Pain Is Not Just A Number
Nearly everyone who has gone to physical therapy will know the question: “On a scale of 1 to 10 what is your pain?” The answer is important for the physical therapist to understand your experience. There can be frustration by either the patient or the PT with this question but it comes down to communication. High numbers typically mean the patient wants their pain to be paid attention to and low pain is typically seen as no big deal. It is important that everyone knows what the patient means by their number. Your number will guide your care.
Pain Intensity Dictates Care
The pain intensity you experience both verbally and non verbally is important to respect and understand. High levels of pain result in lower level interventions out of respect for an increase in symptoms. This means that if you really mean your pain has just been for a long time your chance for recovery is minimized. This is why it is key for the PT to understand not just your number but what it means to you. Incorrect treatment can delay, halt, or harm you along your path to recovery. So if you feel like your PT is treating it just like a number remind them often with what you really mean. At Ascend we make sure we have a good understanding of your pain so you get the optimal treatment.
We Respect Your Number
Our goal is to fully respect the number you experience. This means that for high levels of pain we work with our clients to control the pain and improve their knowledge of pain. These interventions together help clients better control their pain as well as improve the recovery process. Pain for the sake of pain is a bad thing. We all need to know pain to know gain. By having an understanding of your pain we can better serve you and improve your life without the need for injection, surgery, or medication.