patients that “just thought it would get better”.  Sometimes it does, but for many the pain continues to be a constant annoyance, or it comes and goes without warning.

Please don't let this be you!  Don't suffer any longer!

I get this question a lot…

I’m going to start with the first part of this question, because if you don’t understand what Physical Therapy is it’s going to be even more difficult to know if it can help you?

Unfortunately, there isn’t a clear simple answer that can be given here. 

No wonder people are confused!

 In fact, if I asked 10 different Physical Therapists and 10 different patients this same question, I would probably get 20 different answers.